Bindusar
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Bindusar (बिन्दुसर) is a lake mentioned in Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Origin
Variants
- Bindusara Sarovara (बिन्दुसर सरोवर) (AS, p.627)
- Bindusarovara (बिन्दुसरोवर)
- Bindusaras
- Bindusarovar
History
Swami Harshananda[1] mentions that Bindusaras literally means ‘lake of drops of water’. One of the less known places of pilgrimage is the lake Bindusaras, also known as the Bindusarovara.
The Mahābhārata[2] describes Bindusaras situated between the mountains Maināka and Hiraṇyaśṛṅga. It is here that the king Bhagiratha practiced severe austerities to bring the river Gaṅgā from the world of gods to the world of men. The place, even now known by the same name, is situated near Gaṅgotri (birthplace of the river Gaṅgā) about 3 kms. to the south. A small temple dedicated to the river goddess Gaṅgā stands at the place where Bhagīratha is said to have practiced austerities. When the river goddess Gaṅgā acceded to Bhagīratha’s request to descend to this earth, Śiva arrested her ferocious flow with his matted hair and then let the water out in drops which formed this Bindusaras (bindu = drop). The river Gaṅgā then emerged out of this in seven streams.
The lake Kapālamocana-tīrtha at Vārāṇasī or Kāśī (modern Banaras), where Śiva is said to have bathed and got rid off the sin of decapitating one of the five original heads of Brahmā, is also sometimes called as Bindusaras.
The Brahmapurāna[3] describes one Bindusaras created by Rudra (Śiva) by collecting drops of water from all the holy places and filling the lake with that. It is said to be situated in the Ekāmraka-kṣetra.
Two big tanks situated at the below mentioned places are also called as Bindusaras:
Tank at Siddhapura near Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
Tank at Bhuvaneśvara (Orissa)
Jat History
Bhim Singh Dahiya[4] writes that Tomar and Hans, are two Jat clans, according to Mahabharata both these were Mlecchas.[5] Vayu Purana (47/56) says that the river Nalini, rising from Bindusar in Central Asia and going eastward, passed through the lands of Tomar and Hans.
Bhim Singh Dahiya[6] writes.... 27. Hans - They are also found in Europe (German, Hans/Hanz). They are originally placed in the Puranas on the banks of river Nalini in Central Asia, alongwith the Tomars.[7] Vayu Purana says it was a hilly area [8], and Mahabharata says it was a Mleccha country. [9] The river Nalini is said to arise from the Bindusarovar, identified with Aling-Kangri range by S. Muuzaffar Ali. [10] The same authority correctly Identifies Nalini with Yang-tse river. Sabha Parva mentions them with the Paur Kundmān and Sibi. [11]
बिन्दुसर सरोवर
विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर[12] ने लेख किया है .....1. बिन्दुसर सरोवर (AS, p.627) को महाभारत, सभापर्व 3 में मैनाक पर्वत (कैलास के उत्तर में स्थित) के निकट बताया गया है। यहीं पर असुरराज वृषपर्वा ने एक महायज्ञ किया था। प्रसंग के अनुसार बिन्दुसर के समीप मय दानव ने एक विचित्र मणिमय भांड तैयार करके रखा था। यहीं वरुण की एक गदा भी थी। इन दोनों वस्तुओं को मय दानव युधिष्ठिर की राजसभा का निर्माण करने के पूर्व बिन्दुसर से ले आया था-'चित्रं मणिमयं भांडं रम्यं बिन्दुसरं प्रति, सभायां सत्यसंधस्य यदासीद् वृषपर्वण:। मन: प्रह्लादिनीं चित्रां सर्वरत्नविभूषिताम्, अस्ति बिन्दुसरस्युग्रागदा च कुरुनंदन।' महाभारत, सभापर्व 3, 3-5.
इसी वर्णन में मय दानव के बिन्दुसर तथा मैनाक पर्वत जाते समय कहा गया है कि वह इंद्रप्रस्थ से पूर्वोत्तर दिशा में और कैलास के उत्तर की ओर गया था- 'इत्युक्त्वा सोऽसुर: पार्थ प्रागदीचीं दिशं गत:, अथोत्तरेण कैलासान् मैनाकपर्वतं प्रति। 'महाभारत, सभापर्व 3, 9.
उपर्युकत निर्देश से यह स्पष्ट है कि बिन्दुसर तथा मैनाक, दोनों कैलास के उत्तर में और इंद्रप्रस्थ की पूर्वोत्तर दिशा में स्थित थे। संभवत: बिन्दुसर मानसरोवर या उसके निकटवर्ती किसी अन्य सरोवर का नाम रहा होगा।
वाल्मीकि रामायण, बालकांड 43, 11 में गंगा का शिव द्वारा बिन्दुसर की ओर छोड़े जाने का उल्लेख है- 'विसर्सज ततो गंगां हरो बिन्दुसरंप्रति।'. इससे भी उपर्युक्त विवेचन की पुष्टि होती है।
2. बिन्दुसर सरोवर (AS, p.627) = Siddhapura (सिद्धपुर)
बिंदुसर गंगोत्री से 2 मील हटकर रुद्र हिमालय में स्थित एक पवित्र कुंड है। यहीं पर भगीरथ ने गंगा को पृथ्वी पर बुलाने के लिए तप किया था।[13]
External links
References
- ↑ http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Bindusaras
- ↑ Mahābhārata, Bhismaparva 6.43-46
- ↑ Brahmapurāna 41.52-54
- ↑ Jats the Ancient Rulers (A clan study)/The Jats,p.23
- ↑ MBT, Bhishma Parvan, 10, 68. तामरा हंसमार्गाश च तदैव करभञ्जकाः । उथ्थेश मात्रेण मया थेशाः संकीर्तिताः परभॊ (VI.10.68)
- ↑ Jats the Ancient Rulers (A clan study)/Jat Clan in India,p.257
- ↑ Vayu Purana, 47/56.
- ↑ ibid., 45/35.
- ↑ MBT, Bhishma Parva.
- ↑ The Geography of the Puranas, 1973, p. 6 .
- ↑ Sabha Parva, 52/13-18.
- ↑ Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.627
- ↑ भारतकोश-बिन्दुसर सरोवर