How can you define love? Can you control it for whom you have such feelings? Or do you have the power to go above & beyond for the sake of experiencing it? Staying true to your feelings is what everyone has advised us & we’d do the same for you. Not just because everyone is saying it but because even our gods surrendered to it. Because, love is beyond, power, ego, you, me, everything & God Vishnu proved it in His “Mohini” form.
Mohini Temple is one of the many temples that were built to perform Shakt traditions/practices & promote Shaktism in Ekamra Kshetra. It was said to be built around 8th CE which indicates the mutual growth of Shaivism & Shaktism in Ekamra in that era. As per local traditions & beliefs, it is said that the Mohini Temple was built by Mohini Devi, Queen of Sivakara II of the Bhauma (Kara) dynasty.
The presiding deity is a ten-armed Chamunda in tantric form, standing on a corpse wearing a garland of skulls and with a sunken belly. The temple is considered to be built around the 8th century which also signifies the amalgamation of Tantric & Shakta beliefs.
When we talk about Mohini, the legendary tale of God Vishnu creating an illusion of Mohini Maya to destroy Bhasmasur comes across our mind. There are also stories that claim that Vishnu took the Mohini form to resolve the fight between Suras/Devatas & Asuras over nectar/amrut, the elixir of immortality that was produced during Khira Sagar Manthan. In Brahmavaivarta Purana, a Maha-Purana in Hinduism, Mohini is described as a creation of God Shiva to seduce God Bramha & break his pride reminding him of his creative nature.
While there are many interpretations of the character Mohini in Hindu mythology in various regions of India, most of the interpretations retell the love story of Hari-Hara. In the South Indian version of the Bhagavata Purana, it is said that after deceiving demons with Her Mohini maya, Shiva gets enchanted by her beauty & becomes bereft of shame and robbed by Her of good sense. He, overcome by Kāma Bhavana (feeling of love and desire), starts chasing her while Parvati looks on. God Vishnu, coming to his real avatar, states that these feelings & emotions are difficult to overcome and announces that Maya will become half of Shiva's Ardhanarishwar aspect.
There is another story of Mohini in the Brahmanda Purana. Here, Narad Muni, the wandering stage, plays a role in initiating the love story of Hari-Hara. When he describes Mohini’s enchanting maya & beauty to God Shiva, Shiva dismisses him & goes with Parvati to Baikuntha to see for Himself.
He requests Vishnu to take on the Mohini form as He wanted to experience the divine transformation Himself. Vishnu, with a smile, meditates on the Goddess & transforms Himself into His Mohini form. Entranced by desire, Shiva chases Mohini and embraces Her. It is said that God Maha-Shasta was born from their coupling.
Do you know any other story behind it? Let us know in the comment section below.
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