The Shivakhori cave in Jammu sanctified by the presence of Shiva-Parvati, 33 crore Deities, seven Sages and the Divine wish-fulfilling cow, Kamadhenu !

The entrance to the Shivakhori cave which Bhagwan Shiva visited along with Parvati and His vehicle Nandi, from Kailas. Let us pay obeisance to it with spiritual emotion

At the entrance to the Shivakhori cave from left to right Mr. Vinayak Shanbhag, Mr. Diwakar Agawane, Sadguru (Mrs.) Anjali Gadgil and Mr. Satyakam Kanaglekar

Sadguru (Mrs.) Anjali Gadgil travelling towards the cave in a palanquin. Pilgrims can travel to from Ranus to Shivakhori cave village either on horseback or in palanquins.

History of the Shivakhori cave

1. Devotee of Shiva, Bhasmasur performed rigorous austerities to
acquire the boon of immortality from Him, Shiva did not grant it but told
him to ask for another boon. Bhasmasur then asked for a boon to be able to reduce
to ashes the one on whose head he places his index finger, and Shiva granted it to him !

Bhasmasur, an ardent devotee of Shiva performed rigorous penance to acquire the boon of immortality from Shiva. Pleased with his penance Shiva told him to ask for a boon. He asked for immortality but Shiva said that is not possible to grant it and told him to ask for something else. So, he asked that the one on whose head he places his index finger should be reduced to ashes upon which Shiva granted him.

1 A. Due to the boon from Shiva Bhasmasur became arrogant and started preparing to reduce Shiva Himself to ashes because of which Shri Mahavishnu created a cave with His Divine discus and sent Shiva, Parvati, Nandi and all other Deities and Seven Sages into the cave and kept Kamdhenu to protect it.

Arrogant with the boon from Shiva, Bhasmasur was all set to reduce Shiva Himself to ashes. Shiva then approaches Mahavishnu who tells Him to leave Kailas along with Parvati and Nandi at once. Under the command of Shri Vishnu Kamadhenu cow finds a way to a safe mountain in the Himalayan range where Shri Vishnu creates a cave with His Divine discus. Shiva, Parvati, Nandi, all Deities and the seven Sages then enter this cave. Then Kamdhenu shuts the entrance to the cave and protects it along with Her family. This is that very Shivakhori cave.

1 B. Shrimahavishnu’s Mohini form which annihilated Bhasmasur

Shrimahavishnu assumes the form of a seductive woman, Mohini, and appears before Bhasmasur. Bhasmasur gets attracted to her beauty so much that he forgets everything and asks her to marry him. Mohini agrees on the condition that he should learn dance from her. He agrees and starts taking lessons in dancing from her. He copies every dance step of hers exactly. This continues for some days. By then Bhasmasur is enticed by her completely. Seeking the occasion, she shows him one dance step in which he has to place his index finger on his head. Bhasmasur copies her and the next moment is reduced to ashes.

Then Shiva, Parvati and Nandi return back to Kailas. The day they left Kailas and enter the Shivkhori cave is Vaishakh Pournima, that is why this day is significant and devotees take a pilgrimage to the cave on this day.

2. Secret about the Shivakhori cave revealed by Maharshi Mayan

No sooner did we arrive at the entrance to the Shivakhori cave with Sadguru Gadgilkaku then through the medium of H.H. (Dr.) Ulagnathan, Maharshi Mayan said, “There are 5 spots on the earth where Bhagwan Shiva has manifested. They are 1. Kailas mountain (Tibet, China), 2. Pashupatinath (Nepal), 3. Kedarnath (Uttarakhand), 4. Amarnath (Kashmir) and 5. Shivakhori (Jammu).”

Shivakhori cave is one amongst the five places of Shiva on the earth. Shiva never leaves Kailas. But He was compelled to leave it and live in this Shivakhori cave along with Parvati and Nandi This must have happened thousands of years ago. Just as 33 crores of Deities and all Sages are assimilated in the ‘Satyanarayan’ form of Shri Mahavishnu, similarly this cave along with Shiva-Parvati, Lakshmi-Narayan and Brahma-Saraswati, 33 crore Deities and all sages are assimilated in the Shivakhori caves.