Pushkar Apteshwar Temple, Rajasthan

Address

Pushkar Apteshwar Temple, Rajasthan

Brahma Temple Rd, Ganahera,

Pushkar,

Rajasthan 305022

Moolavar

Apteshwar

Introduction

The Apteshwar Temple, also known as Atpateshwar Temple, is a sacred shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located in the town of Pushkar, near Ajmer in the state of Rajasthan, India. This temple is nestled within a cave, adjacent to the renowned Pushkar Brahma Temple. The primary deity worshiped at this temple is Lord Shiva in the form of a Lingam, which is quite large and is encircled by a copper snake.

Puranic Significance

The temple is believed to have been constructed in the 12th century CE.

According to legend, the temple’s history is intertwined with an incident involving Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma. Lord Shiva attended a Yagna (a sacred ritual) that Lord Brahma was conducting, but he appeared in the guise of a tantric yogi holding a skull. This unconventional appearance led to Lord Shiva being insulted and denied entry to the Yagna. In response, Lord Shiva became irate and filled the Yagna site with skulls. Lord Brahma, realizing his mistake, began meditating to understand the reason behind the presence of skulls in the Yagna site. He soon comprehended that the tantric yogi was none other than Lord Shiva. Acknowledging his mistake, Lord Brahma asked Lord Shiva to participate in the Yagna. Lord Shiva agreed, attending the Yagna while still holding the skull. In gratitude, Lord Brahma erected a temple in honor of Lord Shiva as Atpateshwar, adjacent to his own temple.

The Apteshwar Temple houses a statue of Lord Shiva with five faces, crafted entirely from white marble and adorned with ornamental decorations. These five faces are named Sadyojat, Vamdev, Aghor, Tatpurush, and Ishan. Each of these faces symbolizes different aspects of Lord Shiva and represents the four cardinal directions, with the fifth face pointing skyward, signifying purity and spiritual advancement. Additionally, these five faces are associated with the five elements of earth, water, air, fire, and ether.