History of budhanilkantha temple

    The Budhanilkantha statue of the Hindu god Vishnu, located approximately 10 kilometers from the center of Kathmandu at the base of the Shivapuri Hill, is the major and most beautiful stone carving in all of Nepal. It is additionally the most enigmatic.

Created from a single block out of black basalt natural stone of unknown origin, the Budhanilkantha statue is 5 meters in length and it is based on a reclining position within a recessed tank of normal water (representing the cosmic sea) that is 13 metres in length. Called the Sleeping Vishnu, or Jalakshayan Narayan, the statue describes the deity reclining on the twisting coils of the cosmic serpent Shesha (Shesha is the everlasting, multi-headed king of the serpent deities known as Nagas, and also is the servant of Vishnu). Vishnu's legs are surpassed and the eleven mind of Shesha cradle his head. Vishnu's four hands hold objects that are symbols of his bright qualities: a chakra or disc (representing the mind), a conch-shell (the four elements), a lotus bloom (the moving universe) and the club (primeval knowledge).
Budhanilkantha literally means "old blue-throat' and how it got that name is fascinating, as explained by the wonderful Rough Guide to Nepal:

"Budhanilkatha's name has been a source of endless confusion. It has nothing to do with the Buddha (budha means "old", though which stop Buddhist Newars - a particular sect of Nepalese Buddhists - from worshipping the image). The real puzzler is why Budhanilkantha (literally "Old Blue Throat"), a title which definitely refers to Shiva, has been attached here to Vishnu. The myth of Shiva's blue throat, a well liked in Nepal, relates the way the gods churned the ocean of living and inadvertently unleashed a poison that threatened to destroy the earth. That they begged Shiva just to save them from their blunder and he obliged by having the poison. His esophagus burning, the great god flew up to the range north of Kathmandu, struck the mountainside with his trident to create a lake, Gosainkund, and quenched his thirst - suffering no lasting sick effect apart from a rare patch in the can range f. The water in the Sleeping Vishnu's tank is popularly believed to form in Gosainkund, and Shaivas claim a reclining image of Shiva can be seen under the oceans of the lake throughout the gross annual Shiva festival there in August, which perhaps explains the association. Localized legend maintains that a mirror-like statue of Shiva lies on the statue's underside. inches

Two old stories offer differing details of the foundation of the Budhanilkantha statue. 1 says that the sculpture was sculpted and helped bring (by devotees or pressured labor) to its current location in Kathmandu during the reign of the seventh-century monarch Vishnugupta, who handled the Kathmandu pit under the Licchavi full Bhimarjunadev.
An alternate story relates that in times past a farmer and his wife occupied a farm in an (unspecified) area and while augmenting the land they hit the Deity. Immediately soon after blood commenced to movement from the ground and so the lost deity of Budhanilkantha was recovered and put in its rightful position.

Whatever the genuine source of the figurine and the time of its creation, it is well known that for much of its history it was considered a representation of Vishnu. This is understandable, given the truth that the key sect of Hinduism in Nepal was Vaishnavism, or the worship of Vishnu. At different times, however, for example in the 12th and 13th hundreds of years of the Malla Empire, when Shiva became the most popular deity, the Budhanilkantha was not so revered.

Back in the 14th century, the Malla king Jayasthitihi (1382-1395) is credited with reviving the Vishnu cult by proclaiming to be the latest incarnation of the often-incarnated god. Subsequent kings of Nepal, most notably Pratap Malla (1641-1674) have made the same claim. According to a story originating from this time, Pratap Malla had a prophetic eye-sight, which resulted in his strong belief and dread which should the King of Nepal visit the Budhanilkantha temple, death would be imminent after his starting. Continuing today the Indio Kings of Nepal will not visit the forehead. The devotional practice of other Hindus is to approach Vishnu's feet and, after touching them, make prayers and/or give thanks a lot to the god (but it is forbidden for tourists to do this).

Budhanilkantha has become the site on which Haribondhini Ekadashi takes place during the 11th day of the Hindu month of Kartik (October - November). Attended by many people thousands of pilgrims, it is the principle celebration for the year in celebration of the waking up of Lord Vishnu from his long sleep.

It really is interesting to note that two other examples of the enormous stone designs of the Sleeping Vishnu exist in metropolis of Kathmandu. One, that could be seen by the general general public, lies five kilometers southwest of the location center in the Balaju Gardens. The other, which might not exactly be viewed by the open public, is at the Noble Palace.