Who was the first to see Baba Barfani, how did the worship of the natural Shivalinga of Lord Shiva begin.

News Topical, Digital Desk : It is believed that after the arduous climb to Amarnath, merely seeing Baba Amareshwar (Barfani) bestows infinite blessings. Millions of devotees visit the cave every year. Do you know how this mysterious cave was discovered and who was the first to have the privilege of seeing Baba Barfani? Let's explore some of the mythological stories related to it.

Importance of Darshan of Baba Barfani

Texts like 'Bringesh Samhita' and 'Nilmat Purana' describe that a person who visits Amarnath receives 10 times more merit than Kashi, 100 times more merit than Prayag and 1000 times more merit than Naimisharanya. It is believed that any devotee who visits the Amareshwar Shivalinga with true devotion, the doors of salvation open directly for him. According to religious beliefs, this is the sacred cave where Lord Shiva narrated the 'Amar Katha', the secret of creation and immortality, to Goddess Parvati.

Who first visited?

There are two main beliefs regarding the darshan of Baba Barfani, which are as follows -

1. According to the Puranas, the valley of Kashmir was once submerged in water, forming a vast lake. Sage Kashyapa drained the water through numerous rivers and streams. During those days, Sage Bhrigu, while traveling through the Himalayas, discovered this sacred cave. Therefore, Sage Bhrigu is considered the first person to have seen the Amareshwar Shivalinga.

This is how the Amarnath Yatra started

According to local legends, this cave was discovered in the 15th century by a shepherd named Buta Malik. One day, Buta Malik met a saint who handed him a bag full of coal. When the shepherd returned home and opened the bag, the coal had turned into gold coins.

Surprised, he returned to the spot to thank the saint, but the saint was gone. Then the shepherd discovered the Amarnath cave and the gleaming ice Shivalinga within. When people heard about this lingam, it became a major center of pilgrimage.

Amarnath in the pages of history

The Amarnath Yatra isn't limited to beliefs alone; there's also historical evidence for it. The famous book "Rajtarangini," written by Kalhana, mentions the Amareshwar Shivalinga. It states that Queen Suryamati presented a trident to it in the 11th century.

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