Vaishno Devi (also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta, Ambe and Vaishnavi) is a manifestation of the Hindu Mother Goddess, Devi. The words "Maa" and "Mata" are commonly used in India for mother, and thus are often heavily used in connection with Vaishno Devi. Vaishnavi was formed from the combined energies of Kali, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
According to the puranas, during the Treta Yuga (second yuga of Hindu cosmology), evil forces started to threaten the earth. To save herself, Bhumi the Earth Goddess, went to the Trimurti for help. While the three gods were helpless, their consorts — Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati (Kali) combined their forces and created a goddess named Vaishno Devi. After numerous battles, the goddess defeated evils and was ordered to stay on earth to protect it.
Years after, Vaishno Devi was reborn as the daughter of a Brahmin couple. From childhood, the goddess was attracted to Vishnu and decided to marry him. When she grew up, she started to meditate in order to please Vishnu. One day, Vishnu, in the form of Rama, came to her. Rama refused to marry her and told that he is searching for his lost wife — Sita. Seeing his devotee in misery, Rama promised her that he will return one day and if she recognise him, then he will marry her. Years later, Rama as an old man came there, but she couldn't recognise him. As a result, Rama again promised her that he will marry her as Kalki.
Vaishno Devi was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu and she used to meditate in a cave. It is said that Bhairon Nath, a famous Hindu Tantric, saw the young Vaishno Devi at an agricultural fair and fell madly in love with her. Vaishno Devi fled into Trikuta hills to escape his amorous advances, later she assumed the form of Mahakali and cut off his head with her sword in a cave.Professor and author Tracy Pintchman narrates the story as, "About nine hundred years ago Vaishno Devi appeared in the form of young girl and commanded a Brahmin named Shri Dhar from the village Hansali (next to present day Katra) to hold a feast (bhandara) for local people near Bhumika stream. At the time of feast, Bhairon Nath, a disciple of Goraknath, appeared and demanded meat and liquor. But Vaisno Devi told him he would get only vegetarian food, since this was a Brahmin's feast. Seeing her, Bhairon Nath lusted after her. To escape him, she ran away stopping at various places on the trail up the Trikuta mountain. There places are now known as Banganga, Charan Paduka, Adi Kumari —the place where she is said to have remained for nine months in a cave, — and finally at Bhavana, the cave that is now known as her home. There taking the form of Chamundi (a form of Kali), she beheaded Bhairon Nath. His body held at the entrance to the cave, and his head landed further up the mountain at a place where a Bhairon Nath temple is now located. Bhairon Nath then repented, and the goddess granted him further salvation. In so doing, however, she laid down the condition that unless pilgrims coming for her darshan did not also get his darshan— that is, darshan of his head— then their pilgrimage would not be fruitful. Vaishno Devi later manifested into 3 small rocks (pindis) and stays there till date. Shri Dhar began doing puja to the pindis at the cave, and his descendants continue to do so even today".
Professor and author Manohar Sajnani says, According to Hindu mythology, the original abode of Vaishno Devi was Adkanwari, a place about halfway between Katra town and the cave. The Vaishno Devi is said to have been a Virgin since the creation of the universe.
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