72 Abode of Gods
has a quick glimpse of Pandukeshwar, and Hanumanchatti. At
Hanumanchatti sheer rock faces pierce straight into the sky. The
road climbs from Hanumanchatti to Badrinath through hairpin
bends. The awe-stricken trekker looks out of the moving bus
window with bated breath.
Deo-Dekhni—the first darshan of the Dham
The first view of the Holy Dham is visible from Deo-Dekhni
from where we could see the golden roofed temple in the shining
background of snow-capped peaks. As we proceed further and
get down from vehicles, we have a full view of the golden roofed
temple in the shining background of Neelkhanth (21,639 ft.)
which penetrates deep into the sky with its captivating beauty
and majesty forming reverse map of India.
The Hindu scriptures record different names of Badrinath
through the ages : in Satyug, it was Muktiprada or the land of
salvation; during Treta, Yogasiddna or the bestower of Yogic
attainment; during Dwapar, it was known as Manibhadara
Ashram after the name of king VishaL The present name Badri
is derived from Badri tree which grows in abundance here.
In Mahabharata, it has been narrated that Vishnu assumed
four forms—Nar, Narayana> Krishna and Hari. Nar and Narayana
went to the Badrikashram to perform tapasya for the good of
the world and mankind. As per the version of Narayanaya por-
tions of the Shantiparva of the epic, Narada went to Badrinath
and wished to know the identity of the Yogis who were leading
austere life. The yogis advised Narada to proceed to the sveta-
dweep in Ksheer Sagara. Narada went there and found that Nar
and Narayan were only forms of Vishnu. He returned to
Badrikashram and spent there many years.
The legend
According to legendary accounts, the first person to reach and
settle in this place wasDharma Rishi, son of Lord Brahma. His
wife Moorti was the wife of Daksha Prajapati. Here they did
penance to propitiate the creator who blessed them with two
sons, Nar and Narayan, after whose names the twin peaks Nar
(19210 ft.) and Narayan (19750 ft.) stand on either side of the
temple. Since time immemorial, faithful Hindus have endea-