Vaishno Devi Yatra is one of the most revered pilgrimages in India partaken by millions of devotees every year. Several legends and mythologies (The Story of Vaishno Devi) have been associated with the Mother Goddess Vaishno Devi and how the pilgrimage came to be.
According to the famous Mata Vaishno Devi story, when the Divine Mother was busy fighting the demons, Her three main manifestations – Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati got together. They unified their collective Tejas or spiritual strength. A blinding white light emerged from the collective Tejas. A young girl appeared from this coalescence. Upon asking why she has been created, the goddesses explained her that they had created her so that she would live on earth and spend her time in maintain righteousness.
“Now, go and take birth in the house of Ratankar and his wife who resides in the southern part of India, and are great devotees of ours. Live on earth. Uphold righteousness and evolve yourself spiritually so that you reach higher levels of consciousness. Once you have attained the appropriate level of consciousness you will merge into Vishnu, the creator and become one with him.” – Devis blessed her.
After some time a very beautiful girl child was born to Ratankar and his wife. The couple named the child Vaishnavi. Right from her childhood, the girl showed insatiable hunger for knowledge and spirituality. Subsequently, Vaishnavi started looking into her inner self for knowledge, and soon learned the art of meditation. She realized that meditation and penance was only the way that could bring her close to her goal.
After realizing her deep objective of becoming one with the creator Vishnu, she left all household comforts and went deep into the forest for meditation. Meanwhile, Lord Rama, during his fourteen years of exile happened to visit Vaishnavi. She identified him as no normal being but the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Vaishnavi immediately asked him to merge her into himself so that she could become one with the absolute creator. Lord Rama, who knew is was not the right time, prevented her. He told her that appropriate time would finally come in ‘Kaliyug’ when He (Rama) would be in his incarnation of ‘Kalki’. Rama also asked her to meditate, and build an Ashram at the base of Trikuta hills. Vaishnavi did as told and erected her ashram in the Trikuta hills in north India.
With her glory spreading far and wide, Mahayogi Guru Goraksh Nath who had a vision of Lord Rama and Vaishnavi episode, asked his most able disciple Bhairon Nath to search for her. Bhairon Nath on locating the ashram started observing Vaishnavi secretly and was smitten by Vaishnavi’s extraordinary beauty. He began to pester Vaishnavi to marry him. This annoyed Vaishnavi and she decided to flee away into the mountains to continue her undisturbed deep meditation. But this did not stop Bhairon Nath and he decided to follow her to her destination.
Vaishnavi after halting at (present day) Banganga, Charan Paduka, and Ardhkuwari, finally reached the Holy Cave shrine. When Bhairon Nath continued to chase her despite the goddess trying to avoid him, she had no other way but to kill him. Vaishnavi Devi beheaded him just outside the entrance of the cave. Bhairon Nath realized his mistakes and asked for forgiveness. Almighty Mother Goddess had mercy on Bhairon and gave him a boon. The boon was that pilgrimage of a devotee would be complete only when they will have darshan of Bhairon Nath temple after having Darshans of the Goddess.
Vaishnavi decided to drop off her human form and assuming the face of a rock she engrossed herself into meditation forever. Thus Vaishnavi, in the form of a five and a half feet tall rock with three heads or the Pindies on the top is honored by all. These Pindies comprise the Sanctum Sanctorum of the holy cave called as the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, where devotees very religiously offer prayers.
Which are the scriptures where these stories came from?
Is this mention the the Ramayana or the Devi puraan?
Please give the scriptural references. Hari Om Tat Naaraayan 🙏