According to mythology, when the terror of Asura increased and the balance of creation started deteriorating. Then the three forms of Mother Saraswati, Mother Lakshmi, and Mother Kali united and gave birth to a supernatural power, whose work was to increase truth and religion on earth.
The goddesses said to that power, “You establish truth and religion by living on the earth and unite with Vishnu ji.”
King Ratnakar Sagar of Rameswaram in South India was a great devotee of Vishnu and was childless for a long time. Mother took birth in his house as a daughter. A day before the girl was born, the ladies took a vow from King Ratnakar Sagar that “whatever this divine girl wants to do, you will let her do it, never coming in her way”.
This girl was very beautiful and rich in knowledge since childhood. King Ratnakar Sagar named this girl Vaishnavi. His other name was also Trikuta.
At a very young age, Vaishnavi renounced all family comforts and went to a deep forest for penance. During this, Lord Rama was in his exile for 14 years. Vaishnavi met Lord Rama. Vaishnavi immediately recognized Lord Rama and requested him to marry her.
Lord Rama said, Sita is already my wife in this birth, that’s why I cannot marry you. But I am pleased with your devotion, and I want to give you an opportunity, “I will come to you again, if you recognize me I will marry you”.
After defeating Ravana, Lord Rama disguised as an old Brahmin came to Mata Vaishnavi. Unfortunately, Vaishnavi could not recognize Lord Rama. When the goddess realized this, she became very sad. Then Lord Ram explained to the goddess and said, when I will incarnate as Kalki in Kalyug, then you will be my wife. Since then Maa Vaishno is waiting for Lord Rama by being engrossed in penance on Trikuta mountain. Lord Rama asked Vaishnavi to build an ashram on Trikuta hill so that the miseries of poor and unhappy people could be removed. Vaishnavi did the same, and according to the statement of Lord Rama, Vaishnavi’s fame spread everywhere.
Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath ji had seen the conversation between Mata Vaishnavi and Lord Ram with the eyes of his knowledge. He thought to test Maa Vaishnavi, he wanted to see whether Maa Vaishno Devi has supernatural powers or not. For this, he sent his disciple Bhairavnath. Bhairavnath secretly reached Maa Vaishnavi’s hermitage, and seeing her beauty, was fascinated by her, and thought of marrying her.
At the same time, at the behest of the mother, devotee Shridhar organized a Bhandara in the village. Mother said to him, call the whole village. Shridhar obeying the mother called the whole village, and also called all the disciples including Gorakhnath ji, and his disciple Bhairavnath. Sridhar’s financial condition was not good. Due to this, he started worrying about the event. Then he left it all to fate. In the morning, people started coming there to receive the prasad. He saw that a little girl came to his cottage and prepared Bhandara with him.
In Bhandara, that girl was feeding food to all the devotees with her own hands. After consuming this Prasad, people got satisfaction, but not Bhairavnath was present there. He started asking for meat and liquor from Sridhar. The mother in the form of a girl said, “Bhairavnath, you have come to a Brahmin’s house, it does not suit you, whatever has been made, accept it with love”. Bhairavnath got angry about this, and tried to capture Maa Vaishnavi, but failed. Mother took the form of wind and went over the mountains.
Vaishnavi decided to go to the mountains to continue her penance uninterrupted. However, Bhairon Nath followed him. Hanuman ji was also with Mata Vaishnavi at that time. When Hanuman ji felt thirsty, the mother shot an arrow and brought out a water stream there, which is called Banganga. The mother used to wash her clothes there, hence the other name of this place is Balganga. By drinking its holy water or taking a bath in it, all the tiredness and troubles of the devotees go away.
After that, the mother stopped at one place and saw Bhairavnath. The name of the place is Charan Paduka where the footprints of Mata can be seen even today.
Mother entered a cave and did penance for nine months, Bhairavnath also followed her there. A monk told Bhairavnath that the one whom you are considering a girl was Adishakti Jagdamba, so leave the pursuit of that superpower. Bhairavnath did not listen to the monk. Then the mother made a way out from the other side of the cave. This cave is still famous by the name of Ardhkumari or Adikumari or Garbhjoon.
A fierce battle took place between Hanuman ji and Bhairav Nath outside the cave. Mata Vaishnavi took the form of Mahakali and killed Bhairavnath. Bhairavnath’s severed head fell in the Bhairav valley of Trikuta mountain, 8 km away from the building. That place is known as the temple of Bhaironath. And his torso fell nearby. After his slaughter, Bhairavnath realized his mistake and sought forgiveness from his mother. Mata Vaishno Devi knew that Bhairav’s intention behind this attack was to attain salvation. He freed Bhairav Nath from the cycle of birth and gave a boon saying that my darshan will not be considered complete until the devotee sees him after my darshan. After that, the mother took the form of Pindi. It is said that the mother is engrossed in penance here even today. The name of this place is Bhavan. At this place, Maa Mahakali is seated in the form of Maa Mahasaraswati and Maa Mahalakshmi in the form of Pindi in the cave. These three collections are called the form Maa Vaishno Devi. Used to go for
Pandit Shridhar was shown the way to the Trikut Parvat by their mother in his dream. Shridhar reached the cave and worshiped the Goddess, who pleased and appeared in front of the Goddess, and she blessed him. Since then Shridhar and his descendants have been worshiping Goddess Vaishno Maa.
