Kapaleshwar Mandir Nashik

Kapaleshwar temple, Nashik is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Mahadev which is located on banks of river Godavari and surrounded by groups of shrines near Panchavati, Nashik. You may not locate Nandi in this temple which we usually find in front of every Mahadev temple. Architecturally construction of the temple is amazing but will keep you wondering about the absence of Nandi. You will also find the absence of Nandi in "Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple", Jamnagar, Gujarat as well. Both the temple has its unique story for the same.

The story of the absence of Nandi in the temple may amaze you.

Story of Nandi in Kapaleshwar Mandir:

It is said that Brahmadeva had five faces at that time. Four faces used for "Veddocharan", and the fifth one for condemnation. One day during a conversation with Brahmadeva, Lord Mahadev got angry with the fifth condemnation face and he separated that face from the body of Brahma. Due to this, Mahadev felt the sin of "Brahmahatya". Lord Shiva roamed everywhere in the universe to get rid of that sin, but could not find any remedy. In such a situation, while Lord Mahadev was sitting in Someshwar, a calf gave an idea to get rid of this sin. That calf was actually a Nandi. He went with Mahadev to Ramkund in the Godavari and asked him to bathe in the Kund. After bathing, Mahadev could get rid of the sin of "Brahmahatya". It was due to Nandi that Mahadev was liberated from the Brahman killing. He, therefore, considered Nandi as a Guru and established himself as a Shivlinga here. Since Nandi became Mahadev's guru here, Mahadev decided not to sit in front of Nandi in this temple, since then Shiva is established in this temple without Nandi.