The vigrahas (deities) at Vaishno Devi temple, Jammuj.
To know the history
of the temple we must go back to Treta Yug
when the virtuous people were
tormented by the Asuras (demons)
Ravana,
Kumb-Karan, Khardooshan, Tadka and others.
The Gods decided to create
a divine personality, in the roop (form) of a girl
for their protection.
The divine girl asked the Gods the cause
and reason for her birth. The divine forces told
her that she
had been created to protect Dharma and rekindle
spirit of religion. She took birth in
South India at the home of Ratnakar Sagar as a
girl named Trikuta. Later the
same girl was
called Vaishno because of her taking birth from
Lord Vishnu’s lineage. The religion propagated
by this
goddess girl was called Vaishno-Dharm.
In her lifetime Trikuta attracted
many devoted followers including saints. The fame of
her divine power and miracle spread far and wide.
People started visiting the abode of Trikuta to get
benediction.
After some time Trikuta sought
permission from her father for taking penance on
the seashore.
She prayed to Lord Vishnu in the form of
Rama who reached the seashore alongwith his
army in search of Sita, his eyes fell on this divine
girl in deep meditation. Rama asked Trikuta her
name and reason for penance. She replied that
she had accepted Rama as her husband by mind and heart.
On hearing this Ram
told her that he had vowed to be faithful to wife.
However, Ram ji wished that penance of Trikuta
should no
go waste and unfruitful. Therefore he said to her,
“I will definitely come to see you in a disguised
form. If
you can recognise me at that time then
I will accept you.”
It is said that on his return from Lanka,
Lord Rama went to see the girl in the
form of an old monk
(Sadhu) but she did not recognise him as God.
He revealed his identity and assured Trikuta
that in ‘Kaliyug’
he would manifest
himself as ‘Kalki’ would marry her.
He asked
Trikuta to meditate in Trikuta range of Manik
Mountains, situated in
north India. He said that Trikuta would
become immortal
forever and would become famous as
‘Vaishno Devi’.
