A Twitter user BharadwajSpeaks has destroyed the claims laid down by Congress mouthpiece National Herald’s journalist Mrinal Pande about Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Pande has claimed that the Shiva Linga worshipped in the Kashi Vishwanath Dham is not ‘Swayambhu’ thus, worshipping it is not prescribed. In reply to her claims, BharadwajSpeaks countered her by showing documentary evidence that the Linga is indeed Swayambhu and her claims were baseless.

What did Mrinal Pande say?

In a series of tweets, Pande said in the Temple of Avimukteshwar, Shiva was the head of Old Kashi. Vishweshwara dates back to the 15th century. She added, “Padma Purana, Brahmavaivarta Purana, Kashikhand have considered these two lingas as separate and Avimukteshwar as Swayambhu Adi Linga. It was destroyed along with the temple. Worshipping an ordinary Linga instead of Swayambhu Linga is not prescribed.”

She further added that the scholar people of Kashi came to consent and started worshipping Vishwanath Linga. “Avimukt Shiva temple was next to the Vishwanath temple in Gyanvapi according to the Tirtha Vivechan Granth. Todarmal built it again in the 16th century, which was destroyed in 1669. “After 125 years, Ahilyabai built the existing temple.”

She said, “Due to lack of permission from the British, this temple was not built on the original site of the Adi Vishweshwar temple, which was north of Gyanvapi. Today there is no well to its south. Later, Hastings built the Naubatkhana here, Raja Ranjit Singh had gold plated on the summit, and the Nandi idol was installed by the King of Nepal.”

Gyanvapi Mosque

Here is how Mrinal Pande was wrong

Destroying her claims, BharadwajSpeaks called it a spin. said, “She says Avimukteśvara was original Swayambhu Linga. It was destroyed along with the temple. She says Vishveshvara is an ordinary Linga, and this name appears only from the 15th century.”

He further added, “Further, she says Kashi Vishveshvara is an ordinary linga whose worship is not prescribed.” He called her wrong on both counts. He presented proof from Skanda Purana. He said, “In Skanda Purana, Vishveshvara is very clearly mentioned as Swamyambhu Linga. Not only that, Shiva says Vishveshvara is the greatest of all Linga forms of Shiva. Skanda Purana 4.2.49.20.”

He said Skanda Purana 4.2.49.20 mentions that the other Lingas of the world pay respect to the Vishweshvara.

“How on earth did you conclude that Vishveshvara should not be worshipped? Your 15th-century date for Vishveshvara is also horribly off.” He said it was possible Pande believed that Puranas were written in the 15th century. So he gave a reference to the Islamic date.

He said, “A 1296 CE Sanskrit inscription was found at Lal Darwaza Masjid (which was constructed using the materials of destroyed Hindu temples). It was found on pillar. It mentions the construction of padmeshvara at the entrance of the Vishveshvara temple of Varanasi. (Published by ASI 1875)”

It is noteworthy that since the Twitter user destroyed Pande’s claims, she has blocked him on the social media platform.

References:

opindia.com - OpIndia Staff