Lord Shiva and Golden Shivling

Shivam was a watchman in Mohanpur village. He used to roam the streets of the village with a stick and shouting all night. Due to this the villagers used to sleep peacefully. .

He used to go out with his food at night and go to the temple of Lord Shiva. At night when the priest used to close the temple, he used to go to his work.

One day the priest asked him

Priest: Shivam, all the villagers come to the temple in the morning and you come to the temple at night and then sit there till the temple closes.

Shivam: Pandit ji, I cannot go to work until I have seen God. Secondly, as long as God is sitting, I do not worry about the village. When he sleeps, I go out to guard the village.

Priest: You have so much faith in Lord Shiva.

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Shivam: Yes Panditji, my faith is unwavering.

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Time was passing like this. One day a Sethji came to the temple and said to the priest.

Sethji: Panditji, I do not have any children. I want to worship Lord Shiva.

Panditji gets Sethji to perform a puja.

Panditji: If God wishes, you will definitely get a child, but you must bring him to the temple for darshan.

A year later, Sethji gets a son. He reaches the temple with his wife and child.

Seth ji: Pandit ji, Bhole Baba has heard my call.

Pandit ji is very happy to hear this, after that Seth ji says.

Seth: Pandit ji, I want to install a gold Shivling in place of this Shivling.

Panditji: What are you saying, Sethji, this Shivling is very old, we cannot remove it and if you install a gold Shivling, then as soon as this news spreads, the risk of the Shivling being stolen will increase.

Sethji: But Panditji, I have made a decision, please suggest a solution.

Panditji: Okay, I will consult the villagers and let you know. Come after two days.

Panditji talks to Shivam at night.

Shivam: Pandit ji, you don’t worry, Bholenath protects the whole world, will he not be able to protect his Shivling? Do one thing, tell Seth ji to get this Shivling plated with gold, this will make the Shivling look like gold and it won’t even have to be removed.

Panditji: But in the eyes of thieves, this will be a golden Shivling. They will not know that it is made of stone.

Shivam: Don’t worry about that, leave everything to Bholenath.

Panditji tells everything to Sethji the next day. Sethji starts the work of applying gold on the Shivling. In a month, the Shivling starts looking like gold.

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One day Panditji calls Shivam.

Panditji: Shivam, following your advice, I got the Shivling gilded by Seth ji, but its safety at night is your responsibility.

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Shivam: Panditji, in my presence, theft cannot take place in the entire village, but still I will take special care of the temple.

One night Shivam was passing by a temple and he saw that the doors of the temple were open and a man was sitting near the Shivling covered in a blanket.

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Shivam approached him.

Shivam: Who are you and how did you open the door of the temple? Are you a thief?

Man: No I am not a thief. I just want to remove this gold, you take this gold.

Shivam: What do you mean, why are you removing this gold.

Man: This gold is there because of you. That is why I want you to take this gold.

Shivam: Who are you and why are you saying this?

Then that man appears in the form of Lord Shiva.

Shiva: This gold wall has been erected between me and my devotees. Whatever my devotees offer with devotion remains on this gold and does not reach me. And my devotees are not able to see me either.

Hearing this, Shivam falls at the feet of the Lord.

Shivam: Lord, forgive me, I am an ignorant person, I could not understand, I could not even offer water to you, I will remove this gold right now.

Saying this, Shivam removes the gold. Lord Shiva blesses him and goes into meditation.

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When the temple opens in the morning, Pandit ji sees all this and asks Shivam.

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Shivam tells him everything. Pandit ji calls Seth ji at the same time.

Seth: God please forgive me, I have made a big mistake, due to my stubbornness I interrupted your worship.

From that day onwards worship started in the temple as before. Seth ji donated that gold to the poor.