Badrinath
Badri refers to a berry that was said to grow abundantly in the area, and nath means "Lord of". Badri is also the Sanskrit name for the Indian Jujube tree, which has an edible berry. Some scriptural references refer to Jujube trees being abundant in Badrinath.
Geography
Badrinath is in the Garhwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River. The town lies between the Nar and Narayana mountain ranges and in the shadow of Nilkantha peak (6,560m). Badrinath is located 301km north of Rishikesh. From Gaurikund (near Kedarnath) to Badrinath by road is 233km.[1]
How Lord Narayan came to Badrinath
Lord Narayan resides in Shir Sagar and lays on Shesh Shaya whilst Laxmiji remains in His service (insert image). On one occasion Naradji visited Lord Narayan and joked that ‘you are world master, people will do as you do. There seems to be a slight impression of materialism in the scene of you lying here lazily whilst Laxmiji massages your feet.[2]
Although these words were said jokingly, Lord Narayan became saddened by them. He persuaded Laxmiji to stay with the ladies of the snake world. Meanwhile, Lord Narayan set off to a place in the Himalayas called Badrikashram, Kedarkhand (now referred to as Badrinath).[3] Badrinath is also often referred to Vishalapur.[4]
In the Skand Puran it is mentioned that Shivji once resided in Badrikashram.[5] Lord Narayan decided He wanted to perform penance here. However, Shivji and Paravati would need to vacate the area before he could move in. One day when Shivji and Paravati were going to the Tapt Kund for a bath, He stood before them in the form of a small child crying profusely. Shivji understood immediately who the child was, however, Paravati’s motherly instincts took over as soon as she laid eyes on Him. Despite Shivji’s many assurances that He would be fine and they should continue as planned, Paravati refused to leave the crying child out in the cold. Instead, she brought Him into the house and put Him to sleep, whilst she and Shivji went for a bath. In their absence, Lord Narayan quickly closed the doors from the inside. When they returned and found that they could not get in, Shivji laughed and said ‘see I warned you. This child is no other than Lord Narayan Himself. No matter, if He wishes to stay here we will move elsewhere.’[6] Shivji and Paravati moved to another mountain known as Kedarnath.
Past, Present and Future
Satya Yug – Lord Narayan was physically present in His form in Badrikashram
Treta Yug – Rushis through the art of yoga would have the divine darshan of Lord Narayan
Dwarpar Yug – Rushis with divine knowledge had darshan of Lord Narayan
Kali Yug – During this era it is difficult for even Devs (demi-gods) to have darshan of Lord Narayan[7]
Lord Narayan proclaimed that although He would not be present personally, through Bhakti, Prathna and Puja He would appear.
He advised that under the Narad Shila (stone) in the Alaknanda River was His divine murti. Brahma and others took the murti (idol) and installed it under a badri tree.
In the Skand Puran, Shivji proclaims that he (as Shankracharya) will take the murti from Narad Kund and install it.[8]
During the 8th Century, in an effort to reduce the influence of the Buddhists, Guru Shankracharaya established the Char Dhams across India. The Buddhists submerged the murti of Lord Narayan in the Narad Kund and went towards Tibet.
Shankracharya used his strength and pull the murti back out again and re-installed it.[9]
Badrinarayan Mandir
The main Badrinarayan temple is approximately 10,250 feet above sea level.[10] The temple entrance faces the East. (insert temple picture)
Lord Badrinarayan’s murti is made out of Shilgram Shila and is shaped into the padmasan posture (a yoga posture) in dhyan mudra. The murti has been chipped in many areas due to the time spent in the Narad Kund. The murti has a dark complexion. Lord Badrinarayan is always bathed in cold water as his body heats up due to the severity of His penance. Thick sandalwood paste is then applied with tulsi leaves and flowers. Devotees can have divine darshan of Lord Badrinarayan’s abhishek if they come to the temple at 4am.[11]
On top of the door is a statue of Garud (The mount of Lord Vishnu). The murti of Badrinarayan is facing the East whilst the murtis of Kuberji (Treasurer of the Devs), Shridevi (a form of Laxmiji), Bhudev and Garudev face the South. Facing the North are the murtis of Uddhavji, NarNarayan and Naradji.[12]
The murtis are Svayambhu (God resides in the murtis personally).
In the past the service of the Lord was split between the demi-gods and the humans. Each would serve the Lord for 6 months. This tradition is still maintained in that during the winter season the mandir is closed for 6 months and the pujari (priests) reside in Joshimath during this time.[13]
Tirths (pilgrimages) in Badrinath
· Laxmi Mandir
· Dhadakaran
· Shankracharya Mandir
· Adi Kedareshwar
· Tapt Kund (Agni Kund)
· Narad Kund
· Panch Shila
o Narad Shila
o Narsingh Shila
o Varah Shila
o Garud Shila
o Markanday Shila
· Brahm Kapal
· Alaknanda
· Bhugu Gufo
· Mata Murti
· Indra Dhara
· Shesh Netra
· Keshav Prayag
· Ganesh Gufo
· Vyas Gufo
· Muchkund Gufo
· Bhimpool
· Vasudhara
· Laxmi Van
· Shahastra Dhara
· Chakratirth
· Sato Panth
· Som Kund
· Surya Kund
· Ram Gufo
· Alaka Puri
· Kalaap Gham
· Tholing Math
· Charan Paduka
· Urvashi Kund[14]
· Ekadashi Gufo
Lord NarNarayan
Nar and Narayan were born in the Swayanbhu Manvanta in Satya Yuga to Dharmadev and Murti Devi on Fagan Vad 1st at noon. With the blessing of their mother they went to Badrikashram (as it was known at the time) and performed extreme penance (Srimad Bhagwatam, 4th Skand).[15]
Lord NarNarayan are an incarnation of the Lord Supreme in order to defeat the evil demon known as Shastra Kunchi. Kunchi wanted to be immortal and prayed to Brahmaji (God of creation). As Brahmaji could not award mortality, Kunchi asked for 1000 shields which could only be broken after 1000 years of penance and 1000 years of battle. However, the caveat was that whilst the warrior performed penance his shield would rejuvenate. In order to overcome this, God had to incarnate as Lord NarNarayan.[16]
First, Lord Narayan did tap (penance) and then battled with Shastra Kunchi (shastra refers to the shields he had). Lord Nar did penance whilst Lord Narayan battled. When Lord Narayan had broken the 1st shield after 1000 years Lord Nar did battle with Shastra Kunchi for another 1000 years and broke his 2nd shield.
The battle and penance continued until Shastra Kunchi was left with only 1 shield. In fear of being defeated he ran in to the shelter of the Surya Dev (Sun God). Surya Dev later presented Shastra Kunchi as a son to Kuntiji, the mother of the Pandavs. In the Mahabharata, Kunchi is incarnated as Karna who is killed on the battlefield of the Kurukshetra by Arjun (Nar).
Nilkanth Charitra
When Nilkanth Varni was in Badrinath, Lord Badrinarayan did puja of Him and asked Him to install murtis of him elsewhere.[17]
Also a Brahmin appeared before Him and began to cry with tears the size of berries. He claimed to be Satya Yug (era). He complained that during his reign people would abide by the dharmas of the shastras, but now, no one even cares. Nilkanth Varni promised that He would practice the Brahmcharya (celibacy) Vrat and perform penance through which He will initiate many saints who will spread the dharma.
Tratra Yug appeared in front of Nilkanth Varni as a worrier and complained that no one performed yagnas anymore as they once did during his reign. Nilkanth Varni promised to perform hundreds of yagnas on many a grand scale. When Dwarpar Yug appeared, he complained that no one built temples any more. Nilkanth Varni promised that He would build many temples with His murtis worshipped therein.
Finally, when Kali Yug came before Nilkanth Varni, he was worried that if dharma will be restored then he would have nowhere to live. Nilkanth Varni advised that He would provide His devotees with the Shikshapatri. Those who abided by the words of this Shikshapatri would have the shelter of Lord Narayan Himself. However, Kali Yug was free to reside in those who ignored the niyams (rules) of the Shikshapatri.
In recent years its popularity has increased significantly, with an estimated 600,000 pilgrims visiting during the 2006 season, compared to 90,676 in 1961.’[18]
Insert map of Himalaya yatra from the book ‘Badrikedar Darshan’ to aid visually in how close or far tirths are from one another)
Gangotri
The source of the Ganga (also known as the Ganges) is Gangotri Glacier which is approximately 58 km away from Mother Ganga’s mandir.[19] This glacier, source of the Ganga, is one of the largest in the Himalayas. The glacier is about 30 kilometres long (19 miles) and 2 to 4km (1 to 2miles) wide.[20]
The terminus (snout) of the Gangotri Glacier is said to resemble a cow's mouth, and the place is called Gomukh (cow face). Gomukh, which is about 18km (11.2 miles) from the town of Gangotri, which is the precise source of the Bhagirathi river, an important tributary of the Ganga.[21] (insert picture of Gomukh) It is very difficult to get to the glacier, and June to September is the best time for anyone who wishes to attempt this expedition. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda River.[22]
In the Ishvaku Vansh (dynasty), King Sagar became an Emperor. He performed 99 Ashvamedh Yagnas (A yagna in which a horse is sacrificed in to the sacred fire but then is put back together again and the end of the ritual). For success on the 100th yagna, he set the sacred horse loose to roam the land. Indra (king of the heavens) became worried and thought that if the yagna was successful then he would lose his throne. So he stole the horse and tied him up in the hermitage of Rushi Kapil. King Sagar’s 60,000 sons went in search for the horse and when they found the horse in Rushi Kapil’s hermitage they turned the whole place upside down and harassed the Rushi endlessly. Riushi Kapil cursed and destroyed all 60,000 sons.
In order to bring honour back to the Ishvaku Vansh and to obtain salvation for the 60,000 sons, the grandson of King Sagar, King Baghirath, perform an extreme penance at Gangotri. The penance was so that he could bring Mother Ganga down from the heavens to earth. Mother Ganga is a goddess; however, she was to be brought to earth in the form of a river.
As the sheer force of Mother Ganga was too much, Shivji bore the weight in his hair and allowed Mother Ganga to flow to earth from there. Once the River Ganga flowed through the hermitage of Rushi Kapil, only then were the souls of the 60,000 sons offered salvation.[23]
At Gangotri there is a temple for Mother Ganga as well as a temple for Shivji. Darshan of the Bhagirath Shila can also been done here (place where King Bhagirath performed penance).[24] In the temple there are murtis of Mother Ganga, Yamunaji, Laxmiji, Saraswatiji, Paravatiji and Anpuranaji. King Baghirath is standing in front with his hands held together.
(Insert pictures of Shivji supporting Mother Ganga in his jatayu and also one of Gangotri)
(Insert map of Himalaya yatra from the book ‘Badrikedar Darshan’ to aid visually in how close or far tirths are from one another)
Yamnotri
Yamnotri is the source of the River Yamuna. It is situated at an altitude of 3,293metres (10,804 ft) in the Garhwal Himalayas and located approximately 30kilometers (19mi) North of Uttarkashi.[25]
The actual source, a frozen lake of ice and glacier (Champasar Glacier) located on the Kalind Mountain at a height of 4,421m above sea level, about 1km further up, is not frequented generally as it is not accessible; hence the temple has been located on the foot of the hill. The approach is extremely difficult and pilgrims therefore offer puja at the temple itself.[26] Even to get to the temple people walk approximately 13 km as the roads are too narrow, unstable and uneven for any vehicles to pass.
The most prominent kunds are the Surya Kund and Gauri Kund and there is Divya Shila close by. Surya Kund has boiling water whilst Gauri Kund has warm water and people are able to bathe in it. Parallel to the Yamuna are hot water springs eminating from the mountain cavities. Pilgrimers boil rice in the hot springs and offer this as oblations to Mother Yamuna in the temple.[27] (insert picture of people cooking rice or of Yamnotri)
In Yamnotri, Yamraja (the King of the underworld) performed extreme penance, as has Agni Dev (God of fire). It is said that Mother Yamuna and Yamraja are siblings. Agni Dev gained the position of a Digal (a great demi-god, there are only 10 in total).
The temple is open between May and November. The pujaris are of the Uniyal family and they perform puja in the temple of the goddess.
The River Yamuna is mentioned throughout Krishna Leela in which Lord Shri Krishna played on the banks of the River Yamuna with His friends and the Gopis. When Lord Shri Krishna was born in the dungeon of Mathura, His father Vasudev wanted to protect Him from the clutches of King Kansa. By the grace of Lord Shri Krishna, all the soldiers fell into a trance and the doors of the dungeon opened automatically, allowing Vasudev to make a quick escape. Vasudev put the baby Krishna in to a basket and make his way towards the River Yamuna. Vasudev wanted to cross that river and so Mother Yamuna made way for Vasudev who walked through the river from one bank to another.