Yogdhyan Badri

Yogdhyan Badri is a revered temple located in the serene town of Karnprayag in Uttarakhand, India. It is one of the five Badri temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu, collectively known as the Panch Badri. The temple holds immense religious significance, especially for devotees of the Hindu faith. Yogdhyan Badri is unique due to its peaceful and tranquil setting, as it is believed to be the place where Lord Vishnu meditated in a yogic posture, hence the name Yogdhyan (Yogic meditation). The temple offers a sense of spiritual solace and is often visited by pilgrims seeking divine blessings. The temple’s calm ambiance and spiritual importance make it a significant pilgrimage site for devotees, especially those embarking on the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand.

Yogdhyan Badri Temple is one of the holy ‘Sapta Badri’ or seven Badri’s located at Pandukeshwar, Badrinath. There is a shrine of Lord Vishnu who is worshiped in a meditative posture. People come to pray to the deity of Lord Vishnu. Legends believe that it was installed by King Pandu (Father of the pandavas). The deity is made of bronze and is believed to wash away sins.
According to the myth, the Pandavas came back to Hastinapir and took over Hastinapur to Raja Parikshit retired here. Also, king Pandu, the father of Pandavas, had spent his last days doing meditation, also known as yog in Sanskrit here before his Nirvana, and hence it was named Yogdhyan (yog means yoga and dhyan means meditation). Some of old manuscript provides valuable information about the history and the Rajas that have been ruling over here.

The surrounding region is Panchal Desh better known as UttarKhand. Suryakund. The mystery is that inspite of being situated in top of a glacier, the water is hot. Legends believe that in this respective hot water spring, Kunti gave birth to Karna, son of Surya Dev. As he was the son of Suya dev it is believed that the water is hot for the same reason. Pandavas fought against their brother the Kauravas and killed them. They came to Yog Dhyan badri for penance (a way to wash away all sins they commited). From this place the pandavas further went for their eternal peace to the swarg (heaven). They started their swargyatra (journey to heaven) from this place.

Legends believe that King Arjun also meditated here which attracted God Indra. God Indra sent beautiful women (pari or angels) from heaven to distract him. He did not get distracted from his meditation, which impressed God Indra. It is also believed that the Vishnu shrine situated in the temple was given by God Indra to King Arjun as a gift for his dedication towards his meditation.

Pandukeshwar in Badrinath

Pandukeshwar – Land of Pandu’s

Meditation Pandukeshwar is named after King Pandu who use to meditate here to get rid of all the sins he has committed by killing of sages. Archeologists believes that King Pandu was living with his wives Kunti and Madri in the Pandukeshwar after giving his throne and kingdom to his elder brother Dhritrashtra.

To get rid of the curse and sins he has committed by killing sages he installed a shrine of Vishnu in pandukeshwar. He prayed to lord Vishnu. Kunti and Madri gave birth to pandavas through Yogdhyan. While Madri was taking bath Pandu got attracted towards her and tried making love but died as he received a curse from a sage who was killed by Pandu while the sage was making love with a deer.

Pandukeshwar – Padavas in Exile

During the 12 years of exile, the pandavas stayed here and did the funeral of their father here during the exile (banabas) period. They also built a Lord Vasudev a temple which had a deity of Lord Vishnu. Arjun (one of the pandavas) meditated in Yogdhyan Badri and praised lord Indra to get blessing from him. The pandavas also built the idol of goddess Laxmi and Madri.

Yogdhyan Badri Tourism

Yogdhyan Badri situated in Chamol district of Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand state in India is situated in a popular and picture perfect location attracting thousands of nature lover adventurers from and outside India.
Surya kund is believed to be the place where Kunti gave birth to Karna. Karna was the son of Kunti and Surya. The time Karna was born Kunti was unmarried. In order to save her dignity Kunti left Karna in the river Ganga. Karna was the result of the blessing Rishi Durbasha. Kunti tried to experiment the blessing and karna was born. But she was unable to handle it as at that time it was believed that an unmarried girl could not bear children. So she was scared of the customers and took the decision of living Karna drown in river Ganga.
The meditative vibe of the temple encourages people to meditate and connect with spiritualism, it also insists people to stay calm and Parise the God and goddess.

Best Time To Visit Pandukeshwar

Pandukeshwar can be visited any time of the year as it is open all the year. Out of the 12 months the ideal time of visiting the temple is April to June and September to November. It is believed that at this time the weather has ideal condition and God is at its prime.

In conclusion, Yogdhyan Badri stands as a sacred beacon of spirituality in the heart of Uttarakhand, offering a peaceful retreat for those seeking divine connection. Its association with Lord Vishnu’s meditation adds to its reverence, making it an essential part of the Panch Badri circuit. Whether you are a devoted pilgrim or a seeker of tranquility, the temple provides a profound spiritual experience. The beauty of the temple, coupled with its rich history, continues to attract visitors who are drawn to its serene surroundings and deep-rooted religious significance.