Shantadurga Temple Goa
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Shantadurga temple is one of the popular Hindu Religious Shrines in Kavlem, Ponda of North Goa. It is a beautiful temple that has an impressive idol of Goddess Shree Durga flanked by Vishnu and Shiva on both the sides. As per the mythology this incarnation of Shree Jagdamba devi made peace (Shanti in Hindi) between Shree Vishnu and Shree Shiva and stopped the fierce war going on between the two and hence the temple is named so.The temple appears to be surrounded by coconut trees, flower gardens as well as paddy fields. The temple is a typical Goan temple and is amazing to behold.
Legend of Shantadurga Temple
It was believed that the deity have been carried by Loma Sharma of Kaushik Gotra when the Saraswats came to Goa from Trihotrapuri (present-day Trihut division) in the Mithila region of Bihar. The legend goes that sometime later, the Destroyer and the Preserver had a mammoth fight at mount Gomanchala, during which Shiva used the Pashupati weapon, which could have proved detrimental to the entire universe.Then Lord Brahma, the creator, prayed to the supreme Goddess Adishakti to intervene. She, in turn, sent Parvati in the form of Shanta Durga or Shanteri, Shantadurga stepped in as the arbitrator and succeeded in reconciling the warring parties, thus saving the universe from eternal doom. Hence she stands in the temple shrine in between Shiva and Vishnu as a symbol of peace, who took Vishnu by her right and Shiva by her left hand and pacified the two.
A story in the Skandapurana speaks of how Lord Shiva, when defeated by his spouse Parvati in a game of dice, had left mount Kailash and gone to Gomanchala near Kushasthali for tapasya. It is here that he heard the cries of the Saraswat Brahmin, Loma Sharma, caught by a crocodile in the river Aghanashini. When Shiva saved Loma Sharma, he prayed to the Lord to remain in Kushasthali. Similarly, when Parvati arrived looking for Shiva, she was also requested to stay at the nearby village of Keloshi (Kadalivana Quelossim).
The deity Shanta Durga, therefore, is shown holding two serpents, one in each hand, representing Vishnu and Shiva. Shanteri is then said to have gone to Shankawali to kill the demons harassing the Brahmins there for this good deed that she also earned the name of Vijaya. During the Portuguese inquisition, the trustees of the Shanta Durga temple decided to shift the idol to Atrunja taluka. The temple has an impressive idol of Goddess Durga in a tranquil mood, flanked by Vishnu and Shiva
The original temple was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1564 but the idol was taken away safely to Kavalem where mahars or harijans took care of it for a year. It is also said that Shantadurga temple was built by Shahurajit, Satara ruler in the year 1738. He was the grandson of Great Shivaji, though he was names as Shivaji after the death of his grandfather Shivaji, he was popular as Shahu Raja and maintained his at Satara at south Pune. The building of temple was dedicated by Naro Ram, who was one of Shahu Raja's Ministers, as the contribution towards land of Village in Ponda, Quela for its estate.
The original place of Shree Shantadurga Devi was at Keloshi from where the idol of
the Goddess was shifted to Kavlem during the rule of Portuguese government. The present day temple was built during the period from 1713 AD to 1738 AD.
Legend of Shantadurga Temple
It was believed that the deity have been carried by Loma Sharma of Kaushik Gotra when the Saraswats came to Goa from Trihotrapuri (present-day Trihut division) in the Mithila region of Bihar. The legend goes that sometime later, the Destroyer and the Preserver had a mammoth fight at mount Gomanchala, during which Shiva used the Pashupati weapon, which could have proved detrimental to the entire universe.Then Lord Brahma, the creator, prayed to the supreme Goddess Adishakti to intervene. She, in turn, sent Parvati in the form of Shanta Durga or Shanteri, Shantadurga stepped in as the arbitrator and succeeded in reconciling the warring parties, thus saving the universe from eternal doom. Hence she stands in the temple shrine in between Shiva and Vishnu as a symbol of peace, who took Vishnu by her right and Shiva by her left hand and pacified the two.
A story in the Skandapurana speaks of how Lord Shiva, when defeated by his spouse Parvati in a game of dice, had left mount Kailash and gone to Gomanchala near Kushasthali for tapasya. It is here that he heard the cries of the Saraswat Brahmin, Loma Sharma, caught by a crocodile in the river Aghanashini. When Shiva saved Loma Sharma, he prayed to the Lord to remain in Kushasthali. Similarly, when Parvati arrived looking for Shiva, she was also requested to stay at the nearby village of Keloshi (Kadalivana Quelossim).
The deity Shanta Durga, therefore, is shown holding two serpents, one in each hand, representing Vishnu and Shiva. Shanteri is then said to have gone to Shankawali to kill the demons harassing the Brahmins there for this good deed that she also earned the name of Vijaya. During the Portuguese inquisition, the trustees of the Shanta Durga temple decided to shift the idol to Atrunja taluka. The temple has an impressive idol of Goddess Durga in a tranquil mood, flanked by Vishnu and Shiva
The original temple was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1564 but the idol was taken away safely to Kavalem where mahars or harijans took care of it for a year. It is also said that Shantadurga temple was built by Shahurajit, Satara ruler in the year 1738. He was the grandson of Great Shivaji, though he was names as Shivaji after the death of his grandfather Shivaji, he was popular as Shahu Raja and maintained his at Satara at south Pune. The building of temple was dedicated by Naro Ram, who was one of Shahu Raja's Ministers, as the contribution towards land of Village in Ponda, Quela for its estate.
The original place of Shree Shantadurga Devi was at Keloshi from where the idol of
the Goddess was shifted to Kavlem during the rule of Portuguese government. The present day temple was built during the period from 1713 AD to 1738 AD.
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think of them as Sand paper.
They Scratch & hurt you,
but in the end you are polished and they are finished. ''
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