How Mount Abu Became Sacred

Sage Vasishta was a devotee of Lord Shiva. He acquired great power with the blessing of Lord Shiva. Vasishta performed intense tapas to please Shiva. He observed the rules of Yama and Niyama as given in the Yoga Shastra and performed Agnihotra in the morning and evening. Nandini, the divine cow, provided the milk necessary for Agnihotra.

Nandini used to roam freely in Vasishta’s ashrama. She was never tied up. One day, while roaming in the forest, she fell into a deep pit. Even after sunset, she did not return, so Vasishta went searching for her. He found her trapped in the pit.

Vasishta remembered the holy river Saraswati, and Saraswati filled the pit with water. Nandini came out.

Vasishta thought it was very risky and dangerous for animals to leave that pit open like that. He approached Himavan, the king of mountains, with a suggestion to fill up the pit. Himavan said that he could give a mountain to fill up the pit, but how could they take the mountain to the spot? Earlier, mountains had wings, but now they did not have them anymore.

Himavan had two mountain sons - Mainaka and Nandivardhan. They both could still fly. But Mainaka was hiding under the sea to escape having his wings cut off. Only Nandivardhan was left. Himavan did not want to give him up, but how could he refuse Sage Vasishta? If the sage got angry, he could curse him.

So, Himavan called Nandivardhan and told him about the situation. Nandivardhan politely told his father, 'The place where you want me to go has no divine trees, no flowers, no sweet water. Only dangerous animals live there. I do not want to go away from you. I want to be with you and serve you. Please keep me with you.'

Hearing this, Vasishta said, 'Do not worry. I will make that place beautiful. Even the gods will come and start living there.'

Nandivardhan had another mountain friend. His name was Arbuda. They both accompanied Vasishta back to his ashrama. There, Arbuda placed Nandivardhan inside the pit, and the pit was thus covered.

Vasishta became happy with both the mountains. The sage said, 'Ask whatever boon you want.'

Arbuda said, 'If you are happy with me, then make the stream that flows in me so famous that people who take a bath in it attain moksha. It should be famous as Naga Tirtha. People should come from far and wide to take a bath in it and get relief from their problems.'

Nandivardhan said, 'Vasishta should always stay at that place and bless that place. It should become famous as Arbuda.'

Vasishta granted both boons. With his spiritual power, Vasishta brought river Gomati to that place. But Vasishta was still not happy because there was no temple of Lord Shiva at that place.

'How can the place be good if there is no Shiva temple there?' he thought. Vasishta started observing penance to bring the presence of Shiva there. He observed penance for thousands of years. Lord Shiva appeared in the form of a Shivalinga. The Lord is worshipped here as Achaleshwar Mahadeva.

The place is presently known as Mount Abu and named after Arbuda Mountain (Arbuda = Abu).

Lessons

1. Caring for Others

After saving Nandini, Sage Vasishta worried about other animals falling into the pit. He wanted to make the place safe for everyone. So he decided to fill the pit. This shows that we should think about others, not just ourselves. Helping others makes the world better.

2. Staying Dedicated

Vasishta wanted Lord Shiva to be present in that place. He meditated and prayed for thousands of years. Finally, Shiva appeared as Achaleshwar Mahadeva. This teaches us that if we keep trying and don't give up, we can achieve great things. Patience and dedication pay off.

3. Being Humble and Helpful

Nandivardhan and Arbuda agreed to help Vasishta, even if they had doubts. Because they helped, Vasishta gave them blessings. Arbuda wanted a holy stream to help people, and Nandivardhan wanted Vasishta to stay there. Their kindness benefited everyone. This shows that being humble and helping others brings good things.

Knowledge Bank

Recognizing the Divine Connection: Humans as Reflections of Prajapati

Understand that the human being is the closest to Prajapati, the creator. This closeness means that the human is a true representation of Prajapati, mirroring his form and essence. The relationship between Prajapati and humans is like that between the original and its exact replica. Prajapati is the source, and the human is his precise image. If you wish to see and understand Prajapati's form, look at the human being, as all his features are present in humans. The truth is, humans are so intimately connected with Prajapati that, upon reflection, it becomes clear and evident that humans are indeed Prajapati himself. Recognize this divine connection and understand your potential as a true reflection of the creator.

Who was King Prithu?

King Prithu is an avatara of Lord Vishnu. His father, Vena was very wicked. Rishis killed Vena using mantra-shakti. Prithu was churned out from the thigh of Vena. Prithu established dharma in the world by performing yajnas.