Sachiya Mata Temple
The Sachchiya Mata Temple is located in Osian, near Jodhpur city in Rajasthan. Here the mother goddess Sachiya (also spelled as Sachayay Mata and Sachchiyay Mata), (Hindi: सच्चियाय माता/सच्चिया माता) is worshipped by Maid Kshatriya Swarnakar (Kulthiya families), Marwadi, Oswal,Agarwal, Maheshwari, Mayecha (Maru Kansara Soni From:-Beraja-Kutch). Panwar Rajputs/Parmar Rajputs, Lakhesars Kumawat (Kumhar sub-caste), Oswal, Charans, Jains, Pareeks Brahmins, and many other castes living in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and North India. This temple was built by the Parmar King Upendre for his Kuldevi in the 9th to 10th century C.E.
Maa Jagat Bhawani Shri Sachchiyay Mataji also called Shri Osiya Mataji in history
The archeological team found many old samples, statues of olden times in Osiya. In the temple of Osiya there is a deity of Harihar, which is half Shiva & half Vishnu, which is vary ancient. The paintings found in Osiya include Vasudeva with baby Krishna on his head, Krishna fighting with horse, Killing of Putna, Kalidaman, Govardhan dharan, butter stealing etc. from the same comes the interesting images of Balram which seems to represent him as the incarnation of Seshnaga.
In the olden days Osiya was a very big town. Osiya's Telivada was situated 3 miles away in Tinvari village, at 6 miles is Pandit ji ki Dhani (small Village which is Pandit pur), at another 6 miles away village Kshatripura, at 24 miles is Lohavat which was place iron smiths colony of Osiya. There were 108 Jain temples in Osiya.
Present Osiya is situated about 40 km from Jodhpur, Rajasthan. It is connected by road and train with Jodhpur and Pokharan.
Hindu mythological history
The origin of the name Sachiya for the goddess is explained thus: Goddess Sachi was a daughter of the Asura king Pauloma. King Pauloma ruled a great kingdom, and was a benevolent king who sponsored many Brahmins (for example, Shukracharya, who was pursuing research on immortality under his patronage). Vrut (Vritra) was the chief of Pauloma's army, and he wanted to marry Sachi. However, Sachi considered this proposal insulting, as she did not want to marry a servant of her father. Knowing the thoughts of Sachi, Vrut left the service of Pauloma and worshipped Lord Shiva, a common god of the Asuras. Shiva gave Vrut his blessing, and the boon that he could not be killed by any known weapons of that time. Vrut, with his magic, assembled a great army, and with this virtue of immortality, he set out to win the Aryan lands and carve out a kingdom greater than Pauloma's.
It was the duty of Indra, the King of the Gods, to defend the kingdom from Vrut. Knowing that Vrut had the blessing of immortality, Indra approached Sage Dadhichi, for Dadhichi had bones tougher than any known weapon. Dadhichi gave his bones to Indra, by performing a self-sacrifice, and Indra prepared a weapon, known as Vajra, from these bones. (It is noteworthy that the highest award of bravery in India, the Param Vir Chakra, bears the symbol of Vajra.) Since bones had never before been used for a weapon, this defied the condition of immortality for Vrut.
Both armies met on the battlefield to fight, but Indra proposed that instead of allowing the full forces to fight, resulting in huge carnage, he and Vrut alone should fight; the victor would take over the other's army and would marry Sachi. Indra emerged from this challenge victorious.
The foundation day of Oswals
According to Muni Sri Gyan Sunderji the foundation day of Oswals falls on the fourteenth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Shravan. All Jain-Oswals celebrate this with sacrifice, prayers and meditation.
The Kuldevi of Oswals
Maa Jagat Bhawani Shri Sachchiyay Mataji also called Shri Osiya Mataji is kuldevi of Oswals.
There was a big temple of Chamunda Mata in Upkeshpur presently known as Osiya situated near Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The temple was known for chamatkars and therefore everybody prayed to Chamunda Mata. During navratri, buffaloes were butchered and people gave offerings of flash of buffaloes to please Chamunda Mata. Jain Acharya Shri Ratna Prabh Suri stopped this practice of animal killing. Because of this the goddess got angry and she created pain in the eyes of the Acharya. He did not do anything but continued with the suffering. Chamunda Mata was ashamed when she found that Acharya has not reacted to her act. She asked for forgiveness from the Acharya.
Jain Acharya Shri Ratna Prabh Suri told her to not allow killing of animals as offering to her. He said that she is doing her own harm by asking her devotees to offer flash of buffaloes or other animals. She will have to face all the wrong done in her name. She was made goddess because of her good actions but now she will have to face the hell. The goddess got enlightened. She told Acharya that from today no such killings would be allowed in the temple. Even red colored flower should not be offered. She would accept Prasad and Lapsi. Her worship will be done by kesar, chandan (sandal wood) and dhup (incense sticks). She will be happy as long as people are devoted to Lord Mahavira. She would fulfill all prayer of her devotees.
On this, Jain Acharya Ratna Prabh Suri named her as Shri Sachchi Mata. From that day, Chamunda Mata became known as Sachchiyay Mata.
History according to Jain records
A stone inscription, at the Jain temple of Osian, gives a different story about the name of Sachiya Mata . According to this story, a Jain monk, Acharya Shrimad Vijay Ratnaprabhasuriji Maharaj Sahib, visited Osian town to perform the ceremony known as Anjan Salakha, at the newly created temple of God Mahaveer, around 43 C.E. The temple of Mahavir had been built by Uhad, who was a minister of King Upaldeo; at that time, Osian was known as Upkeshpur. In the town of Upkeshpur, there existed a temple of Jagat Bhavani (Great Goddess) Chamunda Mata. In order to receive the grace of the goddess, sacrifices of male buffaloes used to be made in the temple, during the festival of Navratri.
When the Jain monk, Vijay Ratnaprabhasuriji Maharaj, came to know about this practice, he felt deep sympathy for the animals sacrificed. Using his influence on the minister and king, he convinced them to ban this practice. The mother goddess Chamunda then became enraged and angry with the Jain monk. He was tortured and vexed by the goddess. However, by virtue of his self-restraint and devotion to his cause against cruelty, the monk changed the heart of the goddess Chamunda. According to this story, the goddess Chamunda herself declared that she was convinced regarding the harmful nature of this practice, and therefore would not accept any offering which carries blood or is symbolic of blood (including red-colored flowers). She also offered blessings for the followers of the Jain religion, so that the cause of non-violence could perpetuate. The Jain monk gave a new name, Sachi Mata (Real Mother) to the goddess Chamunda. There is a temple in Katraj(Pune), dedicated to sachchiya mata (osiya mata), just close to the swetamber jain temple of Katraj. In her temple at the present time, Sachiya Mata-Ji is worshipped with lapsi (an Indian sweet dish), saffron, sandal, and dhoop.
The Jain Mandir of Lord Mahavira at Osiya
It is believed and said that Sachhiyay mata was devoted in the Bhakti of Lord Mahavira so much so that she decided to build a temple for Lord Mahavira.
The Upkeshpur king had a holy cow. A vary mysterious thing started happening. Everyday in the evening when the cow returns from jungle, she had no milk left. This continued for a while. The person looking after the cows was asked to explain why at particular place cows carried no milk. The shepherd explained that while the cow was roaming in a heightened land the milk flowed out from her automatically in all the four directions, when the milk was finished the cow returned to the herd. Next day also same scene was seen by thousands of people. King Utpal Dev was informed of the incident. Next day the king, the Prime minister & several thousand people gathered and saw the scene. The king narrated the incident to Jain Acharya Ratna Prabh Suri understood that this was the work of Chamunda Devi. Next day at the auspicious hour, the place was dug up and a deity of lord Mahavira made up of sand was retrieved. In the digging also 9 laks gold coins were also found which were melted and the idol of God Mahavira was covered with gold. Later a temple was built. It is said that the opening Pratistha (the way in which deity is installed) was done by Acharya sriji on Thursday the 5th day of shukla panchami in the year Veer Samvat 70. At the same time Acharya by his Devik powers did Pratistha for another Lord Parshvanath temple in Konarpur, which was miles away from Osiya.
See also
External links
- Pictures of Sachiya Mata Temple, Osian
- Sachiya Mata Temple, Jodhpur
- Shri Sachchiyay Mataji Temple, Sardarshahar
- Jain version of the story about Sachiya Mata
- Jain records and references
- Information on Shri Sachchiyay Mataji (Shri Osiya Mataji) Temple
Coordinates: 26°26′N 72°33′E / 26.43°N 72.55°E