Sathya Sai Connection to Somnath Jyotirlinga | The Complete Story

Apart from delving into the hoary history of the Somnath temple and the Jyotirlinga there, this video focuses on one singular event which shows the intimate connection between Sathya Sai and Somnath!

On the 17th May, 1970,  streams of cars and buses flowed to the great Somnath Temple on the coast of Saurashtra, for, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was to open the Digvijayadwar of the magnificently renovated temple of the ancient Someswar shrine. This temple is situated on a spot sung as most holy even in the Vedas; it is praised in the Mahabharata epic; it is said the place is called Somnath on account of the Sparsha Linga of Somanath in the temple which was worshipped by Soma (the Moon God), who is the presiding Deity of the Mind. It is associated with the penance of the Pandavas, and the Divine Lives of Krishna and Balarama. It was for centuries the centre of a long line of Sivayogis, who had specialised in Somavidya. It was the celebrated centre of the Pasupatha Cult of Siva worship founded by Lakulisa 1700 years ago.

History reveals that the temple was built and rebuilt, on the same sacred spot, whenever it became dilapidated with age or whenever it suffered from depredation. The third of this series was the one that was destroyed by the ruler of Ghazni in 1026 A. D. It is said that the Fifth Temple too met with the same fate, at the hands of the rulers of Delhi. On Diwali day, 1947, when the Indian Army entered the Nawabdom of Junagadh, where Somanath is situated, Sardar Vallabhai Patel announced, "We have decided that Somnath should be reconstructed; this is a holy task in which all should partcipate.”

The new Temple called Mahameru Prasad has been completed and the Entrance Gopuram, named after the late Jamsaheb of Nawanagar, the President of the Somnath Trust (who laid the Foundation Stone for the Temple in 1950) was now ready for inauguration by Bhagavan. The Late Jam Saheb had prayed to Baba that He should inaugurate the Gopuram, and the Rajamata of Nawanagar was happy that Baba had agreed to do so and come to Saurashtra to fulfil the prayer of the Royal family.

It was a great and significant event, in the history of Somnath, that deserves to be written in letters of Gold. For, Bhagawan Baba had declared that He will reveal that day, the real Somnath, No wonder there was an immense gathering of eager Darshan seekers not only at Somanath, but, all along the 180 miles—route from Jamnagar to that shrine, at Rajkot, Junagadh and a host of other towns and villages.

Swami opened the lock on the artistically carved and embossed door of the imposing Digvijayadwar with a silver key; then, He proceeded along the red carpet, through the festooned passage to the main Temple. Entering the Holy shrine, He created 108 golden bilva leaves, and 108 golden flowers, by a mere wave of His Divine Hand. The leaves and flowers were reverentially touched by the devotees of His entourage. He then poured them with His Hand on the Siva Idol installed in the shrine while a group of Pundits was reciting the Vedic Mantras.

A few minutes later, Baba waved His Hand again; lo and be, hold! The Sparsha Linga of Somnath, (which according to the Skanda Purana is a Swayambhulinga of great prowess, as bright as the Sun, of the size of the egg of a hen, situated underground) was present in His palm. That was the authentic Someswara He had promised to reveal, nestling for untold centuries, underground, under the main upper Linga, away from the hands of depredators and invades. Bhagawan gave It to the Chief Priest, so that It may be worshipped hence—forward without intermission to the full delight of devotees. Then, with the Trustees, the Collector and the local Officers, Baba went round the temple, and unfurled the flag on the 150 feet high tower over the Shrine. Thousands acclaimed Baba, as He gave, Darshan to them at the temple.