The historic Budhanilkantha temple is located at the foothills of Shivapuri Hill in Nepal near its capital Kathmandu. The hill is a treasure trove of the unbound beauty of nature, with rich flora and fauna, attracting many tourists to the spot.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu from whose pores of body innumerable universes come out. Although its construction period is not clearly known, it is believed to have existed since above 1500 years.
It serves as a holy place for thousands of pilgrims among Hindus and Buddhists of Nepal who consider the deity of Lord Vishnu as Lord Buddha.
The Budhanilkantha is an open-air temple and the complex hosts a sacred and calm pond in the middle of which a grand deity of Lord Vishnu is situated in His reclining pose.
Made from a single solid black basalt rock, this 500-meter-long deity displays four arms of Maha Vishnu carrying a Shankha (conch shell), the Sudarshan Chakra (wheel disc weapon), a Gada (mace), and a gem.
His eyes closed, the Lord lies on the coiled bed of the divine serpent Ananta Shesh who is always present with the Lord to serve Him in various moods of devotional service.
This is similar to the eternal abode of Lord Vishnu, Vaikuntha, where He lies in the causal ocean (Kshira-Sagar) and performs His pastime of going into Yoga Nidra during the four months of Chaturmasya (from July to November).
During this period Vaishnavas go deep into their spiritual practices and fast from certain food products. The Lord’s going to sleep is not the same as the ordinary living entities’ sleep.
When we are asleep, we remain unconscious of the environment but the Yoga Nidra of Lord Vishnu does not bind Him to the mode of ignorance.
He is very much aware of what is happening in the material and spiritual universes and He watches His devotees perform austerities to please Him.
Lord Vishnu's head rests upon the hoods of Ananta Shesha and wears a huge engraved crown. A subtle mesmerizing smile on His lips brings glow to the devotees’ faces and they feel complete satisfaction in their hearts.
The history of the Budhanilkantha temple dates back to the 5th century when the very old Licchavi dynasty was reigning over Nepal. At that time, King Vishnu Gupta was the ruler.
It is believed that there was a farmer known as Haridatta Barma who was devoted to Lord Vishnu or Narayana and would daily pay his humble obeisances to the four Narayanas.
These Narayanas were disclosed to a great devotee in the Dwapar Yuga. One night, Jalashayana Narayana appeared in the farmer’s dream and told him that He was buried under the earth.
He instructed him to uncover Him. Following the instructions, Haridatta Barma started fetching the idol of Lord Narayana and while he was removing the earth from his sharp axe, he struck the nose of the idol and it broke.
To the present day, the idol of Budhanilkantha has a damaged nose. Haridatta Barma then approached King Vishnu Gupta and told him everything.
The king then made a recessive pool of water for the idol of Lord Narayana and gave Him the name “Budhanilkantha” which in the Newari language means “Old Blue Throat”.
He also made a temple for Him where devotees from different parts of the world could visit and offer their obeisances to Lord Vishnu or Narayana.
This story connected with King Pratap Malla who ruled Nepal from 1641 to 1674. One day he experienced a prophetic vision in which it was claimed that he would die if he visited the Budhanilkantha temple.
From then onwards, he started believing that the kings of Nepal must not visit the temple. As a result, the Nepalese Monarchs and their family members after King Pratap Malla never dared to visit the temple fearing that the prophecy would turn out to be true.
The sacred pond in which Lord Vishnu lies is no less than a miraculous spot. The local priests and people claim that in the month of Shravan (the fifth month in the Hindu calendar), the mirror image of Lord Shiva is seen in the pond beside Lord Vishnu’s although His idol faces upward towards the sky.
The devotees of Budhanilkantha celebrate various Hindu festivals but the Kartik month which is the holiest month (overlapping between October and November) in the Hindu calendar is observed with full determination and devotion.
The second Ekadashi (light fortnight) which falls in the month of Kartik is known as Haribodhini or Devotthani Ekadashi and is the most revered of all Ekadashis. It is believed that on this day, He wakes up from His four-month Yoga Nidra and glances upon His devotees.
This Ekadashi is very dear to Lord Vishnu, and thus it is the very essence of religiosity. Even one observance of it bestows the topmost reward in all the three worlds. The temple organizes a big fair on this day and thousands of pilgrims from around the globe visit the temple and take the auspicious blessings of Budhanilkantha.
Located near the beautiful scenic mountains, the Budhanilkantha temple is no less than the spiritual abode of Lord Vishnu. In the form of His deity, which is the heart of the temple, He is very much present and reciprocates with the love of His devotees.
It holds immense religious significance in their lives. The rich tapestry of stories about the temple amps up their great faith and this is the reason why a large number of people from across the globe gather to honor Budhanilkantha. Engaging in His transcendental mellow, everyone feels satiated.
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