Sri Badri Narayana Perumal Temple, Badrinath
Thiruvadhari Ashramam
Photo: Anubha khare · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
One of the Char Dham and one of the eight Swayamvyakta kshetras of Vishnu.
Sthala Purāṇam
Thiruvadhari Ashramam, the Sri Badri Narayana Perumal temple at Badrinath in Uttarakhand (about 10,300 feet above sea level on the bank of the Alaknanda river), is one of the 108 Divya Desams and a Char Dham site. The sthala puranam recounts that the divine sages Nara and Narayana performed severe penance here to destroy the demon Sahasrakavacha, who tormented sages and yogis, and thereafter permanently established themselves at Badri; the twin snow-clad peaks flanking the Alaknanda are accordingly named Nara Parvatam (east) and Narayana Parvatam (west). The Perumal here is honoured as the teacher of Artha Panchaka Gnanam - knowledge of the soul, the supreme, the goal, the means and the obstacles. The Moolavar, Badri Narayanan, is fashioned of saligram stone in seated Padmasana posture facing east, four-armed, bearing conch and discus with the others in dhyana and abhaya gestures; the Thayar is Aravindavalli (Mahalakshmi). The temple's name derives from the badri (date/jujube, elandhai) tree said to shelter the Lord - symbolising Lakshmi's protective presence against the harsh climate. Sacred tirthams include the hot springs of Tapta Kund and Brahma Kund, near the Vyasa and Ganesha caves. The shrine opens only about six months yearly (mid-May to November); during winter the utsava deity is moved to Joshimath. In the Divya Prabandham, mangalasasanam was offered by Periyalvar and Thirumangai Alvar.
Mangalāśāsanam — the Āḻvār pāsurams
The Lord Badri Narayana Perumal with Aravindavalli (Badridevi / Mahalakshmi) of Thiruvadhari Ashramam is glorified in 24 pāsurams by:
Thiruvadhari Ashramam — Badarikashramam (Badrinath) on the banks of the Ganga/Alakananda in the Himalayas — is the northern Himalayan Divya Desam. Periyalvar offered one pasuram and Thirumangai Alvar an extensive Mangalasasanam (about 21 pasurams) spread across two consecutive Periya Thirumozhi decades: 1.3 ('muRRa mUththu', vadhari, 968-977) and 1.4 ('EnamunAgi', vadhariyAchchiramam, 978-987). Thirumangai instructs his own heart to meditate on the Lord of Badari, worshipped by the celestials who bring divine fragrant flowers to His feet on the banks of the Ganga.
ஏனமுனாகி இருநிலம் இடந்து அன்று இணையடி இமையவர் வணங்கத் தானவனாகம் தரணியில் புரளத் தடஞ்சிலை குனித்த என் தலைவன் தேனமர் சோலைக் கற்பகம் பயந்த தெய்வ நல் நறுமலர் கொணர்ந்து வானவர் வணங்கும் கங்கையின் கரைமேல் வதரியாச்சிராமத்துள்ளானே
EnamunAgi irunilam idandhu anRu iNaiyadi imaiyavar vaNangath thAnavanAgam tharaNiyil puraLath thadanjilai kuniththa en thalaivan thEnamar sOlaik kaRpagam payandha dheyva nal naRumalar koNarndhu vAnavar vaNangum gangaiyin karaimEl vadhariyAchchirAmaththuLLAnE
My Lord — who once became the Boar and lifted up the great earth so that the celestials worshipped His twin feet, and who bent His mighty bow so that the demon's body rolled upon the ground — is residing in Badarikashramam on the banks of the Ganga, worshipped by the heavenly beings who bring along the divine, excellent, fragrant flowers borne by the kalpaka (wish-granting) trees of the honey-filled groves.
Tamil text & meaning sourced from divyaprabandham.koyil.org and other Śrī Vaiṣṇava authorities — please cross-check the linked source for the canonical reading.
Read the pāsurams ↗Gallery
Tap an image to view it larger — use ‹ › to browse, ✕ to close. Images via Wikimedia Commons.
Plan your visit
📍 30.74470, 79.49117
Routes, distances, hotels and restaurants open in Google Maps with live data. Build a phased pilgrimage plan →