Badri-narayana

Badri-narayana

One of the 108 Divya Desams

The 108 Divya Desams are the sacred abodes of Vishnu sung by the 12 Alvar saint-poets. Compiled as the Nalayira Divya Prabandham by Nathamuni (9th c. CE), this corpus of 4,000 pasurams defines the sacred geography of Tamil Vaishnavism and the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya.

This Temple

• Location: Badrinath, Chamoli (30.7433°N, 79.4938°E) Uttarakhand
• Presiding deity: Badri-narayana (Vishnu in padmasana meditation, 3.3-ft black saligrama)
• Thayar (Goddess): Aravindavalli
• Tirtham: Tapta-kund (hot spring) & Alakananda
• Vimana: Vishala-vimana
• Mangalashasanam: Sung by Tirumangai-alvar, Peri-alvar — 13 pasurams
• Built: Ancient; current icon 8th c. CE (Adi Shankara); structure 16th c. and later

Sthala-Puranam

One of the 4 Char Dham (North). Vishnu here sat in tapas for ages; Lakshmi took form of the berry-tree (badri) to shade him. Temple closes Nov-May (snow); during winter, worship moves to Joshimath. Current icon installed by Adi Shankara, 8th c.

Worship & Festival

Daily 5-fold puja; Vaikuntha Ekadashi (Margazhi full moon) is the holiest day — the Paramapada-vasal gate is opened; passing through is said to grant moksha. Annual Brahmotsavam (10 days) features Vishnu on all his vahanas (Garuda, Hanumanta, Shesha, Hamsa, Simha, Ratha).

The Alvar Tradition

Each Divya Desam's sanctity rests on how many Alvars sang of it and how many pasurams — this is the mangalashasanam. Tamil Vaishnavism treats the 4,000 pasurams as Dravida Veda — equivalent to the Sanskrit Vedas.