Why Is Lord Shiva Called Mahakal - The Legend Of Mahakaleshwar

 Lord Shiva is one of the Trimurti Gods of Hinduism who is widely worshipped by Hindus all around the world. Millions of devotees visit the various temples of Lord Shiva throughout the year, in the hope of seeking his powerful blessings.

There are many interesting legends linked to Lord Shiva within the pages of Hindu mythology that are quite remarkable and fascinating even to this day. The powerful mantras and the poojas of Lord Shiva invoke his great blessings, which can drastically improve the lives of his devotees.

Why Is Lord Shiva Known As Mahakal 1. Mahakal is an avatar of Lord Shiva who is worshiped primarily at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. It is a form of the Lord which is widely revered by the devotees of Lord Shiva worldwide.

2. The meaning of Kaal' in Hinduism is time and the 'Maha' or greatness of Lord Shiva is thought to be greater than time itself. Lord Shiva is so powerful that the concept of mortal time doesn't affect him in any way. Instead Lord Shiva has the power to end time itself, as he is the divine destroyer of the Universe and all things in It.

3. It is said that during the incident of Daksha yagna Sati had jumped in the yagna fire when her father Daksha refused Lord Shiva her hand in marriage. This enraged Lord Shiva and he began his Tandav, the dance of death which threatened to destroy the entire universe. In this form also, Lord Shiva was known as Mahakal.

4. Another interesting legend behind Lord Shiva being called Mahakal is the story of
a Brahmin and his four sons, who were all devoted bhakts of Lord Shiva. Once when they were busy in their penance for Lord Shiva, a demon named Dushan attacked them. Dushan was very powerful as he had gained a boon from Lord Brahma.

5. Just as Dushan was about to attack the Brahmins, the earth split open and Lord Shiva manifested before him in his huge form of Mahakal. When Dushan refused to back down, Lord Shiva burnt him to ashes.

6. Then on the request of the people of Ujjain and the king Chandrasena (who Shiva had also helped), Lord Shiva agreed to stay back as the swayambhu murthi or lingam

of Mahakaleshwar.

7. Mahakal Shiva who resides in the Mahakaleshwar Temple offers blessings and protection to the people from physical harms and spiritual evils, and to all those who come to visit his sacred shrine throughout the year.

🚩🙏 Har Har Mahadev 🙏 🚩