Navabrahma Temples, Alampur – Legends

Navabrahma Temples, Alampur – Legends

Renuka Mata:

As per legend, Maharshi Jamadagni stayed with his wife Renuka and children in his Ashram in Alampur. Renuka helped the Jamadagni Muni in all of his tasks of performing various rituals and puja. Renuka would wake up early in the morning to bathe in the Tungabhadra River with complete concentration and devotion. Her devotion was so powerful that she was able to create a pot to hold water made only of sand, one fresh pot every day. She would fill this pot, on the bank of the river and would use a snake which was nearby, turning it into a rope-like convolution and placing it on her head, so that it supported the pot. Thus, she brought the water to Jamadagni for his rituals of oblation. His family worshipped Lord Bala Brahmesvara and Jogulamba Devi.

One day when Renuka went to the river, she saw Gandharva spirits playing. These were young couples carelessly frolicking in the water with abandon. For a moment, she lost her concentration and devotion to her husband faltered for a moment as she started thinking about her being intimate with her husband. As she was distracted, she lost her power of collecting water in unbaked pots, which she had gotten from her chastity. She lost the water which she had collected. Disappointed by this, she returned to the ashram in shame. Seeing Renuka returning empty-handed, Jamadagni became furious and ordered his sons to punish their mother. One by one, four of them refused flatly.

Jamadagni, who possessed the power to burn anyone to ashes with his one look, went berserk and turned the four of his sons into ashes. Parashurama, who was not there when this happened, found his mother weeping by the piles of ashes when he arrived, and his father was still raging mad. Jamadagni told him what happened and ordered him to behead his mother for her infidelity. Parashurama had to think quickly. Knowing his father's powers and the extent of his anger, Parashurama immediately obeyed his father, using his axe.

His father then offered a boon to Parashurama, who asked for his mother and brothers to be brought back to life. Then Jamadagni revived her life. The head of Renuka Mata became Ekaveera Devi, a symbol of Maya Rupa; (materialistic thoughts) and the headless body became Bhudevi, a symbol of Matru Rupa (mother). Many people say that Ekaveera Devi manifested herself as Goddess Yellamma in Undavelli village near Alampur, while the shrine of Bhudevi is present in the premises of Bala Brahmeswara temple.

Brahmesvara:

As per legend, Lord Brahma performed an intense penance on Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva appeared before him and blessed him with the powers of creation. Hence, Lord Shiva came to be called as Brahmesvara.

Skanda Purana:

The Sacredness and importance of Alampur Temple is mentioned in the Skanda Purana.

Sacredness of the place:

Alampur is considered as equivalent to Dakshina Kailasam, Dakshina Kasi and Sangama Kshetram.