Sachiya Mata Temple
The Sachchiya Mata Temple is located in Osian, near Jodhpur city in the Indian state of Rajasthan.
The mother goddess Sachiya (also spelled as Sachayay Mata and Sachchiyay Mata, Hindi: सच्चियाय माता/सच्चिया माता) is worshipped there by Maid Kshatriya Swarnakar (Kulthiya families), Marwadi, Oswal, Agarwal, Maheshwari, and Mayecha (Maru Kansara Soni from Beraja-Kutch). Panwar Rajputs/Parmar Rajputs, Lakhesars Kumawat (Kumhar sub-caste), Oswal, Charans, Jains, Pareeks Brahmins, and many other castes living in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and North India. The temple was built by the Parmar King Upendre for his Kuldevi in the 9th to 10th century CE.
Maa Jagat Bhawani Shri Sachchiyay Mataji was historically called Shri Osiya Mataji.
An archaeological team found many samples, statues, and paintings there. Depictions included the ancient deity of Harihar (half Shiva and half Vishnu), Vasudeva with baby Krishna on his head, Krishna fighting with a horse, the killing of Putna, Kalidaman, Govardhan dharan, and butter stealing along with images of Balram which seem to represent him as the incarnation of Seshnaga.
Osiya was a once a large town. Telivada was situated 3 miles (4.8 km) away in Tinvari village. Pandit ji ki Dhani (now the small village of Pandit pur) is 6 miles (9.7 km) away. A further 6 miles (9.7 km) away is Kshatripura. At 24 miles (39 km) is Lohavat, home of iron smiths. 108 Jain temples were found in Osiya.
Osiya is situated about 25 miles (40 km) from Jodhpur, Rajasthan. It is connected by roads and trains with Jodhpur and Pokharan.
Mythology
Goddess Sachi was a daughter of the Asura king Pauloma. The benevoent King Pauloma ruled a great kingdom, sponsoring many Brahmins (for example, Shukracharya). Vrut (Vritra) was the chief of Pauloma's army, and he wanted to marry Sachi. However, Sachi considered this proposal insulting, as she did not want to marry a servant of her father. Knowing the thoughts of Sachi, Vrut left the service of Pauloma and worshipped Lord Shiva, a common god of the Asuras. Shiva gave Vrut his blessings, and the boon that he could not be killed by any known weapons. Vrut, with his magic, assembled a great army, and with this virtue of immortality, he set out to win the Aryan lands and carve out a kingdom greater than Pauloma's.
It was the duty of Indra, the king of the gods, to defend the kingdom from Vrut. Knowing that Vrut had the blessing of immortality, Indra approached Sage Dadhichi, for Dadhichi had bones tougher than any known weapon. Dadhichi gave his bones to Indra, by performing a self-sacrifice, and Indra prepared a weapon, known as Vajra, from these bones. (The highest award of bravery in India, the Param Vir Chakra, bears the symbol of Vajra.) Since bones had never before been used for a weapon, this defied the condition of immortality for Vrut.
The armies met on the battlefield, but Indra proposed that instead of allowing the full forces to fight, resulting in huge carnage, he and Vrut alone should fight; the victor would take over the other's army and would marry Sachi. Indra emerged from this challenge victorious.
The foundation day of Oswals
According to Muni Sri Gyan Sunderji, the foundation day of Oswals falls on the fourteenth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Shravan. All Jain-Oswals celebrate this with sacrifice, prayers, and meditation.
The Kuldevi of Oswals
Maa Jagat Bhawani Shri Sachchiyay Mataji also called Shri Osiya Mataji is Kuldevi of Oswals.
A large temple of Chamunda Mata was built in Upkeshpur, presently known as Osiya. The temple was known for Chamatkars and attracted many worshippers. During Navratri, buffaloes were butchered and people gave offerings of buffalo flesh to please Chamunda Mata. Jain Acharya Shri Ratna Prabh Suri stopped this practice of animal killing. Because of this the goddess became angry and created pain in the eyes of the Acharya. He was not sways but continued under this the suffering, and Chamunda Mata became ashamed and asked forgiveness from the Acharya.
Jain Acharya Shri Ratna Prabh Suri told her to not allow the killing of animals as an offering to her. He said that she was doing harm by asking her devotees to make sacrifices, and would have to face all the wrong done in her name. She was made goddess because of her good actions but had to face consequences. The goddess was enlightened. She told Acharya that no killings would be allowed in the temple, and even red-colored flowers should not be offered. She would accept Prasad and Lapsi. Her worship would be done by kesar (saffron), chandan (sandalwood), and dhoop (incense sticks). She would be happy as long as people are devoted to Lord Mahavira, and would fulfill the prayers of her devotees.
On this, Jain Acharya Ratna Prabh Suri named her as Shri Sachchi Mata. From that day, Chamunda Mata became known as Sachchiyay Mata.
History according to Jain records
A stone inscription, at the Jain temple of Osian gives a different story about the name of Sachiya Mata.[1] According to this story, a Jain monk, Acharya Shrimad Vijay Ratnaprabhasuriji Maharaj Sahib, visited Osian town to perform the ceremony known as Anjan Salakha, at the newly created temple of God Mahaveer, around 43 CE. The temple of Mahavir had been built by Uhad, who was a minister of King Upaldeo; at that time, Osian was known as Upkeshpur. A temple of Jagat Bhavani (Great Goddess) Chamunda Mata was in the town of Upkeshpur. To receive the grace of the goddess, sacrifices of male buffaloes used to be made in the temple, during the festival of Navratri.
When the Jain monk Vijay Ratnaprabhasuriji Maharaj learned about this practice, he felt deep sympathy for the animals sacrificed. Using his influence on the minister and king, he convinced them to ban this practice. The mother goddess Chamunda then became enraged and angry with the monk. He was tortured and vexed by the goddess. However, by virtue of his self-restraint and devotion to his cause against cruelty, the monk changed her heart. According to this story, Chamunda declared that she was convinced regarding the harmful nature of this practice, and therefore would not accept any offering which carries blood or is symbolic of blood. She offered blessings for the followers of the Jain religion, so that the cause of non-violence could perpetuate. The Jain monk gave a new name, Sachi Mata (Real Mother) to Chamunda. A temple in Katraj (Pune) is dedicated to Sachchiya Mata (Osiya Mata), close to the Swetamber Jain temple of Katraj. In her temple, Sachiya Mata-Ji is worshipped with lapsi (an Indian sweet dish), saffron, sandalwood, and incense.
The Jain Mandir of Lord Mahavira at Osiya
It is believed that Sachhiyay Mata was devoted in the Bhakti of Lord Mahavira so much that she decided to build a temple for Lord Mahavira.
The Upkeshpur king had a holy cow. Every day in the evening, when the cow returned from the jungle, she had no milk left. The person looking after the cows was asked to explain this. The shepherd explained that while the cow was roaming in a heightened land, the milk flowed out from her automatically in all four directions; when the milk was finished the cow returned to the herd. The next day the scene was seen by thousands of people. King Utpal Dev was informed of the incident. The king, the prime minister, and several thousand people gathered and saw the scene. The king recounted the incident to Jain Acharya Ratna Prabh Suri who understood that this was the work of Chamunda Devi. The following day at that hour, the place was dug up and a deity of lord Mahavira made of sand was retrieved. 9 lakhs (900,000) gold coins were also found which were melted to cover the idol of God Mahavira. A temple was later built. It is said that the opening of Pratistha (the way in which the deity is installed) was done by Acharya Sriji while at the same time Acharya did Pratistha for another Parshvanath temple in Konarpur, on the 5th day of Shukla Panchami in the year Veer Samvat 70.
See also
External links
- Pictures of Sachiya Mata Temple, Osian
- Sachiya Mata Temple, Jodhpur
- Shri Sachchiyay Mataji Temple, Sardarshahar
- Jain version of the story about Sachiya Mata
- Jain records and references
- Information on Shri Sachchiyay Mataji (Shri Osiya Mataji) Temple
- shriosiyamataji.org
Coordinates: 26°26′N 72°33′E / 26.43°N 72.55°E