Moreshwar of Morgaon

 Ashtavinayak Series

Moreshwar of Morgaon

There lived a king named Chakrapani. He and his wife Queen Ugra, not being blessed with progeny, worshipped Lord Surya for His grace. Eventually the queen became pregnant. However, the embryo within her burnt her with its sheer brilliance and radiance. Unable to bear the scorching heat that the embryo emanated, the queen is said to have released the embryo into the sea. Soon, a brilliant child came to birth in the sea. The sea lord offered the child to the king Chakrapani. The child was named Sindhu, as he was born in the sea. Under the guidance of his Guru Shukracharya, and by worshipping Lord Surya regularly, Sindhu grew up strong and powerful. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Surya gave nectar to Sindhu, with the promise that as long as the nectar remained in his navel, Sindhu would remain immortal.

Immortality can corrupt the wisest of beings, and soon Sindhu too fell into the trap of pride and egoism. He attacked several of the celestial gods and imprisoned them in his kingdom. The gods who managed to save themselves prayed to Lord Ganesha for His assistance.

Thus, when Devi Parvathi made a clay idol of Lord Ganesha, it came into life. The purpose of Lord Ganesha's arrival was the destruction of Sindhu. At the tender age of ten years, Lord Ganesha set out to attack Sindhu!

Sindhu was ordered by Lord Ganesha to release the gods from captivity but he refused. Lord Ganesha, with his Parashu (axe) took out the nectar from Sindhu's navel and finally killed him. It is said that Lord Ganesha set out on a peacock for the battle, and thus received the name Mayureshwar or Moreshwar.

Morgaon is said to have had an abundance of peacocks at one time. The idol of Moreshwar has Nagraj hovering above it protectively. Along with Nagraj, there are also idols of Mooshak, Nandi and a peacock! May be in Lord Moreshwar's world, all animals exist peacefully together.