Ranchhodrai Archives

20/Sep/2022

Location

Dwarkadhish Temple is 2 km from Dwarka station in the Jamnagar district of Gujarat. Dwarka has many names. Dwarka, Dwaravati, Dwaravati, etc. It is said that to save the Yadavas from the invasions of Jarasandha, God had settled this city in the middle of the sea, far away from Mathura. The original Dwarka has become oceanic. In the form of his figure, the present Dwarka built on the bank of the sea. From this place, there was trade with Rome by sea route. Vet Dwarka is called ancient Dwarka. To avoid enemies, Lord Krishna would go to sleep at Bet Dwarka at night. Were. It was here that the temples of their queens were also there.

The city of Dwarka is one of the ancient mythological sites in India, with which the stories of the Hindu deities Lord Vishnu and Krishna are associated. It is believed that in addition to the power of Lord Krishna, Lord Vishnu killed the demon Shankhasur at this place.

Legend

It is believed in many Hindu Puranas that a Shivalinga named Nageshwar Mahadev is situated at this holy place, which is considered one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. There is a popular belief related to the city of Dwarka that when Lord Krishna was leaving the earth, he was immersed 6 times in the Arabian Sea. It is said that Lord Shri Krishna had left Mathura for the safety of the people of Mathura and had left the war and had left Mathura, hence his name was Ranchhodrai. After leaving Mathura, Lord Krishna came to Dwarka and established his city here.

Rebuild of the Dwarkadhish Temple

In Dwapar Yuga, the great-grandson of Lord Krishna, King Brajnath established the Sri Ranchhodraya temple in Dwarka. Now it is about 5.100 years old.

The second Dwarka established after the first Dwarka was submerged in the ocean in the first century.

In the fourth century, after the second Dwarka submerged in the sea, the third Dwarka city again formed.

In the 6th century, Shankaracharya Ji included this place in the four dhams and established the Sharda Peeth here.

The present temple built by the then king in the 12th century. It began to collapse due to the salty winds of the sea.

Dwarkadhish temple renovated again in the 10th century.

This temple rebuilt in the 15th century. After renovating it, Shri Ballabhacharya brought the idol of Dwarkadhish here and installed it.

After 1551, due to the invasion of the Mughals, the temple ruined and after that, it renovated again.

1730, Prakashanand ji Shankaracharya Lakha Thakur conducted Vishnu Yagya at this place.

1861, Maharaja Khanderao got the temple renovated.

1903, Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad offered a golden urn in the temple and got many construction works done.

1960, the Government of India started the restoration work of the temple.

1965, the temple remained safe despite the heavy bombings of Pakistan.

Architecture

The craft and architecture of this temple belong to the Chalukya dynasty of Gujarat. The height of its summit is 170 feet. It has 7 floors. The number of pillars of this temple is 72. On the right side of the main temple of Dwarkadhish, an illustrated description of the preceding and subsequent 71 generations of Lord Krishna given.

The temple of Sri Ranchhodrai the main temple of Dwarka. It also called the temple of Dwarkadhish. The temple reached by climbing 56 steps from Gomti’s side. This temple is inside a wall, which has gates all around. Its circumambulation path through the middle of two walls. The flag of the whole place flies on the temple of Sri Ranchhodrai. There is a festival when it offered. This is the biggest flag in the world

The temple has a black colored quadrangular idol of Sri Ranchhod Rai on the main bench. There is an idol of Amba ji in the fourth floor above the temple.

South of Ranchod ji’s temple is the temple of Balaram ji. Raja Bali and Sanakadi are small idols of the four Kumaras. There is also a Garuda idol in one corner. To the north of the temple of Ranchod ji is the temple of Pradyumnaji. It has a black-brown image of Pradyumna. Nearby there is a small idol of Aniruddha. On one side of the hall is the idol of Baldev ji. There is a small temple of Durvasa ji in the east of the temple.

Dwarkadhish Temple History

It said that when there was a war between Lord Krishna and his maternal uncle Kansa in Mathura, Lord Krishna killed Kansa to free people from the cruel rule of Kansa. After the death of Kansa, Ugrasen, the father of Kansa, who was the king of Mathura, announced to rule Mathura.

But this decision of Ugrasen was not acceptable to the king of Magadha, Jarasandha. It said that Jarasandha taken an oath that he would destroy all the Yadav clan. Jarasandha was Kansa’s father-in-law and he attacked Mathura city 17 times to take vengeance, causing damage to the people there. To save the people of Mathura safely so that they do not suffer any kind of damage, therefore Lord Shri Krishna decided to go to Dwarka with all his Yadav clan.

According to Hindu Puranas, Lord Vishwakarma (the architect and architect of the gods) built this city by acquiring a piece of the sea on the banks of the river Gomti at the request of Lord Krishna. It said that this grand city was built by Vishwakarma Ji in just one night after getting the permission of Lord Shri Krishna. At that time this city of Dwarka known as Swarna Dwarka because of its wealth and prosperity during that period, it had a golden door.

Another History of Dwarka

There is another history related to the city of Dwarka. It believed that in Satyuga, Maharaja Raivat had performed many yajnas by laying Kush at this place on the bank of the sea. It said that a demon named Kush used to reside at this place, who was very troublesome, even after various efforts of Brahma ji, that demon did not die.

Tanu Bhagwan Shri Vikram buried him in the ground and installed a linga idol on it which addressed as Kusheshwar. The demon begged the Lord a lot, then he finally gave him a boon that after coming to Dwarka, the person who does not see Kusheshwar Nath will get half the virtue of that demon.

Why the city of Dwarka named Dwarka

It believed that in ancient times the name of the city of Dwarka was Kush Sthali because a demon named Kush used to reside here, who killed by Lord Vikram at this place. But due to the presence of many gates in this city, it got its name Dwarka. In many Puranas, the ancient name of the city of Dwarka considered to be Swarna Dwarka because there was a big golden gate to enter this city.

Construction of Dwarkadhish Temple

The Dwarkadhish Temple built by Lord Krishna’s grandson Vajrabh. Archaeologists believe that this temple is about 2000 years old. This Dwarkadhish Temple also known as Jagat Mandir has a five-story structure and the entire temple established on 72 pillars. The shikhara of the temple is about 78 meters high.

The total height of the temple is about 157 feet. There is a flag on the top of this temple, in which the shape of the moon and the sun made. The length of this flag 52 yards, its flag can be seen from many miles away. The flag changed three times every day. Each time a different colored flag hoisted.

The entire ancient temple constructed from limestone. Two major gates built to enter the Dwarkadhish Temple. Of these, the north gate called the door of salvation while the south gate addressed as the gate of heaven.

A grand temple of Rishi Durvasa also situated on the east side of this temple and in the south Sharda Math of Jagadguru Shankaracharya. Apart from this, there a Shiva temple of Kusheshwar Nath near the northern main gate of this temple, where Lord Shri Vikram killed the demon named Kush. It said that the sight of Kusheshwar Shiva temple without it, the pilgrimage to Dwarka Dham would not be complete.

Mythology related to Dwarkadhish Temple

It believed in many Hindu Puranas that the city of Dwarka built by Lord Krishna on a piece of land that obtained from the ocean. It said that once Maharishi Durvasa came to the city of Dwarka to have the darshan of Lord Shri Krishna and Rukmani and after seeing them requested them to walk to their abode.

Accepting the request of Maharishi Durvasa, Lord Shri Krishna and Rukmani started going towards their abode but in the middle Rukmani Devi got tired and she stood at one place in the middle and requested her to drink water from Lord Shri Krishna. It said that to quench Rukmani’s thirst, Lord Krishna brought the holy stream of the Ganges from a mythical hole there.

Due to this incident, Maharishi Durvasa realized that Goddess Rukmani was trying to stop Lord Krishna from going to his abode, due to which Maharishi Durvasa got angry with Rukmani and cursed Rukmani that she would stay at the same place. are. It believed that the Dwarkadhish Temple built at the place where Goddess Rukmani stood.

The Dwarka temple built by Lord Krishna’s descendant, his grandson Vajrabh Nath, while Dwarkapuri built by Lord Krishna with Vishwakarma. Even today, from many kinds of research, various remains of Dwarka city have been found under the sea, on which research going on continuously.

Beliefs related to Dwarkadhish Temple

The Dwarkadhish temple holds a very special significance for the Hindus who believe in God. It considered to be the city of Lord Krishna and in many Puranas, this place also called the main gate. Even today, there are two gates in the Dwarkadhish Temple, one of which leads to Swargadwar and the other to Moksha Dwar.

How did the city of Dwarka Destructed

It said that Lord Shri Krishna came to Dwarka with his eighteen family brothers, after which he ruled here for 36 years, after which he died. It believed that Gandhari, the mother of Kauravas, cursed Lord Krishna after the Mahabharata war because of supporting the Pandava side in the Mahabharata, just as his Kaurava clan destroyed, in the same way, as the family of Lord Shri Krishna. This was the reason that after the end of all their Yaduvanshikul, the city of Dwarka was submerged in the sea.

Important Information

The flag of temple is 52 meters long, which is the largest flag in the world. No other temple has such a big flag.
Dwarka is one of the Chardham and Saptapuri.
The only seven-storeyed temple in India.

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