Sthala Puranam and Mahimai Of this Kshetram
Sath yuge Naimisaranye Tretayam cha pushkare
Dwapare cha Kuru kshetre kalou Gangaa Pravartate
During Satayugam there was a large forest in this place with the river
flowing across it.Around 88 thousand Rishis got together at this place and thought that Kali Yugam is
going to approach now,and there will be many impediments to do yagams
and penence thus they meditated on Lord Brahma and requested God Brahma to find a suitable and holy place where they could do their penance.Responding to their
request ,brahma produced a axle and set it into motion and told the sages that wherever the axle fell would be a pious patch of earth where
they could most suitably do penance.The axle pierced the earth at this place and since the axle in hindi means "nemi" and this axle pierced the
earth in this forest- "aranyam",this place came to be known as Naimisaranyam. According to another legend when Gayasuran ,the demon
king was killed by lord vishnu ,his feet fell at gaya,his navel at Naimisaranyam and his head at Badrinath.It is also said that Lord Sri Rama
performed a yagam at Naimisaranyam and gifted the town "sitapur" to the Brahmins
It is here that thousands of Maharishis came together to
listen to sage Suta when he expounded the Bhagavatha puranam.Also the great sage Veda Vyasa performed thapas at this kshetram
In this Kshetram Bhagavan appears as Aranyam(forest).This is one of the Swayam Vyaktha
and Ashtakshara Khetrams.
The Mahimai of the
Ashtakshara Kshetram is described in the
following manner:
Srirangam Venkatadrischa SrimushNam Totaparvatam
Salagramam Pushkarancha Nara NarayanAshramam
Naimithim Chetimeh Sthananyasow Mukti Pradanivai
YetushvashtaksharaikAka: VarNamurthir VasAmyaham
The Lord resides as one aksharam in each of these Eight Mukti granting Kshetrams-: Srirangam,Venkatadri,Srimushnam,Vanamamalai,Saaligramam,Pushkaram,Badrikashramam and Naimisaranya Kshetram