The temple of Lord Vishnu is situated in Badrinath which is unique in all the three worlds and whose remembrance gives salvation even to the most lowly and sinful man by destroying all his sins.
There are many pilgrimages in heaven, on earth and in the nether world. But none of them can match the majesty of Badrinath. The virtues, which are attained by doing penance, 'Yoga', meditation- trance and by taking baths in all the pilgrimages combined, the 'darshan' of Badrinath gives the similar virtues.
The pilgrimage to Badrinath is eternal and a bestower of accomplishments. Just as the Vedas are considered to be the body of Lord Vishnu in the same manner the presiding deity of Badrinath is Lord Vishnu.
During ancient times sages like Narad had benefited by making pilgrimages to Badrinath. Even Lord Shiva has great affection and love for Badrinath, as he likes it more than his own abodes at Kashi, Shri Kailash mountain.
A man attains salvation by performing the various rites and rituals at different pilgrimages but the mere sighting (darshan) of Badrinath bestows salvation.
Badrinath which has proximity to the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu, where the deity 'Agni' has his abode and where the Shiva linga of 'Kedar' (lord Shiva) is established all of them are considered to be in the area of 'Badrinath'.
Having a darshan of Kedarnath with full devotion and doing worship destroys the accumulated sins of millions of lives. In Kedarnath, Lord Shiva reigns in all his glory. 'Kashi' gives salvation to the dead souls but the worship of 'Kedarnath' gives salvation even to the person who is alive.
AGNI TEERTH: The brilliant and illuminating pilgrimage situated in the proximity of the lotus feet of Sri Narayan is called the Agni teerth. A man who has a darshan of Agni Teerth is freed from the cycles of births and rebirths.
In the ancient times, the deity Agni requested the sages and ascetics who had gathered at Prayag in the following way: "O sages, my conscience has been filled up with sins by devouring all kinds of polluted things. How would I attain liberation?"
Sage Vyas asked Agni deva to take refuge in Badrinath as the deity of all the deities Lord Janardhan liberates all men from their sins. Agni deva went to Badrinath and eulogized Lord Narayana who being pleased blessed him by liberating from all of his sins.
From that day onwards Agni deva remains present at Badrinath. One who after getting up in the morning listens to the above-mentioned narration definitely gets the virtues similar to that of taking a bath at 'Agni teerth'. Even the most lowly and sinful person becomes pure by taking bath at 'Agni teerth'. Just as impure gold becomes pure after it is heated in fire similarly the mortals become pure by coming to Agni teerth.
NARAD SHILA: The five sacred rocks situated at Badrinath are very famous. The names of these five rocks are 'Naradi', 'Narsinhi', 'Varahi', 'Garudi' and 'Markandeya'. These rocks are believed to be the fulfiller of all the desires.
Sage Narad had meditated for sixty thousand years with a desire of having a 'darshan' of Lord Vishnu by sitting on one of these rocks. Lord Vishnu became pleased and manifested himself disguised as a Brahmin and revealed his divine appearance (with all of his four arms) to him. He said to Narad: "There is no devotee greater than you in all the three worlds. Ask for any boon?" Sage Narad said: "O Lord, bless me with unfaltering devotion to your feet. Always remain in the proximity of this rock (Narad Shila) and a man who pays a visit to my place should never remain in the bondage of births and rebirths."
Lord Vishnu blessed sage Narad and vanished.
MARKANDEYA SHILA: In the end of the era of 'Treta' sage 'Markandeya' while on his way to different pilgrimages came to 'Mathura' where he met sage Narad. Sage Narad advised by him to go to Badrinath where he would have the darshan of Shri Hari. Following his advice sage Markandeya came to Badrinath where he chanted the mantra 'OM NAMO NARAYANAYA' for three days and nights by sitting on a rock.
Lord 'Janardana' after being pleased revealed his divine appearance to him. Sage Markandeya eulogized in the voice filled up with emotion. Lord Vishnu being pleased asked him to demand any boon.
Sage Markandeya asked for total devotion in the worship of Lord Vishnu and he also requested Lord Vishnu to remain in the proximity of his 'rock'.
Lord Vishnu blessed him and then vanished.
GARUDA SHILA: Arun, the son of sage Kashyap and Vinita became the charioteer of the Sun god. Similarly 'Garuda' having a desire to become the vehicle of Lord Vishnu went to 'Gandha Madan' mountain situated towards the south of 'Badrinath' and did a severe penance.
Lord Vishnu became pleased by his penance and appeared before him. Garuda eulogized Lord Vishnu with folded hands. Lord Vishnu summoned the river Ganges. Garuda washed the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu with the water of river Ganges.
When Lord Vishnu asked him to demand any boon then Garuda said that he had a desire to become his vehicle and he also aspired to remain invincible being not affected by even the deities and the demons."
He also expressed his desire that the rock on which he performed his penance becomes famous by his name and any one paying a visit to this place becomes freed from all his sins.
Lord Vishnu blessed Garuda and then vanished.
VARAHI SHILA: After liberating the earth from the nether world when it got submerged in the sea during the period of dissolution and after killing the demon Hiranyaksha, Lord Vishnu in his incarnation of a boar (Varaha) came to Badrinath and remained there till the end of dissolution period in the form of a rock.
NARSINHI SHILA: Lord Vishnu in his incarnation of 'Narsimha' was appearing 'like a fire of dissolution' after he killed the demon Hiranyakashipu. The deities being frightened by his ferocious appearance eulogized him from a distance and demanded a boon for seeing him in his 'Chaturbhuj' form. Lord Vishnu blessed them with divine vision and went to Badrinath.
At Badrinath numerous sages came and pleased Lord Vishnu by their devotion. Lord Vishnu was pleased and asked them to demand any boon. The sages requested him never to abandon Badrinath.
Lord Vishnu accepted their request and established himself in the form of a rock.
A man who fasts for three days by engaging in chanting 'His' name and meditating on him has the vision of 'Narsimha'.
One who listens to this text becomes liberated from all his sins and attains to the abode of Lord Vishnu i.e. Vaikuntha.
THE GRANDEUR OF THE ACCEPTANCE OF PRASADA OF BADRINATH
In the beginning of the era of 'Satya' (truth), Lord Vishnu remained in his personified form for the benediction of all the living beings.
During the era of 'Dwapar' the appearance of Lord Vishnu became a rarity. The deities then went to Lord Brahma under the leadership of Sage Brihaspati and inquired about the reasons why Lord Vishnu is invisible at Badrinath from the day of the advent of the era of 'Dwapar'.
At this Lord Brahma along with the deities went to the Ksheer sagar (ocean of milk) and all of them eulogized Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu became pleased by their devotion and got up from his 'meditational sleep'. None of the deities except Lord Brahma could see him and only Lord Brahma could listen whatever Lord Vishnu spoke.
Later on, Lord Brahma told the deities whatever he heard from Lord Vishnu. He said: "Since the man's intelligence has become impure hence Lord Vishnu has become invisible." Listening to this the deities went back to heaven dejected.
Lord Brahma went to 'Narad teerth' and brought the image of lord Vishnu and established it at 'Vishala puri' (Badrinath) for the benefit of general people. Its sight destroys the greatest of sins.
A man who is desirous of attaining salvation in this era of Kali must go on a pilgrimage to Badrinath and have a 'darshan'.
Even one grain of the 'prasada' of Badrinath purifies a man from all his sins just as a fire purifies the gold.
The food, which Lord Vishnu accepts and eats along with the sages like Narad etc, must be accepted by a man without a questioning mind. Even the deities are desirous of having the 'prasada' of Lord Vishnu and they go to Badrinath for that purpose.
A man who has the prasada of Badrinath gets all his sins committed during childhood, youth and old age destroyed.
The severest sins for which there are no atonement gets destroyed by the mere having of prasada of Badrinath.
KAPAL TEERTH: The extremely secret 'Kapal Teerth' consists of five pilgrimages. Taking a bath in its holy water, doing penance and making donations over there bestows non-diminishing virtues. This pilgrimage is considered as a 'Pitra teerth' (pilgrimage of the ancestors). Performing a 'tarpan' with sesame seeds helps the ancestors to attain the 'supreme world'. A man who chants with full concentration gets all his desires fulfilled.
BRAHMA TEERTH: Once two demons stole the Vedas from lord Brahma's possession. Brahma came to Badrinath and after making salutations to Lord Vishnu eulogized him. Lord Vishnu appeared in his incarnation of Hayagreeva, from the 'Kunda' and rescued the Vedas after killing both of them. He then handed over the Vedas to Lord Brahma. From that day onwards, this pilgrimage became famous as Brahma-kunda in all the three worlds. Having a sight of this pilgrimage destroys the sins of even the gravest of sinner and help them in their attainment of Brahma loka.
Those who take a holy bath at this place attain to Vishnu loka by crossing even the Brahma loka.
When the Vedas saw the grandeur of 'Badrikashram' they became so enchanted that they were unwilling to go along with Lord Brahma. When the men of great accomplishments persuaded them they appeared in two forms. They remained in their 'matter-form' at Badrinath and their 'knowledge-form' they went along with Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma then created the world according to the Vedas.
The Vedas in their 'matter-form' which were situated at Brahma Kunda are considered to be the bestower of great virtues and blessings. A man who takes bath in the holy water of Brahma kunda or makes donations or does penance gets virtues which remain intact till the final dissolution. As a result, a man who fasts for three days with an aspiration to have mastery over the Vedas becomes a great orator of the Vedas.
VASUDHARA TEERTH: Hearing about the supreme status of 'Vasudhara' among all the pilgrimages of all the three worlds from sage Narad, the Vasus came to Badarikashram. They did tremendous penance. Lord Vishnu became pleased and blessed them with his 'divine-sight'.
A man who worships Lord Janardhan after taking a bath in the holy water of 'Vasu teerth' attains eternal destination.
SOMA TEERTH: The son of sage Atri- Moon heard about the greatness of 'Badrinath' from Narad. He came to 'Badrinath' and did tremendous penance by chanting the mantra "OM NAMO NARAYANA". Lord Vishnu became pleased by him and asked him to demand any boon. The moon expressed his desire to become the king of all the planets, constellations, stars etc with his blessings.
From that day onwards this pilgrimage came to be known as Soma teerth.
NAR-NARAYANASHRAM: There is an extremely pious and pure hermitage of 'Nar-Narayan' near the Badrinath. The water of the river appears to be of two colours. Lord Vishnu in his incarnation of Nar and Narayan was born to 'Dharm' and 'Murti'. With the permission of their parents both of them did tremendous penance by going to the two mountains called Nar and Narayan.
By taking a bath in its holy water a man gets transformed from a man (Nar) to God (Narayan)
There are numerous pilgrimages in the vicinity of 'Badrinath' like 'Narayan Giri', Panch teerth', 'Dwadshaditya', 'Chatuh-Shrotra' and 'Satya-pod' etc.
They are all considered to be very sacred. All these pilgrimages destroy the sins of the human beings. A man who listens to the narration of these pilgrimages or makes other people listen to them becomes liberated from all his sins.
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