Muktinath – Religious Significance

Muktinath – Religious Significance

Divya Desams:

The Tamil Alwars of the 1^st millennium CE have sung of Salagramam in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. Periyalvar refers to Krishna as Salagramam Udaiya Nambi in one of his verses dedicated to Krishna, in a decad describing Krishna as a child. In another verse, in a decad describing Tirukkandam or Kadinagar, he refers to Salagramam with the comment that Vishnu enshrined in Mathura, Salagramam, Dwaraka, Ayodhya and Vaikunta is the same as the one (Purushottaman) enshrined in Tirukkandam or Kadinagar (Devaprayag). Tirumangai Alwar in his decad of verses declares that Salagramam is home to Rama and that the deity of Kudandai, and Ooragam resides at Salagramam.

Periyalvar had sung 2 Paasurams and Thirumangai Alwar had sung 10 Paasurams about Thiru Salagramam. There is no firm agreement on the whereabouts of the Sri Vaishnava Divya Desam Thiru Salagramam.  One school of thought considers Muktinath in the snow-clad Himalayas in Nepal to be Salagramam, while another considers the bank of the Gandaki   river enroute to Muktinath from Kathmandu as Thiru Salagramam.

Shakti Peetha:

The Muktinath Temple is considered to be a Shakti Peetha for a yatra. It is one of the 108 Siddhpeeth & is named Mahadevi (Devibhagwat 7.14). Shakti Peethas are sacred abodes of Shakti (primordial cosmic energy), formed by the falling of body parts of the corpse of Sati Devi, when Lord Shiva carried it and wandered. There are 51 Shakti Peethas revered by Shaktism, connecting them to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. Each Shakti Peetha has a Shakti shrine and a Bhairava shrine in its temple. The Shakti of Muktinath is addressed as "Gandaki Chandi", and the Bhairava as "Chakrapani". Sati Devi's forehead is believed to have fallen here.

Buddhist Tradition:

Buddhists call Muktinath Chumming Gyatsa, which in Tibetan means 'Hundred Waters'. According to Tibetan Buddhism Chumming Gyatsa is a sacred place of the Dakinis goddesses known as Sky Dancers, and also one of the 24 celebrated Tantric places. Additionally, the site is believed to be a manifestation of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Virtue.  The Tibetan Buddhist tradition states that Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, had meditated at Muktinath on his way to Tibet. It is considered to be one of the holiest places of pilgrimage for Hindus and Buddhists.

After completing prayers and worship at the Muktinath temple many pilgrims, both Hindu and Buddhist, visit Mebar Lha Gomba, the small monastery of `miraculous fire', which is situated near the entrance gate of the temple. This monastery, dedicated to Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhava) and containing a statue of the Buddhist deity Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara), is famous for its continuously burning natural gas fire, which Hindus worship as Jwala Mai, the Goddess of Fire.

Significance of 108 in Hindu Philosophy:

It has 108 water springs, a number which carries great significance in Hindu philosophy. As an example of the mystery surrounding the number 108, in Hindu astrology, there are mentions of 12 zodiacs (or Rashi) and 9 planets (or Graha), giving a total of 108 combinations. There are also 27 Lunar mansions (or Nakshatras) which are divided into 4 quarters (or Padas) each giving a combination of 108 Padas in total.

Sri Murthy Mahatmiyam:

This is probably the only place on earth where one can find all five elements (fire, water, sky, earth and air) from which all material things in the universe are made, according to Hindu and Buddhist traditions. They are all found at the same place together in their own and distinct form.

Muktinath:

It is said that one has to be gifted to get the 'darshan' (divine presence), as the deity in the temple Lord Sri Vishnu and Goddess Sridevi and Bhoodevi believed to give Jeevan Mukthi. Hence, he is called as Muktinath.

Sri Vaishnava Tradition:

Sri Vaishnava tradition is a sub-sect of Hinduism, predominant in present-day Tamil Nadu in southern India. Many great devotees have contributed to it, the most prominent of them being the Alvars. The pontiff of Srivilliputtur (the most venerated Srivaishnava pilgrim centre in Tamil Nadu), Sri Manavala Mamunigal Mutt H.H 23^rd peetam Sri Sri Sri Satakopa Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji installed the idols of Andal (Sri Gotha Devi), Ramanuja, and Manavala Mamunigal in this sacred place of predominantly Sri Vaishnava origin during the yagna performed between 3 and 6 August 2009. This is considered by the devotees to be one of the milestones in the history of Muktinath. A large crowd of Sri Vaishnava devotees visit this most sacred Sri Vaishnavite shrine, where the Lord resides in the form of Sri Paramapatha Nathan with his divine consorts of Sri, Bhoomi, Neela and Gotha Devis.

Source for Salagrama stones:

The waterway downstream from Muktinath along Kali Gandaki is the source of all Silas or Salagrama stones that are required to establish a temple of Vishnu anywhere in the world. The Salagramam is said to be having Jeevan with in and considered to be one among the precious stones. It is a belief that if this Salagramam is kept in houses and done Poojas in a proper way, all the Ashta Lakshmis will stay in the house and can get out from all the burden.

Mukti Kshetra:

Hindus call the site Mukti Kshetra, which literally means the "place of salvation" and it is one of the most ancient temples of the God Vishnu and the Vaishnava tradition in Nepal.

Swayam Vyatka Kshetras:

The shrine is considered to be one of the eight sacred places known as Swayam Vyatka Kshetras (the other seven being Srirangam, Srimushnam, Tirupati, Naimisaranya, Thothadri, Pushkar and Badrinath).