Sidh Bawa Balak Nath

Sidh Bawa Balak Nath (Sanskrit: सिद्ध बावा बालक नाथ) also known as Paunahari or Dudhadhari is a Hindu deity known as the most gracious deity in Hinduism. He is known as the incarnation of Lord Shiva in Kali Yuga.

Early Life (Birth story)

The most popular story about the birth of Baba Balak Nath as 'sidh-purush' is associated with the Amar Katha of Lord Shiva. It is said that Lord Shiva was sharing the Amar Katha with Goddess Parvati in the cave of Amarnath, and Goddess Parvati fell asleep. A kid-parrot was there in the cave and he was listening the entire story and was making noise of 'yes' ("hmm.."). When the story finished, Lord Shiva found Goddess Parwati sleeping and so he understood that someone else had heard the story. He became very angry and threw his Trishul on the kid-parrot. The kid-parrot escaped from there to save his life and Trishul followed him. In the way, the wife of Rishi Vyasa was yawning. The kid-parrot entered her stomach through her mouth. The Trishul stopped, as it was unreligious to kill a lady. When Lord Shiva knew all this he also came there and narrated his problem to Rishi Vyas. Rishi Vyas told him that he should wait there and as the kid-parrot would come out, he could kill him. Lord Shiva stood there for a very long time but the kid-parrot did not come out. As Lord Shiva stood there, the whole universe got disordered. Then all the Lords met Sage Narada and requested him to request Lord Shiva to save the world. Then Narada came to Lord Shiva and prayed him to leave his anger as the child had already heard the Amar Katha.and so now he had become immortal and now nobody could kill him. Listening to this, Lord Shiva told the kid-parrot to came out and in return the kid-parrot demanded a blessing from him. Lord Shiva accepted that and the kid-parrot prayed that as he comes out as a man, any other child who gets birth at the same time would be granted all kind of knowledge and would be immortal. As Lord Shiva accepted this, a divine baby come out from the mouth of Rishi Vyas. He prayed Lord Shiva and got his blessings. This divine baby was called Sukhdev Muni later. The other babies who got birth at that time were famous as Navnatha and eighty-four siddhas (Chaurasi Sidh). One of them was Baba Balak Nath.

Connection with Lord Shiva in Dwapara Yuga : It is believed about Baba Balak Nath that he takes birth in every age (yug). He appeared as "Skanda" in Satya Yuga, as "Kaul" in Treta and as "Mahakaul" in Dwapara. In Dwapar age Baba Balak Nath was in the way to Kailash Dham with a wish to meet Lord Shiva. In the way he met with an old lady. The lady asked him where he is going. Then Baba Balak Nath who was Mahakaul told her that he is praying Lord Shiva since last three births but he had not been blessed by Lord Shiva with his appearance and so he was moving towards Kailash Dham with this very wish. The old lady told Baba that it was not easy to have a live appearance of Lord Shiva. You have to do something extraordinary. When Baba asked her what he should do,she told that Baba should stand in the foothills of the Kailash near Mansarovar and pray there. Mata Parwati used to come there on some occasions for bath. When Mata Parwati comes there he should pray her to fulfill her wish. Mata Parwati will surely try to give him something else but he should insist on his wish only. Baba Balak Nath stood for twelve gharis with the old lady and moved towards the Man Sarovar. He did the same as the old lady had advised him and finally Lord Shiva was pleased and blessed him to be Paramsidh in Kaliyug that he would remain as Balak (young) and age would not affect him. MahaKaul of Dwapar age got birth in Kaliyug at Kathiyawad in the house of Narayan Vishnu and Laxmi. Parent named him as "Dev". Dev was very religious from his childhood and he used to pray all the times. His parents then tried to marry him so that he cannot leave the home. Dev was not ready for this. When he was so much under pressure for marriage he left home and moved towards Girnar Parwat in the search of Paramsiddhi. In Junagarh he met with Swami Dattatreya. Here at the ashram of Swami Dattatreya, he got divine knowledge and emerged as Sidh. As Lord Shiva had blessed him that age will not affect him he remained as a child and called "Balak Nath".

Miracle

Miracle in Shah Talai : It is believed that Babaji came to Bachhretu Mahadev from Kurushetra where he had come with saints at the time of Solar Eclipse. Thereafter Babaji came to ShahTalai and met "RatniMai" - the epitome of "Dwapra's old woman, who had guided "Mahakaul Babaji". Thus Babaji was to compensate what that old woman had done for him in "Dvapra Yuga". So Babaji took the most inconvenient work of RatniMai, that was cow-grazing. Babaji made his shelter below a Banyan Tree. He told RatniMai he would meditate below Banyan Tree and graze the cows side by side. He asked her to leave the bread and "Lassi" for him there for taking after meditation. Babaji committed with RatniMai to work for her as long she would remain satisfied. Everything remained smooth till twelve years. People started complaining the damage to crop field by the cows by the end of 12th year. RatniMai used to ignore such complaints but the complaint of village headman broke the patience of RatniMai and she started rebuking Babaji. So BabaJi took RatniMai and village headman to the field and miraculously there was no damage to the crops at all. Everybody was awestruck by this miracle. Babaji came back to his place of worship and asked RatniMai to take back her cows and let him go his way. RatniMai out of motherly affection tried to persuade BabaJi to stay back and reminded him about her providing bread and Lassi for 12 years. Babaji responded that it had been coincidental and further affirmed that he had kept all the bread and Lassi safely as he never consumed them. By saying that BabaJi threw his "Chimata" on the stem of banyan tree and the breads supplied for 12 years came out. He further struck the same "Chimata" on the earth and a spring of Lassi started coming out taking the shape of a pond and the place came to be known as "Shaha Talai". On Babaji's stance for going away from Shaha Talai, RatniMai repented for her ignorance. On seeing all this, BabaJi lovingly told RatniMai that he would worship in forestland and she could see him there. He established His "Dhuna" below a "Garna Jhari" (a thorny bush) about half kilometer from Shah Talai. A half hollow structure has been prepared to symbolize the "Hollow of banyan Tree". Nearby is a temple having the images of Baba Balak Nath, Gugga Chauhan and Nahar Singh Ji. The soil of this place is used as anti-worm for cattle-foot diseases.

Interaction with Guru Gorakh Nath

Guru Gorakshanath wanted Babaji to join his sect and tried his best to do so. Babaji was not willing for that. One day Guru Gorakh Nath along with his 300 disciples and asked Babaji to provide them seating. Babaji spread his towel and surprisingly a portion of that remained unoccupied even after accommodating Guru Gorakh Nath along with his all disciples. Then Gorakh Nath asked Babaji to bring some water in a bowl from a nearby hill-bauli. Babaji found some magic in the bowl when he filled it with water. Thus he understood the intention of Guru Gorakh Nath. Babaji made that bauli disappear by his Sidhi and told Gorakh Nath about the non-existence of the bauli. Gorakh Nath asked his disciple Bhartrihari to accompany Babaji to verify the fact. Bhartrihari was taken aback by the non-existence of the bauli. Babaji told Bhartrihari the factual position and further emphasized the imprudence of Gorakh Nath for shunning the workship of "Lord Shiva" and in its place recommending his own adoration. Bhartrihari understood the whole game and offered his devotion to Lord Shiva. This time also, BabaJi returned without water. Then Gorakh Nath sent Bhaironath to bring Bhartrihari back along with water. Bhairon Nath too couldn't spot the water and returned empty handed without water and Bhartrihari. Thereafter Gorakh Nath asked Babaji to serve them milk. Babaji called a non-milking barren cow and patted her. The cow started milking and everybody took milk. Amazingly there was still lot of milk in the bowl. Gorakh Nath threw his worshipping skin to sky and asked Babaji to bring back to the earth. Babaji aimed the skin with his "Chimata" and pieces of skin fell on earth. At this, Babaji tempted Gorakh Nath to bring Babaji's "Chimata" back to the earth. Gorakh Nath asked Bhairon to do the same, which Bhairon couldn't.

Reaching to Deoth Sidh and Cave Dwelling : After getting defeat in every feat, Gorakh Nath directed his disciples to forcibly put rings in the ears of BabaJi. Every disciple became faint before doing so, During that struggle BabaJi made a loud cry and reached a place where "Charan Paduka" temple is situated. From "Charan Paduka", BabaJi went to a cave on the hill. A demon came out of the Cave and warned BabaJi to go away. Babaji, by his "sidh-shakti" forced the demon to vacate the cave for BabaJi's meditation. The demon understood the state of affairs and went away. Then BabaJi settled there for meditation. Bhartrihari also settled for meditation near that cave. One day, a Brahmin named as "Banarasi" from the nearby village Chakmoh came to that area for grazing his cows. BabaJi appeared before him and interacted. Brahmin told Babaji about his barren cows. Babaji asked where his cows were. Surprisingly only lions and tigers were there. After seeing the stunning posture of Brahmin, Babaji asked him to call his cows. Astonishingly, as the Brahmin called, his cows surrounded him. Seeing the miracle, Brahmin became the devotee of Babaji. Brahmin continued to see Babaji. One day Babaji told him that he would disappear one day and asked the Brahmin to continue the tradition of "Dhuna" and worshipping. Brahmin followed the point and maintained the tradition. A lamp remained lighted near Babaji whose light spread away in the nearby villages. Thus people had started calling Babaji as "Baba Deoth Sidh" and later on the place became famous as "Baba Deoth Sidh".

Temples

There are many temples of Baba Balak Nath in India and some abroad.

Himachal Pradesh

• Gufa Sidh Bawa Balak Nath, Deotyotsidh, Hamirpur district

The main temple of Sidh Bawa Balak Nath is south of Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh in Deotyotsidh Forest. The temple is situated on Dholgiri hill and is just 4 KM from base city Shahtalai. His temple is very big and women are not allowed to enter the main garbhagriha which is the cave and Idol of Baba Balak nath jee has been placed and believe that Baba Balak nath did his spiritual practice for many year in the cave There is a different way to seek blessings from the same idol by women but at a distance. Many people with their desires come to this temple. Baba Balak Nath is the son of lord Shiva.^[1]

Punjab

• Baba Balak Nath Temple, Bhanowal, Hoshiarpur district

Uttar Pradesh

• Sidh Bawa Balak Nath Mandir, Noida Sector 71
• Baba Balak Nath Mandir, Ghaziabad - https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/Shri+Baba+Balak+Nath+Mandir/@28.668853,77.416648,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x50b3b234a5ced05c!8m2!3d28.668853!4d77.416648

References