Dharmashila

There was a sage by name Marichi who was the son of Lord Brahma who got married to a person by name Dharmavratha. One day she was washing her husband Marichi’s feet after he returned from forest. At that time Lord Brahma appeared there suddenly. Dharmavratha was in a fix as to whom to attend first. Finally she decided to attend to Lord Brahma first. This action angered sage Marichi and he cursed her of becoming a stone. Dharmavratha got very much disturbed with her husband’s action and started praying Lord Vishnu who appeared in front of her. Dharmavratha requested Lord Vishnu to reverse the curse given by her husband. Since Marichi was a very powerful sage, Lord Vishnu told her that the curse cannot be reversed. Instead it would be converted into a boon by making the stone very sacred and celestial to all the Gods and also ensure that all the Gods reside in it. This was the same stone that was kept on the body of Gayasura when he was killed, on which Lord Vishnu had stepped with his foot. By the presence of all Deities in it the stone became very sacred and celestial to be known as Dharmashila. It is said that even a touch of this Dharmashila at Gaya Kshetra in Vishnupada Temple would result in salvation.