Sacred Site of the Mahabharata
Badarikashrama
बदरिकाश्रम
Abode of Vyasa, site of spiritual teaching
Badarikashrama: Abode of Vyasa, site of spiritual teaching, located at coordinates 30.74°N, 79.49°E.
Key Facts
| Type | Sacred Site |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit name | बदरिकाश्रम |
| Coordinates | 30.74°N, 79.49°E |
| Significance | Abode of Vyasa, site of spiritual teaching |
About Badarikashrama
The holy abode of Nara and Narayana (Arjuna and Krishna in previous birth). Located in the Himalayas.
Why it matters: Abode of Vyasa, site of spiritual teaching
Details
- Vyasa
- Veda Vyasa composed the Mahabharata here
- Ashram
- Ancient hermitage in the Himalayas
- Final
- Pandavas began their final journey from here
On the Map
Badarikashrama sits at 30.74°N, 79.49°E.
View on the full mapEvents at Badarikashrama
- Pandavas' PilgrimageYear -22During their forest exile, the Pandavas undertake a great pilgrimage across sacred sites of Bharatavarsha guided by sage Lomasha, purifying themselves and gathering strength.
- Mahabharata ComposedYear -13Veda Vyasa composes the epic Mahabharata with 100,000 verses, teaching it to his disciples Vaishampayana and others.
- Pandavas' Final JourneyYear 24Yudhishthira crowns Parikshit and the Pandavas begin their final journey to heaven, climbing the Himalayas. One by one, they fall.
- Yudhishthira's Vision of HellYear 24After reaching heaven, Yudhishthira is shown hell where he sees his brothers. This was a test of his virtue.
- Pandavas Ascend to HeavenYear 24Yudhishthira, accompanied only by a dog and Indra (who comes in his chariot), completes the journey to heaven. He insists on his dog's admission and is shown hell before receiving heavenly bliss.
- The Twin SagesYear 39The twin sages Nara and Narayana - the Lord and his eternal companion - perform such penance at Badari that Indra sends apsaras to break it. Unmoved, Narayana creates from his thigh a woman lovelier than them all (Urvashi), shaming the nymphs. The eternal pair are reborn together in every age - and in this age, the sages reveal, they are Krishna and Arjuna themselves.
- Upamanyu's TrialYear 45Upamanyu, a disciple of Ayoda-Dhoumya, goes blind after eating arka leaves to satisfy his hunger due to his preceptor's strict trials.
Stories Set at Badarikashrama
The Meeting of Brothers
The Lesson in Humility
Adventures in the Forest
Twelve Years of Pandava Exile
The Great Departure
Krishna's Death, the End of the Yadavas, and the Pandavas' Climb to Heaven
The Great Journey
Book 17 - The Pandavas Walk North to Die, and the Dog Who Followed
The Ascent to Heaven
Book 18 - The Last Illusion, and the End of the Story
The Epic Composed
Vyasa at Badarikashrama, Astika at the Snake Sacrifice, and the Story First Told
The Twin Sages
Nara, Narayana, and the Eternal Companionship
The Son Who Flew to Freedom
Shuka, Vyasa, and the Inward Renunciation
Ghatotkacha Between Two Worlds
The half-blood's uncounted service
The Four Quarters of the Sacred Land
A priest reciting the map of Bharatavarsha
The Brahmin Who Was a Demon
The guest who asked for nothing for months
The White Island
Narada and three sages at the edge of the world
The King Who Challenged Two Hermits
Dambhodbhava, and a handful of grass blades
Badari, Hermitage of the Twin Sages
Where Nara and Narayana practice forever
Gandhamadana, Mountain of Fragrance
The Himalayan ascent of the exile
Three Balls of Mud
The Boar invents the rite for the dead, and has no one above him to offer it to
Garuda's Map of the World
The four directions described from a bird's back
The Two Pots of Rice
A mother and daughter exchange their bowls and exchange their sons
The Sage at the Limit
A skeleton ascetic marks the line mortals may not cross