Lord Hatkeshwar- Vadnagar

Lord Hatkeshwar is the ishtadeva of all the six sects/ factions of Nagars. It is believed that Lord Hatkeshwar was incarnated in Vadnagar, some time in the third century A.D. The earliest reference to Vadnagar as Anandpur is available in a copper-plate inscription dated 541 A.D of Vallabhi Samvat 221. Skand Puran contains description of the importance of Hatkeshwar kshetra. The area around Anartpur (which is the modern day Vadnagar), as described in Skand Puran is the Hatkeshwar Kshetra. The Hatkeshwar kshetra is said to be situated in the south-west of Mount Abu covering an area of five Kosas.

References are also found in Mahabharat which give an account of the incarnation of Lord Hatkeshwar and the temple at Vadnagar. During their period of exile the Pandavas were moving around the bharat varsha and it was during this exile that Arjun once visited the present day Assam which was at the time ruled by the Nag dynasty. Arjun stayed for two years with the Nag King and married his daughter Ulupi. From this marriage Arjun had a son called Babrovahan. Arjun left his son with Ulupi and went back to his brothers, the Pandavas, only to return several years later when Pandavas, now the rulers of Indraprastha, were performing the Ashwamegha yagna. The Horse of the Yagna remained undefeated till it reached the Nag Kingdom where it was stopped by Babrovahan, now a well trained warrier. A fierce battle ensued between Arjun and Babrovahan, both oblivious of their mutual relation. In the battle Arjun got killed by Babrovahan. When Babrovahan gave the news of the slaying of Arjun to his mother Ulupi, she rushed to the battle field and looking to the slain body of Arjun told Babrovahan of Arjun being his father. The matter was referred to the Nag king, father of Ulupi, who was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiv. The Nag king asked Babrovahan to worship Lord Shiva and please him. Babrovahan carried out a very difficult and arduous penance and pleased Lord shiv and pleaded him to bring Arjun back to life. Lord Shiv blessed Babrovahan with Sanjivani- the wonder drug- which brought Arjun back to life. The name of the Nag King, the grand father of Babrovahan was Hatak and therefore Lord Shiv, his principal deity, whose penance Babrovahan carried out was, called Lord Hatakeshwar. It is believed that Babrovahan joined his father Arjun and established a temple of Lord Hatkeshwar at Vadnagar.

The Hatkeshwar Temple of Vadnagar is also referred to as “Pushkar” as this is the place where the Lotus thrown by Lord Brahma from the Pushkar situated at Ajmer, fell. Lord Brahma desired that the Lotus should fall at a place which is sacred and where Ma Kali had never entered.

Hatkeshwar Kshetra at Vadnagar is also the place where Rishi Durvasa and Rishi Gautam had carried out their Penance.

It is also believed that along with Ma Parvati, Lord Shiva resides at the Hatkeshwar Temple of Vadnagar during winters when Kailash Parvat becomes inhabitable and unapproachable due to heavy snowfall.

However, curiously none of the Nagar families have ever been able to permanently settle at Vadnagar. It is believed that it is because of a curse of Lord Hatkeshwar. The temple of Lord Hatkeshwar at Vadnagar is build outside the fort area of the town and because of this Lord Hatkeshwar had cursed Nagars that just as my temple is outside Vadnagar, none of the Nagars will ever be able to settle in Vadnagar.