Pushpagiri Temple Complex, Kadapa – Legends

Pushpagiri Temple Complex, Kadapa – Legends

Amruta Sarovar:

As per legend, the wives of Kashyapa, Vinata and Kadru wanted to have children. Kashyapa granted each of them a boon. Kadru asked for one thousand Naga sons, while Vinata asked for just two, but each an equal to all of Kadru's thousand sons. Kashyapa blessed them, and then retreated to a forest to meditate. Later, Kadru gave birth to one thousand eggs, while Vinata gave birth to two eggs. After incubating them for five hundred years, Kadru's eggs hatched and came out her 1,000 sons.

Vinata, eager for her own sons, impatiently broke one of her eggs. From this egg emerged the partially formed Aruna, looking radiant and reddish as the morning sun, but not as bright as the midday sun as he was promised to be. Aruna chided his mother, Vinata for her impatience, and warned her to not break open the second egg, cursing her to be a slave until his brother rescued her. Aruna then left to become the charioteer of Surya, the sun god.

Vinata waited, and after many years the second egg hatched, and Garuda was born. After losing a bet to Kadru through trickery, Vinata was forced to become her slave. Garuda later on asked his brothers to free his mother from her slavery, to which they demanded Amrita from heaven. Garuda waged a war against gods with his extraordinary might and abilities beyond thinking, and defeated all of them, including Indra. He then took Indra's nectar vessel and flew back to earth.

While returning from the heavenly abode, Garuda, passed through this place and he unintentionally spilt a drop into a local pond formed by the river Pinakini. Thus, the pond came to be called as Amruta Sarovar. The greatness of the pond came to be known when one  grieve stricken farmer jumped into it to commit suicide but  found himself turned into a young man. He even made his wife and oxen to take a dip in this pond and all of them regained their youth.

When the news of the pond reached Satyaloka, Lord Brahma worried about its existence and sought the help of  the Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva instructed Lord Hanuman to drop a mountain in it. The hill, instead of sinking began to float on the waters like a flower. Thus, the place came to be called as Pushpagiri. Then Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva clamped their feet at its side and the imprints of their foot can still be seen. The foot print of Siva became famous as Rudra Pada and that of Vishnu as Vishnu Pada.

Pilgrimage of King Janamejaya:

King Janamejaya performed a pilgrimage to the South India after the snake sacrifice. He visited Pushpagiri during his pilgrimage and worshipped Lord Shiva of Indranatha Swamy temple. The hamlet of Chintalapatturu has an inscription in old Tamil that talks about the pilgrimage of King Janamejaya.

Agastheeswara:

As per legend, it is believed that an ashram of Sage Agastya existed at the confluence of Papagni and Pinakini rivers. After crossing the Vindhya mountains, Sage Agastya vowed not to return to stop the range from growing in competition with Himalayas. While the sage himself stayed in the South, his disciples installed a Linga in the nearby place and left for the Gangetic plains. Thus, the Linga came to be called as Agastheeswara. This Linga is the presiding deity of Agastheeswara Swamy temple.

Pinakini:

It is believed that three rivers namely Pinakini (Penna), Arkavati and Palar took their origin in Nandi hills as a result of Lord Shiva’s cosmic dance. While the other two rivers took their course to become the tributaries of the Cauvery river, Pinakini enquired Lord Shiva about the purpose of her birth and to which direction she should flow. Lord Shiva informed her that his bow (Pinaka) would guide the river about its direction. As Lord Shiva bow, Pinaka guided the river, the river came to be called as Pinakini.

Equivalent to Kasi:

As per legend, once, a learned brahmin on his way to Kasi to dip his father ashes into Ganga River, visited this place. He decided to take a bath in Penna River, so he placed the ashes under a tree and went for bath. After having the bath, he returned back to tree and found the ashes got turned into Jasmine flower. He was very happy and understood that the soul of his father reached heaven. He happily dipped the flower in the river and returned back to his village. Thus, this place is considered as equivalent to Kasi.

Pushpagiri:

During Treta Yuga, Lord Rama worshipped Lord Vaidyanathesvara here with variety of flowers. The flowers used in the worship have accumulated so high that a flowery mound is established and hence, the place came to be called as Pushpagiri.

References in ancient Scriptures:

Srisaila Khanda of Skanda Purana praises this temple as Nirvrutti Sangameswara. This place was said to be mentioned in the Valmiki’s Sundara Kanda Chapter of Ramayana. Pushpagiri Kshetra is also referred as Bhaskara  Kshetra.

Panchanadi Kshetram:

Pushpagiri is also called as Panchanadi Kshetram, as four rivers, Papagni, Kumudvati, Valkala and Mandali merge in River Penna (Pinakini).

Madhya Kailasam & Tirumala Madhya Ahobilam:

Vaishnavas consider this place as Tirumala Madhya Ahobilam and Shaivites consider this place as Madhya Kailasam.