Khatu Shyam Ji - Why Shyam Baba is so famous?, it tells all aspects of Khatu Shyam Ji temple along with the story of Barbarik who turned Khatu Shyam.
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Khatu Shyam ji is the God of Kalyug and the whole world worships him in the name of supporter of the losers. Khatu Shyam is such a miraculous form of Lord Krishna who fulfills the wishes of all the devotees.
The miraculous temple of Khatu Shyam is situated at a distance of about 17 km from Ringas or Reengus town in Sikar district of Rajasthan. The nearest railway station from Khatu Shyam Ji is Ringas Railway Station.
Who is Khatu Shyam Ji?
The original name of Khatu Shyam ji is Barbarik. His father's name is Ghatotkach and mother's name is Kamkantakta (Morvi). Barbarik had donated his head to Lord Krishna during the war of Mahabharata.
Due to this selfless donation of head, due to the blessings of Lord Krishna, Barbarik is now known as Khatu Shyam ji.
Story of Khatu Shyam
When the Mahabharata war was going on between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, Barbarika came to the battlefield. Coming here, he took a vow to fight on behalf of the defeated side.
Lord Krishna got worried by his announcement because Krishna was well aware of Barbarik's powers. To find a solution, Krishna went to Barbarik.
How did Krishna examine Barbarik?
Krishna asked Barbarik to pierce all the leaves of a nearby Peepal tree with an arrow to test him. Barbarik shot an arrow to pierce the peepal leaves.
When the arrow was piercing the leaves one by one, at the same time a leaf broke and fell down. Krishna hid this broken leaf under his feet to save it from being pierced.
When the arrow fired by Barbarik pierced all the leaves on the Peepal tree, it became stable near Krishna's feet. At this Barbarik asked Krishna to remove his leg so that the arrow could pierce that last leaf as well.
Since Barbarik shot the arrow only to pierce the leaves, the arrow did not pierce Krishna's leg. As soon as Krishna removed his foot from the leaf, the arrow pierced that last leaf as well.
Why did Krishna ask for Barbarik's head?
After testing Barbarik, Krishna became more worried after seeing his miracle because Krishna already knew the outcome of the war.
He thought that when Barbarika would see Kauravas losing, he would fight on the side of the losing side because of his vow.
If this happens, there will be a big crisis for the Pandavas because only one arrow of this has so much power that it can destroy the army of both the sides.
See also in Hindi खाटू श्याम के अनजाने रहस्य - Khatu Shyam Ke Anjane Rahasya
The next day, Krishna went to Barbarik in the guise of a Brahmin and asked him for alms. When Barbarik asked for donation, Krishna asked Barbarik for his head.
Barbarik promised to donate his head to the Brahmin but he asked the Brahmin to introduce him. Then Krishna showed his true form to Barbarik.
What boon did Krishna give to Barbarik?
For this great donation of Barbarik, Krishna gave the boon of removing the sufferings of the losers by being worshiped in his name in Kalyug.
He said that whoever takes the name of Shyam will be blessed by him and all his sorrows will go away.
What was Barbarik's last wish?
Barbarik expressed his desire to see the war of Mahabharata till the end with his own eyes as his last wish. Krishna accepted Barbarik's wish.
Who saw the Mahabharata war till the end?
When Barbarik donated his head to Krishna, Krishna installed Barbarik's head on a hill near the battlefield. Barbarik's head installed on this hill saw the war of Mahabharata till the end.
Who was the most powerful warrior of the Mahabharata war?
After the victory in the war of Mahabharata, there was a dispute among the Pandavas regarding the credit for the victory. Then the Pandavas asked Krishna about this.
Krishna said that Barbarik's head has seen the whole war of Mahabharata with his own eyes, so only Barbarik's head can decide the credit of victory in the war.
Everyone agreed to this and went to Barbarik's head on the hill and asked about it.
Barbarik's head replied that he had seen Lord Krishna's Sudarshan Chakra running throughout the war and it was because of Krishna that the Pandavas got victory in the Mahabharata war.
Barbarik told that only Krishna is the main architect of the war of Mahabharata, whatever has happened only because of him, therefore Krishna is the most powerful warrior of the war of Mahabharata.
How was the Shyam temple built in Khatu?
With the passage of time, Barbarik's head flowed into the river and went to Khatu. Later this sheesh was found on digging at the place of present Shyam Kund.
In 1027 AD, Raja Roop Singh Chauhan and his wife Narmada Kanwar built a temple near the Shiva temple at a short distance from the place where the head appeared.
In the Mughal period, Emperor Aurangzeb demolished this oldest temple of Shyam Baba and built a mosque instead of this Shyam temple. This mosque is still located in the market.
After Aurangzeb's death, in 1720 AD, Abhay Singh built a new Shyam temple that is present Shyam temple and installed Baba Shyam's head in it. Since then till now there have been many changes in Shyam Mandir with time.
Most of the people do not even know about the real ancient Shyam temple in Khatu. This thing has been clearly explained in the book Khatu Shyamji Ka Itihas by Pandit Jhabramal Sharma.
Mysterious facts of Khatu Shyam
1. Khatu Shyam was known as Barbarik before Sheesh Daan. Barbarik was the grandson of Mahabali Bhima. His father's name was Ghatotkach and mother's name was Morvi (Kamakantakata).
2. Barbarik had attained youth as soon as he was born. Because of Barbarik's hair being curly like Babbar lion, he was named Barbarik or Varvarik.
3. Barbarik was born in a demon clan. His grandmother Hidimba was a demon. Barbarik was more powerful and elusive than his father Ghatotkach.
4. Barbarik pleased the Nav Devis by staying in a secret place and worshiping them. Nav Devis provided three impenetrable arrows to Barbarik, due to which they became famous as the Teen Baan Dhari.
5. Barbarik's early teacher was his mother Morvi who taught him the art of warfare. Later Barbarik got knowledge from Lord Krishna. Shri Krishna named Barbarik as Suhriday.
6. Barbarik had kept celibacy forever, so he did not marry even after the proposal of marriage was made by Nag Kanyas.
7. In honor of a Brahmin named Vijay, the gods and goddesses conferred Siddhaishwarya to Barbarik and named him Siddhasen.
8. When the Pandavas were wandering in the forests, Barbarik had a fight with Bhima on the matter of contaminating the water of the Kund near Chandika Devi, in which Bhima was defeated.
Later, Barbarika, suffering from self-aggrandizement, was given the name Chandilya by the goddesses for the sacrifice made for the accomplishment of Chandika's task.
9. Barbarik in his previous birth was a Yaksha named Suryavarcha who was born as Barbarik due to the curse of Brahmaji.
10. Khatu Shyam Baba i.e. Barbarik is considered to be the greatest archer after Shriram.
11. Khatu Shyam is considered to be the supporter of the loser, that is, Baba Shyam gives support to the one who does not get support anywhere.
12. The biggest mantra of Khatu Shyam is Jai Shri Shyam. Shyam Baba's blessings start pouring in just by uttering this mantra.
13. The ancient temple of Khatu Shyam was built in the year 1027 which was demolished by Aurangzeb. A mosque was built in place of this broken temple, which is still in Khatu by the name of Shah Alam Mosque.
14. The present Khatu Shyam temple was built by Abhay Singh in 1720 AD, in which Barbarik's head was brought from the ancient temple and established.
15. Barbarik's head appeared on Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month, hence Khatu Shyam Baba's birthday is celebrated on this day.
16. On the Dwadashi of Falgun Shukla Paksha, Barbarik had donated his head to Shri Krishna, hence Baba Shyam's Lakkhi Mela is held on this day.
Writer
Ramesh Sharma {M Pharm, MSc (Computer Science), PGDCA, MA (History), CHMS}
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