The Boon of Permanent Presence

The Purana shares the tale of the sages Nara and Narayana, whose deep meditation moved Shiva so much that he offered them a gift. The sages humbly requested that Shiva reside forever in that spot in the Himalayas to bless and protect all mankind. Granting their wish, Shiva manifested there as the Jyotirlinga, where the Kedarnath temple stands today.

Even the ancient epic, the Mahabharata, mentions Kedarnath. The Pandava brothers paused here for a time, praying to Shiva and bathing in the holy Mandakini before they began their final, high-altitude journey toward heaven. Similarly, the Skanda Purana extols the purity of the Mandakini River, describing it as one of the streams of the holy Ganga released from Shiva’s matted hair. It promises that those virtuous souls who drink its waters will be freed from the cycle of life and become a Gana—a dedicated servant of Shiva.

Finally, the great philosopher, Adi Shankaracharya, chose this sacred valley as his final resting place, cementing its status as a place where one can attain spiritual liberation. He placed his staff at a spot called Dandi Sthal, installed a crystal lingam by the Mandakini, and ultimately attained samadhi (deep, blissful union) in a high mountain cave, leaving this world at the young age of thirty-two.