The philosopher Trinity of India

Madhwa Navami is a highly important event for all Madhwas and it was held a few days ago. All mathas in Bangalore and Vaishnava temples celebrated the day with free food, religious discourses and special poojas.

It was on this day that Madhwacharya, the Viashnava saint philosopher of the 12^th century, disappeared amid a shower of flowers from the Anantheshwara Temple in Udupi after giving a lucid lecture on the Upanishad.

A master commentator, philosopher and writer, Madhwacharya is ranked among the trinity of saint-philosophers of India who have given a solid foundation to Indian philosophy and religion. The trinity are Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya and Madhwacharya. The first of the trinity was Shankaracharya who propagated the concept of  monoism or Adwaitha.

Shankara or Adi Shankara (788-820) wrote several works in Sanskrit and established the four Shankara Peethas across India to support his doctrine of Adwaitha Vedanta.

He preached the unity of the atma and and nirguna Brahman (one which has no attributes) and extensively based this concept on the Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and, of course, the Bhagawath Geetha. He took on the Mimamsa school of thought and pioneered what later came to be known as Shanmata tradition of worship.

His philosophy can be summarised in his own words as,

 

“ Brahma satyam jagat mithya, jivo brahmaiva naparah,”

meaning that Brahma (paramathma) is the only truth and that the world is an illusion  and that finally there is no difference between  Brahma and Atma (individual self).

After Shankara came Ramanujacharya (1017-1137) with his concept of  Vishistadwaitha. This concept stresses that Brahma is ultimate and that it has several attributes. Ramanuja says that Brahma or truth (paramathma) is different from the individual.

He further says that all jeevatmas will join Paramathma.

He set out five basic steps of his philosophy of Vedanta. They are 

Taapa or the branding of the symbols of conch and discuss on the shoulders of a person. These two symbols will help eliminate past sins and also serve as a reminder to the person that he is a servant of Narayana.

The second is Pundra or the application of sacred marks on twelve places on the human body. This, Ramanujacharya, said is protection against temptation and also a reminder that the body is a temple.

The third step is Dasya Nama or securing a name that constantly reminds one that the person is a servant of god. 

The fourth is Mantra Upadesha or instruction of the three sacred mantras and their meaning. Ramanajucharya was certain that recitation of these mantras will redeem one from the cycle of birth and death (Karma and rebirth).   

The fifth and last step was Yaga or complete surrender to Narayana.

The third of the trinity was Madhwacharya (1199-1287). It was Madhwacharya who for the first time opposed the concept of Shankara and his monoism.

Madhwa said the world is not an illusion as set out by Shankara. He said the world is not maya and that it is as real as a human being. The pain, suffering and desires of man were also as real as other human attributes. 

Madhwacharya preached what is known as Dwaitha or Bhedavada. This is also known as Tatwavada and Bimba-pratibimba-vada. He has a huge volume of works which are collectively known as Sarvamoola Grantha. He based his philosophy on the Vedas, Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharatha and Pancharatra Agamas

Madhwacharya distinguishes between Atma or bodily soul and Paramathma, the supreme being and this is the essence of  his philosophy.

For Madhwacharya, the supreme being was none other than Narayana or Vishnu. For him, the soul of an individual was not created by God but nonetheless they depended on God for their existence or survival.

For the acharya, the supreme being is personal and one who has several attributes. This supreme being is none other than “brahmashabdashcha vishnaveva” or Vishnu.

Vishnu thus takes on the role of a guardian of the Universe and all others Gods are subordinate to him. It is in his “Vishnu tatwavinirnaya” that he establishes the supremacy of Vishnu.

Interestingly, Madhwacharya’s principle of Dwaitha is not similar to the concept of Western dualism. For Madhwacharya, the jeevatama or individual Jeeva or prana are dependent on Paramathma. Thus, he says there are two worlds and one is dependent on the other.

Madhwacharya enunciated five main differences and they are  the differences:

Between the individual soul (jeevatma) and God (Brahmatma or Vishnu).

Between matter (inanimate-jata) and God.

Among individual souls (jeeva)

Between matter (jata) and jeeva.

Among various types of matter (jata-jata).

All these five differences go on to make up the universe which Madhwacharya calls prapancha.

However, the Jeeva or atma for Madhwacharya is not one. He not only attributes characters to them but also distinguishes them into three categories.

The souls are classified as Mukti (which can get liberated), nitya which means rebirth and andhatmas which are condemned to hell. This is the first time that an Indian philosopher makes such a distinction. No other Indian philosopher or theologician or even school of thought has held such thoughts or propagated them.

It was Jayatheertha or Teekacharya who interpreted the works of Madhwacharya so that even a common man could understand them. This was further simplified by Vyasa Raja (1447-1539).

Today, we have a huge volume of works on Dwaitha philosophy. The essence of this philosophy is Taratamya and the five-fold differences which is commonly called Pancha Beda.

The Pancharatra Agama

It was Vaikunta Ekadeshi  and it was just a few days back and hundreds of devotees had come to the Srinivasa Temple in LIC Colony, Jayanagar 3^rd Block, Bangalore on the occasion.

The temple officials and a large number of  volunteers were seen distributing Puliyogre and Laadu and scores of people were seen eating them on the temple premises itself right from early morning. A few devotees took away the Prasada home, saying that since it was Ekadeshi, they would consume it the next day.

Some others sought to know whether it would be appropriate to consume Theertha Prasada and Prasada in temples not run, operated and/or presided over by their community.

For them, I had one answer. The Pancharatra Agama, which is among the sacred texts for Vaishnavas and which have been extensively quoted in several works by Madhwacharya, has an answer to such queries.

I will quote a verse from the text which deals directly with the issue. The Smruthimanikya Sangraha, which is part of the Pancharatra Agama, in verse 1471 says:

“tasmAdeteshhu sthAneshhu naivedyaM na cha dushyati
chandaalaasyApi saMsparshe dUradeshAgupAgate
annAdyaM naiva dushTaM syAt.h madhusUdanashAsanAth

tIrthanirmalyapakvAnnaM pUrvaM yaddharisevitaM
venkaTAchalapUrve tu svayaM vyakte na dushyate”

This shloka makes it amply clear that the Prasada has to be or can be taken at pilgrim places, irrespective of who prepared it. More specifically, it mentions the Venkatachalapathy temple (first word of the last line) and also says in the line before that Theertha and Nirmalya can be taken at the temple.

Now the question is what is Pancharatras and how did Madhwacharya see it. The Pancharatra are Vaishnava Sanskrit texts, literally meaning five nights.

The term has also been attributed to the Shatapatha Brahamana  ( This is a prose texts describing the Vedic ritual, associated with the Shukla Yajurveda) wherein Narayana performed a sacrifice for five nights and became a transcendent and immanent.

Vaishnavas and Srivaishnavas adhere to the Pancharatra system of worship.

Madhwacharya has invested the Pancharatras with the status of Sadagamas and he has referred to them in many of his works. In Mundaka Upanishad, he says, “In Dwapara Yuga, Vishnu is worshipped as per the cannons of the Pancharatraw. In Kali Yuga, he is worshipped by the chanting of his name”.  

The Pancharatra Agamas are considered to be a continuation of the Vedic tradition and Madhwacharya considered them to be holy and valid as they emanated from Narayana himself.

What makes the Pancharatra Agamas so important is that the form and style of worship that we follow today is based on them. Moreover, different forms of Vasudeva or Vishnu are introduced here.

Infact, the Pancharatra derives its name from the discourse that Vasudeva gives to five seers over a period of five nights-Shandilya

Aupagayana, Maunjayana, Kaushika and Bharadwaja. Another legend says Vishnu revealed these holy texts to Garuda, Anantha, Rudra, Brahma and Vishvakasena.

Some of the important works that form the vast body of Pancharatra literature are Shandilya Samhita, Vishnu Samhita

Ahirbudhnya Samhita, Vishnu Tatwa Samhita, Sudarshana Samhita and Prakasha Samhita.

There are more than 200 such works in existence and Madhwacharya was perhaps the first Madhwa seer to quote extensively from them.

The Pancharatras are important for both Vaishnavas and Srivaishnavas as they contain a lot of information about Vishnu and the practice of the Vaishnava faith.

The Uttaradhi Matha says that “the dictates of the Pancharatra literature are followed in most South Indian Vaishnava temples”.

Some of the Pancharatra Agama texts known are: Shandilya Samhita, Vishnu Samhita, Ahirbudhnya Samhita, Vishnu Tatwva Samhita, Sudarshana Samhita and Prakasha Samhita.

The philosophy of the Pancharatras are beautifully expounded in the Jayakhya Samhita. Thus. The Agamas can be called as practical texts of Vishnu worship.

In general, the Pancharatra school of though and philosophy believes Hari manifests himself in or through five different forms. They are Para, Vyuha, Vaibhava, Antaratma and archa.

The Rg Bhashya of Madhwacharya

This is a work wherein Madhwacharya has interpreted the first forty slokas of the Rig Veda. According to the Acharya, each sloka and statement in the Vedas has at least three meanings.

Elaborating further on the etymology of the words used in the Rig Veda, he says the underlying meaning when he reads the slokas is that they are all in praise of Vishnu or Hari, who according to him is supreme.

The three levels of understanding are  Adhibhautic, Adhidaivic and Adhyatmic.

The first level or Adhibhatic or agryadidevataparatvene-meaning looking at the slokas from the physical level. The second also called tadantargatavisnuparatvena  is to understand them as a praise to the Abhimana devethes or gods who dwell within us. The final level or adhyatmaparatvena is interpreting them as the Supreme being or Vishnu. All the three levels of meaning is contained in this sloka,

 “tryo'rthah sarvavedesu dasarthah sarvabharate,

Visnoh sahasranamapi nirantarasatarthakam. ”

He commences his brilliant work by starting with “AgnimeelE purOhitam”. He shows us how the words in these forty lines are nothing but a prayer to Vishnu and his glory. Vishnu is supreme and the other gods are dependent on him.

He bases his argument that the Rg Veda means Vishnu on two main planks or doctrines. The first is the repeated use of Omkara as conveying a Brahaman and this means Vishnu and Vedas.

The second is that the entire Vedas and its study is meant to provide us a vehicle to move away from the worldly  to the holy and from the materialistic to the spiritual. Only the supreme being or Vishnu ca help us attain this goal and nobody else. Since Vishnu is supreme and all other gods subordinate, the Rg Veda is an exposition of Vishnu himself. The niruKti of the vedic deities and the adjectives given to them are explained. We can also find a similar explanation in the work or teeke of Jayatheertha and Mamtrartha Manjari of  Raghavendra Swamy

This is not a very big text. There is no colophon or closing notes at the end of the book and, hence, we are unsure whether the Acharya commented further and whether this was among the many parts that he wrote. As even Jayatheertha or Teekacharya wrote his commentary or Teeke on these forty lines only, we can surmise that this is all that has survived.

The text is important from two points. The first is because Madhwacharya shows us how the Rg veda can be interpreted to highlight the supremacy of Vishnu. The second is because he becomes the first saint-philosopher to directly refer and touch upon the Rg veda and comment on it. He is also the first to interpret the Veda, which is among the earliest religious texts of India.

Madhwacharya, here, adopts a poetical form to point out, the supremacy of Vishnu. He thus becomes the first religious leader to give us a totally spiritual meaning of the Rg Veda. 

Madhwacharya draws upon his vast repertoire of Sanskrit and he used many Sanskrit phrases and idioms to buttress his argument. We find that he follows the ancient rhythmical patterns while composing the Rg Bhashya.

Raghavendra Swamy too wrote a commentary on the Rg Bhashya but the text is no longer available. However, we have an oral tradition of this work. But it remains to be seen how authentic this can be.

The first to write a commentary on this work was Narahari Theertha, one of the four direct disciples of  Madhwacharya. Jayatheertha has written an excellent commentary on this text and to date it remains the most outstanding interpretation and commentary of Madhwacharya’s work.

Jayatheertha has written a detailed commentary on Rg bhasya and he explains each hymn of Rg veda and gives their meaning word by word. He also gives us grammatical explanation of the words, Risi, devata, Chandas and also the three levels of meaning.

The Mantrarthamanjari of Raghavendra Theertha is much more simple in style and Rayaru explains the importance of each hymn and he adheres to the interpretation offered in the Bhasya by Madhwacharya and Jayatheertha’s Teeka.  

Another excellent treatise on the Rg Bhashya is “Rgbhasyatika vivrti Padartha Prakasika” by Srinivasa Theertha (1590 – 1640). A disciple of  Yadavarya, some of his works supplements the work of his guru.

His commentary is rather elaborate. He explains the grammatical points in detail by liberally quoting the relevant sutras of Panini and a few other texts of Vyakarana shastra.

The “Rgbhasya Tippani Padartha Deepika by Pandurangi Kesavacharya (1580-1640) is another scholarly book. He was the younger brother of Vidydeesha Theertha who headed the Uttaradi Matha from 1619 to 1631.

His commentary on Rg Bhasya is a magnificent example of  giving  grammatical explanations for the Vedic words occurring in the hymns. He quotes extensively from Vyakarana shastras.

Chalari Narasimhachar (1620-1674) also has given us a commentary on Rg bhasya. He was a contemporary of Satyanatha Theertha of Utaradhi Matha.

The Suvalli of Jagannatha Dasa

Nearly a thousand years ago, one of India’s greatest mathematicians and astronomers wrote a book on mathematics and dedicate it to his daughter who had lost her husband just after marriage. The mathematician wanted to ensure that the memory if his daughter remains forever and he penned Lilavathi, one of the finest books on mathematics.

The mathematician was Bhaskaracharya (1114-1186) and his daughter was Lilavati. Determined to ensure that the world did not forget the name of his daughter, Bhaskarancharya wrote Lilavati.

Seven centuries later, a Haridasa from Karnataka lovingly compiled a text and gifted it to his daughter-in-law. You see, the Dasa had just lost his son and he deeply sympathized with the plight of his daughter-in-law. He wanted to console her and help her come out the agony of being a widow.

This Dasa was none other than Jagannatha Dasa (1726-1809) of Manvi and his daughter-in-law was the pious Gopamma.

Gopamma had just lost her husband Damodara and she was grieving continuously. She was also lamenting her fate of becoming a widow so early in life. More than anything, she was holding herself responsible for the death of her husband. Nothing that Jagannatha Dasa said could console her. Left with nothing else, the Dasa decided to write about Sri Hari and gift it to his daughter-in-law.

The Dasa then composed the Tatwa Suvalli which is a beautiful composition on the mahime of Vishnu and his family. It is a composition in Tripadi and since it is penned in the Janapada or folklore style, it is easy to memorise and easier to recite.

The Tatwa Suvalli is based on several other Hindu religious and philosophic works such as the Harivamsha of Vedavyasa, Brahma Sutra Bhashya and Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnanya of Madhwacharya, Bhagavatha, Upanishads, Theertha Prabhanda and Yukti Makkika of Vadiraja,Vamana, Garuda and Brahmanada Puranas, Vishnu Rahashye, Sri Sumadhwavijaya of Narayana Panditacharya and other famous works.

Gopamma began reciting the Suvalli and soon other women followed. Just as women in and around Bijapur began singing Chakki namas (composed by sufi saints and they dealt with ordinary chores that women would perform at home every day), the Suvalli son became famous in and around Raichur district.

Of the 1200 suvallis that formed the text, only 456 have survived.

The Tatwa Suvalli contains stuthis like Dashavatara, Brahma, Krishna, Tulasi, Rukmini Vilasa, Navagraha, Ganesha, Surya, Chandra, Vaisha Deva prakara, Maha Rudra Deva, Pranadevaru,  Stuthi, Venkateshwara, Mayavadha Kandana, Bhu Durga Stuthi and others.

Interestingly, in the Suvalli, Jagannatha Dasa has treated Rahu and Ketu as Chaya grahas and included Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra and Shani as Navagraha.

If we go through this work, we find that the Dasa has given us a summary of the teachings and philosophy of Madhwacharya. He strictly adheres to the Taratamya or the gradation of Gods preached by Madhwacharya. Some of the tenets of Vadiraja Theertha are also brought out. The Suvalli brings out the philosopher in Jagannatha Dasa.

He says people should at all times remember and meditate on Hari or Vishnu. It is only Vishnu who can provide a balm to sooth all the pains that human beings experience. Hari is the only one who can save us and remember him always and in all circumstances, says the Dasa.

In one of the lines of the Suvalli, he says “inna vismritigadika mahapApa mahapApa karmagalu inilla inilla lOkatraydolu” and this is addressed directly to Vishnu. What he means is that much time has been spent in going after worldly pleasures and we have forgotten the lotus feet of Vishnu. We have tended to forget Vishnu and this is the first among the sins that we have committed.

At another place, he says “kere bAvi dEva maMdiraMgalanu keDisi divya hiridAgi mane kaTTidE nere neDava mArgadolu aravaTigegalannu thara tharadi bichchi tegede”.

He says he has been the cause and the source of destruction of Nature and temples and also the cause of their neglect. He says man has been selfish and he has not made use of the gifts of Nature to help others.  

The Suvalli starts with Ganapathi Stotra. It is in Ananda Bhairavi and is set to Ekathala.   

Karma Nirnaya of Madhwacharya

This is generally believed to be the last of Madhwacharya’s works. Just like the Rg Bhashya, here too Madhwacharya shows himself as being conversant with the Vedic language and its idiom.

Here too Madhwacharya takes us to the supreme Being who he calls Vishnu and the underlying thread of this work is the glorification of Vishnu.

There is an interesting legend behind the composition of this work.

Madhwacharya had come to a temple in Ucchabuti near Ujire.

Today, Ujire is a small town near Dharmastala and it is situated in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada district.

When Madhwacharya and his disciples went to the Janardhana  temple, some of the seers assembled there questioned him on certain aspects of Vedic Mantras and procedures. They thought that as Madhwacharya was a monk, he might not know details about Vedic sacrifices, their meanings and details.

Others accused Madhwacharya of only propagating Tattvajnana as he was not well versed in the karmakanda of the Vedas

Madhwacharya, however, stunned the gathering when he easily outsmarted the gathering and defeated them in the argument. He easily tackled all the queries that the seers put to him and gave them convincing answers about several aspects.

The seers accepted defeat and requested him to explain Mahaa Naamni Mantras of Aitreya  Aranyaka. Madhwacharya then explained to them the meaning and significance of Mahaa Naamni Mantras. He then wrote them in the form of a book which he called  Karma Nirnaya.

This book is also known as Kandartha Nirnaya. This work too gives us a totally new interpretation of the Vedas just as the Rg Bhashya did. Scholars say the Karma Nirnaya is only next to Visnutattva Nirnaya in its extent. It deals with many sacrificial hymns that are generally recited in connection with the Prstha Stotra of the Naiskevalya Sastra, says BNK Sharma, a scholar.

It also deals with the concept of Karmakanda in conjunction with the Brahman. Madhwacharya interprets the Karmakanda in the light of supremacy of Vishnu.

He takes on the theory of Nirguna Brahman and attacks it, saying how can God be without attributes or form. This comes in the opening section where he says Vishnu is Saguna or a supreme being with attributes.

 To Madhwacharya, the Brahman is immortal, imperishable, eternal, and thus the basis of the impersonal Nirguna. He says this is clearly stated in the Geeta. For him, the personal form indicated is generally Narayana or Vishnu.

Madhwacharya then cites several passages in the Vedas investing several attributes to the Brahman. He says the denial of

attributes to the Brahman in some scriptures must be interpreted only in terms of  Prkritic attributes.

He also refutes the concept of Nirvisesa preached by Shankaracharya. How can a Brahman have no characteristics or nirguna of its own, he asks. Shankara had preached that the Brahman has no individual or personal characteristic. Madhwacharya here says there is a personal characteristic as there is a difference between the Creator (Vishnu or Paramatma) and the created (Atma).

Madhwacharya says Nirvisesatva cannot be negative.

The gathering accepts these arguments and then proceeds to question the Acharya on the Mahaa Naamni Mantras, their meaning and how Upasargas or prepositions should be joined to those Mantras.

Madhwacharya says that prepositions like pracetana, pracetaya, aayaahi, pibamatsva, kratuccanda ritham, bruhat, sumna aadehi No vatso should be added to the riks “adhatanyam  jatere prema” and others to get the correct meaning of the mahaa naamni riks.

Madhwacharya then goes on to record the meaning of Mahaa Naamni riks in this book.

He says even works dealing with karmas are actually

hymns in praise of Vishnu. He, therefore, chooses a mantra in the Mahaanaamni meter which apparently praises Indra and explains its significance with reference to Vishnu.

He then goes on to interpret the entire Mahaanaamni hymns word by word. He concludes the work with this Mangalacharana sloka

  namo nArAyaNAyAja bhavazkroSNa rUGmu khaiH  |

  sadA vandita pAdAya zrIpAya   preyase -dhikam  ||

The English meaning says “I prostrate at the lotus feet of  Narayana who is very dear to Madhwa and one who is worshipped by deities like Brahma, Rudra, Indra, Surya and others.

The Acharya tells us here that is very important to know and understand the etymological meaning of a word in addition to the traditional one. He then goes on to say that if Vedas are interpreted etymologically, it can give us the ultimate meaning of Vedas.

He says,

“rUDhiyOgau vinA kashchinnairvArthO vEdagO bhavEt|
tatrApi yougikO mukhyaH sarvatrAsti sa vaidekE||”

Here, he says the etymological meaning should be taken. He asks people to follow the epistemological meaning (yOgArtha) along with the regular meaning of usage (rUDhArtha). He rates the epistemological meaning as more important than the other.One of  the best commentaries on this work is by Jaya Theertha. The first however is by Narahari Theertha.

By the way, the Lakshana Granthas (2), Khandana Traya (3),

Tattva Granthas (4) along with Karma Nirnaya are collectively known as Dasaprakaranas.

The Dwadasha Stotra of Madhwacharya

The Dwadasha Stotra  by Madhwacharya (1191-1278) is one of the main compositions that led to the growth and development of the Haridasa Sahitya in India.

Though the Haridasa movement began with Narahari Theertha, one of the disciples of Madhwacharya, writing suladis of which only three are available, it took off with the advent of Sripadaraja of Mulabagal (1404-1502).

The Dwadesha Stotra and several others works of Madhwacharya inspired Sripadaraja to compose Devaranamas and other forms of poetry. Madha seers after him and the Dasa Koota founded by his disciple, Vyasa Raja or Vyasa Theertha (1447-1539) not only propagated the Dwaitha ideals put forward by Madhwacharya, but they continued to be inspired by the Dwadesha Stotra.

The Dwadesha Stotra is a Sanskrit composition comprising of twelve stotras in praise of Vishnu or Hari. It was composed when the idol of Sri Krishna was being consecrated by Madhwacharya, also known as Ananda Theertha or Poorna Prajna at Udupi.       

Another popular legend associated with the stotra says Madhwacharya had already composed seven slokas when he saw a ship in distress near Malpe. He saved the ship from going under and when he received the mound of Gopichandana in which the idol of Krishna was present, he completed the stotra by composing its other five slokas.

Yet another story says, Madhwacharya himself began composing and reciting it when some of his disciples poisoned an ox which used to regularly carry his works on its back. The Acharya had pointed at the ox when these disciples had asked who would write the commentaries for his innumerable works. Angered by this gesture, they had poisoned the ox. When Acharya came to know of this, he went to the place where the ox lay dead and recited the Dwadesha Stotra. The ox got back its life and in its next birth, became Jaya  Theertha or Teekacharya.

Since, then, this stotra is recited at the time of offering of Naivedya to Vishnu.

Of the twelve slokas, the third summaries Madhwacharya’s concept of dualism or Dwaitha philosophy.

The Dwaadasha Stotra has been interpreted and reinterpreted several times by almost ever Madhwa seer, Haridasa and scholar.  They have formed the basis for the Haridasas to launch their vehicle of music and devotion through literature.

The Sanskrit words are full of meaning and each of them go to back completely the Tatwavada of our Acharya.

Even today, this stotra is recited every day at Udupi during the offering of Naivedya to Lord Krishna. 

There are several commentaries on this stotra and some of them are by Janardhana Bhatta, Gangodamishra, Panghri Srinivasacharya, Gûdhakartrka, Chalari Narasimhacharya, Channapattana Thimmannacharya, Umarji Tirumalacharya, C M Padmanabhacharya, Punyashravana Bhikshu and Vishvapati Theertha.

It is Vishvapathi Theertha of Pejawar Matha who says Madhwacharya had already composed five slokas and he composed the sixth when he saw the ship struggling to stay aloft in the choppy seas off Malpe.

The lyrics of the stotra in English are as follows:

vande vandyam sadanandam vasudevam nirajanamh |

indirapatimadyadi varadesha varapradamh || 1

namami nikhiladhisha kiritaghrishhtapithavath |

hrittamah shamanearkabham shripateh padapankajamh || 2

jambunadambaradharam nitambam chintyamishituh |

svarnamaJnjirasamvitam arudham jagadambaya || 3

udaram chintyam ishasya tanutveapi akhilambharam |

valitrayankitam nityam arudham shriyaikaya || 4

smaraniyamuro vishhnoh indiravasamuttamaih |

anantam antavadiva bhujayorantarangatamh || 5

shankhachakragadapadmadharashchintya harerbhujah |

pinavritta jagadraxa kevalodyoginoanishamh || 6

santatam chintayetkantham bhasvatkaustubhabhasakamh |

vaikunthasyakhila veda udgiryanteanisham yatah || 7

smareta yamininatha sahasramitakantimath |

bhavatapapanodidhyam shripateh mukhapankajamh || 8

purnananyasukhodbhasim andasmitamadhishituh |

govindasya sada chintyam nityanandapadapradamh || 9

smarami bhavasantapa hanidamritasagaramh |

purnanandasya ramasya sanuragavalokanamh || 10

dhyayedajasramishasya padmajadipratixitamh |

bhrubhangam parameshhthhyadi padadayi vimuktidamh || 11

santatam chintayeanantam antakale visheshhatah |

Why Narada never married

He is one of the most well-known figures in India. He has been parodied in films in all Indian languages. He is also called the world’s first humorist and mischief maker.

Wherever he went and whatever he did, he left behind a cauldron of confusion. Though he interacted with Gods, Emperors and demons alike, he never married and apart from his parents never had any family.

An indispensable wandering minstrel, his name today means a person who cannot hold back or a person who carries tales. He is Narada, one of India’s revered sages.

Though many of his contemporaries married and even had children, Narada never married though once he came close to getting “hitched”. The Puranas themselves narrate the story of Narada’s near miss with matrimony.

The Puranas say that Emperor Ambeeresha was reigning over the Ayodhya Kingdom thousands of years ago.

A kind and just ruler, Ambareehsa was known for his piety, kindness and religious bent of mind. One day two sages-Narada and Parvata came to the court of Ambareesha.

Ambareesha received the sages with respect and seated them in his court. He then asked his daughter, Srimati, to perform Padapooje-wash the feet of the saints and get their blessings.

The two sages were seated side by side and Srimati washed their feet with water. Both the sages were stunned on seeing the beauty of Srimathi and both fell in love with her.

Narada and Parvata approached Ambareesha individually and told him that they wanted to marry Srimati.

Ambareesha was worried as the situation called for a calm solution. How could he displease one sage by getting his daughter married to another.   

He then suggested to both the sages that he would hold a Swayamwara so that Srimati could chose either of them. Though both the sages agreed to the proposal, each of them were nervous about the event.

Narada wanted Srimati at any cost and he decided to seek Vishnu’s help. He knocked on the doors of Vaikuntha and was immediately admitted to Vishnu’s abode.

Vishnu was holding court with other Gods when he saw Narada rush in. Narada sought out Vishnu and told him that he wanted to speak something very important.

“Speak on”, commanded Hari.

Narada looked around and saw Gods and Devas looking at him curiously. He looked up pleadingly at Hari and said “I can speak but only you should hear.”

Hari looked a little amused but he asked all others to leave. When none but Hari and Narada were left in the magnificent hall, Hari asked Narada to speak.

Unable to contain himself any longer, Narada blurted out that he was in love with Srimati and that she was holding a Swayamvara  tomorrow where she would have to choose between him and Parvata.

Hari looked a little amused and said he saw no role for himself in a love affair. “Moreover, Srimati is free to chose and I cannot influence her”, said Hari

Narada looked aghast at the reply and pleaded with Hari to intercede on his behalf. “Make Srimati chose me and make Parvata  look like a monkey at the time of the Swayamvara. That’s all I want”, said Narada

Hari very nearly failed to hide his smile at the lovelorn Narada. Keeping a straight face, he agreed to transform Parvata’s face into a monkey face at the time of Swayamwara.

A beaming Narada left Vaikunta, strumming his tamburi, singing praises of Hari and also simultaneously thinking about how he would end up marrying Srimati.

Barely had Narada left Vaikunta, when there was another knock on the door and in came Parvata.  

By now, Hari knew about the whole thing and he sternly asked Parvata what he wanted.

Parvata too narrated his take of love and he too wanted Srimati for himself.  I feel she will chose Narada and, therefore, transform him into a bear, he said.

As you wish,  said Hari and Parvata left Vaikunta a satisfied man. The day of Swamyamwara dawned and both Narada and Parvata were seated in the royal court.

Srimati came with a garland in her hand. Ambareehsa gently took her by her hand towards the sages and asked her to chose between them.

Srimati looked up and then blanched with fear. She took a step back even as her father urged her on. Ambareehsa asked her to chose quickly between Narada and Parvata.

“But father, I see no sages” replied Srimati. Ambareesha was taken aback as he and the entire court could see the two sages seated. He once again asked her to pick her husband and Srimati replied that all she saw was a bear and a monkey. Besides them, I see an angel who is the most handsome man I have ever come across.

Ambareehsa looked up and saw nobody except the two sages. He asked his daughter to describe the apparition. Srimati said he was like a Sun, radiant and full of light. He has four arms, Srimati told her father.

Ambareesha suddenly realised that the four armed man was none but Hari or Vishnu. But he still remained puzzled. Where is the bear and the monkey you saw, he asked Srimati.

By then, both Parvata and Narada were getting impatient. Both asked Srimati to stop telling tales of the monkey and the bear. They warned the King that he would have to pay dearly if he was playing any tricks.  

Both also asked Srimati to make her up her mind quickly. Chose or get cursed, they said. Srimati said she could not decide and she would throw her garland. “Whoever catches the garland will be  my husband,” she said.

She closed her eyes, prayed to God and flung the garland. Neither Narada nor Parvata could catch it and the garland fell around the  neck of the radiant man standing between the two sages. As soon as the garland touched him both he and Srimati vanished from sight.

Both Narada and Parvata were shocked at the turn of events. Both berated the King and were all set to leave the court in a huff when they saw Srimati with Vishnu.  

The sages decide to tackle Hari and went to Vaikunta. They straightaway confronted Hari and asked him whey he had tricked both of them.

Hari then took both the sages aside and told them that Srimati was none but Lakshmi herself. How can she marry you when she is already married to me, he asked the sages.

Hari then told the sages that love had blinded them. Had you even spent a little while in contemplation or meditation, you would have realised that she is Lakshmi. Love blinded your senses and each wanted to outdo the other he said.

Narada was so ashamed of himself that he vowed never to marry and remained single forever. He also took a vow never to fall in love. So he remains forever a wandering minstrel, a tamburi in hand and singing the praises of Hari.

Once even Hari as moved to ask whey Narada created so much cvonfusion in the lokas and why he set one against the other. “Just to test their devotion, My Lord. Nobody or no thing is greater than you. I just want to test their faith and invariably they fail the test”, replied Narada. This was one time the all-knowing Hari had no answer to Narada. All he could do was to smile and urge Narada on.

Vishnu and Kurma Purana

The Kurma Purana is one of the most important religious texts in Hinduism.

What makes this Purana unique is that Vishnu himself is the narrator. It mentions the origin of universe, the birth of a Brahamana and the incarnation of Vishnu.

Vishnu, in his Kurma Avatar (tortoise), had first preached this Purana to Sage Narada who then conveyed this to others. The first sage to receive details of this Purana was Sutji who in turn narrated it to other sages.

The Purana has details on almost all facets of life and philosophy. When it was narrated by Vishnu, it had four Samhitis or parts- Bramha Samhita, Bhagawati Samhita, Gauri Samhita and Vaishnavi Samhita. Unfortunately, except the Brahma or Brahmi Samhita none of the other three samhitas are available. As of nowm this Purana comprises of 18,000 slokas contained in 99 chapters.

The Brahma Samhitha can again be divided into parts-Purva and Uttara bhags. The Purva contains 53 chapters and the Uttara 46.

The Purana commences with the glory of Vishnu and talks of his  incarnation as Kurma and in the Maya form of Lakshmi.

The section on Purva deals with aspects as varied as the story of  Indradyumna, Kurma Purana itself, descriptions of Varnashram and sequence of these ashramas, origin of geo-sphere, description of various incarnations, preaching of the gods, the four yugas, Manu, destruction of Daksh’s yagya, Narasimha killing Hiranyakashipu, Vamana, Rama and Krishna  avatara , the Ikshvaku clan and Pururava clans and surprisingly Varanasi, Prayag and Yamuna and their holiness and linga.

The Uttara consists of daily rituals, duties of a celibate, drinking wine and how to expiate it, holiness of different pilgrim centres, appearance of Rudra avatara, metaphysics, eating edible and non-edible articles, dining and duties of a person in Vanaprastha.

This Purana gives us details about types of fasting to be done in case of committing sin. Each sin can be overcome by a particular fasting.  

Most of the Puranas mention the different avatars of Vishnu. It is only the Kurma Purana that mentions the different avatars of Shiva.

The different avatars of Shiva are as follows: Shveta,  Sutara, Madana, Suhotra, Kankana, Lokakshi, Jaigishavya,  Dadhivaha,

Rishabha, Bhrigu, Ugra, Atri, Vali, Goutama, Vedashirsha, Gokarna, Shikhandaka, Jatamali, Attahasa, Daruka, Langali, Mahavama, Muni, Shuli, Pindamunishvara, Sahishnu, Somasharma and Nakulishvara

The temple to a tortoise

This is the only temple in India where a fossil of a large tortoise is worshipped. It is also the only temple where Vishnu is worshipped in the form of a tortoise, the second of the Dashavtars.

The temple has more than 200 black granite pillars and two flag posts or Dhwaja Stambha. Each pillars is distinct from the other and this no two pillars are similar. Besides, the two Dhwaja Stanbhas face different directions.

There are in all 127 in four Indian languages, including Devanagari, Prakrutha and Oriya. Some of the Oriya inscriptions are ascribed to Narahari Teertha, the Madhwa saint and follower of Madhwacharya.

This is perhaps one of the few temples where Shankaracharya,  Ramunajacharya and Narahari Theertha, each of hem representing the three main streams of Brahminism- Adwaitha, Vishistawaitha and Dwaitha-have come prayed and left relics behind which can be found even today.

This is the temple of  Vishnu or Srikurma, which is 18 kilometres away from Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh. 

The first mention of the temple goes back to the second century AD. Subsequently, it was renovated by the Cholas and later by the Gangas.

This is the only place in India where Vishnu is worshipped as a tortoise. The moolasthana or the central piece of the idol is considered to be large Saligrama. The Koorma (or Kurma) is the fossil of an actual and large-sized turtle. The head of the deity is in the form of a Kurma or tortoise and it is represented by a Vishnu nama and the tail is represented by a Saligrama presented by Shankarachayra.

The idol faces west and this is another peculiarity. There is an interesting story behind this.

The villagers of  Srikurma and naighbouring villages had all along believed that the idol was of Shiva. When Ramanujacharya came to the place, he saw that the villagers were wrongly worshipping Vishnu as Shiva. When the villagers refused to listen to him, Ramanajucharya called out to the idol, saying that it would have to turn towards him if he was indeed Vishnu.

Even as he said it, the idol turned towards him. Since then, the idol is turned to the West and it is being worshipped as Vishnu and not Shiva. The villagers then constructed a Dwaja Stambha facing the deity. This pillar or Stambha faces West. The earlier Stambha faced East. Thus the temple has two Dhwaja Stambhas.

There is another interesting story on why Vishnu opted to take the form of a Koorma or tortoise here.

Several thousand years ago, King Swetha Chakravarthi ruled the Kingdom of Swethapuram. His wife was called Hari priya. She had her own palace at Vanitamandala which was 14 kilometers away from Swethapuram or present day Srikurma.

On day, on a Magha Sudha Ekadasi, the King visited the queen in her palace. The Queen was immersed in worship of Vishnu. The King then asked the Queen to give him company and this put her in a dilemma.

The Queen did not know what to do-participate in the Ekadashi or join her husband. She prayed to Vishnu to give her a solution. Vishnu then created a huge river which began to flow between the King and queen and divided them. This is the river that is today called the Vamsadhara.

The king panicked and fled to Swethachala mountain to escape the fury of the swirling river. He then sat alone. Sage Narada appeared there and told him the reason why the river had created a distance between the royal couple.

Narada then suggested to the King to pray to Vishnu in the form of a Koorma and also chant the mantra, “Om Kum Kurmaya Nama”. The King then started worshipping Kurmanatha at Chakra Thirtha.
When Vishnu appeared before the King and asked him to seek a boon, the king said he wished to see the lord in his second incarnation of Kurmanatha.

When asked why, the King said he wanted see the incarnation which was part of the Manthara Parvatha at the time of churning the ocean.
Vishnu then appeared in the form of a tortoise. On the request of the King, he agreed to reside here as a tortoise. He also allowed the King to build a temple. Narada then went back to Deva Loka and

led Brahma to Srikurma who then consecrated Kurmanatha.

It was then that the Sudarsana Chakra became active and flames soon arose. Brahma subdued the flames by chanting the Gopala mantra.
The Bramanda Purana says Durvasa and their followers visit this place regularly for penance. Krishna’s brother Balarama visited this place and declared that this would be the only kind of such a temple in the world. He then built the Uma Rudra Koteshwara Temple on the banks of Nagavali in Srikakulam.

Balarama created Nagavali by using his plough (nagali) to till. The Stala Purana tell us that Lava and Kush, sons of Rama, worshiped Kurmanatha by offering Abhishakam to get rid of  Shani Dosha.  
Shankaracharya and Narahari Theertha-the second disciple of Madhwa, have visited the temple and worshipped the deity.

Srikurma is on the Walter - Kolkata railway route.

The temple where Kathakali is staged every night as an offering to God

When you go to a temple, you can see the deity in its entirety  when you enter the sanctum sanctorum. But in this temple you cannot see the top most portion and the lower portion of the deity as it is believed that the Viratapurusha has no origin and no end. This is also the temple where the deity is dressed in white and saffron robes and this is contrary to the general practice prevalent elsewhere where such deities are dressed in yellow.

It is perhaps the only temple where all major forms of worship-Vaishnava, Shiva and Shakti are followed. This is so as the deity here is Purusha or the ultimate God with no form, no beginning, no  end and no form.

This temple here is known to have followed the same set of rules and regulations and form of temple worship from its construction which is first dated to 59 BC. This makes it one of the oldest known places of worship known to mankind and one of the oldest continuing places of worship for more than 2,000 years.

Believed to be more than 4,000 years old, the temple worships the supreme God Vishnu in his original, cosmic and transcendental  form or Purusha.

One of the most unique customs in the Vishnu Temple here is the daily performance of Kathakali every night within the temple premises.

The Kathakali performances are enacted every night as an offering to the God. The main theme of the Kathakali performance are stories relating to Duryodhana Vadham (annihilation of Duryodhana), Santhana Gopalam (story of Arjuna), Kuchela Vrutham (story of Kuchela) Sreevallabha Vijayam (glory of Vishnu) and Thokalaasura Vadham (annihilation of Thokalaasura).

The Kathakali is one of the native dance forms of Kerala and in this temple it is more of a daily ritual. This is the temple of Vishnu or Hari more popularly called Sreevallabha.

This temple is in  Located in Tiruvalla town in Panthanamthitta district in Kerala.

What makes this temple stand pout from the rest of the Vaishnava temples is that the deity here is worshipped in his original or cosmic form. In other Vishnu temples, the deity is clothed in yellow but here it is either white or saffron. These two colours are associated with eternity.

Another peculiarity of the deity is that there is no peeta puje here. Pete puje is mandatory for Vaidika temples in Kerala (these rituals are enshrined in the Tantrasamuchayam and are followed by almost all temples in Kerala) but it is not done here as it is believed that Purusha has no beginning or end.

Though this is one of the 108 Divya Desams of Vishnu, many of the rituals an ceremonies performed here are not done anywhere else.

The daily Kathakali performances makes it the venue to have the maximum number of such performances in India or abroad.

History says that this place was inhabited by humans before 3000 B.C. The Thiruvalla inscriptions point out that a temple for Sudarshana Chakra was built here in 2998 B.C by sridevi Antherjanam. It was rebuilt in 59 BC by Queen Cherumthevi.

The first ever prose work in Malayalam is found in this temple. They were discovered in the Tiruvalla inscription in 1915 and they date back to the early 12^th century period.

There is an interesting legend about Sreevallabha. Vishnu appeared here as Sreevallabha before sage Durvasa and Khandakarna. The idol of Sreevallabha was later worshipped by Lakshmi and then Krishna. There is a belief that Durvasa and Saptarishis come here every night and worship Sreevallabha.

It is this idol that has been installed here since 59 BC. Since then, the temple has been strictly adhering to its own set of rules and regulations.

Situated on the banks of Manimala, this temple covers an area of 8.5 acres. It is surrounded by a mammoth compound wall, which in itself is a sight to marvel. The red granite compound is 12 feet in height, 566 feet long and  4.5 feet with a two-storied  gopura on  each side.

This huge compound wall must be the oldest such structure anywhere in the world as it was constructed in 509 BC. Legend has it that the entire wall was completed in a single night by bhoothas (servants) of  Vishnu.

There is a big pond just outside the eastern wall. It covers one and half acres and there is platform for Kathakali performances near the east entrance of the temple.

There is a mango and fig tree here within the compound. It is said that Durvasa meditated here. Near the gopura on the west of the wall is a structure which is believed to be the place where Sridevi Antherjanam lived. The gate below the north gopura is always closed. It is opened only during a festival called Uthra Streebali.

The north east corner has a sacred pond where 64 hidden idols of Vishnu are hidden. Nobody except the priests of the temple are allowed near the pond.

The place where Vedavyasa and Durvasa disappeared can be seen on the eastern side.      

The Garuda Dwaja or Garuda Stamba was also built in 59 BC along with the temple wall. It is made of black granite and rises 53 feet above ground. A Garuda statue is placed atop the stamba.

The priests are expected to follow a strict regimen before and after entering the temple. Neither the priests nor the people visiting the temple are allowed to smear themselves with ash or Vibhuti  though it is handed out as a Prasada in the temple. The ash can be smeared on the body only after you leave the temple. However, you can smear yourself with sandalwood. 

The main temple, called sreekovil in Malayalam, is conical and it has a perimeter of about 160 feet. It is built of granite and the walls are adorned with beautiful murals of the ten avatars of Vishnu.

The conical roof is covered with copper plates. There is a beautiful dome of gold atop the roof.

The inner chamber of the sanctum sanctorum with the idol of  Vishnu faces east.

There are several underground cellars within the temple which is believed to be the haunt of ghosts, snakes and other reptiles. These cellars are located on the western side of  Navakappura.

The mystery of the cellars are yet to be unraveled. Who built them and why were they built? Nobody seems to know.

There are many temples dedicated to other deities within the temple premises. 

The temple is located on the Tiruvalla-Ambalappuzha highway and it is 2 kms from the Tiruvalla railway station. The temple town is well connected by both road and rail network.

The temple is under the management of the Travancore Devaswom Board.

  

Saligrama in a Madhwa household

Perhaps the most sacred possession in a pooja room, the Saligrama occupies an important place in the religious and daily life of a Vaishanava household. This is so as a Saligrama is associated with Vishnu.

The Saligrama is found near Muktinath or Saligrama in Mustang district in the Gandaki or Narayani river in Nepal. It is considered to be special avatar of  Maha Vishnu. Geologically, the Saligrama is a naturally formed stone, mostly in black. They are fossil ammoniate.

Muktinath is situated between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna mountain ranges and the Gandaki flows through the village of Saligrama and Ashrama of  Pulaha. In ancient times, this areas was called Salagiris due to the forests of Sala (sal) trees. The stones found in this region are therefore called Saligrama or Silas

There are generally believed to be 25 types of Saligrama and they are categorised as per the colour, shape, opening and chakras.  

Another stone that is as powerful as the Saligrama and as religiously significant is the Chakranika, a White stone found only in Dwaraka.

The Saligrama is found in other colors too such as reddish black but such Saligramas are not worshiped in houses.

Therefore, the Saligrama is always placed in a sanctified box with Tulasi (Lakshmi).
The sacred Saligrama stones (black ammonite stone), are found only on the bed of river Gandak near Muktinath, Nepal. These naturally formed stones are used by devout Hindus to worship Lord Vishnu.
The indentations (Chakra) on the Saligramas are made by a certain type of worms called Vajra Keeta-adamanita worms . The tooth of these insects are said to hard and they can easily cut through stones.

These insects drill very minute holes in the Saligrama and they are called Vandana or mouth. If you can see through these holes, you can come across round like formations within the Saligrama and these are called Chakras. These markings are either circular or spiral.

Legends says it is Vishnu himself who resides in these Saligramas, taking the shape of the worm.  

Saligramas that emit a red light are called Ranta Garbha. There can be any number of chakras in a Saligrama and such stones with seven or fourteen chakras are called Ananta Padmanabha Murthi

A Saligrama with two holes and four chakras is known as Narayana Murti.

If the Chakranika and Saligrama are kept together in a pooja room, the household will always be under the grace and benevolent vision of  Vishnu.

If you want to pray to a Saligrama at home, go for a smaller stone.

If the Saligrama fits your closed fist, it means it is suitable for home. Otherwise, it is better to give it to a temple or matha.

There are twenty four main types of Saligrama and they are worshipped as per the marks of a shankha, Chakra, gada and padma arranged in a particular order.

The various orders and names for the twenty four permutations are as follows:

Shanka, chakra, gada and padma - Keshava

Padma, gada, chakra, shanka - Narayana

Chakra, shanka, padma and gada - Madhava

Gada, Padma, Shanka and Chakra - Govinda

Padma, shanka, chakra and gada – Vishnu

Shanka, padma, gada, chakra – Madusudhana

Gada, chakra, shanka and padma – Trivikrama

Chakra, gada, padma, shanka - Vamana

Chakra, padma, shanka, gada - Shridhara

Padma, gada, shanka, charka - Hrishikesh

Padma, chakra,gada, shanka - Padmanabha

Shanka, chakra, gada, padma - Damodara

Chakra, shanka, gada, padma - Sankarshana

Shanka, chakra, padma, gada - Pradyumna

Gada, shanka, padma, charka - Aniruddha

Padma, shanka, gada, chakra - Purushottama

Gadha, shanka, chakra, padma - Adhokshaja

Padma, gada, shanka, charka - Narasimha

Padma, chakra, shanka, gada – Achyuta

Shanka, chakra, padma, gada - Janardana

Gada, padma, shanka, chakra - Upendra

Chakra, padma, gada and shanka – Hari

Gada, padma, chakra and shanka - Krishna

Shanka, charka, padma, gada – Vasudeva

      

Another classification based on the name is as follows:
Narasimha-This is the most powerful Saligrama and also the most difficult to maintain in a house as it requires Madi of the highest order. It contains two chakras.  
Lakshminarayana Saligrama is light dark in color and it has one opening. This stone has four chakras and one line.
The Pradhyumna Saligrama is small and it has one chakra on the top. It has irregular openings.
The Aniruddah Saligrama is almost round, light yellow to yellow in colour. It has a fine and silky appearence.
Among the most popular Saligramas is the Krishna or Vasudeva Saligrama. The Puranas say if we keeo this Saligrama at hiome, it is equivalent to worshipping Krishna. Just as the Anirudha, this too is round and it has one opening surrounded by two chakras.

The Sankarshana Saligrama is a unique one as it has two chakras facing each other. It is narrow in the front and wider at the back. The Lakshmi Narasimha Saligrama has a wide opening, two chakra an also has a garland type of line.
Hayagriva Saligrama is a horse faced stone with two chakras and the Sudarshana Saligrama  has only one chakra as is the Gadadhara Saligrama.

Madhusudana Saligrama is dark cloudy in colour and is in the shape of a wheel.

Another Saligrama is the Lakshminarayana with one opening and  a garland like line. It has four chakras and it is considered to be a rare form of stone.

The Lakshmi Janardana Saligrama has four chakras, the Vamana Saligrama is small in size, lighter in shade of black and has  two chakras with no opening.
The Sridhara Saligrama is also small in size and light black in colour and the Raghunatha Saligrama has two openings and four chakras.

Damodara Saligrama is big in size and it is this that is generally present in temples. It has two chakras. The Rama Saligrama is round in size and it has two chakras. It is not as big as the Damodara.

There are seven chakras in the Rajarajeshwara Saligrama and the

Anantha Saligrama is pitch black with 14 chakras. This is considered to be the holiest of the Saligramas.It is also very rare.

The Saligramas in Gandaki cane be found on the river bed extending to 24 miles. The place where the Saligrama is found is known as Chakra-Tirtha.

The Saligrama, fossil ammonite, found in the Himalayas, is upper Jurasic geologically aged  between 145 to 210 million years old.

The Saligrama Silas are in fact fossils of a marine animal called Ammonite which is one of a large extinct group of mollusks.

The worship of the Saligrama is very elaborate and it makes no difference which Saligrama a person has.

The Panchayatana worship (Vaishnava agama) has sixteen stages in the worship of a Saligrama. They are (1) Avahana (invocation); (2) Asana (offering a seat for the gods to sit down); (3) Padya (offering of water for washing the feet); (4) Arghya (offering of rice, etc.); (5) Achamane (offering of water for sipping); (6) Snana (offering of milk and honey for the gods to bathe in); (7) Vastra (offering of clothes represented by Tulsi leaves); (8) Upavastra (offering of upper garments and ornaments, represented by more Tulsi leaves); (9) Gandha or Chandana (offering of perfumes and sandal paste); (10) Pushpa (offering of flowers); (11) Dhupa (offering of incense); (12) Deepa (illumination); (13) Naivedya (offering of food); (14) Pradikshana (reverential circumbulation); (15) Mantrapushpa (offering flowers with recitation of texts); and (16) Namashkara (final adoration).

 During each of these sixteen acts, the worshipper repeats one of the sixteen verses of the Purusha sukta (hymn) of the Rig Veda.

The biggest Saligrama found so far is in on the banks of Gandaki in Palpa district adjoining Syangja in Nepal.

This huge Saligrama is considered to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu.