ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
With the ‘Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra’ playing in the background, my thoughts travel back in time to my recent visit to the ‘Tapovan Temple’ in Dehradun. The temple is built amid the forests with the combination of the 12 jyotirlinga symbolically represented in the main shivalinga.
Silence prevails in the place with very few devotees visiting on a daily basis. The oldest residing sage is the centenarian whom everyone fondly calls ‘Mai’ ; another name for a mother.
Google tells me about the ancient history of the modern town Dehradun; which was earlier called ‘The Dronanagari’. Dronacharya, the great teacher of the Kauravas and Pandavas from the epic Mahabharata lived here. And now I ponder, could that be one of the reasons the town is blessed with renowned schools for ages, some more than a century old!
I entered the temple, mesmerised by the tranquility that engulfed me. There were some resident devotees who took care of the place. Probing one of them to help us understand the place, we saw small areas where the enlightened ones had taken ‘samadhi’. We were told and I quote: “🙏🏻उनका शरीर यहां पूरा हॊ गया🙏🏻” which signified their firm belief that the mortal phase of their life was over and they united with the divine. There was something about this whole place which set a high vibration where nothing could make one feel low. Legend goes that it was in these forest that 'Guru Dronacharya' taught the Pandavas and the Kauravas!
As my eyes met ‘The Mai’, both of us paused for a few seconds.
What was it? I couldn’t tell or understand but there definitely seemed some connect!
I sat with my family and had a cup of tea(most welcome in the Dun winters of January) with the people there, soaking in the serenity of the place.
And then suddenly the Mai got up(crouching at 90degrees yet completely composed and balanced), went to her room and came back with this bag full of 'Rudraksha' that she gifted me blessing me and wishing me well!
I was awestruck!
Karma, I reckon!
