Muktinath is an ancient Vishnu temple located in Mustang District, Nepal. The temple of Muktinath, known as 'the lord of liberation', is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists whom they worship as an abode of Hindu deity Vishnu and Buddhist deity Avalokiteśvara respectively.[]]
For Buddhists, Muktinath is an abode of - goddesses known as Sky Dancers and is considered one of the twenty-four vajrayana places. Tibetan Buddhists call it Chumig Gyatsa, which in Standard Tibetan means "Hundred Waters" and the murti is revered as a manifestation of Avalokiteśvara, who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas.
Muktinath temple is seen as a symbol of religious harmony in Nepal where both the Hindus and Buddhists have been historically worshipping on the same spot, mutually respecting and including each other.
Legend
Muktinath's importance within Hinduism is described in ancient Hindu
Vishnu Purana's
Gandaki River Mahatmya.
The ancient name of Muktinath in Sri Vaishnava literature is
Tiru Shaligramam. The
Gandaki River, which flows downstream from Muktinath, is considered to be the only source of the
Saligrama, the non-anthropomorphic representation of Vishnu. The Tibetan Buddhist tradition states that Guru Rinpoche, also known as
Padmasambhava, the founder of
Tibetan Buddhism, meditated at Muktinath on his way to
Tibet.
The temple is believed to have been blessed by numerous
.
Architecture
The central shrine of Muktinath is considered by Hindu
to be one of the eight most sacred shrines, known as
Swayambhu. The others are
Srirangam,
Srimushnam,
Tirupati,
Naimisaranya, Thotadri, Pushkar, and Badrinath. The
murti inside the temple is made of gold and is the size of a man.
The
prakaram (outer courtyard) has 108 bull faces through which water is poured, called mukti dharas (representing the
Sacred waters from
Divya Desams of Hinduism).
Religious significance
Hinduism
Vaishnavism
Muktinath is sacred to the
Sri Vaishnava tradition. The deities of Vishnu and his consorts,
Lakshmi and Bhudevi, are regarded by adherents as offering
Jivanmukta to devotees, offering the epithet Muktinath to Vishnu. It is praised by Thirumangai Alvar in the compilation of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. The river
Gandaki River, flowing adjacent to the temple has a kind of stone called
Salagram. The different patterns of the stone are worshiped as different forms of
Vishnu. The colour white is considered as
Vasudeva, black as
Vishnu, green as
Narayana, blue as
Krishna, golden yellow & reddish yellow as
Narasimha and
Vamana in yellow. The stones are found in various shapes with even shapes of the
Panchajanya and the Sudarshana Chakra, the attributes of Vishnu.
The temple is revered in
Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Kulasekhara Alvar in one hymn. The temple is classified as a
Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. Many devotees have contributed to it, most prominently the
Alvars. Thirumangai Alvar could not reach Muktinath, but sang 10 pasurams from the nearest place, in praise of the deity.
Periyalvar sang in praise of Vishnu as "Salagramamudaiya Nambi".
pontiff of
Srivilliputtur installed the idols of
Andal (Gotadevi),
Ramanuja, and Manavala Mamunigal there during the
yagna performed between 3 and 6 August 2009. This is considered by devotees of the tradition to be a milestone in the history of Muktinath. A large crowd of devotees visits this shrine, where the deity resides in the form of Sri Paramapada Nathan with his divine consorts Sridevi, Bhudevi,
Niladevi, and Gotadevi.
Shaktism
Muktinath Temple is considered an important place of pilgrimage in
Shaktism as one of the
Shakta pithas associated with goddess Sati's head (face). The
Shakti of Muktinath is addressed as "Gandaki Chandi", and the
Bhairava (
Shiva) as "Chakrapani".
Muktinath temple complex is also revered as a place on earth to host all Pancha Bhuta (fire, water, sky, earth, and air) from which all material things in the universe are made. The goddess Jwala Mai Temple situated adjacent to the Muktinath Temple is worshipped for its sacred flame fueled by natural gas emanating from the earth.
Buddhism
The temple has been worshipped by Buddhists as an abode of Avalokiteśvara, the Buddha who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. In
Tibetan Buddhism, the place is known as "Chumig Gyatsa" (the Hundred Springs) and is venerated as one of the important places related to
Padmasambhava, the founder of
Tibetan Buddhism and one of the 24
vajrayana (sacred) places of
Tibetan Buddhism.
The area of the temple is worshipped as a residence of 21 Tara and many Dakinis, goddesses known as Sky Dancers.
The nuns of the temple complex are considered to be goddesses called Dakinis and to be the offsprings of the women who were taught by
Padmasambhava during his stay in Muktinath. It is believed that Padmasambhava built a statue in his own image before departing from Muktinath to Tibet, which resides in the Mharme Lhakhang Gompa and is tended by these nuns.
Gallery
File:Himalaya mountain Near Muktinath, Mustang.jpg|Himalayan near Muktinath, Mustang, Nepal
File:Muktinath Valley, Ridge, Nepal.jpg|Muktinath valley
File:Kali Gandaki Valley260, Nepal.JPG|Muktinath Temple
File:Entrance to Muktinath-Temple in Mustang-Region of Nepal.JPG|Entrance to the temple area
File:Inside Muktinath Temple.jpg|The Vishnu shrine inside Muktinath Temple
File:Mukthinath1.jpg|Goddess Jwala Mata Shakta pitha Temple
File:Holy Shree Muktinath Temple.jpg|Muktinath Temple with 2 ponds (right) and 108 spouts (left)
File:Tap in Muktinath-Temple - Mustang - Nepal.JPG|Close-up of one of the 108 holy spouts
File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi offering prayers at Muktinath Temple, in Nepal on May 12, 2018 (3).JPG|Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, offering prayers
File:Main Muktinath temple and ponds c.2016.jpg|Temple and pond
File:Muktinath After2.jpg|Prayer flags over Muktinath area
File:Gumba at Mustang atop Dhumba lake.jpg|Gumba
File:PSX 20190506 224558.jpg|Buddha overlooking valley
File:Muktinath Bus Stand,Mustang Nepal.jpg|Muktinath bus stand
See also
Picture in map of Nepal
