When Pandavas went in exile, Draupadi was extremely sad to look at the plight of her husbands.  (It is well known that Draupadi was married to the five pandavas and she also accompanied them to the forests and other places in exile).

She came to Kashi and started intensely praying to Lord Surya.  Lord Surya was deeply moved by her sincerity and appeared before her.  He gave her one vessel and told her that the vessel would be a “never emptying vessel” inasmuch as she could  go on feeding any number of guests and the vessel would never get empty. However, she should be the last one to eat.  (Even now old timers say that Guests should be fed first and household ladies should be the last to eat).

Lord Surya also told Draupadi about a divine wish that Lord Shiva had given to him.  According to it, if a devotee who comes to pray to Vishveshwar in Kashi, prays to Lord Surya first, Lord Surya will have the power to remove all the sorrows which are clinging to the devotee. Lord Surya also states here that a person who sincerely prays to  him at this place will never remain hungry. (Kashi Khand,  Chapter 49).

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Kashi Khand, Chapter 49, Shlok 17

प्राग्रवे त्वां समाराध्य यो मां द्रक्ष्यति मानव:

तस्य त्वं दु:खतिमिरमपानुद निजै: करै:

(Vishweshwara says to the Sun God), the person who first worships you (in the form of Draupad Aditya) and then worships me, you should remove the darkness of his sorrow with your rays.

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(DRAUPAD ADITYA)

The Aditya located here came to be called as Draupad Aditya.

LOCATION OF DRAUPAD ADITYA

Draupad Aditya was earlier located at Ck. 35/21, Akshay Vat, near Vishweshar Temple.  Now it comes inside Kashi Vishwanath Temple corridor.

There are three approach lanes one via Dashashwamedh Road, 2^nd via Bansphatak and third via Gyanvapi.   It is difficult to prescribe the convenient entry point because due to heavy police patrolling, entry points keep changing. During peak rush days like Mondays and other important festivals, the police may regulate the pilgrims through Gyanvapi and the exit point may be through Bansphatak etc.  Since the temple is located in deep Gully, it is advisable to visit the temple alongwith  a local person or Guide.

TYPES OF POOJA

The place is open for worship practically throughout the day.  People can perform self poojas at the place.

Lord Skanda was describing the predicament of Vinata whereby she had become slave once upon a time.  Sage Agasthya wanted to know what made her become a slave, even though she was very pious in her daily activities.

Lord Skanda described thus: Sage Kashyap had many wives of which two were Kadru and Vinata.  While Kadru gave birth to  hundred snakes, Vinata gave birth to three children, Owl, Garuda and Arun.  Initially when Owl was born, he became the King of all birds, but due to his incompetency, the birds chose to disregard him.  Therefore, to this day the birds do not have a king of their own.

While Owl was her first offspring, the other two were still in the egg.  Vinata wished her remaining eggs to hatch but to her utter dismay, the eggs  did not hatch. She could not bear the agony of her first child being ridiculed.  So, in her impetuousness to beget the baby, she decided to break open one of the eggs prematurely, hoping to get a son.  As soon as she broke open the egg, she saw a child within, fully developed from thigh upwards, but the lower portion representing the legs was still under making.

Thus, the premature new born child who was referred to as Arun (Dawn) in Kashi Khand, Chapter 51, was very furious at his  mother’s impatience which resulted in his deformity. Arun cursed his mother that she would become a slave to the children of Kadru.  Vinata pleaded innocence whereupon Arun took pity on her. He told her not to be impatient with the third egg.  The child born out of this egg, will get her out of the slavery.

Having said so, Arun in due course of time wanted to rid himself of the deformity.  He came to Kashi and started penitently praying to Lord Surya, who became happy with Arun. He appeared in person and blessed Arun stating that the latter will always be with him (Lord Surya) as his charioteer.  Lord Surya said a person who worships me in the form of Arun Aditya will not know what is sadness and poverty will always remain at a distance.

(ARUN ADITYA)

According to Kashi Khand, a person who worships Arun Aditya will never fall ill and there will be no obstacles in the devotee’s smooth life. The devotee will not know what is misery.

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Kashi Khand, Chapter 51, Shlok 23

व्याधिभिर्नाऽभिभूयन्ते नोपसर्गैश्च कैश्चन

शोकाग्निना न दह्यन्ते ह्यरुणादित्यसेवनात

By worshipping Arunaditya, the devotee will not face  diseases of any kind, nor will face any hindrance and can never be disturbed by sorrow.

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LOCATION OF ARUN ADITYA

Please watch our YouTube Video about Arun Aditya at following Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQNxSl_krFY

TYPES OF POOJAS

The temple is open for worship 05.30 a.m. to 12.00 noon and 05.00 p.m. to 11 p.m.  Mangala Aarti is performed at 05.30 a.m. and Shayan Aarti at 11.00 p.m. For doing special pooja etc., it is advisable to consult the Poojari before hand.

Lord Shiva was in Mandarachal and Kashi was ruled by a very pious and religious King named Divodas.  In his Kingdom every one was very happy and there was all round prosperity.  He had reached an understanding with Lord Brahma that as long as he was ruling, Devas and other celestial beings should stay away from Kashi and should not create any disturbance  in Kashi.

Lord Brahma more or less agreed to it but on one condition that King Divodas should prove himself an excellent and able administrator and all people living in Kashi or visiting Kashi should be treated well in their religious pursuits.  The King agreed to it and accordingly gave excellent governance.

Lord Shiva was very upset at being away from Kashi for a long time and he wanted to make King Divodas commit some mistake.  Accordingly, he sent sixty four Yoginis to create some disturbance, but they were enthralled by the beauty and serene surroundings of Kashi which appeared to be a part of heaven. They ultimately settled down there.

When the Yoginis failed to return, Lord Shiva sent Lord Surya with instructions to create some disturbance in Kashi so as to defeat King Divodas in his resolve.  Lord Surya came to Kashi and disguised himself as an astrologer, a learned scholar, a religious propagator, a businessman, a brahmin etc. But he could not find any fault with any person in Kashi or with the governance of King Divodas. Lord Surya was also very much attracted towards Kashi and the beauty of the city.  Lord Surya thought, if he went back to Mandarachal without fulfilling the wishes of Lord Shiva, the latter would get angry.

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Kashi Khand, Chapter 09, Shlok 69

न दरिद्रा न दु:खार्ता न व्याधिपरिपीडिता:

संक्रमेष्वर्कभक्ता ये न विरूपा न दुर्भगा:

Devotees who worship Sun God on Sankranti days will not face the hardships of sorrow, poverty, illness, ugliness and misfortune. (There are 12 Sankranti days every year).

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Lord Surya finally decided to stay in Kashi. He said to himself, disobeying the instructions of Lord Shiva is a sin, but by staying in Kashi and undertaking religious activities, such sins will easily get cleansed.

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Kashi Khand, Chapter 09, Shlok 75

रविवारे संक्रमश्चेदुपरागोऽथवा भवेत्

तदा  यदर्चितं पुण्यं तदिहाक्षयमाप्यते

If there is Sankranti or solar eclipse on Sunday, then if a devotee engages in good deeds like money donation, chanting of religious verses, havan, bathing in holy rivers (like Ganga) etc., the punya benefits become inexhaustible here (they are ever lasting).

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Accordingly Surya settled down in Kashi for the time being.  Lord Surya is worshipped in his twelve forms and Kashi Khand has narrated the importance of the twelve Adityas as under :