चार धामों में सुदूरता पर भव्यतम केदारनाथ भगवान शिव के अपने निवास स्थान में स्थित है। मंदिर की प्राकृतिक अवस्था मनोहर व प्रभावशाली है, जिसमें बर्फ से ढंके ऊंचे पर्वत, झरनों एवं नदियों का कोलाहल, हरे मैदान एवं वन शामिल हैं। यहां से मंदिर तक पहुंचने के लि‌ए दुर्गम मार्ग पर यात्रा करना भक्तों के विश्वास को और अधिक ठोस बना देता है। यह एक धार्मिक स्थल है जिसकी पवित्रता सदियों से अपरिवर्तित रही है तथा जिसकी अपनी आध्यात्मिक शक्ति है। भगवान शिव के उपासकों के लिये मुक्ति की यह अंतिम सीमा, अंतिम पथ है।

The Kedarnath temple is believed to have existed before time – as Lord Shiv himself meditated here. The more recent legend surrounding Kedarnath involving the Pandavs, the protagonists of the great epic Mahabharat, and Lord Shiv, defines the socio-cultural life of the entire Kedar region encompassing parts of Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts.

The time is the post-Mahabharat period. The Pandav brothers are victors but despondent over the fratricidal war, they visit sage Ved Vyas to tide over their curse of having killed their kin. Vyas advises them to meet Lord Shiv for only he can forgive — without Kedareshwar, salvation and deliverance are impossible. And so the Pandavs seek out Mahadev. The emotionally sensitive Shiv is in no mood to forgive them, but since he also cannot say ‘No’, he finds his best option in simply running away and not giving them audience.

But seek him, the Pandavs must, and thereby begins the great chase. With Shiv running ahead and the Pandavs close on his trail – here, there and everywhere. It was then when Shiv reached Kashi (Varanasi) and the Pandav tracked him there that the Lord vanished into thin air and reappeared at Guptkashi or “the secret Kashi”. That is how this township in the Garhwal Himalaya got its name; and for quite a while Shiv lived here incognito and in happy isolation. But it was only a matter of time that the Pandavs smelled him out here as well. But the Lord was still unrelenting and on learning of their approach, ran away further up the mountains, with the Pandav on his heels.

Lord Shiv reached the ultimate Kedar valley. Which tactically may have not been such a clever option because that was, so to say, the end of the road, with only the snowbound peaks ahead. Or perhaps, he wanted it that way! For why should the snow ranges have proved to any hurdle to him, unless he had decided that he had tested the Pandavs enough.

The Kedar valley had only one passage for both entrance and exit. The Pandavs smelt that the Lord was now in their reach. But Shiv still thought or ‘pretended’ that he could continue the ‘game’ a bit more. As in many high mountain pastures, there were cattle grazing in the Kedar valley, and Lord Shiv turned himself into a bull and mingled with the rest of the cattle to become unrecognisable.

But, having come this far, the Pandavs were not exactly ready to give it all away. They quickly put into action a plan to trap Lord Shiv. Bhim turned his body into a gigantic form and straddled the valley at the entrance (or exit). The other brothers began driving the cattle to the exit. The idea was that while the rest of the cattle would pass from under the spread-eagled legs of Bhim, Shiv being the Lord won’t and which is how they will trace and trap him.

Lord Shiv saw through the trap and, in a last ditch attempt, he the bull began to sink head first into the earth. Bhim was able to espy him and immediately rushed to the spot. By then, the bull had sunk up to waist, with just its two hind legs and tail showing above the ground. Bhim caught hold of the tail and did not let go.

At that moment, Lord Shiv relented. He appeared before the Pandavs in his original form, and absolved them of gotra hatya, the sin of fratricide. He also enjoined them to worship the hind portion of the bull that had remained above ground, making them the first worshippers at Kedarnath – they are said to have built the original temple — followed thereafter by the devout humanity.

The portion of the bull that had already sunk into the earth, then reappeared at different places – the Pashupatinath in Nepal, and four other locations in Garhwal – the hair at Kalpeshwar (or Kalpnath), the face at Rudranath, the chest and arms at Tungnath and the midriff or navel area at Madh Maheshwar. And so it is that these are the only six locations where the Ling (the symbol of Lord Shiv) is not worshipped. These different parts of his body are worshipped at these temples. 

In Garhwal, the five locations are known as the Panch Kedar or the Five Kedar. And it is said that the pilgrim who visits all five shrines washes away the sins of a lifetime.

Mama kshetrani panchaiva bhaktpritikarani vai
Kedaram madhyam tung thata rudralayam priyam
Kalpakam cha mahadevi sarvapaappranaashamam
Kathitam tey mahabhage Kedareshwar mandalam

I have only five places, which evoke love among the disciples – Kedar (Kedarnath), Madhyam (Madh Maheshwar), Tung (Tungnath), Rudralaya (Rudranath) and Kalpak (Kalpeshwar). Hey Mahadevi, these wash away all sins.