Kaleshwara Mukteswara Swamy Temple, Kaleshwaram – Legends

Kaleshwara Mukteswara Swamy Temple, Kaleshwaram – Legends

Two Shivalingas in same pedestal:

One day, Lord Yama observed his soldiers sitting idle in his Yama Loka. Angry Yama enquired about the reason of sitting idle without any work. Soldiers answered Yama that people began worshipping Lord Muktheswarar at Kaleshwara temple after taking holy dip in Triveni Sangam. The ever-merciful Lord Shiva is simply granting them moksha and so we have no work to do. Saddened at the turn of events in Yamaloka, Lord Yama straightaway headed to Lord Brahma and informed about the status of Yama Loga. Lord Brahma took Lord Yama and went to Kailasha, the abode of Lord Shiva.

At Kailash, Lord Yama once again informed the status of Yama Loga before Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva instructed Lord Yama to go Kaleswaram Temple and install another Shiva Lingam in the same pedestal which houses the Muktheswarar Lingam. Devotees would be surprised to see two Shivalingas in same pedestal and proceed to worship Muktheswarar ignoring Kaleshwara as they might think all Shiva Lingams are equal. People who ignore the Kaleshwara and straightaway worshipping Muktheswarar will not attain salvation and they should go to Yamaloka. This is the reason behind two Shiva Lingas in same pedestal.

Yama Kundam:

Once, Lord Yama visited Indra Loka. Lord Yama was awestruck by the magnificence and life of devas in Indraloka. Lord Yama decided to have a better world than Indraloka. He requested celestial architect Vishwakarma and asked him to build a better world than Indraloka. Vishwakarma built a beautiful city around southern side of this Triveni Sangamam.

Vishwakarma has also built a tank called Yama Gundam on the southwest of the Triveni Sangamam. Lord Yama worshipped Lord Shiva here and asked to bless the people whoever takes a holy dip in this tank should be bestowed blessings equivalent to that of taking holy dip in several holy lakes and rivers. Lord Shiva granted the wish of Lord Yama. So, whoever takes a holy dip in this Yama Gundam will get blessings equivalent to that of having baths in several holy lakes and rivers.

Jaya Vijaya as door-keepers in this temple:

Jaya and Vijaya, door-keepers at Vaikunda, the residence of Lord Vishnu in Vaikunda is seen here as door-keepers of this temple. Once, both argued about the greatness of Kaleswaram Temple and Kasi Temple. Both were unable to decide. Hence, they approached Surya and seek his opinion. Surya informed them that Kaleswaram Temple is greater than Kasi Viswanath Temple. From then, Jaya and Vijaya decided to stay here as door-keepers of the sanctum.

Two Nostrils in Shiva Lingam:

It is interesting to note that Shivalinga has two nostrils. The water poured into these nostrils just disappears and merges into Godavari and Pranahita rivers while travelling along with River Saraswathi. Unable to believe this incredible truth, Bhonsle, the king of Nagpur decided to test the fact and find out where the water is going. He ordered for thousands of pots filled with milk and asked his courtiers to pour into the nostrils of the Shivalinga. The milk disappeared as usual. The king went to the Godavari River.

There he saw the milk merging into the confluence of two rivers Godavari and Pranahita. Unhappy with the king’s belief, Lord Shiva took away all the wealth and turned him into a pauper and made him suffer like hell. The king pleaded mercy and the every-graceful ever-forgivable Lord Shiva forgave him and gave back all his riches and blessed him to prosper.

Dakshina Triveni Sangamam:

This place is also called Dakshina Triveni Sangamam, as two rivers meet here along with a third, the illusionary flow of Antharvahini.

Dakshina Gangotri:

It is said that a long time back one of the Vaishyas had performed an abhisheka to Kaleshwara Mukteswara with hundreds of milk pots and the milk evolved at the Sangamam of Godavari and Pranahita. Hence the name Dakshina Gangotri (the other being Allahabad, or Prayaga).

Trilinga Desam:

Kaleshwaram is one of the places of the three Shiva temples mentioned in Trilinga Desam (Land of Three Lingams), another name for Telugu speaking region, the Andhra Pradesh, the other two being Draksharamam and Srisailam.