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Wondering about the Shaligram stone benefits? Before that, let's know about the stone. Shaligram stone is a sacred stone found in the sacred river Gandaki in Nepal. It is considered a powerful stone with many benefits and is used for various purposes. This precious stone is associated with Lord Vishnu and is believed to bring peace, prosperity, and good luck to the person who possesses it.
The Shaligram stone is usually black and is found in varied shapes and sizes. It is a fossilized form of a sea creature, Ammonite, which is said to be over 300 million years old. This stone is highly revered in Hinduism and is believed to represent Lord Vishnu himself.
A fossilized ammonite, the Shaligram stone, is a type of mollusc that is believed to be sacred and used to live millions of years ago. The stone is now found in the sacred rivers of the Himalaya, such as the Gandaki River in Nepal. It is considered sacred as per mythology because it is the representation of Lord Vishnu. Shaligram stone benefits spiritual elevation by bringing harmony, richest and most prosperity, good health, and righteous living.
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The Shaligram stone is of immense significance in Hinduism, according to the ancient holy scriptures written by hand. The Shaligram stone has been mentioned in various Hindu scriptures and has been used for worship for more than 5000 years. This stone is believed to be a form of Lord Vishnu and is said to bring good luck and blessings to those who worship it. It is believed that the Shaligram stone can fulfill all wishes and is a blessing to those who keep it in their homes.
The Shiva Shaligram stone can be kept on a copper plate, along with tulsi leaves, which are considered sacred. This copper plate can be placed in the puja room of the house and worshipped with prayers and offerings. It is believed that worshipping the Shaligram stone in this manner will bring good luck, wealth, health, and prosperity to the family.
Shaligram stone Ayodhya sourced from Nepal are brought to India to construct Lord Rama's and Goddess Sita's idols for the Ayodhya Ram Mandir.
Therefore, the Shaligram stone is highly significant in Hinduism and has various benefits and uses. Those who keep the Shaligram stone in their homes and worship it as per the ancient holy scriptures will surely benefit from its blessings.
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As per the Padam Purana, Agni Tantra, Skand Purana, and other religious texts, Shaligram Stones are found in the Gandaki River in Nepal, with the source of Damodar Kund located in Damodar Himal. As per the mythology, once upon a time, a king named Vrishdadhvaja was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and only used to worship him. Knowing this, Lord Surya, enraged by the fact, cursed the king to lose his wealth and live in poverty, which came true. Despite this, the king worshipped Lord Shiva. After some time, the king had grandsons named Kushadhvaja and Dharmadhvaja, who decided to worship goddess Lakshmi in order to break the curse and went through hardships to please the goddess. The devotion was fruitful, and later both of them were blessed with baby girls, Vedavati and Tulsi.
Tulsi was a devotee of Lord Krishna and wanted to marry him, so she worshipped Lord Brahma, and by pleasing him, he requested that she give a boon to Lord Vishnu as her husband. However, Lord Brahma told Tulsidas she was resting in order to marry Asura Shankhachuda before marrying Lord Vishnu, who was the rebirth of Sudama. Tulsi accepted him as her husband and was a devoted wife to him. Shankhachuda, with great devotion, gained an armor that made him invincible, and he conquered the heavens and earth while driving away the gods from their abodes.
All the gods requested Lord Vishnu to help them, and Lord Vishnu told them to take help from Lord Shiva as he wanted to kill Shankhachuda. Lord Shiva obliged the request of the gods and went for a legendary battle against Shankhachuda and his army. With the boon given by Lord Brahma and his wife's chastity not being violated, defeating Shankhachuda became impossible. Knowing this, Lord Vishnu took the form of a poor Brahmin and asked Shankhachuda for his arms, which he obliged. After getting the Amar, Lord Vishnu took the form of Shankhachuda, went to Tulsi, and cohabited with him, violating her chastity. With this, Lord Shiva was able to kill Shankhachuda in the battle.
After understanding the conspiracy, Tulsi became angry and cursed Lord Vishnu to take the form of a big rocky mountain on the banks of the river Gandaki and to be known as Shaligram. Tulsi will be garnet as river Gandaki, and her hair will become an auspicious plant known as Tulsi. In the next part, Tulsi Plant and Shaligram will get married, restoring her chastity and fulfilling the boon provided by Lord Brahma.
Owning a Shaligram stone after knowing Shaligram stone benefits is a significant decision. But it is also important to know whether the stone is real or not. One can identify the stone easily as the original color of the shalgam is black or dark brown with a polished and smooth surface. The stone will have a natural weight and won't be artificially light or heavy. You can also identify the real Shaligram with the help of a gold or silver deposit test, as the real Shaligram will stick the deposit of golden silver with such vigor that you won't be able to wipe the glitter easily. So next time you go to purchase the pious stone, make sure to go through the points that we have mentioned here.
If you're looking to bring the second divine energy of Lord Vishnu into your home, a Shaligram stone is the way to go!
If you're looking for Shaligram stone, then the Muktinath area of Nepal is the place to be. You can pick it up from the Kali Gandaki's bed, a tributary of the Gandaki river in Nepal.
If you want to discern a genuine Shaligram stone, you should go for an examination. You can analyze the texture and shape of the Shaligram, which will have a rugged pattern instead of an artificial one. Many individuals apply an M seal on Shaligrams, So you can run your finger across its surface to see if any residue could suggest it is a fake. If you take a tiny piece of gold or silver and rub it on the even surface of the Shaligram, the particles of gold or silver will stick to the surface, making the Shaligram sparkle.
You can keep the Shaligram Stone home by placing it on a copper plate and praying.