| Antiquity
Coming
to the antiquity, it was due to Vindhya's deep penance that the
place acquired spiritual eminence. It appears that the Vindhya Hills
growing jealous of the splendour of the Mount Meru ,determined to
outgrow it in height and sanctity. Knowing that penance is the only
means to fulfill its ambition, it did penance, propitiating Lord
Siva, the first and foremost God, easily accessible and infinitely
merciful among gods. Lord Siva, when pleased with its tapas appeared
to bestow boons. Granting its ambition of growing to any height, He
cautioned it to extend veneration to Sivabhaktas always. And if
contrary takes place, ruination overtakes with vengeance. Later
events proved that the Vindhyas regardless of the warning, grew to
enormous height to the extent of obstructing the movement of the Sun
and Moon. And also dishonoured the request of ardent devotees to
stop growing and allowing passage for the heavenly bodies to move,
so that they could be freed from eternal darkness. Then .came
Agasthya, who craftily subdued it in a subtle way of asking it not
rise its head till he returned. He never came that way, nor it grew
later. The episode of his tapas occurred here. And the splitting of
the Jyotirlinga into two Omkareswar and Amareswar also took place
then at the soulful prayers of gods and sages. Hence its sanctity.
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