Khadgadhāreśvara is a Śivaliṅga on the bank of the Śābhramatī river. Rudra, with the epithet Khadgadhāra, dwells at this tīrtha (a holy place of pilgrimage). Here Rudra held the Śābhramatī in his matted hair when she was following the ṛshi Kaśyapa down toward the nether world.

In the Kaliyuga the liṅga is hidden, because of a śāpa (a curse) spoken by the ṛshi Viśvāmitra. The Padma Mahā Purāṇa tells of it in the Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 154.

Rudra holds the Śābhramatī

At this place the Śābhramatī once followed Kaśyapa as he went down into the nether world. Before she could vanish underground, Rudra, with the name Khadgadhāra, held her in his matted hair and stopped her. This act of holding the river is why Bhagavān Śiva is present at this tīrtha under this name.

Names through the ages

The liṅga has had four names in the four yugas.

Kṛtayuga: Mandira
Tretāyuga: Gaurava
Dvāparayuga: Viśva
Kaliyuga: Khadgadhāreśvara, also called Khadgeśvara

Viśvāmitra’s śāpa and the hiding of the liṅga

In the Kaliyuga the liṅga is hidden. The cause was a śāpa spoken by the ṛshi Viśvāmitra. Once Viśvāmitra came to bathe at Khadgadhāra. He saw a wicked hunter put flesh on the Śivaliṅga, and the hunter was not punished. Viśvāmitra was angry and cursed Bhagavān Śiva with the words: “In this terrible Kali age you will remain completely hidden.” Since then the liṅga is concealed.

Bhagavān Śiva told Devī Pārvatī: “Those who worship at my place here, even by making a clay image, obtain moksha at once.”

The hunter Caṇḍa and Śivarātri

The best-known narrative of this tīrtha is about the hunter Caṇḍa. On the night of Śivarātri he climbed the bilva tree that stands above the Khadgadhāreśvara liṅga, to wait for a boar. All through the night bilva leaves fell on the liṅga, water from his mouth dripped on it, and he stayed awake. In this way he fulfilled all three parts of Śivarātri worship, without knowing it and without meaning to.

The next morning a dog ate his food. Caṇḍa then took the Khadgadhāra vow of offering himself. Vīrabhadra came with divine vimānas (flying chariots) and carried Caṇḍa and his wife Caṇḍā to the world of Bhagavān Śiva.

Sources

Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 154