Badrinath Temple

According to legend Vishnu meditated here for millenia in the freezing cold and his consort, Lakshmi, turned herself into a Badri tree to give him shelter and protection against the elements. Therefore the lord is known as Badrinarayan. The reason for his performing austerities is that a sage saw Lakshmi massaging his feet and this mortified the Lord. He assumed the Padmasana pose and meditated for thousands of years. The Vishnu Purana states that Nar and Narayan, sons of Dharam, searched the Himalayas to set up a hermitage and found the Panch Badris of which Badrinath is one, located next to hot and cold spring beside the Alaknanda. Apart from the Vishnu Purana, the temple is also mentioned in the Skanda Purana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana. The Bhagavata Purana states that Vishnu reincarnated in the form of Nar and Narayana for the welfare of people. The Padma Purana describes Badrinath and its surroundings as being full of spiritual treasures. The holy mountain, Swargarohini, is located close to Badrinath. It is believed the Pandavas ascended to heaven from this mountain. Lord Krishna, addressing Arjuna, before the war, told him that he, Arjuna, was Nara in a previous birth and performed austerities at Badri. Badrinath is just one of the many manifestations of Lord Vishnu. Lord Krishna, Arjuna, Nar, Narayana and Vamana are a few of his many forms. The stepwell temple at Patan in Gujarat depicts the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu in intricately beautiful carvings. Quaintly enough, Badrinath was once home to Lord Shiva and his consort, Goddess Parvati. Returning home after a walk they found a baby on their doorstep. Parvati wanted to pick up the child but the all knowing Lord Shiva knew the real truth and forbade her from touching the child. Parvati remonstrated and picked up the child. The put the child inside their home and went to take a bath in the hot water springs. On returning they found doors to their house locked so Shiva, who knew the truth, decided to shift their base to Kedarnath.

• Darshan Time
• Aarti Time
• Links