Rishikesh is a city in IndiaтАЩs northern state of Uttarakhand, in the Himalayan foothills beside the Ganges River. The river is considered holy, and the city is renowned as a center for studying yoga and meditation.
Temples and ashrams (centers for spiritual studies) line the eastern bank around Swarg Ashram, a traffic-free, alcohol-free and vegetarian enclave upstream from Rishikesh town.
Rishikesh is primarily famous for its spiritual importance. Rishikesh is the beginning of the famous Char Dham Yatra (Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath).
There are a number of Ayurveda centres also where you can experience the ancient healing methods for body and mind.
The Bharat Mandir was established on the banks of the holy Ganges in around 12th Century by Guru Shri Shankaracharya.
Inside the temple, there is an idol of lord Vishnu, made out of a single Saligram. Shri Shankaracharya also placed the Shri Yantra above the Vishnu idol.
VEDIK GYAN
NARASIMHA -Avatar, Lord Vishnu incarnates himself as a semi-man, semi-lion in this world. The king of demons (asuras), Hiranyakasyapa, wanted to become immortal and wanted to remain young forever.
To this end, he meditated for Lord Brahma and because of his severe penance, the gods were frightened and asked Brahma to pacify the king. Brahma was impressed by his austerity and granted him a wish.
HiranyaKasyapa wished that he be neither killed by a man or beast, nor in daylight or at night and neither inside or outside a building. Having obtained the wish he considered himself the supreme God and frobade all worship of gods by anyone.
But his son Prahlada, was an ardent devotee of Vishnu. This enraged Hiranyakasyapa very much. He ordered numerous ways to kill Prahlada including asking his sister Holika to sit with Prahlada in the fire. But everytime Prahlada escaped unhurt.
Enraged, once he asked Prahlad to show him the Lord Vishnu. Prahlad said, “He is everywhere”. Further enraged, Hiranyakasyapa knocked down a pillar, and asked if Lord was present there.
Lord Vishnu then emerged as a half lion, half man from the pillar which was neither inside the house nor outside, and the time was evening, neither night nor day. He then killed Hiranyakasyapa thus saving the life of his devotee Prahlada.
LEARN Sanskrit- рдЖрдХреГрддрд┐ : рдЖрдХрд╛рд░ -Shape
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Ch. Naveen Kumar |
