Intoduction
'Sri Muktinath is Also known as Muktichetra (Kshetra),or Muktinath Dham or Muktinarayan Saligram Dham'.Muktinath is Famous Scared Pilgrimage place to all Hindu , Vaisnava devotee and to Buddha Devotee due to residential of lord vishnu,shiva and brahma in such a Holy site.The Big Moutain,Trekking of Himalaya ,Temple and Gumba(Stupa) is influenced to every devotee,Trekkers and Visitors due to natural beauty and 3rd Largest Peak of World ,Mountain De 'Annapurna' . Mostly some visitors planned to visit Muktinath to Learn Himalayan Culture and People, visit to Shaligram dham(Lord vishnu pilgrimage),For Ritual ceremony and Mainly mostly Indian and Nepalese come from different city and village to Worship 'Muktinath Temple',The Famous and Powerful Temple of Lord Vishnu.
Muktinath Temple
Muktinath(Lord vishnu) with Laxmi Saraswati
Above Picture in taken in Way to Muktinath - Temple and Muktinath Valley
Location, Distance and Geography
Muktinath is Situated in 3749 m Above Sea level in an Isolated Valley of the Vast Snowy Wilderness of the Himalayas.- The Famous Muktinath lies in Mustang District of Dhawalagiri Zones ,North-West of Nepal, Muktinath Temple Can be Reached After 6 Hours journey From The Holy and Hindu Ritual Ceremony observing Place Name as "KAGBENI" or 'KAGBENI KUNDA' which also lies in Mustang.
So About The Famous Pilgrimage and Valley Site of Muktinath it is about 70 Miles(2 days) From North of Pokhara City Valley and 3 days From Kathmandu City By Bus.Kathmandu is Capital City where Only One International Airport of Whole Nepal is Situated ,where every visitors is checkout in entry of Nepal,After entering kathmandu city,many visitors plan to visit Different Scared Place of Whole Nepal.
Religion - Vaisnava/Hindu and Buddhist .
Cast - Brahmin,Vaisnava,Tibetan,Sherpa,Lama,Himalayan People and Few Migrated hilly people.
Muktinath Temple
Muktinath Temple is One of the Four Great Pilgrimage of Nepal. Muktinath is Famous Due to its Famous Temple Muktinath,Lord vishnu Temple(Mandir). The Image(Murti) of Lord Lord Vishnu is Placed in Small Pagoda Temple.Both Hindu/Vaisnava and Buddhist Worship with Great Veneration. We can see lord vishnu,along with laxmi Saraswati in Temple and Different Devidevta(Lord/lordess) in inside temple.According to Different Hindu Mythology Script and Glory,The Epic of Muktinath is Described as Sanskrit Manta -
"मुक्तिहेतो : कृतो यज्ञओ ब्रहाअण योग संज्ञक://
मुक्तिक्षत्रमिति ख्यात तासमालोके घटोद्रब्//
प्रत्यअक्ष येत्र रुद्रोशाःबगति मुर्तिधरइस्तता//
विष्णुचाम्रित मुर्तिस्च होताजस्तत्र कि पुन ://
लोकाश्चतुबिधोद्रबता: स्नान्त्वा यत्र कलेवरम //
तेक्ता मुक्ति प्राप्नुबन्ति मुक्तिक्षेत्र तत् स्मृतम//
English Meaning - " Once God Brahma Did Yog Rup Yagya to attain Mukti(Salvation),So this place is Famous as Muktichetra, On Muktinath, God Shiva is Situated as Agni Rup(Fire Form),Lord Vishnu as Water form and Brahma as 'The' or 'होता' Form,So who Can described a Such a Holy and Spirtual Place?, where god vishnu,shiva and Brahma live together.
In Temple there is 108 WaterSpouts and Trapta Kunda(Pond),Where All Four Varanas(All Cast) People Attain Salavation(Mukti) who Even Bath and Drinks Water in Once ever in Life.The all sin will be washes and attain blessing of Hari(lord Narayan).
शिव पुराण अनुसार - " तदा रानम्ममुक्तिनाथख्य शिवलिंगम महाद्रभुतम//
दर्शनाद्चनातस्य भुक्तिमुक्तिस्च लब्यते//
(According to shiva puran,51),Thus who worship and darshan of Advut Muktinath Shivalinga and bath in kunda will attain both Mukti and Bhukti.
God Shaligram in Kaligandaki River in Muktinath, Mustang district.
Kaligandaki River is Also Known as Krishna Gandaki River as Ancient names,the Holy ganges river related to Krishna(lord vishnu). In Gandaki river,lord vishnu himself reside as being Shaligram shila,so gandaki river is important and main powerful holy river in world. Shaligram is direct Symbol of lord vishnu.Shaligram is one of the main incarnation of lord vishnu in form of Murti(stone).
The Bank of Kaligandaki river in Muktinath, and the Vicinity of Damodar Kunda,north of muktinath are only Found Sri Shaligram shila and no where else in world.The importance and Significance of Shaligram is described Detailly in Agni puran,Devi bhagavat gita,skanda purana etc most of Supreme hindu Scripts.
Above picture - Kaligandaki river,Shaligram Dham
According To vishnu Puran - Lord Vishnu incarnated Himself in form of Saligram(Holy stone),Tulsi (holy bassil),Peepal trees(holy tree) and Kush (holy grass),due to curse of Women Brinda,Wife of Devil Jalandhar.So Shaligram is Found in Chakra marks,Symbol and in every form of shaligram because lord vishnu ordered lord Bishwakarma(lord of artitecture) to makes beautiful stone in my shaligram.
Lord Vishnu said to Lord vishwakarma that -Hey Bishwakarama,you makes my saligram different chakra and design being Inscect Bagrakeeta(water insect),so it is now also shaligram is found in different chakra and marks.
Drinking holy godly water of kaligandaki river will attains happiness and purify their bodies,Those person will consider as pure human in world.Those who Do their Ancestor Yearly Ceremony or those who go pilgrimage to Kaligandaki river muktinath any time once in life time will attain lord vishnu hood and washes all their sin done in every past,present life and finally attains mukti(salvation),the journey to Baikuntha(lord vishnu home) after birth cycle in earth.More about shaligram jump to Saligram silas .
DamodarKunda - Damodar kunda also lies in muktinath.DamodarKunda is Place where lord vishnu in form of Damodar direct dwells. Damodar Kunda is also known as Only one resting water Pond (Kunda) and home of lord vishnu in universe.Lord vishnu rest in Damodarkunda.
Above Picture - DamodarKunda Muktinath Nepal
From most place of around Nepal,every cast people comes to bath in damodar kunda every year as well as many indian and American Bhaktajan.Rarely Saligram is also found in Damodar Kunda luckily. It is Said that any one who observe Pitri(ancestor)Worship and offering in Damodar kund,pleases their ancestor in heaven.All Ancestor will attain Baikuntha loka due to offering and worship done by their Son or Grandson in Damodarkunda.
History of Muktinath .
Muktinath or Muktikshetra ,A names is Derieved From Sanskrit Language,Muktinath is composed of Two words Mukti and Nath. Where mukti means Salvation and Nath means god. Muktikshetra is Derived is composed of two words, Mukti mean lord of Salvation and Kshetra means Residential place.Muktinath is a such a place where different devotee from South Asia,Western country and mostly Indian Devotee Visit to attain Mukti(Salvation),freedom from cycle of Birth and rebirth.
According to most hindu Devotee " This World is an Illusion,the earliest one gets out of it the better,and visit to muktinath will help to attain free from illusion".It is Said that One Should Visit Muktinath after completing Char Dham Yatra(four Powerful Pilgrimage worship) Sites. According to Religious Book it is said that Muktinath is also 51th Shakti peeths.
According to Some Sri Vaisnva Devotee,Muktinath is also known as Salagrama,the home of lord vishnu.Salagrama is lord vishnu himself,found in muktinath,One of the name of lord vishnu.MuktiDham is only place to attain lord narayana.So Some devotee spend oldage whole life in muktinath to please lord vishnu.
Buddhist - Buddhist Calls Muktinath Valley the 'Chuming Gyasta',which means 'Hundred Waters' in Tibetan Language. According to Different Buddhist in Muktinath,Muktinath is also very important place of Dakinis,Goddess Known as Sky Dancers and one of the 24 Tantric Places.They Believe the idol of Muktinath to be Manifestation of Avalokiteshwara.
The Temple of Muktinath is small in comparison with other Temples.It is One of the most ancient Hindu temples of God vishnu. The Pagoda Style of Muktinath is Symbol of Religious Harmony between Hindu and Buddhist.
Hindu Regards Muktinath as Lord vishnu,where as Buddhist regard as Buddha.The Idol is made of gold and tall is enough to compare with man.
According to Sri Vaisnva and Sriman Narayana,Muktinath is One of the 8 DivyaDesam,Scared Shrines for every Hindu and Vaisnava Known as "Svayam Vyakta Ksetras" which is said to have risen on its own,the Other Seven DivyaDesam are,SriRangam,SriMushnam,Tirupati Balaji(Venatakeshvara),Naimisharanya,Totadri,Pushkar and Badrinath.It is also One of the 108 Vaishnava Shrines(Divya desham).
Pujari(Priest of The Main Temple of Muktinath) - There is an old Buddhist Monk who looks after the temple and worship is Conducted by Buddhist Nuns.A Local nun Manages the Puja in temple.The Piligrims who go there should offer Prasadam to the deity.The Buddhist Pujari offered all ritual Puja in temple.
Main Rules in Muktinath Temple
1 - Photography and Filming of Deities inside Temple and monastries is Strictly Prohibited,we should not take camera inside temple.
2 - This place is Opened throughout the year but specially in Rishitarpani,Ram Nawami,and Bijay Dashami thousand of pilgrims gather to celibrate the festicval.
Suitable Climate - Time to Visit Muktinath
The most suitable time to visit muktinath is From March to June and September to November as weather condition would not be favorable to travel in other time. The Journey passes through many archological sites and temples.Against a Backdrop of incredible Starkness you can sit and stare at snow covered Annapurna range in the south or at the Tibetan Plateou in North.
The temple and Religious Shrines are above 90 Km in elevation above Ranipauwa.There are no hotels and commitee doesnot allow Camping.
The Valley Has Seven Historic Village,Putak,Jhong,Chhyonkhar,Purang,Jharkot and Khinga. Ranipauwa is a New Settelement founded by people of Purang. The main ethnic Group of the valley is Bhotias,sherpa,lama.
Famous and Powerful Temple in Muktinath
Jwala Mai Temple -http://www.srishaligram.com/muktinath-dham.html
