For All the Others! [was Importance and usuage of shaligram

[Guest guest]

BTW in case anyone takes my post the wrong way - please do not

mistake my post on this topic as anti-Hindu. There are stories in the

Christian Bible and other Xtian stories that I think are complete BS,

indicative of patriarchal practices at the time of the writing and or

at the time of the happenings related in the material, and such

practices continue today as a result of being so ingrained. That's

where I'm coming from in my post. Hope it doesn't offend. I am

genuinely interested to know what divinity or value there is in the

story of a male human or God setting out to "spoil the chastity of a

chaste woman." What does that mean exactly, if it's metaphorical??

 

, "Mary Ann"

<buttercookie61> wrote:

> Thanks for sharing this info. And what a bunch of BS it is. Tell

me,

> how is Divine energy expressed or served by or through any of this

> foolish tale, or the actors therein?

>

> , Pinakin Arya

> <pinakinarya> wrote:

> > Hi All.......

> >

> > Thought I would share the info I had on Shaligrams........BUT

NEVER

> SHOULD BUY OR SELL ONE......ALWAYS GIVE AND TAKE AS A GIFT.....

> >

> > Om Namah Shivaye!!

> >

> >

> > According to the Puranas once a fierce battle broke out between

> Lord Shiva and the demon Jallundhara. They both appeared equally

> matched with no one ready to lose, and hence the battle continued

for

> a long time. In fact it was not like an ordinary battle between the

> gods and the demons, but it was a match between the chastities of

two

> chaste women Parvati and Vrinda.

> >

> > Lord Shiva knew it well, that unless the chastity of Vrinda, the

> wife of Jallundhara, was spoiled, Jallundhara could not be killed.

> But it was against the nature of gods, they could not spoil the

> chastity of a chaste woman, Hence despite knowing everything, the

> gods were

> > helpless, but for Jallundhara, nothing was a taboo.

> >

> > So thinking, that spoiling the chastity of Parvati, he could

defeat

> Lord Shiva, Jallundhara reached Parvati in the guise of Lord Shiva.

> But Parvati, who is herself the supreme ruler of illusion (MAYA)

knew

> by her virtues the craftiness of Jallundhara. She at once ended his

> > guise and signalled Lord Krishna (Vishnu) that it was now just to

> spoil the chastity of Jallundhara's wife, Vrinda, and it will not

be

> a sin .

> >

> > So, Lord Krishna approached Vrinda in the guise of Jallundhana.

> Vrinda could not understand the craftiness, and because of intimate

> presence her chastity got spoiled. Later on when Vrinda came to

know

> the reality, she got infuriated and cursed Lord Krishna - O Lord,

> > despite being a learned God you have not behaved well.So go and

> turn into shapeless black stone.

> >

> > Thus by the curse of a chaste woman Lord Krishna turned into a

> blackstone. But later on Vrinda felt guilty that at the surge of

> excitement she had cursed none other than her own deity. Thus

begging

> pardon of God, she sought a boon that from that moment

> > onward, God will be worshipped in the same stone form. Saying

> Tathastu, God accepted her curse and turned into a black stone, and

> came to be known as Shaligrama. As Shaligram, idol of God is found

in

> innumerable numbers on the bed of the river Gandaki (Gandaka)which

is

> in Nepal.

> >

> > ORIGIN OF TULSI (BASIL)

> >

> > Having cursed by Vrinda, Lord Vishnu cursed her back that as she

> had cursed him to become a black stone, So I curse you to become a

> tree. In tree form also you will be known as Tulsi and without your

> worship, mine worship will not be complete. Since then formal

worship

> > of Shaligrama began, and Tulsi leaves are specifically offered on

> it to complete the worship.

> >

> > NEED TO TAKE CHARANAMRITA

> >

> > When the idols of deities are given bath, the water remained

after

> it is collected. This water is known as Charanamrita. Charanamrita

> collected from the bath of Shaligrama has far more significance

than

> Charananmrita of any other deity. Idol of a deity is given a bath

> amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns. Hence the Charanamrita

collected

> after the bath contains full effects of these hymns. Besides, it

also

> touches the idol and basil leaves, Thus taking their virtues as

well.

> Hence it has the power to destroy the three Doshas. At the same time

> > it has the virtue to take away untimely death also. But to take

> maximum benefit,

> >

> > Charanamrita must be taken with the following hymn.

> >

> > AKALA MRITYU HARANAM SARVAVYADHIVINASHANAM|

> > DEVA POODAKAM TIRTHAM JATHARE DHARYAMAHAM||

> >

> > Meaning : To prevent untimely death and cure all types of

disease,

> I put the Charanamrita that is like a pilgrimage place in my belly.

> Thus virtues of the places of Pilgrimage ar also present in God's

> Charanamrita. Hence, taking Charanamrita one gets the charity of

> > performing pilgrimage and bathing in holy rivers also.

> >

> > Shree Shaligram

> > Believers in the Hindu Religion and God, worship Shree Shaligram

> with full faith because it is regarded as the symbol of Lord

Vishnu.

> Shaligram (fossil) is found in Gandak River n Nepal. It is said in

> the Hindu Mythology that only the drinking of the

> > charanamrit, obtained from bathing the Shree Shaligram with the

> mixture of the Ganga water, curd, milk ghee and honey with the

Tulsi

> leaves removes the sinful and maligned mentality of the person.

> Without taking this charanamrit, the worship of Lord Vishnu is

> > incomplete. In the Padma Purana Lord Siva declares the greatness

of

> salagrama sila as follows:

> >

> > Mallinga Kotibhi Drsthi Yad Phalam Pujiti |

> > Salagrama Sila Yamtu Ekasyam Iva Tad Bhaved ||

> >

> >

> > The merit obtained by seeing and worshipping hundreds of

thousands

> of My Lingams, is equivalent to that obtained by worshipping one

> single salagrama sila. Lord Shiva further declares that, "My

devotees

> who offer obeisances to the shalagrama-shila even negligently

become

> fearless. Those who adore me while making a distinction between

> myself (Shiva) and Lord Hari will become free from this offence by

> offering obeisances to shalagrama-shila. Those who think themselves

> as my devotees, but who are proud and do not offer obeisances to my

> Lord Vasudeva, are actually sinful and not my devotees. O my son, I

> always reside in the shalagrama-shila. Being pleased with my

devotion

> the Lord has given me a residence in His personal abode.

> >

> > The Padma Purana says giving a shalagrama-shila, is the best form

> of charity, being equal to the result of donating the entire earth

> together with its forests, mountains, and all. The Garuda Purana

> describes the glories of keeping a shalagrama-shila with the

> auspicious mark of a chakra in one's house.

> >

> > Importance of Shaligram:-

> >

> > Ato'dhisthana Vargesu Suryadisviva Murtisu |

> > Salagrama Silaiva Syad Adhisthanottamam Hareh ||

> >

> > The Lord resides in many places in which he may be worshipped,

but

> of all places Salagrama is the best. (Skanda Purana)

> >

> > Salagrama Sila Rupi Yatra Tisthati Kesavah |

> > Tatra Devasurayaksa Bhuvanani Catur Dasa ||

> >

> > Drstva Pranamita Yena Snapita Pujita Tatha |

> > Yajna Koti Samam Punyam Gavam Koti Phalam Bhavet ||

> >

> > Lord Siva spoke to Skanda, his son, saying that any person who

has

> seen Salagram Sila, paid obeisances to Him, bathed and worshipped

> Him, has achieved the results of performing ten million sacrifices

> and giving ten million cows in charity. (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 5/384

> > from SKANDA PURANA)

> >

> > Pujito'ham Na Tair Martyair Namito'ham Na Tair Narah |

> > Nakrtam Martya Loke Yaih Salagram Silarcanam ||

> >

> > (Lord Siva speaks to his son, Skanda) In this mortal world, if

> anyone does not worshipSalagram Sila, I do not at all accept any of

> their worship and obeisances.(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 5/396 from SKANDA

> PURANA)