Shaligram

About Shaligram

The Shaligram is the most sacred stone worshipped by the Vaishnavas and is used to worship Vishnu. According to shastra worship Shree Shaligram for six values of life, Righteous living, Wealth, Protection, good health, pleasures and Spiritual blessing. As per Gautamiya Tantra,

“Gandakyas Caiva Dese Ca Salagrama Sthalam Mahat
Pasana Tad Bhavam Yat Tat Salagramam Iti Smrtam”

Near the kali – Gandaki river, there place called Dhamoder kunda (NEPAL). The stones which appear in that place are called shalagram shila. According to the Hindu tradition this stone is the shelter for a small insect known as “Vajra-Keeta” that has a diamond tooth which cuts through the Shaligram stone and stays inside it. The Saligram stones are hundreds of million years old when the Himalaya was an ocean floor. The marks on the Shaligram gives it a special significance, the Discus of Lord Vishnu. The Shaligrams come in black colour. The Shaligrams of different shapes are often associated with different incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

According to the Vaishnavas the Shaligram is the “dwelling place of Lord Vishnu” and any one who keeps it, must worship it daily. The Lord Krishna himself mentions the qualities of Shaligram to ‘Yudhishtir’ in the Mahabharta. All the Shaligrams are considered auspicious.

Scientifically The Shaligrams are basically described as fossil-stones and characterized by the presence of discus marks. Shaligram-stones (black stones in which fossil ammonites are embedded) are the most celebrated universally. Worship of these stones is widespread and dates back to a distant past. They are worshipped in temples, monasteries and households all over the world, as visible and natural emblems of Vishnu. They are also worshipped in religious functions like house-warming (grha-pravesha, vastu-puja), pacifying rites of different sorts, marriages and many more…..

The legend, related at length tells us that Lord Vishnu for benefit of mankind in kaliyuga comes in earth in the form of Shaligram and in tulsi tree. Like the worship of Shiva in the form of a Linga, the worship of Vishnu in the shape of a Shaligram, is aniconic in character.

In the worship of Shaligrams, no initiation is required; there is no special rituals or specific procedure of worship, nor any need for a qualified priest. Worshipped by regular bathing saligram stones in curds, ghee, milk or water will give untold merit and will bestow all the benefits.

Saligram-stones are found only in the river Gandaki, which is a Himalayan stream, celebrated since history as Narayani, Saligrami and Hiranyavati. The scripture Mahabharata speaks of its sanctity (Bhishma-Parva). The Puranas also describe it as a sacred stream in which all the gods abide. By merely looking at it, one would eliminate all his mental stress, by touching it his bodily sins are burnt , and by drinking its water the verbal demerits are destroyed. One who comes into contact with this sacred water will be liberated from the cycle of birth and deaths, even if he/she be a sinner.

There is a lake at the source of the Kali-Gandaki, called Damodar-Kunda at Nepal. The lower Gandaki is well known as Mukti-Natha-Kshetra, also called Saligrama-Kshetra. The sacred stones are largely found on the banks of Kali-Gandaki . Damodara-Kunda is a place of pilgrimage. These area where saligrama-stones are found located within the Nepal territory.

Whether one has real devotion or not, if he worships a saligrama-stone with devotion before it, he will surely liberated from the cycle of phenomenal existence. The person who offers a daily service for the saligrama stone will be freed from the fear of death, and he will cross over the stream of births and deaths.

According to the religious text of Devi Bhagwata (and other scriptures) ,to kill demon Jalandhar Lord Vishnu have to destroy Jalandhar wife Brindha’s sati dharma. When he did that Sati Brindha gave four curse to Lord Vishnu to become stone, grass, tree, plant. To wash away this curse Lord Vishnu took four avatars (incarnations). He became stone (Sri Saligram), grass (Kush), tree (Pipal) and plant (Tulsi). from this time onwardse the Saligrams are considered to be most auspicious to behold and to worship. As per Skanda Purana there can never be a price put on any Shaligram as there is not enough gold, jewels or any precious thing exist in the world to equal even a single Shaligram.

As per Skanda Purana, Padma Purana and other epics, the worshipper of Shree Shaligram is blessed to attain all desirable things, worldly comforts, good wife, good sons, good health, immense wealth, peaceful environment prevails in his surroundings and he gets immense protection against all evil forces. His/Her all anxieties, mental tension removed and all ambitions are fulfilled . Even the water that has just touched the Shaligram Shila becomes sacred and by drinking it he/she is relived of all diseases. Worshipping of Shaligram helps in meditation and attainment of spiritual liberation.

Besides the text found in several puranas like Brahma-vaivarta, Padma, Garuda, Narasimha, Skanda , there are other scriptures like Haribhaktivilas of Gopal Bhatta, Shalagram-mimamsa of Somanatha-vyasa and more……

Most puranas advocates that the worship of Saligram as brings material benefits like wealth, prosperity, success, long life, health and so on

“Aputro Labhate Putram Salagrama-pujanat”

We give a some donation to cover the cost of the transportation charges paid to the poor villagers who collect and bring them to us. These villagers risk their life in search of rare Shaligrams under very difficult and harsh climatic conditions in and around Kali Gandaki river at Muktinath (Himalayas Nepal) which is around 5000 meter above the sea level to bring these auspicious Shaligrams to all of us.

Astrology And Shaligram

“Shaligram is a black stone by nature where Lord Vishnu himself resides”

Lord Vishnu

The peace-loving deity of the Hindu Trinity, Lord Vishnu is the Preserver or Sustainer of universe with his steadfast principles of order, righteousness and truth. When these values are under threat, Lord Vishnu emerges out of his transcendence to restore peace and order on earth. For these duties Lord Vishnu has taken different earthly incarnations in different time as “Nine Avatar” so far. His Nine avatars are:

• Matsya Avatara
• Parasurama
• Varaha
• Lord Rama
• Narasimha
• Devalaya Location
• Vamana
• Lord Krishna

and the yet to appear is the 10th incarnation of Lord Vishnu called the Kalki Avatar.

Vedic Astrology

Vedic Astrology (or Jyotish) is the system of astrology that was taught to the ancient sages by the God almighty. The objective of our birth is to learn karmic lessons which are taught as the form of all the things we experience throughout our entire life. Again, these experiences of our lives are for the karma (Action) we perform. And Jyotish reveals this map of karma through planetary positions.

Through planetary positions, we know the intention of the God about us for the karma we did. The nine planets are the incarnation of him to render us the result of what karma we have performed. The planets are the agents of the karma – like the law enforcement authority. And Jyotish deals with the karmic influences with the help of planetary positions in the sky. So there is deep connection between our life and Nine Planetary system.

To begin explaining the correlation between planets and Lord Hari Vishnu, the Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.6.42) describes that, “Maha-Vishnu (Karanadakashayi Vishnu) is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord in the process of creating the material worlds.

He is the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, elements, material ego, the modes of nature, senses, the universal form of the Lord (Garbhodakashayi Vishnu) and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving.” Not only do the creations and annihilations of the cosmos go on continually, but the maintenance of the universe also takes constant supervision. It is explained that as long as the Supreme Being as Maha-Vishnu continues to glance upon nature, the material world continues to exist. Thus, the variegated flow of universal creation perpetually manifests through procreation. So, we can see that time and nature have no power to act independently, but are under the supervision of the Supreme. However, it is also described that it is not only the material nature that is maintained, everyone in it is also given the ability to act and function through the power of the Supreme in His form as the Super soul.

He creates the entire variegated universe and then enters into it as the Super soul. Through this means He provides the life force and consciousness of everyone, and, thus, maintains the creation. As Sri Krishna further explains, “As the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, always rests in ethereal space, know that in the same manner all beings rest in Me.” As the Super soul, He also enters into each planet, and by His energy they maintain their orbits. Thus, the Lord’s energy enters each planet, every living being, and : even each atom, by which everything is appropriately manifested and maintained. Without this, everything would revert back to chaos and deterioration. So Lord Vishnu is the only God that helps to maintain the equilibrium between all the planets and whole universe, which ultimately affects our life so worshipping different incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the form of Shaligram stone will help to alleviate the problem.

Method of Worship

Worship of Salagram Sila can be done by women, shudras, brahmanas , ksatriyas etc. and they can all achieve the eternal abode of Lord Krisna perfectly. (Hari Bhakti Vilasa 5.452, from Skanda Purana, conversation between Lord Brahma and Narada Muni)

“Striyo va yadi va sudra brahmanah ksatriyadayah , pujayitva sila cakra labhante sasvatam padam”

Simple Procedure to worship

Once you collect The Shaligram:

• Wash it with water.
• Put in the base of either cloths or plate.

Put in the altar place or respected place and arrange the following as items as many as you can:

Punchgavya – Mix of Cow’s dung, urine, milk , ghee, and curd Water mixed with Kusha grass for sprinkling and a spoon 9 leaves of peepal tree arranged on a plate Plate for offerings to be placed during Puja Dhoop, Incense sticks Camphor and lamp Sandal paste Rice grains mixed with ashwagandha Ghee lamp (one wick) Offerings – Cloth, Flower, Fruit, Betel nut – Paan, Coconut

• Sit on an Asan facing toward the saligram
• Offers the above items one by one whatever you have arranged to saligram and offers the insence and bell and chant the following mantra nine times

“Om Dhyeyah Sada Savitr Mandala Madhya Varti Narayanah Sarasijasana Sannivistah Keyuravan Kanaka Kundalavan Kiriti Harir Hiranmaya Vapur Dharta Sankha Chakrah “Hare Ram,Hare Ram Hare Krishna ,Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare”