Changes

== Location ==

== Location ==

== Temple ==

== Temple ==

Muktinath is Lord Vishnu sitting in a meditative posture. It is said that Lord Vishnu Himself is sitting and meditating under the current deity and is maintaining the whole cosmic manifestation from there. "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Mukthinathaya Narayanaya" is written on the entrance of the sanctum. The sanctum is surrounded by 108 ice-cold water outlets (mukti-dhara) signifying 108 Diyvadesams. The source of water is the Gandaki river spring at the top of the mountain. A few meters away from the temple is a Buddhist monastry housing the '''nirantara-jyothi''' or eternal flame. The temple also has a yajna-shala, where 108 saligrama-shilas are worshipped. One of the big saligrama-shilas kept outside the inner temple weighs more than 70 kgs. Muktinath deity is worshipped by Acharyas from the Vaishnava Ashram. Devotees in the Vaishnava ashram are eager to serve prasadam to visitors if informed in advance.

Muktinath is Lord Vishnu sitting in a meditative posture. It is said that Lord Vishnu Himself is sitting and meditating under the current deity and is maintaining the whole cosmic manifestation from there. "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Mukthinathaya Narayanaya" is written on the entrance of the sanctum. The sanctum is surrounded by 108 ice-cold water outlets (mukti-dhara) signifying 108 Diyvadesams. The source of water is the Gandaki river spring at the top of the mountain. A few meters away from the temple is a Buddhist monastry housing the '''nirantara-jyothi''' or eternal flame. Muktinath deity is worshipped by Acharyas from the Vaishnava Ashram. Devotees in the Vaishnava ashram are eager to serve prasadam to visitors if informed in advance.

[[File:Yajna-shala.jpg|thumb|Muktinath Yajna-shala with Saligrama-shilas]]

== Yajna-shala ==

The temple has a yajna-shala, where 108 saligrama-shilas are worshipped. One of the big saligrama-shilas kept outside the inner temple weighs more than 70 kgs.

[[File:Big Saligrama.jpg|thumb|Big saligrama-shila weighing 70 Kgs]]

[[File:Yajnashala2.jpg|150px|Muktinath Yajna-shala with Saligrama-shilas]] [[File:Yajna-shala.jpg|150px|Muktinath Yajna-shala with Saligrama-shilas]]  [[File:Big Saligrama.jpg|150px|Big saligrama-shila weighing 70 Kgs]]

== Saligrama-kshetra ==

== Saligrama-kshetra ==

There are more than a hundred varieties of Saligrama-shilas. Those that can be enclosed within a fist are worshipable at home whereas others that are bigger are generally kept in temples or mutts. It takes a lot of expertise to identify a genuine Saligrama-shila. While some of them have external carvings, most others have no trace externally. According to the head priest of Muktinath, one should never break a shila to check for carvings; they are to be worshiped in their whole form with faith.

There are more than a hundred varieties of Saligrama-shilas. Those that can be enclosed within a fist are worshipable at home whereas others that are bigger are generally kept in temples or mutts. It takes a lot of expertise to identify a genuine Saligrama-shila. While some of them have external carvings, most of the others have no trace externally. According to the head priest of Muktinath, one should never break a shila to check for carvings; they are to be worshiped in their whole form with faith.