CULTURAL QA 03-2024-28 Allthe below three QA are from QUORADIGEST to me on 31-03-2024. SelectedQuora answers by generally interesting are included. Still they need not be 100% correct answers.One joke is included. Compiled and posted by R Gopalakrishnan, 80, on 31-3-2024 Q1 Whatare some of the greatest examples of presence of mind? A1 RishiKaushik, Volunteer at The Green Nest 6y I was walking down Times Square, New York City with acouple of friends, when my friend Joy dropped a $20 bill. Now, a lady crossingour path picked up the bill and put it in her purse. When Joy ran up to her and asked for the money back,she started walking even faster. Joy caught up to her and said it was his money towhich she declined to return. Joy said : Ma’am we areshooting a prank video, you have been pranked, look at the cameras overthere (pointing at random location). The lady being embarrassed just gave the money back. Q2 Whatis the order and story behind all Jyotirlinga? A2 Road tripExperts at Savaari Car Rentals (2006–present) Jan 31 The 12 Jyotirlingas in India are revered Shivatemples, each with a unique story symbolizing Lord Shiva's omnipresence. Thesestories often involve Shivaappearing as a column of light (Jyotirlinga) at each location,signifying divine presence and power. Each Jyotirlinga has a different legend,reflecting various aspects of Shiva and his interactions with other gods,sages, and devotees. For an in-depth exploration of these stories and travelplanning tips, check out this comprehensive Jyotirlinga guide These stories are deeply rooted in Hindu mythology and aresignificant in illustrating the cultural and spiritual landscape of Hinduism. 1. SomnathJyotirlinga The Somnath Jyotirlinga in Gujarat stands as one of the twelve eminentJyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva in India. The story behind Somnath Temple involves the Moon God,‘Somdev’, who favoured his wife Rohini over his other 26 wives, alldaughters of Daksha Prajapati. Angered by this, Daksha Prajapati cursed Somdev,causing him to lose his luminosity. Distraught, Somdev devotedly worshipped theJyotirlinga of Lord Shiva for 4000 years at the site of the current temple.Impressed by his devotion, Lord Shiva granted a reprieve, allowing the Moon todiminish in brightness for only half of each month. In gratitude, the Moon God established this templeto honour Lord Shiva. It is also believed that Lord Brahma advised theMoon God to construct this shrine. Historical records suggest the temple datesback to between 320 and500 AD. Booking a Savaari in Ahmedabad offers a promising start for yourjourney to Somnath marked by comfort and peace. 2. MallikarjunaJyotirlinga Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, also recognized as theSrisailam Temple, resides amidst the scenic beauty of the Nallamala Hills in Andhra Pradesh. As narratedin the Shiv Purana, this sacred site on Krauncha Mountain became the abode of aJyotirlinga when LordShiva, along with Goddess Parvati, manifested here to appease their sonKartikeya. Kartikeya's discontent stemmed from the marriage of hisyounger brother, Lord Ganesh, before him. The temple houses the deities ofMallikarjuna (Lord Shiva) and Bhramarambha (Goddess Parvati). Uniquely, it isthe only temple wheredevotees are granted the rare privilege of touching the idols, apractice not permitted in other Shiva temples. 3. MahakaleshwarJyotirlinga Nestled in the historic city of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh,Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is celebrated as one of the most sacred among thetwelve Jyotirlingas devoted to Lord Shiva. Among various mythological talesassociated with Mahakaleshwar Temple, the most prevalent narrates Lord Shiva's emergence from theearth in Ujjain to defeat the demon Dushana. Dushana's atrocities on theresidents and Brahmins of Ujjain had become unbearable. After slaying thedemon, Lord Shiva manifested as a Jyotirlinga, choosing to reside in thissacred city and bestow his divine blessings ever since. 4. The Omkareshwarand Mamleshwar Temples In the tranquil setting of Mandhata Island on the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh,the fourth sacred Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva graces the Omkareshwar andMamleshwar temples. This island, believed to be shaped like the sacred 'Om'symbol from Hindu mythology, becomes a hub of spirituality during Shivratri,Mahashivratri, and Kartik Poornima, as thousands of devotees flock fordarshans. There are three significant legends associated with the OmkareshwarJyotirlinga in Hindu mythology. The first legend tells of 'Vindhya Parbat' performing penance toappease Lord Shiva. Pleased, Shiva appeared and granted Vindhya's wishto be greater than 'Meru Parbat'. The Linga worshipped by Vindhya Parbat eventually divided into twoparts, 'Omkareshwar' and 'Mamleshwar', at the request of gods and sages,symbolizing the unity of the Shiva Lingam. 5. BaidyanathJyotirlinga Located in Deoghar, Jharkhand, Baidyanath Jyotirlinga stands as one of themost esteemed among the twelve Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva. Thistemple is not just a pivotal religious site but also a testament to thegrandeur of ancient Indian architecture, with its walls featuring elaboratecarvings. A renowned legend associated with this site narrates that Ravana, the demon king, beheadedhimself to win Lord Shiva's favour. Shiva, acting as a healer(Vaidya), reattached Ravana's heads, leading to the naming of the place asBaidynath Dham. It is widely believed that praying at this templebestows health and prosperity upon the devotees. The temple hosts a bustlingannual fair during the monsoon months of July and August, attracting throngs ofworshippers. It also makes for a scenic drive, so book a car rental from Ranchito reach the Baidhyanath Dham comfortably. 6. BhimashankarJyotirlinga Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga, cradled in the verdant Western Ghats of Maharashtra,epitomizes the harmonious blend of spiritual sanctity and natural beauty. InHindu Puranic lore, LordShiva adopted a fierce 'rudra' form to vanquish the malevolent demonTripurasura, who threatened the three realms: Heaven, Hell, and theNetherworld (Patal). Post his victory, Shiva rested on the Sahyadri Mountains, where hisperspiration formed the Bhima River. Heeding the Devas' request, Shivaresided on these mountains as a Jyotirlinga, marking the site with his divinepresence. 7. RameshwarJyotirlinga Located on the sacred island of Rameswaram in TamilNadu, Rameshwar Jyotirlinga, also known as Ramanathaswamy Temple, is one of thetwelve Jyotirlingas and a key pilgrimage site in the Char Dham circuit forHindus. The Ramanathaswamy Temple symbolizes Lord Rama's unwavering devotion toLord Shiva, as reflected in its name which means 'Master of Rama'. According tolore, Rameshwaram gainedits sanctity when Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva here after his return fromLanka, where he had defeated the demon Ravana, who had abducted hiswife, Goddess Sita. Seekingto absolve himself of the sin of killing Ravana, Rama desired to pray toa Shivling. While Lord Hanuman was delayed in fetching a grand Shivling fromthe Himalayas, Goddess Sita fashioned a Shivling from the sand. 8. NageshwarJyotirlinga Located near Dwarka in Gujarat, Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is a revered shrine amongthe twelve Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Shiv Purana narrates thestory of a demon named Daruka,who, despite being blessed by Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva's consort, misusedher boons to terrorize local inhabitants. Daruka imprisoned a devoutfollower of Shiva, Supriya, along with others. Supriya urged everyone to chantthe Shiv Mantra for protection. Enraged by their devotion, Daruka attempted toharm Supriya, but Lord Shiva manifested as a Jyotirlinga to shield her and theother devotees. This miraculous event is why the Jyotirlinga is venerated atNageshwar Temple today. 9. KashiVishwanath Temple Kashi Vishwanath Temple, nestled in the sacred cityof Varanasi, is a pinnacle of spiritual reverence, dedicated to Lord Shiva.Known colloquially as the "Golden Temple" for its splendid gold-plated dome, it capturesthe devotion of worshippers from across the globe. Mythology narrates that Lord Shiva manifested as an infinitepillar of fire to cease the battle of supremacy between Lord Vishnu and LordBrahma. Both Vishnu and Brahma embarked on quests to find the pillar'sends. While neither succeeded, Lord Brahma falsely claimed to have found theend. Angered by Brahma's deceit, Shiva cursed him to be un-worshipped andconferred upon Vishnu the title of supremacy. Though the fiery pillardisappeared, a fragment remained at Kashi, manifesting as the VishwanathJyotirlinga. 10. TrimbakeshwarJyotirlinga Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga, cradled in the sereneBrahmagiri mountains in Nasik,Maharashtra, stands as a revered site among the twelve Jyotirlingasdedicated to Lord Shiva. According to legend, the sage Gautam accidentally caused the death of a cowin his hermitage. Seeking to cleanse his sin, he worshipped Lord Shiva,beseeching him to bring the River Ganga to purify him. The river descendedas the Godavari, and upon witnessing this divine intervention, the godsextolled Lord Shiva and implored him to dwell at this location as theTrimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga. Anothertale recounts Lord Shiva residing here in the form of three lingas representingBrahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh (Shiva), giving rise to the temple's name'Trimbakeshwar'. In addition to venerating the Jyotirlinga, pilgrimsalso partake in a sacred ritual by taking a holy dip at 'Kushavarta', thebirthplace of the Godavari River. 11. KedarnathJyotirlinga Perched amidst the snowy peaks of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, Kedarnath Jyotirlingais revered as one of the most sacred shrines of Lord Shiva. Integral to theChar Dham Yatra and among the elite twelve Jyotirlingas, the ancient KedarnathTemple stands as a beacon of faith and devotion, attracting pilgrims worldwide.Legend has it that thePandavas sought atonement for their sins from the Mahabharata battle andperformed penance to Lord Shiva here. Impressed by their devotion, Shiva appeared as a triangularJyotirlinga. Initially built by the Pandavas, the temple was later reconstructed by the Hindu sage, AdiShankaracharya. 12. GhrishneshwarJyotirlinga Situated near Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlingamarks the last of the twelve esteemed Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple believed to be built by adevout woman named Kusuma, stands as a testament to unwavering faith.The Shiv Purana recounts the tale of a woman named Ghushma, whose son was slainby her sister. Overcome with grief, Ghushma devoted herself to Lord Shiva,whose grace restored her son. At Ghushma's behest, Shiva manifested eternallyas the Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga at this site. My note- The QAis added for the legends associated with Jyotirlingas. No way recommending Team Savaari Q3 Whatare some great jokes about countries? A3 MarcClamage, Alter kakker extraordinaire!3h A Korean, a Russian, a Saudi, and an Israeli arewalking down the street when someone stops them and says, “Excuse me, but I'mdoing a survey. Could you tell me your opinion about the meat shortage?” The Korean says, “Opinion? What's an opinion?” The Russian says, “Meat? What's meat?” The Saudi says, “Shortage? What's a shortage?” The Israeli says, “Excuse me? 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