Land of Kashyapa - Page#21 - Shankaracharya Temple

Land of Kashyapa - Page#21


Shankaracharya Temple
It was the 13th day of October 2022. It was the will of the cosmos that I should be here on my birthday at the temple where Sri Adi Shankara composed Soundarya Lahiri ("The waves of Beauty"), whose 100 stanzas eulogize the beauty, grace, and munificence of Goddess Parvati.
The hill is on the southern tip of Dal Lake. After a short journey by car up the hills, the temple is accessed by a flight of about 240 steps that has some breathtaking views of the city, lake, and Hari Parbat. Swami Vivekananda, who visited Srinagar in 1897 described this most conspicuous temple: “Look! what genius the Hindu shows in placing his temples! He always chooses a grand scenic effect! See, the hill commands the whole of Kashmir.”
"The temple was originally built by King Sandhiman of the Gonanda Dynasty of Kashmir in (2605-2540 BC). He gave the name “Jeshteshwara “ and the hillock “Sandhiman Parbat”. According to Dr. Stein, King Gopaditya (369-309 BC) repaired the temple and the hillock was re-named “Gopadari” or Gopa Hill. However, the name of the temple remained unchanged. King Lalitaditya (701-737 AD) repaired it again. The temple is a massive stone structure built on a high octagonal plinth about 30 feet high. The basement is of 13 layers of stone and is about 20 feet high on solid rock. The square building of the temple is supported by the basement. It has 84 recesses on its exterior and is surrounded by a parapet enabling devotees to have the Parikrama of the temple. The stairs leading to sanctum sanctorum number 36, the first flight of 18 steps followed by 12 steps and again followed by 6 steps on either side of the landing terminating the second flight. The present structure, the interior of which is about 4 meters in diameter, is said to have been built by an unknown Hindu devotee during the reign of Emperor Jahangir."
"The original Shiva Lingam in the temple, along with over 300 precious idols of Gods and Goddesses therein and other structures around the temple, was destroyed by Sultan Sikandar (the Iconoclast) who ruled Kashmir (1389-1413 AD). It was repaired during the Sikh regime and later by Maharaja Ranbir Singh, the second Dogra ruler of Kashmir. The temple was originally connected with the river Jhelum near the temple of Goddess Tripura Sundari on its right bank known as Shudashyar Ghat by a finely sculptured stone stair up to the top of the hill. This flight of steps was dismantled by Emperor Jehangir and the stones were used by his queen, Noor Jehan, to build a huge mosque, known as Pathar Masjid. This mosque was never used for prayers by Sunni Muslims as it had been built by a Shia woman."
"Sri Adi Shankaracharya visited Kashmir in the first quarter of the 9th century (788-820 AD). Dr. Ved Kumari in 'The Nilamata Purana', writes that according to the writer of 'Sankara Digvijaya' -- 'Sankara visited Kashmir after giving a final blow to Buddhism in the rest of India".
"Shankaracharya when he arrived here with his party, camped outside the city of Srinagar. They did not have any boarding and lodging arrangements. The first glimpse of Shakti was exhibited to Shankara by a girl when Shankara expressed his inability to make a fire. The girl picked up two thin wooden sticks (samidhas) into her hand, recited some mantras, and rubbed the sticks, and a fire was produced to the surprise of Shankara. A Shastrarth (religious discourse) was arranged between Shankara and her. This discourse continued for 17 days. Shankaracharya yielded before the lady in discussion and accepted the predominance of Shakti cult (greatness of Devi)."
"He composed the well-known hymn Soundarya Lahari in praise of Shakti, at the top of the hill, known till then as Gopadari Hill. Kashmiri Pandits dedicated this hill and temple in honor and memory of his visit to Kashmir, thereafter it is known as Shankaracharya hill and Shankaracharya temple."
Sriram(Hari)

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