महामेरु
[mahameru] IAST: MAHĀMERU
The golden coloured peak of हिमवान् . The seat of Lord शिव , according to the पुराणस् .
General features ---
महामेरु surpasses even the sun in its dazzling golden brilliance. देवस् and गन्धर्वस् attend on it on all sides. It is inaccessible to sinners. There are celestial herbs and serpents at its base. It is महामेरु that keeps Heaven in its place by supporting it. The atmosphere there, is always alive with the sweet songs of various kinds of birds. Precious stones are scattered all over its surface. All the 33 crores of gods dwell on the sides of this Mountain. [mh-1-17-1 ] .
सप्तर्षिस् like वसिष्ठ rise and fall on महामेरु . महा विष्णु and ब्रह्मा have their places in महामेरु . विष्णु 's place is in the east. There is a special place there for the residence of महर्षिस् . Those who go to महामेरु never return. The Sun and Moon go round. महामेरु everyday. [mh-3-163-1 ]
There are twenty mountains surrounding महामेरु . On the eastern side there are two mountains, जार and देवकूट . On the western side there are two mountains, पवमान and पारियात्र . On the southern side are the two mountains, कैलास and करवीर and on the northern side, the two mountains, त्रिशृङ्ग and मकरगिरि . Thus महामेरु shines like the sun in the midst of eight mountains. In the middle of महामेरु is situated ब्रह्मलोक , the abode of ब्रह्मा in a square extending over 10,000 yojanas. This region is of inexpressible splendour. At eight places around this ब्रह्मपुरी , are situated the eight posts or abodes of the अष्टदिक्पालस् , each of the abodes being 25000 yojanas in extent. Thus there are nine पुरीस् or Cities on the top of महामेरु . They are:-- (1) ब्रह्मा 's Manovatī in the centre. (2) Due east of it, इन्द्र 's Amarāvatī. (3) In the south-east corner, अग्नि 's Tejovatī. (4) On the southern side, यम 's Saṃyamanī. (5) In the south west corner, निर्र्ति 's Kṛṣṇāñjana, (6) On the western side, वरुण 's Śraddhāvatī. (7) In the north-west corner, वायु 's Gandhavatī. (8) On the northern side, कुबेर 's Mahodaya. (9) In the north cast corner, ईशान 's Yaśovatī. (Devī Bhāgavata, 8th Skandha)
महामेरु and लङ्का
रावण 's place of abode लङ्का was really a peak of महामेरु . (For further details, see the previous history of Laṅkā in Para 5 under the word Kubera) .
How महामेरु got its golden colour
The पुराणस् declare that the sun keeps going round महामेरु . Once, while the sun was thus going round, he wished to take a little rest. He asked permission to place the axle of his chariot for a short while on महामेरु . The mountain agreed to it. The grateful Sungod ( सूर्य ) blessed महामेरु that it would thenceforth have golden colour. Until it received this blessing, महामेरु had the colour of ordinary mountains.
Other details
Two daughters named आयति and नियति were born to महामेरु . They were married by धाता and विधाता respectively. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Part I, Chapter 10) .
वसिष्ठ had an आश्रम near महामेरु . [mh-1-99-6 ] .
महामेरु attends on कुबेर in कुबेर 's assembly. [mh-2-12-73 ] .
The extensive जम्बू वृक्ष stands on the southern side of महामेरु . [mh-2-38-1 ] .
At the time of Emperor पृथु , the earth was turned into a cow and all living beings obtained all their necessaries by milking her. It was महामेरु who stood as milking man on behalf of the mountains. [mh-7-69-18 ] .
In त्रिपुरदहन , it was महामेरु which was erected as the flag-staff in शिव 's chariot. [mh-7-202-78 ] .
महामेरु presented two पार्षदस् named काञ्चन and मेघमाली to सुब्रह्मण्य . [mh-9-45-48 ] .
महामेरु once presented heaps of gold to Emperor पृथु . [mh-12-59-1 ] .
महामेरु is anointed as the King of mountains. [mh-12-222-18 ] .
महाभारत , शान्ति पर्व , Chapter 341, Verse 22 says that व्यास once stayed on महामेरु with his disciples.
स्थूलशिरस् and बडवामुख once performed tapas on महमेरु . [mh-12-342-59 ] .
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