Sangmeshwar Dham Urnai, Haryana

History of the temple

The glory of Shri Aruna Sangam Tirtha is mentioned in the scriptures like Mahabharata, Vamana Purana, Garuda Purana, Brahmavaivata Purana, Skanda Purana, Padma Purana etc. Why was the pilgrimage named Aruna Sangam? Why was Lord Shiva established there? A clear description of who got salvation through the devotion done there etc. is found in the Mahabharata’s Vanparva and Shalyaparva. The story of the name of the pilgrimage named Aruna Sangam is as follows in Mahabharata.

In the context of the pilgrimage of Dharmatma Bal, under the Saraswati anecdote, Janamejaya ji asks a question to Vashampayan ji, O Lord! How did the waters of Saraswati attain such tremendous speed in Vashishtapavaha Tirtha?

He asked Saraswati the reason for this and said, “O Kalyani, why is this part of yours bleeding? We will think of some solution to improve it.” Then Saraswati humbly narrated the story, on hearing which the sages said, “Devi, we will do our best for your welfare.” They discussed among themselves and decided that to get freedom from this terrible curse, we should worship the establishment of Devadhidev Lord Vishwanath Mahadev. Those sages pleased Lord Shiva through rigorous practices like penance, fasting and yagya etc.

There came a time when instead of a temple and a lake, only a camp was left near the banyan tree. Many mahatmas may have been coming to the camp, but once a Mahatma named Ganesh Giri lived in the camp along with his two disciples (before the present camp, there was a camp on the mound where there is a banyan tree). Mahatma Ganesh Giri was a very ascetic and religious person. There they earned their living through farming and animal husbandry. Once Ganesh Giri ji was inspired that some power resides here, hence he became determined to know it. Suddenly one day he went into the nearby bushes. When he saw a pile of termites there, he started digging with his tongs and immediately saw a lump of stone there. Seeing so much mass in the termite heap, I was surprised and wanted to dig further and uproot it. But when the end of the mass was not found, they got tired and came back. The Mahatma with a pure heart was a devotee of God and in his dream, Lord Shiva clearly inspired me that I am not a stone today. I have received the devotion of innumerable sages and kings. I am the eternal, unbroken and eternal Shiva. Do not try unsuccessfully to uproot me, rather save my place and make your life successful by doing devotion here.