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Mahakavi Vidyapati, born in 1352, was a great devotee of Lord Shiva, one of the main pillars of the Bhakti tradition of Indian literature and the foremost poet of Maithili. He composed many songs on Shiva Bhakti. According to mythology, Bholenath was extremely pleased with the devotion and creations of Vidyapati. One day Lord Shiva had a desire to become his house servant. After which he reached the house of poet Vidyapati in the guise of an ordinary person and expressed his desire for a job. Due to the poor financial condition of the poet Vidyapati, he refused to grow, that is, to keep Lord Shiva on the job, but Shiva agreed to keep him for only two meals. 

One day Vidyapati was going to the king's court, Ugana also accompanied him. Due to the scorching heat and the sun, Vidyapati's throat started drying up. There was no source of water nearby. Vidyapati asked Ugna to arrange water. After going a little far, Lord Shiva opened his hair and brought a returned water. When Vidyapati drank the water, he got the taste of Gangajal, he wondered where did this water come from in this forest. Vidyapati got suspicious that Ugana is Lord Shiva himself. When Vidyapati addressed Ugna and fell at his feet, Shiva had to come to his true form.

Shiva expressed his desire to be with the poet Vidyapati but he said that I will remain with you as a grower, my real identity should not be known to anyone. Vidyapati accepted the condition of Lord Shiva but one day the poet's wife started beating him with the burning wood of the stove on some mistake by Ugna. At the same time, Vidyapati came there and it came out from his mouth that this is Lord Shiva, you are killing him with wood. 

As this thing came out of Vidyapati's mouth, Shiva became infatuated. Vidyapati, regretting his mistake, started calling Shiva in the forest like crazy. Seeing such condition of his dear devotee, the Lord appeared before him and explained to him that I cannot live with you anymore. But as a symbol of the one who stayed with you in the form of growing, now I will sit with you in the form of Shivling. After that Shivling appeared at that place. The famous temple of Ugna Mahadev is presently situated in Bhawanipur village in Madhubani district.

To reach the sanctum sanctorum of Ugna Mahadev Temple, six steps have to be descended. Just like, six steps have to be descended to reach the Shivling in Ujjain's Mahakal temple. It is said about Ugna Mahadev that this is a self-styled Shivling. Here the Shivling is five feet below the base level. The Hell Nivaran Chaturdashi temple falling in Magh Krishna Paksha is the main festival. The present Ugna Mahadev temple is said to be built in 1932. It is said that the temple was not damaged in the earthquake of 1934. Now the temple complex has become quite grand. Apart from the main temple, Yagyashala and Sanskarshala have been built in the premises. There is a beautiful lake in front of the temple. There is a well nearby. It is said about this well that Shiva had drawn water from here. Many devotees come here to drink its water.