Naimisharanya Ashram

Naimisaranya, the birth place of the Puranas, situated in the district of Sitapur in Uttarpradesh, is regarded as a very ancient place for pilgrimage and learning. It is stated in the Bhagavata Purana that eighty-eight thousand sages, sitting together, listened to the Bhagavata from the lips of the venerable sage Suta.

In the year 1960, the Samyam Mahavrata was performed in this holy land when it was under deluge by flood in a dramatic manner made possible by Ma's Kheyal. At that time an attempt was made to search for the original Puranic works but no Purana text was found here, which was a matter of great disappointment. It was resolved at that very time that all the eighteen (18) Puranas must be preserved in some place at Naimisaranya. Consequently a plot of land was soon acquired and in this manner the Ashram came into existence.

In 1967 in the second week of December, the Puran Mandir was inaugurated, where in an Almirah made of sandalwood, resembling the shape of a throne (simhasana), the eighteen Purana texts were placed with reverence. Arrangements were made for daily arati and also recital of the Puranas.

In 1968, in this holy place we got an occasion to hear the holy recital of the Bhagavata Purana from the mouth of Swami Akhandananda Saraswati, one of the greatest exponents of the Bhagavata.

In 1975 on the occasion of the holy festival of Makara Samkranti one Yajnasala was established, where oblations are offered daily. It is that very fire with which the Savitri Maha Yagna was performed for full three years in Varanasi and which was kindled in 1926 on the occasion of the Diwali in Shahbagh (Dhaka) according to the special dictates of Ma."

This year, on the holy occasion of the Akshaya Tritiya the Ashta dhatu idol of Purana Purusa was installed here in the newly-constructed temple. It has its own history. Perhaps this is the only image of its kind in the whole world as concerned by Ma and illustrated by the Shastrakars of Kashi. We do not find mention of a temple of Puran Purusa and his image anywhere else.

On 13th July, 1981 one new Shiva temple was also established here. In Ma's divine vision it was revealed that god Shiva was found to be playing a flute under a Bel tree here. After some days the tree suddenly withered and the aforesaid temple came into existence on that very spot through Ma's Kheyal.

The four Vedas were also installed in the Puran Mandir through the hands of the revered M.M. Swami Gangeswarananda.

As a result of Ma's coming to Naimisaranya the old place for pilgrimage has undoubtedly come to be revived. Visitors come here in thousands. Today his place has become one of the chief visiting places of Uttar Pradesh.

The vigraha of Purana Purusha