Trayambakeshwar Jyotir Lingam, Nashik, Maharashtra

Trayambakeshwar Jyotir Lingam in Nasik, Maharashtra is one of the 12 primordial seats of Lord Shiva in India. Out of thousands of Shiva temples the 12 'Jyotir Lings' or Self effulgent Lingams (lit from within) occupy a class of their own as the greatest, most celebrated & most powerful places of Shiva in the world.

The lingams (murthis or idols) in these temples are 'swambhu' or self created - not man made. Some hold Trayambakeshwar to be the first Jyotir Lingam.

Mentioned in the ancient Vedic literature, Yagyas and pujas have been performed at Trayambakeshwar for thousands of years. It is one of 4 amrit sthaans or most sacred places in India. Kumbh Mela, the world's largest spiritual gathering is held here (along with Allahabad, Haridwar and Ujjain). 2013 saw 100 million people come together in Allahabad with one purpose - their spiritual growth and liberation.

Yagyas performed here deliver the grace of Lord Shiva

More important, the experience of Lord Shiva's presence or darshan here is unparalleled. Tens of thousands of devotees from far and wide come to bathe in that experience of wholeness and peace which surpasses understanding. Yagyas performed here deliver the grace of Lord Shiva. Benefits are profound and long lasting. Deep rooted stresses/karmas are washed away and life long burdens are lifted

Peace surpassing understanding

Supreme Self, Eternal Witness - Lord Shiva is our deepest meditation. He is our own least excited state of mind: pure consciousness. Unmanifest source of creation, Home of all the laws of nature, Shiva is silent, eternal, non changing source of all change and diversity. When mind dissolves in that state of least excitation, the experience is Supreme Peace, Wholeness, Fearlessness, Translucence, Oneness. World peace is a spontaneous by-product when Shiva/Rudra is lively in world consciousness.

7 Generations

Our chief pandits are 3 brothers: Girish, Lalit and Purushottam. Their family has lived in Trayambakeshwar Village for more than 300 years. They are highly respected members of the local community. We've been working with Girish Maharaja for 20 years. Their yagyas consistently deliver excellent benefits

Yagya relieves the suffering due to malefic planets.

Our joys and sorrows in this life are the result of actions (karmas) done in previous births. The fruits of our past actions are mediated or delivered to us through the instrumentality of the 9 planets (Navagraha - 9 forces of nature). Their arrangement in the heavens at the time of birth is a karmic map of our life. Vedic astrology interprets this star map enabling predictions to be derived from it. Planets activate during the period of life allotted to them. A malefic or afflicted planet in the horoscope will bring problems during the period ruled or influenced by it. Yagya relieves the suffering .

Maladies of Mind Body and Circumstance are rectified

Optimal benefits from specialty yagyas performed at celebrated temples

We've been traveling to India regularly the past 24 years - more than 100 times. Over the years, working with pandit groups associated with different temples, we've found that some temples (dedicated to a particular God or Devata ) specialize in certain yagyas. While they may perform many yagyas, some work better than others. This is due to the God or Devata of the temple and its relevance for particular yagyas. Over the years we've explored and cultivated working relationships with a number of temples specializing in particular yagyas . It's been our experience and more important our clients' experience - this approach works well.

Rationale

India is "Dev Bhumi" land of the Gods. It has many places where the Devata value is lively and accessible. Devata or deeper, Universal reality (God or presiding impulse of natural law) is lively and accessible in and around certain special locations. From one perspective, we can say Devata, land and families living on the land are not seperate. Although they appear as seperate entities, they are in fact, part and parcel of the same reality. It can also be said the reality of the Devata (universal, eternal Law of Nature) has permeated these places since time out of memory. The deeper universal reality (Devata) is not separate from the land, the temple or indeed the families who have lived there for generations. And the pandits born of these families perform our yagyas.

While pandits are integral to the Yagyas - because they recite the mantras and perform the ceremonies - they are not separate from Devata. So the land, temples, and pandits born of the families - are a manifestation of Devata the eternal universal reality - the greater wholeness. Therefore it's fair to say the influence of Devata (grace, blessing) operates through the temple and the pandits who service the temple. In this way, speciality yagyas performed at celebrated Temples deliver the Grace of Devata optimal benefits

Grand Rudra Yagya

Remedy for Saturn Moon Rahu + Shifting long term problems Testimonial

Festivals

Shree Rudram reciation 2023 Shravana Maha Rudra Yagya

GALLERY

Painting of Lord Shiva on Meditating on his Deer Skin

Daylit panoramic shot of surrounding bluffs that overlook the town.

Chief Pandits: Purushottam, Girish and Lalit Lohangoankar with their family in front of the Temple building.

Ganesh applying Tilak to a childs forehead who is participating in the Yagya.

Maha Shiva Rati celebration, Ganesh and many pandits sitting in a circle performing pooja.

Temple Spire towering above surrounding buildings in the distance over the village

Villagers going about their daily business.

Pandits passing around large metal dishes with raging fires burning inside them

Lone Pandit sits doing Pitru Shanti (a ritual) under a single sunbeam

Ganesh and several pandits bend over to attend to the offerings (plates of food and flowers) that are part of the ceremony

Fire pit used for Yagya sits in the middle of a stone room

Older photo of Ganesh and the Head priest

Ganesh Taking Part in the Shiva Ratri Yagya

Ganesh and Pandits sitting in the Foreground of the Temple while the temples itself is lit up in the Background

Two young men in white robes sitting cross-legged leading the Pooja

Temple Lights during the Shiva Ratri now turning red

Temple Lights during the Shiva Ratri now turning blue

Temple Pandits performing the evening pooja during the Shiva Ratri

Temple Lights during the Shiva Ratri now turning turquoise

Ganesh and head pandit in front of temple now lit up white

Ganesh taking part in the Shiva Ratri Pooja

Temple Pandits posing together in front of Temple, post-ritual.

The temple is adorned with lights that flicker and cycle through many colours. Pictured are fairy lights which line the walls of the stone exterior.

Pilgrims exiting the temple after recieving Darshan

Several Tall stone mesas (bluffs?) which are lined up in a row and tower over the town.

Ganesh and the Pandit stand in a wet stone courtyard with the sky framing them

The Temple pandits adorned in robes and dhotis sit and chant

Ganesh and many pandits sit and meditate while the two young pandits lead the ceremony

Ganesh in bright pink robes sitting amongst the pandits and they complete the ceremony

Low angled shot of the Pandits with the temple in the background

Two pandits sit and Chant during the pooja

Pandits completing the shiva ratri with the temples in the background

Pitru Shanti
'Pitru' refers to our forefathers or departed ancestors. According to vedic understanding we are soul connected with 7 generations, before and after. When an ancestor incurs some big karma (transgression of natural law) it can be passed down to their children and grand children and so on. This is evidenced in the horoscope of their descendants by a condition known as "Pitru Dosha": Rahu/Ketu's associating with luminaries (sun/moon) or other important planets; also Kala Sarpa yoga (all planets to one side of the Rahu/Ketu axis). This means the ancestor's karma is expressing itself through the life and circumstances of their descendants. The sins of the father (or mother) are visited on the children, grand children, great grand children and so on... This ancestral karma manifests in different ways. Without the application of proper remedy it is a life long condition limiting the person's success in important fields of endeavor. For instance health, relationships (marriage), children, career, education, accumulation of wealth, long term hopes and aspirations: things we observe in people's lives as growing and taking on a life of their own - these can be a constant struggle and can fail for no good reason at the most unlikely times. In this way Pitru Dosha and Kala Sarpa yoga can act like a glass ceiling limiting or frustrating our success in life. Also remedies such as therapies, medicines or yagyas may have only short term effects and little lasting benefit. Benefits fail to translate into material circumstance of the person's life. Testimonials

Trayambakeshwar Jyotir Lingam in Nashik, Maharashtra is one of the 12 principal seats of Lord Shiva in India. Out of thousands of Shiva temples these 12 'Jyotir' or Self effulgent Lingams (lit from within) occupy a class of their own as the greatest, most celebrated & most powerful centres of Shiva's energy in the world. The lingams (murthis or idols) in these temples are all 'swambhu' or self created - not man made. Some hold Trayambakeshwar to be the first Jyotir Lingam. It is one of the 5 amrit sthanams or most sacred places in India; Kumbha Mela is held here. It is also mentioned in the Vedic literature. Yagyas and pujas have been performed here for thousands of years. More detail More important, the experience of Lord Shiva's presence or darshan in these temples is unparalleled. For this reason millions of devotees come from far and wide each year to bathe in that experience of wholeness and peace which surpasses the understanding. And as a result of the presence of Lord Shiva at these Jyotir Lingams, yagyas performed here deliver profound benefits. Testimonials

Village of Trayambakeshwar with surrounding mountains
Pitru Paksha - fortnight of departed ancestors coincides the dark half of the lunar month of Bhadrapada and is the traditional time of year to perform shraddha or offering to the departed ancestors. It is the best time of year to run Pitru Shanti and Kala Sarpa Shanti (remedies for Pitru Dosha and Kala Sarpa Yoga).
Pitru Shanti yagya runs 12 Days - $556
Tripindi Shraddha can happen on day 1 through day 4 depending on which day is most auspicious (best muhurtha) Day 01: - Narayan Bali Day 02: - Naag Bali Day 03: - Shiva Puja Day 04: - Kala Sarpa (1 day program) + Navagraha (9 Planets) Puja + Surya (Sun) Japa (Repetition of Sun Mantras) Day 05: - Chandra/Moon Japa (Repetition of Chandra Mantras) Day 06: - Mangala/Mars Japa (Repetition of Mangala Mantras) Day 07: - Budha/Mercury Japa (Repetition of Budha Mantras) Day 08: - Guru/Jupiter Japa (Repetition of Guru Mantras) Day 09: - Shukra/Venus Japa (Repetition of Shukra Mantras) Day 10: - Shani/Saturn Japa (Repetition of Shani Mantras) Day 11: - Rahu Japa (Repetition of Rahu Mantras) Day 12: - Ketu Japa (Repetition of Ketu Mantras)
It is said full benefits will accrue 40 days after completion of the program. To date it has been our experience this can take up to 2 or 3 months. It is fair to say that after 6 months you will look back and hopefully recognize this as a turning point in your life. Testimonials

Kala Sarpa Shanthi

Kalasarpa Dosha refers to a condition in the horoscope in which all planets (or all planets bar 1) occupy one side of the Rahu/Ketu axis. This dosha most often manifests in primary areas of life: relationships (marriage), health (mental & physical), career, education, accumulation of wealth, long term hopes and aspirations: things we observe in other people's lives as growing and taking on a life of their own - these can be a constant struggle and can fail for no apparent reason at the most unlikely times. In spite of talent and hard work, the person does not achieve success. To remove this Dosha, KalasarpaRahu and nine snakes are worshipped and a havan or sacrificial fire is performed at Trayambakeshwar.
NARAYANBALI
According to vedic understanding we are soul connected with 7 generations, before and after. The main aim of Narayanbali yagya is to fulfill the unrequited desires of our ancestors thus freeing them to move forward on their path of evolution. It is not possible to fulfill every single wish of the deceased. Some strong desires follow the jiva or individual soul even after death. In this condition, the soul keeps wandering on the earth. In Vedic esoteric philosophy it is held that soul is part of the Sun. It gets naturally attracted to the sun after death of the human body in the same way as water is attracted to the sea. But the unfulfilled desires and wishes force the soul to remain here in the earthly realm. The soul or jiva suffers a great deal in this condition. In order to free itself from suffering the trapped soul creates material problems in the lives of its descendents. To free himself or herself, the descendant may seek the help of doctors, healers or any kind of counselor. But due to the severity of this karma, standard remedies will not deliver the desired result. Dissatisfied with these attempts the person may seek the help of an astrologer. The positions of the planets in the horoscope reveal the Pitru Dosha or blemish of the ancestors. In view of this, we can say that the aim of Narayanbali yagya is to fulfill all unfulfilled wishes and desires of Jivatma or the individuated soul. This fulfills or destroys (depending on your perspective) the unrequited desires of the erstwhile trapped and suffering soul. When the desires are gone, the soul becomes lighter and travels in upward direction. The Jivatma or soul of the ancestor blesses the one who has enabled it to move forward. The ritual of solemnly worshipping the Pitris or departed ancestors in order to satisfy them is called Shraaddha. This yagya is performed with the right materials, at the right place and at the right time (muhurtha) and according to dictates laid down in the vedic shaastra. This ritual has been traditionally performed according to vedic shaastras at Trayambakeshwar Jyotir Lingam for thousands of years. References to Trayambakeshwar Jyotir Lingam may be found in the vedic literature (India’s great philosophical/religious texts). Narayanbali is performed in cases such as childlessness, hardships in life, poverty, incurable disease or when one is afflicted by evil spirits, bad death, accidents or curses from previous birth. To free oneself from all above difficulties with certainty, Narayanbali is the primary ritual prescribed by the Vedic shastra.

NAAGBALI
Naagbali yagya is to be performed along with Narayanbali. Shaunaka rishi has described this ritual in the following way. A person who has collected a lot of wealth during their lifetime and cannot give up the desire for wealth even after death, guards his wealth after death in the form of a snake. This soul incarnated as snake does not allow any one else to enjoy his wealth. Such a snake if killed curses the beneficiaries of its wealth in the current or subsequent births. The beneficiaries of the wealth may remain childless or suffer chronic disease. To get rid of disease and to have children one should perform Naagbali yagya.
TRIPINDI SHRADDHA
Vedic philosophy holds it is necessary to perform Shraddha or traditional worship of the ancestors around the time of their death. If one fails to perform these rites of passage on behalf of their ancestors for a period of three years then the departed ancestors can suffer and in turn their suffering manifests in the lives of their descendents. To free oneself from this curse or from material troubles it is necessary to perform Tripindi yagya. The intention or sankalpa of this yagya is to increase material well being (artha). After its proper performance, material prosperity will slowly increase. Marriage difficulties also dissolve, there is success in profession and peace in the house. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are the devatas associated with this yagya.