About Kayavarohan Shiva Temple or Lakulish Temple and Lord Lakulish at Kayavarohan
Kayavarohan also known as Karvan is small village in Vadodara district, Gujarat, situated at national highway 8 and around 32 km from Vadodara. It is very famous pilgrimage place from all the Hindu Yuga like Satyuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapar Yuga and Kaliyuga. It is believed that Shivlinga at Kayavarohan Shiva Temple was installed by the great sage Rhishi Vishwamitra during the Treta Yuga in Ramaavatar time.
This Shivlinga represent the formless, unique and incarnation of Lord Shiva in form of meditating yogi. Kayavarohan is the place where Lord Lakulish, 28th incarnation of Lord Shiva was born. Thus this is ancient spiritual place for followers of Pashupati and Lord Shiva, and devotee worshipped Lord Lakulish. Thus this temple is also known as Lakulisha Temple.
The famous Gujarati quote Surat nu Jaman and Kashi nu Maran means that Surat is best for food and Kashi is best for death. Every Hindu wish to visit Kashi once in lifespan. As Kashi is far away from Gujarat, thus Kavyarohan gets the same status as Kashi of Gujarat. Even Kavyarohan Shiva Temple is not one of the 12th Jyotirlinga, but it is one of the 98 major pilgrimage spot of India.
Lakulisha is considered as unique tradition along with the other tradition ranging from the Buddha to Shankaracharya. Lakulish was originator of the Ekeshwarvada or doctrine of monotheism. To promote this Lord Lakulisha had established 12 Jyotirlinga in various part of India and for thousands of years in tradition of Lakulish, kayavarohan is center of all.
History and Legend of Kayavarohan Shiva Temple
During the reconstruction of Somanth Temple, in search of suitable Shivalinga, they requested for Jyotirlinga of Kayavarohan to be installed but villagers of Kayavarohan was not ready to allow. After sometime Swami Kripalvanandji visited this village and he noticed that the image of Lakulish carved out as sitting in front of Shivlinga. Swamiji recognized the spiritual and historical significance of Jyotirliga. Swamiji consulted with villager and decided to built a Shiva Temple here at Kayavarohan. In 1974, construction of temple was completed and Jyotirlinga has been installed in newly built temple also established the Kayavarohan Tirth Seva Samaj Trust. It is believed that during the uncivilized invasion of Mahmood of Ghazni, this shining Jyotirlinga of Lakulish merged with all of the other Twelve Jyotirlingas and disappeared.
Archaeological importance of Kayavirohan
This place has huge archaeological importance thus A.S.I. Archaeological Survey of India has listed Karvan or Kayavarohan as Heritage site . As per the Puranas, Kayavarohan is one of the sixty eighth tirth of Lord Shiva in India. In the Vedic times, Kayavarohan was a accepted as centre of learning and education with Yagna Shalas and many temples. Thus Kayavarohan is also known as second Kashi.Lakulish Yoga University
The Lakulish International Fellowships Enlightenment Mission - Life Mission is registered public charitable trust founded by Swami Rajarshi Muni, the practicing advanced yogi in 1993. Swami Kripalvanandji had established Lakulish Yoga institute in 1976 and methods, syllabus and tools designed by Swami Rajashri Muni. Then in 2013 Lakulish Yoga University is established at Chharodi near Ahmedabad on Sarkhej Gandhinagar Highway. The aim is to offer Yoga education to all without bifurcating age, gender, caste, religion, nationality.
