Sri Gandiveshwar Nath Mahadev Mandir

Sri Gandiveshwar Nath Mahadev Mandir

Sri Gandiveshwar Nath Mahadev Mandir is located at Shivnagar village which is close to Benipatti in Madhubani district of Mithila region in Bihar.
Gandiveshwar Sthan is a place mentioned in the Hindu mythological epic the Mahabharata and a religious destination too. In the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas were exiled from their kingdom to the forest by the Kauravas, Arjuna hid his Gandiva bow and all his weapons under a shami tree, which adherents believe is at this site.

The present Gandiveshwar Mahadev Temple was built by the son of Chan Chaudhary from Chanpura Village near the place.Chan Chaudhary was childless person,he came to this village to worship Shiva in the temple. He then soon became the father of a child, who later built the present temple of Gandiveshwar Sthan.

According to legend, Arjuna got his weapon Pashupati Astra here by meditating to Shiva. He placed a Shivalinga here, which is believed to be at the temple called the Gandiveshwar Nath Mahadev Mandir.

History

It is believed that, this is the battle place of the famous Kirat – Arjuna battle in the Mahabharata. Shiva came in the face of Kirat and did war with Arjuna. The war was for hunting of a wild pig. Arjuna threw an arrow with his bow on a wild pig for hunting. Then Shiva appeared there in the face of a Kirat person and he also threw an arrow on the same wild pig for hunting. Subsequently a very extreme war was started between Arjuna and Kirat for hunting and in the last Shiva pleased with the battle skills of Arjuna and appeared in his original costume and awarded the famous Gandiv bow to him.

This place is very famous for Mahashivaratri and Shravan Somvari festivals.Devotees of Lord Shiva gather here from different parts of the district in Shravan Somvari and perform Jalabhisheka and worship the Shiva.