Guest guest Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Dear Shankar: Hope this answers your query. Look for the answer deep in the thought of this. The most popular legend about the origin of the shalgrama shila is the one associating it with tulasi or basil. According to the Devi Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu had three wives: Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Ganga. Once Lakshmi and Sarasvati quarreled and cursed each other. Sarasvati's curse turned Lakshmi into a tulasi plant and forced her to live on earth forever. Vishnu, however, intervened and modified the curse, saying that Lakshmi would remain on earth as tulasi until the river Gandaki flowed from her body. In the meantime, he would wait by the riverside in the form of a stone to take her back to heaven. This stone was the shalgrama shila, which remained on earth as a representative of Vishnu. Therefore, the shalgrama shila and tulasi plant is always worshipped together as Vishnu and Lakshmi. Since they are so closely associated, every year in the month of Kartik, the Vaishnavas marry a tulasi plant to a shalgrama shila in an elaborate ceremony. The Varaha Purana forbids women from touching the shalgrama shila. It states that all the merits they have earned by following their karma and by praying are nullified if they touch the stone. They are permitted, however, to worship the shalgrama shila from afar or through those men allowed to worship it. Even Brahmin women are not permitted to worship the stone nor can they inherit it. If there is no male heir, the stone is passed on to another Brahmin. Today, the stone can be found in the bed of the Gandaki river, which flows down through present-day Nepal and joins the Ganga in Bihar. It is also found near the Narmada river. The largest and heaviest shalgrama stone can be seen at the Jagannath Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, at Puri in Orissa. -- Another powerful Version: In another version of the same story, after Sarasvati cursed Lakshmi to live on earth as tulasi, Vishnu explained that things had happened as predestined. Lakshmi would indeed be born so on earth and marry Shankhachuda, the demon, to help the gods vanquish him. Accordingly, Lakshmi was born as Tulasi, and in due course was married to Shankhachuda. Because of a boon from Brahma, Shankhachuda could only be defeated if his wife was unfaithful to him. Believing he was invincible, Shankhachuda became arrogant and began tormenting people. They prayed to Vishnu for help, and Vishnu sent Shiva to kill Shankhachuda. Meanwhile Vishnu assumed the form of Shankhachuda and seduced Tulasi, to make her unfaithful and therefore nullify the effect of the boon. This would allow Shiva to kill the demon. When Tulasi discovered the deceit, she began to curse the impostor. Before she could complete the curse however, the imposter revealed himself to be Vishnu. He pacified Tulasi, and reminded her that she was, in fact, Lakshmi, who could now return to heaven with him since her curse was over. To mark the event, Lakshmi's hair became the tulasi plant, which remained on earth and was worshipped thereafter as her image, and her body was transformed into the river Gandaki. --Sanjay , "nshankar47" <nshankar47> wrote: > > Dear Respected Friends!! > I was reading the article on Tulsi... > It has an anti fertility effect. > If it has then how can it symbolise Lakshmi > or doesnt it sound contradictory a bit. > Tulsi being dear to Sriman Narayanar > and Lakshmi being dear to the Lord. > Is Tulsi actually symbolic of Alakshmi > who is opposite to Lakshmi and so one prays > to be spared of the anti fertility effects > kind of.. > Just wondering...my thoughts may be > totally false and pure crap. > So learned elders and friends, please correct me > and make me think in the right direction. > By the way I just love the Tulsi > Theertham given in Perumal Temples. I must add > that I was born with an inexplicable inborn attraction > and fondness to Lord Narayanar. Only over the last 4 > years slowly I have become fond of almost all Gods and Goddesses!!! > > N.Shankar Narayanan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Dear Sanjay, Could this shalgrama shila be the same as the saligram that is found in Nepal ? Regards. Deepak N. sanjaytechnology [sanjaytechnology] Saturday, February 14, 2004 11:15 AM Re: Tulsi---Something contradictory?? Dear Shankar: Hope this answers your query. Look for the answer deep in the thought of this. The most popular legend about the origin of the shalgrama shila is the one associating it with tulasi or basil. According to the Devi Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu had three wives: Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Ganga. Once Lakshmi and Sarasvati quarreled and cursed each other. Sarasvati's curse turned Lakshmi into a tulasi plant and forced her to live on earth forever. Vishnu, however, intervened and modified the curse, saying that Lakshmi would remain on earth as tulasi until the river Gandaki flowed from her body. In the meantime, he would wait by the riverside in the form of a stone to take her back to heaven. This stone was the shalgrama shila, which remained on earth as a representative of Vishnu. Therefore, the shalgrama shila and tulasi plant is always worshipped together as Vishnu and Lakshmi. Since they are so closely associated, every year in the month of Kartik, the Vaishnavas marry a tulasi plant to a shalgrama shila in an elaborate ceremony. The Varaha Purana forbids women from touching the shalgrama shila. It states that all the merits they have earned by following their karma and by praying are nullified if they touch the stone. They are permitted, however, to worship the shalgrama shila from afar or through those men allowed to worship it. Even Brahmin women are not permitted to worship the stone nor can they inherit it. If there is no male heir, the stone is passed on to another Brahmin. Today, the stone can be found in the bed of the Gandaki river, which flows down through present-day Nepal and joins the Ganga in Bihar. It is also found near the Narmada river. The largest and heaviest shalgrama stone can be seen at the Jagannath Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, at Puri in Orissa. -- Another powerful Version: In another version of the same story, after Sarasvati cursed Lakshmi to live on earth as tulasi, Vishnu explained that things had happened as predestined. Lakshmi would indeed be born so on earth and marry Shankhachuda, the demon, to help the gods vanquish him. Accordingly, Lakshmi was born as Tulasi, and in due course was married to Shankhachuda. Because of a boon from Brahma, Shankhachuda could only be defeated if his wife was unfaithful to him. Believing he was invincible, Shankhachuda became arrogant and began tormenting people. They prayed to Vishnu for help, and Vishnu sent Shiva to kill Shankhachuda. Meanwhile Vishnu assumed the form of Shankhachuda and seduced Tulasi, to make her unfaithful and therefore nullify the effect of the boon. This would allow Shiva to kill the demon. When Tulasi discovered the deceit, she began to curse the impostor. Before she could complete the curse however, the imposter revealed himself to be Vishnu. He pacified Tulasi, and reminded her that she was, in fact, Lakshmi, who could now return to heaven with him since her curse was over. To mark the event, Lakshmi's hair became the tulasi plant, which remained on earth and was worshipped thereafter as her image, and her body was transformed into the river Gandaki. --Sanjay , "nshankar47" <nshankar47> wrote: > > Dear Respected Friends!! > I was reading the article on Tulsi... > It has an anti fertility effect. > If it has then how can it symbolise Lakshmi > or doesnt it sound contradictory a bit. > Tulsi being dear to Sriman Narayanar > and Lakshmi being dear to the Lord. > Is Tulsi actually symbolic of Alakshmi > who is opposite to Lakshmi and so one prays > to be spared of the anti fertility effects > kind of.. > Just wondering...my thoughts may be > totally false and pure crap. > So learned elders and friends, please correct me > and make me think in the right direction. > By the way I just love the Tulsi > Theertham given in Perumal Temples. I must add > that I was born with an inexplicable inborn attraction > and fondness to Lord Narayanar. Only over the last 4 > years slowly I have become fond of almost all Gods and Goddesses!!! > > N.Shankar Narayanan ~! LIFE MEANS STRUGGLE, THE FITTEST WINS SURVIVAL !~ Links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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