Sthanu

Sthanu (स्थाणु) is the name of Lord Siva, meaning firm or immovable. Thanesar town gets name from Sthaneswar which is the abode of Lord Shiva.

Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple

Sthanesvara Mahadev Temple is at Thanesar. It was here that the Pandavas prayed to Lord Shiva and received His blessings for Shiva and received His blessings for victory in the battle of Mahabharata. The temple of Sthaneswar is the abode of Lord Shiva. It once formed an important part of the kingdom of King Harsha Vardhana of the Pushyabhuti dynasty. The architecture of the temple is regional is style-it has a domical roof and the façade of this dome is given an ‘Amla’ shape along with a tall pinnacle. The ‘Linga’ is ancient and worshipped with a lot of ritual and prayer.

Mention by Panini

Sthanu (स्थाणु) is name of a place mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi under Madhvadi (मध्वादि) (4.2.86) group.

Bhadrakali Temple

The temple is dedicated to Bhadrakali a form of shaktiand consort of Virabhadra. This is considered to be one of the fifty one Shakti pithas of India. It is believed that the right ankle of Sati fell here in the well. The consort of Savtri is called Sthanu. Hence, the city is called Sthanesvar meaning abode of Shiva. It is believed that the mundan (hair removing) ceremony of Krishna and Balarama was also performed in this temple.

In Mahabharata

List of Mahabharata people and places mentions Sthanu (स्थाणु) in (I.60.1,3), (1.66),(IX.44.23), (XIV.8.14), (XIV.8),XIV.8.28), (XIV.8), Sthanuvata (स्थाणुवट) (III.81.155)

Adi Parva, Mahabharata/Mahabharata Book I Chapter 66 mentions genealogy of all the principal creatures. We narrate as under:

Sthanu: sons of Sthanu were eleven, called the eleven Rudras. They were 1.Mrigavayadha, 2. Sarpa, 3. Niriti, 4. Ajaikapat, 5. Ahivradhna, 6. Pinaki, 7. Dahana, 8. Iswara, 9. Kapali, 10. Sthanu, and 11. Bhava.

1 [व]
    बरह्मणॊ मानसाः पुत्रा विदिताः षण महर्षयः
    एकादश सुताः सथाणॊः खयाताः परममानसाः
2 मृगव्याधश च शर्वश च निरृतिश च महायशाः
    अजैक पाद अहिर बुध्न्यः पिनाकी च परंतपः
3 दहनॊ ऽथेश्वरश चैव कपाली च महाद्युतिः
    सथाणुर भवश च भगवान रुदा एकादश समृताः

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Bathing also in the Apaga (आपगा) (III.81.154) and adoring Maheswara, one obtaineth the status of Ganapatya and rescueth his own race. One should next proceed to Sthanuvata (स्थाणुवट) (III.81.155), celebrated over the three worlds.

आपगायां नरः सनात्वा अर्चयित्वा महेश्वरम

गाणपत्यम अवाप्नॊति कुलं चॊद्धरते सवकम (III.81.154)

ततः सथाणुवटं गच्छेत तरिषु लॊकेषु विश्रुतम

तत्र सनात्वा सथितॊ रात्रिं रुद्र लॊकम अवाप्नुयात (III.81.155)

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Shalya Parva, Mahabharata/Book IX Chapter 44 mentions the ceremony for investing Kartikeya with the status of generalissimo, the diverse gods, various clans who joined it.

The lord Sthanu, O monarch, gave unto Skanda a companion possessed of great impetuosity, capable of producing a hundred illusions, and endued with might and energy that he could enhance at will. And he was the great destroyer of Asuras. In the great battle between the gods and the Asuras, this companion that Sthanu gave, filled with wrath, slew, with his hands alone, fourteen millions of Daityas of fierce deeds.

ततः सथाणुं महावेगं महापारिषडं करतुम

माया शतधरं कामं कामवीर्यबलान्वितम

ददौ सकन्दाय राजेन्द्र सुरारिविनिबर्हणम (IX.44.23)

Sthanu in Mandasor Pillar Inscription of Yashodharman 532 AD

(L.6.) He by whom (his) head has never been brought into the humility of obeisance to any other save (the god) Sthanu; he, through the embraces of whose arms (Himalaya) the mountain of snow carries no longer the pride of the title of being a place that is difficult of access; he to whose two feet respect was paid, with complimentary presents of the flowers from the lock of hair on the top of (his) head, by even that (famous) king Mihirakula, whose forehead was pained through being bent low down by the strength of (his) arm in (the act of compelling) obeisance.

Sthanu in Gupta Inscription

4. Sthanunandin (स्थानुनन्दिन) (No. 36, L. 10) : The Sanskrit form of the first part Sthanu (स्थानु) is sthanu. It is the name of Lord Shiva (who is supposed to remain as motionless as the trunk of a tree during his austerities). Nandin means 'an attendant'. The whole thus literally means 'one who is an attendant of Lord Shiva or the one who pleases or wins over Lord Shiva.

Conclusions

• Yasodharman-Vishnuvardhana evidently belonged to Thanesar itself, the seat of Lord Sthanu, to whom alone that hero bent his head.
• At Thanesar, the subordinate family of Rajyavardhana I (c. 530 A.D.) just a generation before, was certainly situated.

References

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