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Articles: Devotion | BADRI NATH
- Prof. venkata ramanamurty mallajosyula
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It was around 10.00 a.m when we finally pulled into the pilgrim town of Badrinath. The blanket of clouds that had hidden the higher reaches of the mountains for most of the journey, started t thin out and we were able to get fleeting glimpses of the snow caped peaks behind the clouds that floated across their face like veils blowing in the wind.
We climbed out of the vehicle and strolled through the bustling pilgrim town towards the temple. Both sides of the street were lined with little stalls selling from plastic trinkets and lucky charms to carved statues of gods and gold ornaments. The aromas emanating from restaurants and fast food stalls filled the air. We turned a corner and caught our first darshan of Badrinath temple painted in bright colors and perched on a cliff that surged .We climbed final flight of steps leading to the temple and entered the holy sanctum where an ornate statue of Lord Vishnu reclines in what I believed to be his official residence.
According to legend Lord Vishnu earlier lived in the mountains of Tibet but was dissatisfied with the way he was worshiped there and so decided to leave. He walked around the Himalayas looking for a new home when he came upon Badrinath and fell in love with the place. However, there was a small problem. Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati were already living here. So Lord Vishnu took the form of a little baby, lay down on a rock and started to wail. Hearing his cries Parvati gathered him in her arms and took him into her room. Later lord Shiva and Parvati went down to the river to have a bath. Lord Vishnu slipped out of his baby avtar and bolted the doors of the house from inside there by making sure that the couple who took him into their home could not enter. Lord Shiva was, but naturally aware of the deception but played along with it for he knew that he and Parvati would be moving on as the purpose of his visit to Badrinath was fulfilled. For it was here, after much penance that the head of Lord Brahma which had clung to him ever since he chapped it off during their encounter in cosmic time had fallen off.
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