Khim Khadka
According to Hindu religious beliefs, Shaligram, which is worshiped as an actual incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is found abundantly on the bank of Kaligandaki river in Nepal. Shaligram, which is marked with different shapes is worshiped not only in Nepal, but also by Hindus all over the world, keeping it in their homes and temples.
Many Nepalese go to Badrinath, Kedarnath or Jagannath in India to fulfill their wishes and earn virtue by seeing God, but many may not know that the main God statue there is a stone Shaligram found only in Nepal.
It is written in the Baraha Purana – ‘A ascetic named Jalandhar, by performing penance at Brahmajimo, received the boon that no one could kill him as long as his wife Vrinda did not break her celibacy. With the same pride, he asked Parvati, who had killed Lord Shiva to marry him. After Lord Shiva lost the battle with Jalandhar, the meeting of the gods sent Vishnu to break the chastity of Jalandhar’s wife Brinda.
After Lord Vishnu took the form of Jalandhar and broke Vrinda’s patrimony, the gods killed Jalandhar. In this way, knowing that Vishnu had killed her husband by deception, Vrinda, who was shocked by her husband’s death, angrily cursed Lord Vishnu with 5 curses. One of them is based on the curse given that ‘You were a stone in Kaliyuga’, unlike the others, that stone is known as God Vishnu who has been cursed by people, so it is located in the form of Shalikgram in the river Kali that flows from Damodarkund.
Since Vishnu asked you to stay together as a weed, Vrinda also stayed as a Tulsi. Therefore, one should always worship Shaligram with Tulsi leaves.”
According to this religious belief, worship is done as an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Experts say that Shaligram is kept in all the big temples of India based on the belief that if this Shaligram is not kept in every temple, perfection will not be achieved.According to religious scriptures, even though other metal or stone idols are only replaced in the name of God, Shaligram is considered to be a living incarnation. Therefore, there is no need to replace it.
It is said in Shiva Purana –
“Agrahya Shivanaivedyam Patram Pushpam Jalam.
Shaligramshilasangatsarva yati pavitritam.
Of course, in any Shiva temple, offerings without the touch of Shaligram are also ineligible. Therefore Shaligram should be kept in the temple too. Shaligram is a black stone found only in Kaligandaki region of Nepal. It is found abundantly in the dhams of Damodarkund, Muktinath, Setiveni, Ruru etc. in Nepal.
Hindus worship this rock as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Chardham, where there is a wooden idol, is located in the middle of Nepal’s Saligram. We Nepalis also go to major shrines like Badrinath and Kedarnath and come back after eating refreshments with Shaalgram brought from Nepal. In recent times it is known as Shaligram, but its real name is Shalagram.
It is said that Shaligram is not only religious but also scientifically important. There is goldinside Shaligram. As it contains gold, in Ayurveda, it is believed that drinking water after washing Shalagram will act as a gold alkali and cure acid reflux.
There is a belief that there will be less lightning and hailstorms in the place where Shaligram is kept, and because the sun’s rays will be absorbed more, it will drive away the germs around the place. Since the water released by washing rocks contains complete minerals, if you drink that water, it will strengthen your teeth and bones. Shaligram is also a stone used to find pure gold.
Shaligrams are made up of various shapes of strange people with carved chakras. Due to the religious and scientific importance of this amazing and unique stone, the theft has increased in recent times, the residents of the banks of Kaligandaki say. Rudraveni Dham has more than 17 thousand Shaligrams in the world, while the rock in Setiveni is considered the world’s largest Shaligram.
