Neelakantakshetram popularly known as Budhanilkantha Temple is located in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple stands out for its unique depiction of Lord Vishnu, who is seen lying on his back atop the divine serpent Sheshnag, in the middle of a sacred pond.
According to legend, when Lord Shiva consumed poison to save the universe during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan), his throat began to burn intensely. Lord Shiva journeyed to the Himalayas to soothe the unbearable burning, where he struck a mountain with his trident, creating a lake known as Gosainkunda in Nepal. He quenched his thirst with the sweet water from this lake, and as a result of drinking the poison, his throat turned blue, earning him the name “Neelkanth.”
“Buddhanilkantha” means “Blue-Throated Buddha (Old man).”
It is believed, that the water in the pond at Budhanilkantha originates from the sacred Gosainkunda. This connection is why the name “Neelkanth,” associated with Lord Shiva, is also attached to this Vishnu temple. The temple symbolizes the mythological and spiritual bond between Lord Shiva and Vishnu.
This statue is highly significant to Buddhist devotees because it features a Buddha on its forehead.
The main statue is carved up on a single block black basalt stone. The statue stands 5 meters tall (around 16.4 feet) and is positioned in the middle of a recessed pool of water, which is 13 meters (42.65 feet) long. He holds the Sudarshana Chakra, Club, a Conch Shell and a gem in his four hands. He is well adorned with a crown engraved with multiple Kirtimukha images which can often be seen being overlapped by a silver crown. The statue is believed to be more than 1400 years old. The temple’s main statue of Budhanilkantha is considered the largest stone carving in Nepal.
According to the scriptures when Adi Shankara visited Kailasa to pay a visit to Shiva and Parvathi, Shiva gave 5 Shivalingam called Aatma Lingam to Sankaracharya.
Following are their names and locations:
Shringeri- Bogha lingam
Kanchi kamakotipitam – Yoga lingam
Chidamabaram -Moksha lingam
Kedarnath – Mukthi lingam
Nepal Neelakantakshetram – Varalingam
Out of the 5, one known as Varalingam was installed by him at Neelakantakshetram, Nepal. However no one knows exactly where it is in this temple or anywhere else.
The Budhanilkantha Temple Address: Golfutar Main Rd, Budhanilkantha 44600, Nepal
One can reach the Budhanilkanthan temple by taxi or public bus from central Kathmandu
