Sanatan Dharma

Viduras wife Vidurani became famous when Krishna visited Hastinapura and chose to stay at their humble home rather than Duryodhanas palace. Overwhelmed by devotion, Vidurani mistakenly offered Krishna banana peels instead of fruit, which Krishna lovingly accepted, valuing her devotion over material perfection.

When Sage Bhrigu kicked Vishnu on the chest, Lakshmi left in anger. Vishnu incarnated as Venkateswara to find her as Princess Padmavati. To marry her, he borrowed 1.14 crore gold coins from Kubera with a promise to repay by Kali Yugas end. Devotees believe their offerings help repay this divine debt.

After killing Kansa, Krishna faced repeated attacks from Jarasandha. He requested land from Samudra and had Vishwakarma build magnificent Dwarka with 900 palaces. The city flourished during Krishnas 125-year reign but was prophesied to be reclaimed by the sea. On the day Krishna left for the spiritual world, the ocean submerged Dwarka, marking Kali Yugas beginning.

After defeating Ravana, Rama sought to atone for killing a Brahmin (Ravana was learned in Vedas). When Hanuman, sent to Mount Kailash for a Shiva lingam, was delayed past the auspicious hour, Sita made a lingam from sand. When Hanuman returned disappointed, Rama decreed his lingam would be worshipped first. The temple houses both lingams.

Daksha Prajapati gave his 27 daughters (the Nakshatras) to Chandra, who favored only Rohini and neglected the others. Enraged, Daksha cursed Chandra to lose his radiance. Chandra performed intense penance using the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra. Shiva modified the curse: Chandra would wax and wane for 15 days perpetually. Grateful, Chandra built the first Jyotirlinga temple here.

Lord Vishnu as Varaha (the Boar) battles the demon Hiranyaksha and rescues Earth from the cosmic depths, restoring her to her rightful place in creation.

The legendary story of Trailanga Swami, a yogi reputed to be over 300 years old who lived in Varanasi. He demonstrated extraordinary powers including floating on the Ganges, surviving poison, and escaping from locked prison cells.

A crow who witnessed multiple cycles of creation and heard the Ramayana directly from Shiva. He retained divine knowledge across lifetimes, teaching that spiritual wisdom transcends physical form.

Bhandasura was created from Kamadevas ashes. Goddess Lalita emerged from sacred fire, united with Kameshwara, summoned Maha Ganapati and the ten avatars from her fingernails, and destroyed Bhandasura with the Kameshwarastra.

A devotee of Shiva received sacred ashes from Shivas dhuni fire through Parvatis blessing. However, his wife threw them upon a dung heap instead of swallowing them. Years later, a divine child was discovered there and brought to Lord Shiva, who named him Gorakhnath - one who would transform spiritual waste into liberation.

Adishesha, the divine serpent serving as Vishnus couch, was mesmerized by Shivas cosmic dance and wished to learn this art. He had a vision of yogini Gonika praying for a son. As she offered water to the Sun God, a tiny snake appeared in her cupped palms and transformed into a human child - Patanjali, from pata (fallen) and anjali (prayer hands).

When Matsyendranath became entrapped in worldly pleasures in a kingdom of women, his disciple Gorakhnath sensed his gurus peril. He transformed into a dancing girl and entered the palace. Playing a mridangam drum, he embedded the message Chalo Machhindar, Gorakh Aaya into its rhythm. Hearing these words, Matsyendranath awakened from his delusion.

Born under inauspicious stars, a baby was thrown into the ocean by his parents. Swallowed by a fish, he drifted to the ocean floor where Lord Shiva was secretly teaching yoga to Parvati. For twelve years, he practiced yoga inside the fishs belly. When he finally emerged, he was an enlightened Siddha - Matsyendranath, Lord of the Fishes.

Ramana Maharshi taught primarily through silence, guiding seekers to reflect on the source of their inquiries rather than answering questions directly. Visitors received spiritual instruction simply by sitting in his presence. When asked about his death, he said: I am not going away, I am here! The body is not the guru.

Ramanuja traveled eighteen times to receive the sacred eight-syllable mantra from his guru who extracted promises of secrecy. Upon receiving it, Ramanuja immediately climbed to the temple tower and shouted the mantra to all people below. When confronted, he replied: I will gladly suffer hell if millions can be saved. His guru, moved by such compassion, blessed him.

Ritualist Mandana Mishra challenged young Shankaracharya to a debate - the loser would adopt the winners path. Mandanas wife Ubhaya Bharati served as judge using flower garlands - the one whose flowers wilted first from anger would lose. After months of discourse, Mandanas garland withered. He became Shankaras disciple, later heading Sringeri Math.

In Vishnumangalam, Madhvacharya faced Trivikramacharya, a brilliant logician, in fifteen intense days of philosophical contest. Trivikrama deployed every logical weapon but was so convinced by Madhvas Tattvavada that he surrendered at his feet. The irony: the defeated scholars son later wrote the Madhva-vijaya, glorifying his fathers conqueror.

Walking to Vishwanath Temple in Kashi, Shankaracharya asked an untouchable blocking his path to move. The Chandala challenged: Were those words to the body or soul? How can you who teaches oneness see difference between Brahmin and Chandala? Stunned, Shankara realized Lord Shiva himself had appeared to test him. He composed Manisha Panchakam, declaring whoever possesses true knowledge is his guru.

During the Shraddha ceremony for his ancestors, Eknath prepared a feast traditionally meant for Brahmins. Instead, he invited hungry Chandalas and served them with reverence, seeing Lord Vishnu in all beings. The enraged Brahmins left, but Eknaths ancestors appeared in visible form and partook of the offerings themselves, vindicating his actions.

In 1861, government accountant Lahiri Mahasaya was transferred to remote Ranikhet - divinely orchestrated. Wandering the hills, he heard a voice calling his name and encountered Mahavatar Babaji. With one awakening touch, Lahiri was engulfed in realization. Babaji said: Your role must be played before men as an example of the ideal yogi-householder. This was the first time Kriya Yoga was offered to householders.