Visiting a Shiva temple? Don't forget to greet Nandi first and whisper your wishes in his ear. Why is Nandi so important?
Visit any Shiva temple, and you'll find Nandi. Facing Shiva in the sanctum, Nandi's statue is placed outside the temple entrance or sometimes in the Navaranga. Why is Nandi in Shiva's temple? Primarily because Nandi is Shiva's vehicle and one of his ganas. There's also a belief that if devotees whisper their wishes in Nandi's ear, their desires are fulfilled. This is believed to be a promise Shiva himself made to Nandi.
When you visit a Shiva temple, you should greet Nandi first. There are reasons for this. Nandi is also Shiva's gatekeeper. Only after Nandi's permission do your wishes and prayers reach Mahadeva. Only if Nandi grants access can you enter Kailasa. Visiting a Shiva temple, worshipping Shiva, and returning without worshipping Nandi won't yield any auspicious results from your worship.
There's a story behind whispering your wishes in Nandi's ear before worshipping Shiva. According to this story, Shiva once told Nandi to listen to his devotees' wishes whenever he was in meditation. He instructed Nandi to convey any devotee's wishes whispered in his ear directly to him. Since then, it's believed that whenever Shiva is engaged in penance or meditation, not only Shiva's devotees but also Mother Parvati whisper their wishes in Nandi's ear.
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To receive Lord Shri Rama's blessings, one must worship his devotee Hanuman. Similarly, there's a rule to worship Nandi first to receive Shiva's blessings.
How did Nandi become Shiva's gana? When the asuras and devas churned the ocean for amrita, the poison Halahala emerged. To save the universe from the poison's effect, Lord Shiva stepped forward to drink the Kalkuta poison. As he drank the poison, a few drops fell on the earth. At that moment, Nandi immediately cleaned it with his tongue. Lord Shiva was very pleased with Nandi's dedication and bestowed upon him the title of a great Shiva devotee. Shiva is very fond of Nandi. Among his ganas, Shiva has given Nandi a prominent position.
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