Kedara Gowri Vratham in English

Kedara Gowri Vratham story /

Kedareeswarar Nombu

Kedara Gowri pooja/Diwali Nombu date: 31-Oct-2024 (Thursday) in USA and 1-NOV-2024 in India

Link to Tamil version: கேதாரீஸ்வரர் நோம்பு கதை தமிழில் 

 

Update 18-SEP-2018: PDF Version

Kedara Gowri Vratham tamil text

This post is reproduced from the Kedareeswarar Nombu book (Tamil version). During Diwali celebrations this nombu/vratham is performed and this text is read in full.  I've updated this version (Nov' 2015) to include the ganesha/shiva archana text.

Protection

Tharaanaya Koondarak kavuri yatriyage
Thara Viradathai yaan padika - Seeralagum
Ainthu karanthanthimugath thanaladi yaarkarulun
Kandamalar sencharanae kappu.

Pooja steps:

Prepare vinayagar out of turmeric paste, adore with flowers, arugampul (grass) and give flowers to devotees observing this nombu/vrat. Perform vinayaga archana:

Om Sumugaya namah:
Om Eka thanthaya namah:
Om Kabilaya namah:
Om Gajakarnigaya namah:
Om Lambodaraya namah:
Om Vikataya namah:
Om Vignarajayah namah:
Om Vinayagaya namah:
Om Thoomakeduve namah:
Om Ganaathshreyaha namah:
Om Balachandraya namah:
Om Vakrathundaya namah:
Om Soorpakarnaaya namah:
Om Herambaya namah:
Om Skanda poorvajaaya namah:
Om Maha Ganaathipathaye namah:

with the above mantras. Adore the deity with flowers and patras, light incense sticks and take aarthi with saying "Doobam Akirabayaami, Theepam Tharsyaami" and show it to devotees. Give dakshna and thamboola and start the Sri Kedareeswarar pooja.

Decorate Ammi and Kuzhal (Grinding stone and pestle/muller), place the kuzhal on the ammi and apply paste with sandal, kandam, kumkum, cover with garland and flowers. In front of this, place a kalasa (usually a small pot filled with bit of water, and a coconut placed on top with some mango leaves inserted between the coconut and the top. Ocasionally, a store-bought amman face is kept on the coconut or the coconut is decorated with turmeric and kumkum to give the appearance of the goddess), and decorate this with flowers. Those who perform this vrata will sit next to the kalasa and meditate upon Sri Kedareeswarar invoking him as he took bath in kasi ganga and wearing dress made of silk and adored in gold jewellery. Use flowers and patras like vilva, thumbai, kondrai to perform the following archana for Lord Shiva.

Om Sivaya namah:
Om Kesavaya namah:
Om Rudraya namah:
Om Sankaraya namah:
Om Gangadaraya namah:
Om Neelakandaya namah:
Om Narayanaya namah:
Om Krishnaya namah:
Om Padmanabaya namah:
Om Esaaniya namah:
Om Kailasavasanaya namah:
Om Thrisoolaya namah:
Om Mazhuvendraya namah:
Om Maanendraya namah:
Om Sivaya namah:
Om Sadasivaya namah:
Om Achudaya namah:
Om Nirmalaya namah:
Om Arubaya namah:
Om Anantharoobaya namah:
Om Govindaya namah:
Om Soolapaniye namah:
Om Sivapoosaya namah:
On Kalakandaya namah:
Om Kabalamurthiye namah:
Om Paramaguruve namah:
Om Santha rudraya namah:
Om Markandaaya namah:
Om Thripura thanagaya namah:
Om Thamodaraya namah:
Om Parvathi Pranesaya namah:
Om Sarguruvaya namah:
Om Nandhikeswaraya namah:
Om Kedaresswaraya namah:

After archana, they should do pradikshana three times, offer the flowers in their hand to the deities. Offer Neiveithiyam, do Aarthi and offer to the assembled. Give them the Nombu kayiru (Sacred thread - different customs use different colored thread. In its simplest form, a white thread soaked in turmeric powder and tied with a small piece of turmeric should suffice) to tie and bless them with Akshada. Read the kedara story below to complete this vratam.

Kedara gowri story

At Kailash, Parameswar and Parvati were seated in thrones made of nine kind of gems. Brahma, Vishnu, Devendran and thousands of devas, Rishis, Gandharvas come and do pradikshina (Circumambulation from left to right) and seek their blessings. One Rishi named Birungi prayed only to Lord Shiva, circumambulate him alone and ignored the Devi. 

Parvathi devi got angry about this Rishi's behavior and asked Parameshwar, if all these devatas come and pray both of us, why this Rishi seeks your blessing alone? Shiva replied, "Oh daughter of Parvarda (hence named Parvathi), Birungi Rishi does not seek prosperity, but liberation (Moksha), hence he is seeking only my blessings". Hearing this, Parvathi turned her attention to Birungi and said, Oh Rishi, since you ignored me, i'm going to take away your power (strength/sakthi), and she took it with her weapon. Without any strength, Birungi Rishi couldn't walk and fell down.

When shiva saw Birungi lying on the floor, he asked Birungi what happened. The Rishi replied it was due to him not praying to Shakthi, she took away his strength. The ever compassionate Shiva gave him a stick to support himself. Grateful for the help, the Rishi circumambulated shiva with the help of the stick and left to his ashram.  Parvathi devi was mad at Shiva and said to him, "If you were not supportive of me, this is not the place for me to stay" and she stormed out of Kailash for earth.

She appeared in a forest where Rishi Valmiki has set up his Ashram. It was a surprise to the residents that the whole place is vibrant and full of energy after a long time. Wondering what is going on, the Rishi found the supreme mother resting under a tree. The Rishi worshipped the goddess and welcomed her into his Ashram. He was curious to know the appearance of the supreme mother in earth. The goddess explained what happened in Kailash and decided to get away for a while. She then enquired the Rishi about any unique vrat (vow) available on this earth that she can perform. Valmiki Rishi replied, "Yes mother, there is a unique and a powerful Vratham known, but has not been performed by anyone yet. That vratham is called Kedareeswarar Nombu (Vratham)". If you perform this Vratham, all your wishes will come true. Hearing this, Goddess Parvathi became happy and wanted to how to perform this vratham. 

Valmiki Rishi explains: Staring from Purattasi Dasami thithi (eighth day) in growing moon (mid-September to mid-October after amavasya) till Deepavali amavaysa (mid-October to mid-November) one should perform this vratham for 21 days. Each day, after taking bath and wearing clean clothes, perform abisheka for the Shiva linga under the banyan tree (Or in their own home), decorate with vibuthi, sandal and flowers. Make small rounds of sandal, jaggery, turmeric and place it before the linga.  Adhirasam,  banana, coconut, betel leaves (Vettrilai), areca nut (pakku) should be kept for Neiveidhiya and do Aarthi. Make a cord/rope made of 21 threads, and each day tie one knot. If you follow this vow religiously for twenty one days and pray to Parameshwar, he will appear and grant your wishes. 

Parvathi Devi decided to perform this Vratham, and did so for twenty one days. Lord Parameshwar appeared with his Deva ganas and gave half his body to Parvathi devi and became as Arthaneeswarar (Half-shiva, Half-Parvathi). This symbolizes there is no Shiva without Sakthi. They are inseparable.

Knowing the power of this Vratham, all the devas and rishis performed this regularly. Once when celestial maids (Devakannis) were performing this pooja in river banks of Ganges, two daughters - Punniyavathi and Bakkiyavathi of a king who lost his kingdom recently saw them and enquired about this. They explained the vrat and gave them prasad and the sacred thread. When they returned home, miracle had happened and their father reclaimed the kingdom. The girls got married soon and were living a happy life. 

After few years, Bakkiyavathi, threw away the sacred thread (Nombu kayiru) on the beans plant and forgot about it. Soon after, they lost their kingdom to the neighbouring king and had to live in forest in hiding. The beans were abundant where the thread fell and they used it to feed themselves.  Suffering in poverty, she asked her son to visit her big-mother Punniyavathi and get some help. Punniyavathi hearing the full story, took pity, and kept the boy for few days to stay with her. She gave him some food and money to help her sister.  On the way back home, an eagle (Parunthu - white breasted eagle) took away the bag. The boy went back to Punniavathi's house crying and explained what happened. She was kind, and provided him food, money and jewels and sent him home. this time, a thief stole the goods. When the boy came back to the big mother's house crying, she enquired if his mother is doing the Kedareeswarara Nombu regularly.

The boy replied, No, and said all these ill fortune occurred when she stopped doing the vratam. Since the time was close to Diwali, Punniyavathi kept the boy till the pooja and prepared extra threads for her sisters family. She gave him some food and money and sent few bodyguards with him. On the way back, the thief returned the stolen goods and the eagle dropped his bag back. The eagle said, the ill-fortune to the family is due to his mother stopped performing the Vrat. The boy hearing this was astonished and rushed back home. In time, the king who grabbed the land gave it back to them. The boy explained the whole thing to his mother. Bakkiyavathi realized the fault in missing the vratham and vowed to continue to perform it thereafter. They were blessed with all fortune.

The belief is that for single women who perform this vratham will get married soon. Married women perform this vratham for the good and healthy life of their husband. Like Arthanareeswar, the husband-wife will be inseparable.

May Arthanareeswar shower all the blessing and life long happiness to those who perform this Kedara gowri vratham.