BADRINARAYANA --- KSHETRA

This is one of the foremost among the Vaishnava kshetras of the country and considered as one among the four dhamas in India.It is situated at an elevation of 3313 metres ( 23210 ft.) and guarded by two mountain ranges Nar and Narayan with a towering Neelkanta peak providing a back drop.It is situated on the confluence of the two rivers the Rishiganga and the Alakananda rivers.the place was named Badri or Badrivan s it was once carpeted with wild berries or the forest of Badris.


According to puranas it is the land equal to devaloka.It is the land where spiritual men like Uddhava,Bhishma,Drona,Machakund,Druva resided.It is the place where Pandavas spent their boyhood and undertook thirtha yatra and finally departed to Mahaprasthana.It is where Vedavyasa mahamuni lived,and where Sri Madwacharya was permitted to write his immortal work "BRAHMASUTRA BHASYA"Sri Vadiraja swamiji in his immortal work " THIRTHA PRABHANDHA" has given a detailed description of Badri.Acoording to him there is no parallel to it as a Kshetra anywhere.

This holy place has to be reached via Haridwar,Rishikesh,Devaprayag,Rudraprayag,Chamoli,Pippalkot,

Joshimutt,Pandukeshwara,Hanumanchetti,Devadarshini,Garudaganga,Gowrikund and Hemakund.The probable distance to Badrinath is about 333 kms from Haridwar.So,the piligrim to Badrinath dham is a very difficuclt exercise.

The shrine at the height of 23210 feet has a structure 15 metres high.It has the idol of badrinarayana which is one and half feet high in black stone.It is a chaturbuja murthy in meditating posture wearing a crown and draped in pitambara.The god is surrounded by Lakshmi narayana,Sri Devi, Bhoodevi,Garuda,Kubera,Ganesha. The temple is open only for six months in a year.The priests sre from Namboodri community.They are called as Ravalas. They conduct worship according to Vaishanava Tradition.

There are several other holy places around the place. The water issuing forth from the holy feet of Lord Badrinarayana is called Tapta Kund.Brahma Kapala is another place where piligrims perform pindapradan.The other places here are Keshava Prayag,Ganesha guha,Bheema Setu,and Vasudhara(where Alakananda falls down)Narada Kund and Surya Kund are hot water springs.Vyasa Paudi or Vyasa Guha is at the Alakananda and Saraswathi rivs sangam.

Sages, saints and commoners throng here to this kshetra visit not only Badrinarayana but also visit other holy places around it.

The four other Badris are Yogadhyan Badri(Pandukeswar) ,Bhavishya Badri(Near Joshimutt)Dhayan Badri and Adi Badri(18 kms from Karnaprayag)located in Uttarakhand.

KUKKE SUBRAMANYA

It is anciently called kukke patna,puspagiri.

It is also called Parashurama Kshetra and Skanda Kshetra.

The details about this kshetra is described in Sahyadri Khand of Skanda purana.It was an ancient kshetra having a history of nearly 1300 years.According to a source it is a place where vasuki did penance to escape the trouble given by Garuda.He did penance and pleased Maheshwara and existed here as Subramanya getting an amsha from him.

The place is situated situated on the bankof the river Kumaradhara.On the east there is a lofty called Kumaradri.Sri Madhwacharya defeated a shaiva scholar belonging to Bhattacharya Sampradaya and handed it over to his brother Sri Vishnu thirtha.HE also gave a bhoovaraha idol and also a samputa containing Narasimha saligrama in a sealed condition.As per Sri Vishnu Thirtha took it to Sahyachala with him But on the request of his disiciple Sri anirudda Thirtha he sent it to a water place called Darpana thirtha, which was collected by his successor.Even now piligrims bathe and worship God here.

The Kshetra is also famous s it has a kukke linga(Subramanya) and narasimha idol and saligrama in a sealed samputa.Other deities in this mutt include Sri Vittala with Rukmini and Satyabhama , vyasa samputa.

Sri Vadiraja has described this Kshetra and Lord Subramanya in six of his slokas in his travelogue.

This is the holy place where diseases are cured if men and women roll out on the uchchista of Brahmins left out after eating.Those who bathe in the Kumaradhara river and visit the temple would get children , health and long life.

The holy thirthas here are Kumarathirtha , Rishyashringa Thirtha , Naga thirtha , Karkota Bila and Kunjara Bila are other sacred places here.

The Adi Subramanya near there is also a sacred place.

The subramanya Mutt located there is now a Vaishanava mutt.It has a succession of several Swamys,right from Sri Vishnu Thirtha.Pooja according to Vaishnava sampradaya is done here.The kshetra also boasts of the Mula brindavanas of Anirudda thirtha, Sri varahamuni thirtha ,and other of 19 Swamiji's of the mutt on the bank of the river Kumaradhara.

It is believed that Sri Vishnu Thirtha is doing penance in the Kumara Parabat and he would come down to earth when there is a lot of adharma in the world.

IMPORTANT FESTIVALS

Subramya Srasti is an important fetsival here.Another important one is Nrisimha Jayanthi in Vaishak month.

BHOJANA MANTHRAM

I.) Morning meals ( Lunch)



1.) Prokshanam


Take a little water in your right palm , sanctify the water by chanting the Gayathri Manthram and sprinkle the water on the annam(food).


2.) Pariseshanam :


Then take water in your right palm and sprinkle it around leaf or plate chanting the following manthra.


"SATHYAM THWARTHENA PARISANCHAYAMI"


Place four aahudhis ( morsels of food) on the right side of your leaf chanting the following for each aahudis.

i. Chithraya Namaha


ii. Chitra Gupthaya Namaha


iii. Yamaya Namaha


iv. Sarva Bhoothebyo Namaha

NOTE :- Some people place only first two ahudhis.

Take a little water in your right palm and sip it uttering the following manthras.


OM Amrutha / Upastharanan Masi Swaha.

Take a little annam (few grains of cooked rice) and swallow it without touching the teeth chanting each time the following manthras.

1) Om Pranaya Swaha


2) Om Apanaya Swaha


3) Om Vyanaya Swaha


4) Om Udhanaya Swaha


5) Om Samanaya Swaha


6) Om Brahmaneya Swaha

After the meals is over before getting up from the leaf do the following .

1.) Take a little water in your right palm sip a part of it uttering the following manthra.

"OM AMRUTHA APHIDHNAMASI"

2.) Pour the balance of water in right palm on the left side of the leaf chanting the following manthra.

"RAURAVE,APUNYA NILAYE,PADHMARBHUTHA NIVASINAM


ARTHINAM UDHAKAM DHATHTHAM AKSHAYYAM UPATHISHTATHU"

II.) Night Meals:


1.) Prokshanam :


Take a little water in your right palm , sanctify the water by chanting the Gayathri Manthram and sprinkle the water on the annam(food).


2.) Pariseshanam :


Then take water in your right palm and sprinkle it around leaf or plate chanting the following manthra.

"RITHAMTHWA THWARTHENA PARISANCHAYAMI"

Take a little water in your right palm and sip it uttering the following manthras.


OM Amrutha / Upastharanan Masi Swaha.


Take a little annam (few grains of cooked rice) and swallow it without touching the teeth chanting each time the following manthras.

1) Om Pranaya Swaha


2) Om Apanaya Swaha


3) Om Vyanaya Swaha


4) Om Udhanaya Swaha


5) Om Samanaya Swaha


6) Om Brahmaneya Swaha

After the meals is over before getting up from the leaf do the following .

1.) Take a little water in your right palm sip a part of it uttering the following manthra.

"OM AMRUTHA ABHIDHNAMASI"

2.) Pour the balance of water in right palm on the left side of the leaf chanting the following manthra.

"RAURAVE , APUNYA NILAYE , PADHMARBHUTHA NIVASINAM


ARTHINAM UDHAKAM DHATHTHAM AKSHAYYAM UPATHISHTATHU"