Nasik, about 125 miles from Shanti Mandir’s ashram in Magod and 112 miles from Mumbai, is a sacred city in the Indian State of Maharashtra – the land of spiritual saints such as Jnaneshwar, Tukaram and Namdev, and in our time, of Bhagawan Nityanand and Sadguru Baba Muktanand Paramhansa.

TRYMBAKESHWAR
(Tri Ambakani Trymbaka - Lord Who has Three Eyes)

Trymbakeshwar is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India. It is said that whoever visits Trymbakeshwar attains salvation. The ancient sages said there is no sacred place like Trymbakeshwar, no river like Godavari and no mountain like Brahmagiri

Trymbakeswar hill is also the source of River Godavari.

Godavari is held in the same esteem in south India as is the river Ganga in the north India. Since it was the sadhana of the great sage Gautama that brought river Godavari to earth, just as Ganga is known as Bhagirathi, Godavari is also called Gautami Ganga.

Twenty-eight kilometers (eighteen miles) from Nasik isTrymbakeswar hill – also known as the mountain, Brahmagiri – from where river Godavari originates as a constant trickle from a beautifully carved cows mouth or Gomukh, symbolically overseen by a figure of goddess Ganga.

It is believed that the sage, Gautam, brought the river Ganga, down from the Heavens, after propitiating Lord Shiva through rigorous sadhana.

According to the lore, in the time when Sage Gautam lived with wife Ahilya, there was a severe drought. Moved by compassion, Gautam Rishi dug a pond and filled it with water by appeasing Varuna Dev, the Rain God. The local people were very happy but some of the wives of the other sages became jealous. They persuaded their husbands to drive Gautam Rishi and Ahilya out of the area. These sages worshipped Lord Ganesh who, pleased by their worship, assumed a form and heard their request. Though he tried to persuade them otherwise they would not relent and so he eventually granted the boon they sought.

To fulfill the boon, Lord Ganesh assumed the form of a cow, entered the courtyard of Gautam Rishi’s hut and began damaging the greenery. Rishi Gautam came and tried to dissuade the cow with a stick. At the very moment the stick lightly hit the cow, she dropped dead. Instantly, the other sages appeared and accused Gautam Rishi of cruelty.

As penance, they asked him to circumambulate the earth thrice and the Mountain Brahmagiri one hundred times, then to bathe in the holy Ganges and worship one crore Shivalingas. On completing this sadhana, the Lord appeared. Sage Gautam then asked to be freed from the sin and Lord Shiva said, "Oh Sage Gautam, you were always innocent and pure. The other sages simply conspired against you.”

 In response, Sage Gautam said that, in fact, the other sages had done him a great favour for if he had performed the penance he would not have had the Lord’s darshan. That was when Gautam Rishi asked Lord Shiva for Ganga to come to earth. As a result, Lord Shiva asked Ganga to flow down from the heavens and remain on earth eternally, for the good of all.

Every twelfth year, when sun enters the zodiacal sign of Leo, a Simhastha Mela is organized at Nasik to commemorate the arrival of Godavari. Devotees take a holy bath in Gautami Ganga and seek the blessings of Lord Trymbakeshwar.