AshtaVinayak8-Sri VaradVinayak of Mahad

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Mahad is about 1.5 Kms. from off the main road connecting Pune and Khapoli. The

temple faces east. It is carved out of stone. Thee is a small pond behind the

temple and it is said that the present idol of Lord Vinayaka was recovered from

this pond, sometime around 1690. The temple was constructed during the Maratha

regime and then renovated during the British period. In 1738, Saint Harihar

Gosavihad attained samadhi here, a little to the east side of this temple. The

story about this place goes as under: (Ganesh Purana) In Vidharbha, there was a

king named Bhim who was very brave. He had no children for a long time. With the

blessings of Lord Vinayaka. He got a son, equally brave and handsome and also a

devotee of Lord Ganesha. He was named Rukmangad. Once he went for hunting and

was overcome by thirst. He went to the nearby Ashram of Vachakni Rishi. The

wife of the Rishi, Mukunda, saw this

handsome king and was infatuated by him. The request to fulfill her desire was

turned down by the king. Mukunda cursed the king and he became a leper. He then

performed Tapas for long years. Narad Muni happened to pass that way. He saw the

king and told him to go to Kadamb lake and take a dip. The king did so and he

was releived of the leprosy. Lord Indra who came to know about Mukunda's

desire, disguised himself as Rukmangad, and procreated a son in her, named

Grudsamad. The boy grew up to be a very learned, brave and noble person. He

was, however, belittled by some rishis on the grounds of his birth. Grudsamad

was upset by this and he retired to the forests and performed severe tapas for

years on end, standing on one toe and eating only dry leaves. Finally Lord

Vinayaka was pleased by his tapas and gave him a boon(Var) due to which he

became so reknowned a Rishi, that his name came to be chanted at the start of

Ganesg Mantra. Since Lord Vinayaka had given boon(Var) at this place,

He was known as Varad Vinayaka, the Lord who bestows boons.

 

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