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Vol. II No. 14 Date: July 15th
2012
Published By: SUDDHA SANATANA DHARMA SEVA SAMSTHA, Hyderabad, India. (This Magazine is for free circulation and not for sale)
E-Mail: [email protected] Ph.No.: +919866445800
THE GLORY OF BADRIKASHRAMA - 3
One of the holiest places on the planet, Satopanth Sarovar (Lake), Badrikashrama
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In this installment of knowing about Badrinath,
we now reach Satopanth, also known as
Satyapath. Reaching this place and performing
worship and meditation is the dream of most
who know the glory of this sacred place.
Those who want to reach the ultimate Truth
should see this place without fail and perform
worship here. This is an absolutely 'out of the
world' beautiful place which has a triangular
shaped pond with crystal clear bluish-green
water which is very auspicious and very
picturesque. But this journey is possible only for
very bold and courageous persons. There are a
few caves nearby this place where the visitors
stay for the day. Here nothing is available except
rocks, water and ice. Everything else needs to be
taken from Badarinath. Hence most people return
immediately or after a day.
One or two sadhus are said to stay in a cave
around the year surviving only on wet wheat and
raw potatoes.
In Skanda Purana it is mentioned that on every
Ekadasi day Lord Vishnu comes here to take his
bath here followed by rest of the gods. One
tradition says that Trimurtis i.e. Lord Vishnu,
Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma take their bath here
on every Ekadasi day. It is said that even Lord
Brahma won't be able to spell the benefits of
doing the Penance, Japa, Worship, etc at this
place.
Soma-Kunda Teertha:-
Now let's move further ahead of this Satopanth
Teertha. Next comes Soma-Kunda where Moon
god had performed his Penance.
To reach this place one has to walk on a razors
edge of the very high mountains. If one is little bit
careless one is sure to reach heaven instantly.
Once upon a time having heard the praise of
heavenly pleasures Moon god asked his father
Atri Maharshi to tell him a way of becoming the
king of Planets, Stars and Herbs and also of
Brahmins and of enjoying the heavenly pleasures
thereby. His father advised him to do Penance for
his wish to be fulfilled.
Moon god, brother of Goddess Lakshmi
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And upon the suggestion of Bhagawan Narada
Maharshi he went to the place now called Soma-
Kunda and performed the Penance initially for
11000 years but when Lord Narayana who
appeared refused to grant him his boon saying
that he is asking too much and advices him to ask
for something else, refusing the offer he again did
his Penance for 30000 years and again for 40000
years. Lord Narayana was now pleased and
granted him the boon he asked for.
It is said that one who baths in this Soma-Kund
get cleansed of the sins committed by thoughts,
words and deeds. But in this Kund the water
keeps swelling and drying up depending upon the
waxing and waning of the moon.
Soorya-Kunda Teertha:-
To reach this place that is further than Soma-
Teertha one had to walk upon the ice with water
rushing under the hardened ice. It is said that one
can hear the flow of water underneath the ice.
Soorya-Kund is a small pond almost like ice. Here
one can see the two gigantic Divine Mountains
Nara and Narayana both meet and form as an
impenetrable guardian wall of a very big Fort.
Now, one has to turn around and walk along Nara
Mountain on the return journey. It is said that
Pandavas had crossed these Fort-wall like
mountains and carried on their journey and
stepped onto the Divine Meru mountain and went
to heaven. But we being normal humans we need
to return from here.
As we walk along the Nara Mountain we come
across a big cave in which we can stay for the
night. It is said to be very big and a full protection
from rain and ice. Here the wood that is available
burns even when it is wet. And the water flows
from inside the cave itself. If one has the food
items one can stay here all around the year.
Some sadhus say that after killing Ravana Lord
Sri Rama came here and did his Penance in this
cave. Hence we can call this Sri Ram Gufa.
In the morning once we start our journey
listening to the water of river Alakananda flowing
underneath our feet below the ice upon which we
are walking, we see a Shiv-ling shaped mountain
peak over which river Bhagirathi comes and joins
the water of Alakananda that were until then
flowing under the ice. This is the place where we
can see for the first time the waters of river
Alakananda.
Chandra Kund near Satopanth Lake
Surya Kund near Satopanth Lake
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As we proceed further we see a very high
mountain peak known as Alakapuri. It is said to
be the dwelling place of Yaksha and Gandharvas.
A very fast flow of water comes from this
mountain and it is said to be the principal flow of
Alakananda River.
As we proceed along the Nara Mountain we
witness as if a rain of pearls in the firm of waters
falling from very high mountain and getting
deflected by heavy breeze and getting dispelled
everywhere and falling to the ground in the form
of pearly rain. This is called Vasu-Dhara. It is said
that this water will not fall upon the sinners and
evil persons. And moreover not everyone will
dare to bath under these waters that fall from
such a height.
It is said that the gods named 8 Vasus heard
Bhagawan Narada Maharshi praising Badari
Kshetra (Area) and they did their Penance here for
30000 years and Lord Narayana gave them the
boon of devotion. And from that time onwards
these waterfalls are washing off the sins of the
pilgrims. It is said that those who bath in these
waterfalls and drink its waters gets a lot of
prosperity and attain to the supreme goal after
their death.
Now let’s carry on our journey along Nara
Mountain. As we proceed on our journey we come
to the place where river Saraswati pours onto the
valley from the top of a mountain from the side of
Tibet with awesome force that it has made deep
holes inside the rocks upon which it falls. The
water is crystal clear and the sight is very
beautiful to look at. After hitting the ground
making a very loud roaring sound it rushes from
under the stone bridge known as Bhim-Shila to
merge with river Alakananda.
It is said that while going to Swargarohini Parvat
or The Mountain Pass to Heaven, Pandavas and
their wife Droupadi passed through this route and
to enable his brothers and wife to cross this
furious river Saraswati, Bheemsen placed a very
huge rock across this river and enabled them to
crossover. This is called Bhim-Shila. And it is said
that until Dharma or Righteousness is there on
this earth this stone bridge would survive.
Alakapuri, the Capital of Kubera, Lord of
Vasu-Dhara, the place 8 Vasus performed penance
Bhim-Shila, across river Saraswati
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As we cross this bridge on the left side 2 water
springs come bursting out of the stone. One who
drinks the waters of these is said to be cleansed of
all his sins and this sacred spot is hence called
Man-soadh-bhodh Teertha.
It is said in Skanda Purana that one who sees,
touches, drinks and worships river Saraswati
becomes mentally sharp and that even in his
family everyone intelligent and sharp.
On the western bank of Saraswati river that flows
only for a short distance before merging with
Alakananda river. Towards Vasu-Dhara, there is
the dwelling place of Veda Vyasa Maharshi known
as Sambhyapras Teertha. Now no one seems to
know its exact location but this is what was said in
Puranas.
The confluence of Saraswati and Alakananda
rivers is called Keshav Prayag. In front of this as
we move towards Badarinath after crossing the
bridge, on our left we find Vyasa Gufa or Vyasa's
Cave. It is said that he wrote Puranas etc sitting in
this cave. But his dwelling place is described as
being elsewhere. I guess only the advanced
Sadhakas or Rishis themselves know the real
secrets about these holy places.
There are two more caves one dedicated to Lord
Ganesha who is credited by tradition to have
written down the Epic Mahabharata as Maharshi
Veda Vyasa dictated it. The other cave is towards
the upper side of Vyasa Gufa.
It is said that one king called Muchukund was
ordered by Lord Krishna to go and perform
Penance here for attaining purity. This story of an
Asura named Kaalyavan getting burned by the
very look of this King Muchukund is there in detail
in Srimad Bhagawata.
Saraswati river at Badrinath
Keshav Prayag, the meeting place of two holy
rivers Alakananda and Saraswati
Vyasa Gufa or cave at Badrinath
Ganesh Gufa at Badrinath
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Near this Muchukund Gufa there is a very big
Ground. And river Saraswati is flows there. Across
the river too there is big ground. Usually such big
grounds are not found in mountains. If we course
along the other side of the banks of Saraswati the
way leads to Tholing Mutt from where one can go
to Kailash-Maansarovar Pilgrimage.
Around this big ground somewhere is said to exist
the secret village of Kalapa. Here it is said that a
number of Rishis and Maharishis stay even to this
day and carry on their activities. It is written
Bhavishya Purana that Maharishis named Devapi
of Lunar Dynasty and Maru Maharshi of Solar
Dynasty too stay here and would again establish
the Lunar and Solar Dynasties at the beginning of
Satya Yuga. It is said that they become visible to a
lucky few.
As we climb down from Kalapa Village (the above
said big ground) and enter the Mana village, we
come across a temple dedicated to Sri Ghanta
Karna about whom we read earlier. He is the
family and clan deity of the villagers of Mana.
From there we enter onto a well laid down road
and as we move along Nara Mountain we see in
our left one after another four waterfalls known as
Veda Dhara. We have earlier read how Lord
Vishnu restored the Vedas stolen by Asura and
gave them to Lord Brahma. After witnessing the
specialty of this place the four Vedas and Lord
Brahma wished to stay put at Badarinath which
resulted in chaos in the universe.
Upon requested by Siddhas the Vedas consented
to go to Brahma Loka but stay on at Badrinath in
the form of waterfalls. As we approach Badarinath
from Mana Village first waterfall is that of
Atharvana Veda, like wise those of Sama Veda,
Yajur Veda and finally Rig Veda. One who baths
and drinks from these will attain enormous merit.
Now as we cross these four waterfalls we see on
the right the Eyes of Sheshnag, the primordial
Serpent upon which Lord Vishnu sleeps, carved on
the rock. After this we enter the Badripuri. This
completes our circumambulation of Badrinath
Temple.
In the next issue we shall know about the various
other sacred places in and around Badrinath and
in the subsequent issues we shall also know about
the importance of Badrinath and the various
Spiritual Gaints who are related to this most holy
place on this planet.
(To be concluded)
An artist’s impression of secret Kalapa
village of Siddhas at Badrinath,
One of the four Veda Dhara on the way
from Mana village to Badrinath
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