Shankerun Pal, also known as the boulder of
Lord Shiva, is a huge rock situated on the way from
Harwan to the shrine of Lord Mahadev. It is mystically attached with Lord Shiva and hence is showered with flowers by the devotees, as a token of reverence.
Legend says that one night, Lord Shiva appeared in the dream of sage Vasugupta -the founder of Shiva philosophy of Kashmir and told him about the existence of a rock on which some sacred Shiv Sutras were inscribed. He was insisted to reach there before sunrise. He was further told that by a mere touch, the rock would overturn by itself and expose four Shiv Sutras to him, which he should learn and teach to worthy pupils.
Though the boulder presently existing has no trace of any inscription, it is believed that the boulder had turned back to its original position once the inscriptions were copied by Vasugupta. According to Kshemendra, the very sutras became the foundation of Advaita Shaivism of Kashmir known as Trika.
