SRI PENUSILA LAKSHMI NARASIMHA SWAMY TEMPLE:
Penchalakona is a very ancient sacred place (pilgrim center). Lord Narasimha manifested himself here as a huge of rock in "Yoga mudra" (in an entwined contemplative posture) and hence it required the name of "Penusila"(huge rock) and in course of time became famous as "Penchalakona".Legend has it that after slaying the demon Hiranya Kasipa, Lord Narasimha bathed in Penchalakona and withdrew that "Avatara"(incarnation) of Narasimha, shedding his anger and ferocity. The Lord here goes by the name of Somasila Narasimhaswamy and has become one of the Nava Narasimhas(nine manifestations).
J N Chandra Kala
Penchalakona is a very ancient sacred place (pilgrim center). Lord Narasimha manifested himself here as a huge of rock in "Yoga mudra" (in an entwined contemplative posture) and hence it required the name of "Penusila"(huge rock) and in course of time became famous as "Penchalakona".Legend has it that after slaying the demon Hiranya Kasipa, Lord Narasimha bathed in Penchalakona and withdrew that "Avatara"(incarnation) of Narasimha, shedding his anger and ferocity. The Lord here goes by the name of Somasila Narasimhaswamy and has become one of the Nava Narasimhas(nine manifestations).
J N Chandra Kala
About Narasimha Swamy Temple:
ReplyDeleteWhen Lord Shri Vishnu killed Hiranyakashapu and he was traveling in the forest, Goddess Sreedevi came in the form of the 'Chenchu'(a tribe girl) to relax the anger of Lord Vishnu. She calmed him down and hugged him (‘Penu chesukonuta’), and so this temple(‘kshetra’) was named ‘Penusila’.
After sometime, the temple’s name was changed as ‘Penchalakona’. This Penusila Narasimha Swamy temple, Penchalakona has a heap of fame and is acknowledged as the ninth kshetra of Lord Vishnu.The Penchalakona temple of Shri Penusila Lakshmi Narasimaha Swamy is located at the foot of hill of the Penchalakona, at the spot of a natural depression.
According to the sthalapurna, this place is famous for the Tapovan of the Kanvamaharishi who performed the penance. The temple is believed to be constructed before the 670 years as a sanctum, which had been neglected gradually. The image of the Lord is self formed in which two stones appear to be twisted to from a lion’s head. The Lord is named as the "Penisula Shri Lakshmi Narasimaha Swamy" which in Telugu means 'Penu' - twist and 'Sila' is stone.
The place where Lord Vishnu married Chenchu Lakshmi is Bhairavakona , an area where demons used to torture the sages. Lord Vishnu went to visit the temple’s lake each Saturday and as a proof, a silver umbrella rose from the lake.
Everyday Gollabayadu went to the Kona to graze his cows often from Gonupalli. One day Bayadu saw an old man who told him that Penusila Lakshmi Narasimah Swamy established Himself in Kona. He asked Bayadu to go straight to the village head and inform of this miracle. He turned back to check the old man. To his surprise, the old man remodelled himself into a rock. After some time the village head dreamt of the matters and accepted that the miracle was true. Then, the village head proceeded to create a temple and appointed archakas to perform pooja to the divine Lord regularly.
PADMAPRIYA I
Location:
ReplyDeleteThis village is located in Rapur mandal of Nellore city district in Andhra Pradesh. It is 70 km from Nellore city. Penchalakona houses the temple of Sri Penusila Narasimha Swamy, which is situated at the foot of a hill. It is believed that Kanva Maharshi did his penance here.
The annual festival of the temple, during the month of April and May, is a major event at Penchalakona. Devotees from near and far distances congregate for Narasimhaswamy Jayanthi with great devotion.
The river Kandaleru as it is now called, originates from the water falls of the mountain ranges on the West and the South, had another name Kanvayeru. The river flows through Rapur and empties itself in to the Bay of Bengal sea near Krishnapatnam. Krishnapatnam Port is located on Kandaleru creek.
N.SAVITHA