INVASION OF THE TEMPLE OF LORD JAGANNATH AT PURI

Invasions of the Temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri

BY: SUN STAFF 

The impenetrable caves at the foot of the Trikut Hills at Sonepur-Gopali,
where Their Lordships hid during the Raktavahu invasion

Oct 06, 2011 — CANADA (SUN) — Adaptation of an article by Abhimanyu Dash, in two parts.

Throughout the ages, the temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri has been invaded and plundered eighteen times, as recorded in the annals of history. The temple was a lucrative place of wealth for invaders to plunder. To non-Hindu invaders, the temple was a good place to display Zihad (religious war). To loot its property and profane idols were motives behind every invasion.

Owing to a series of inroads on the temple of Lord Jagannath, the Triad were exiled in various regions of Orissa. The invasion of Raktavahu on the temple of Lord Jagannath is considered to be the first one, as per the record of the Madalapanji, the temple chronicle. Andrew Stirling reproduced the description of Raktavahu's invasion from the Madalapanji in his writings in 1822. The story of Raktavahu's invasion recorded in the Madalapanji indicates that he had defeated King Subhanadeva of Orissa.

During this invasion the Deities were taken away to Gopali, a village in Sonepur, and kept underground. Prof. K.C. Panigrahi has identified Raktavahu with Govinda-III, the Rastrakuta King of Deccan, and Subhanadeva with Subhakaradeva-I of Bhaumakara dynasty. As evidence, Prof. Panigrahi has taken the help of the Hindol plate of Subhakaradeva-III of 839 AD, and Sanjan plates of Amoghavarsha. It is stated in the Sanjan plates of Amoghavarsha that the Rastrakuta king Govinda-III (AD 798-814) conquered Kosala, Kalinga, Vanga, Dahala and Odraka. Under Govinda-III the Rastrakutas became invincible everywhere and there is therefore no doubt that they invaded Odraka (Orissa).

Based on the Hindol plate of Subhakaradeva-III, Prof. Panigrahi states that the Rastrakuta King's invasion of Orissa took place during the reign of Subhakaradeva-I. Govinda-III, alias Raktavahu, approached Puri with his army from the sea. The King of Orissa fled from the city with the Deities of Lord Jagannath and His Associates lodged in a cart. Their Lordships reached the Western frontier of Sonepur and were buried at a place known as Gopali. After 146 years Yayati-I, the Somavamsi king, got the Deities dug out, made new Deities, built a new temple at Puri, and enshrined them there. Gopali, a village with a shrine of Jagannath, still exists at a distance of 16 miles from Sonepur. _[1]

Yayati-I, after bringing back the Triad, performed navakalebara of the Deities at Puri because of the degraded conditions, with the help of servitors. The citadel of the Lords was fixed in the temple, measuring 38 Hatas (cubits; at present the temple of Lord Nrusingh) beside the Mukti Mandap in the precinct of Sri Jagannath Temple. That is why king Yayati is regarded as the ‘Second Indradyumna' in the annals of history, owing to this restoration. _[2]

Lord Jagannath Deities today at Gopali, Sonepur

During the period of invasion of Raktabahu, the Deities were worshipped at Gopali in Sonepur. At present the place is at Chhalia mountain in Kotsamali. The Deities returned to Shrikshetra during 814 A.D. and 819 A.D. _[3]

The second invasion on the temple of Lord Jagannath was waged by Illias Shah, the Sultan of Bengal in 1340 A.D. during the reign of Narasinghadeva-III. His defence system in the northern frontier of his empire was very weak. The military organization of the Fort of Raibania in north Balasore was not strong. The commandants of the fort were bribed by Illias Shah.

Narasinghadeva III felt insecure and kept his queens in the Giridurga near Simachalam. He prepared militarily to defend his empire of Utkal. In spite of his military arrangement to safeguard his empire, Illias Shah suddenly attacked the temple of Jagannath in 1340 A.D. He made havoc among the religious minded people of Puri. The people ran in panic to save their lives. The soldiers of lllias Shah killed the people mercilessly and looted the wealth of the temple. Narasinghadeva III was unable to protect his people and the temple, although he successfully hid the triad Deities in an unknown place, and no harm was done to Them.

During the reign of the Ganga King Bhanudeva III, the third invasion took place in 1360 A.D. by Feroz Shah Tughluq, the Muslim ruler of Delhi. At the time of invasion Bhanudeva III was not in his capital. When he got the news of invasion, he returned to Puri with his army and found no Feroz Shah Tughluq. Feroz went back Delhi via Jajnagar (Jajpur). Nothing is known about his desecration of the Triad and plunder of the temple. But scholars believe that he had thrown the Deities into the Mahodadhi (Bay of Bengal). This view is not supported by historical evidence.

The fourth invasion was launched by Ismail Ghazi, the commander of Allauddin Hussain Shah, the Sultan of Bengal in the year 1509 A.D. The Suryavamsi King Prataprudradeva was the ruler of Orissa, and he was in the South at the time of invasion. The priests of the temple sailed the Triad to the forthills of the Chadheiguha Pahada in the Chilika Lake. On being informed, King Prataprudradeva rushed back from Deccan and drove away Ismail to the point at Huguli in the Bengal. _[4]

The fifth invasion was launched by Muslim invader Kalapahara in the year 1568 A.D., during the reign of Mukundadeva Harichandan, the Chalukya King of Orissa. Kalapahara was one of the army assistants of Sulaiman Karrani, the Afghan Sultan of Bengal. In this expedition Bayazid, the son of Karrani was the commander of the Bengal army. He was assisted by Sikandar Uzbeg and Kalapahara. The reasons for Karrani's attack on the temple of Lord Jagannath was Mukundadeva's entanglement in the political diplomacy which created much bad blood between the two. Firstly, Mukundadeva gave political shelter to Ibrahim Sur, who was a great enemy of Sulaiman Karrani. Secondly, Mukundadeva committed another offence by exchanging envoys with the great Mughal emperor Akbar. In 1566 A.D., Akbar sent envoys to the court of Mukundadeva and Mukundadeva in exchange sent a Hindu ambassador named Paramananda Ray to the Court of the Mughal emperor. _[5] Akbar was a great enemy of Sulaiman Karrani. These two offences committed by Mukundadeva incurred great displeasure in the mind of Sulaiman Karrani, which paved the way for his Orissan invasion.

Kalapahara, the Assistant Army General of Sulaiman Karrani led the expedition against Mukundadeva of Orissa in 1568 A.D. On the contrary, Mukundadeva sent Raghubhanja Chhotaraya to resist the army of Kalapahara,but failed. Raghubhanja proved a traitor, and Kalapahara occupied Cuttack. So Mukundadeva surrendered before the Muslim army of Bengal. In the meantime, Ramachandra Bhanja, the commandant of Sarangagarh Fort (Baranga) rebelled against Mukundadeva. The latter was killed at Gohiratikara (near Jajpur) because of the two traitors Sikhi and Manai, who were the generals of the King of Orissa. Ramachandra Bhanja was also killed by the invader.

Ramachandra Bhanja, who declared himself the King of Orissa, finally proved himself as a traitor behind the assassination of Mukundadeva, the last Hindu king of Orissa. In the Madalapanji, this traitor has sometimes been described as Ramachandra Bhanja and sometimes as Ramachandradeva. The latter name seems to be more correct. _[6]

After occupation of the forts of Cuttack and Sarangagarh, Kalapahara successfully led his army to Puri to demolish the temple of Jagannath. The servitors of the temple got information of the fall of Katak (Cuttack) to the hands of the Muslims. They hid the triad, Lord Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra in an island inside the Chilika Lake, as stated in theMadalapanji. The Deities were hidden underground at Hastipatna in Parikuda, identified with Chhapali, Khepali and Hatipada. Kalapahara could easily know about the secrecy of the hidden Deities. He carried the triad from Chilika Lake to the bank of the river Ganges on an elephant, where he burnt them. Bisher Mohanty, a Vaishnavite saint, followed Kalapahara and managed to bring back the ‘Brahmas' to Kujanga Gada, keeping Them inside a mridanga. Later on the ‘Brahmas' were brought to the Gopal Temple of Khurda Gada in 1575 A.D. by King Ramachandradeva. Subsequently the ‘Brahmas' were placed in the Deities. The Deities were brought back to the temple of Jagannath from Khurdagada.

It is stated in the same chronicle that Kalapahara destroyed the great temple of Jagannath up to the Amalakasila, and defaced the Deities. It is difficult to ascertain the truth of the statement, but to us it seems that the temple was not pulled down or razed to the ground, though the Deities were damaged and disfigured as much as possible. There is no archaeological evidence to show that the temple was rebuilt at any time. The original temple as built by Chodaganga has come down to us, though the carvings on the outer faces of the temple have been damaged or disfigured. _[7]

A tradition in Bengal avers that Kalapahara was earlier a Brahmin by caste. His name was Raju, alias Kalachand. He fell in love with Dulari, the daughter of the Sultan of Bengal and married her, but he wanted to retain his religion. The Hindu society refused to accept him. He came to the temple of Jagannath at Puri for expiation, but the priests rebuffed him. This made him reactionary and revengeful. He took a vow to exterminate Hindu religion, deities and temples. This theory is only traditional, and does not have any historical authenticity. Kalapahara was an Afghan; Kalapahara was a title used by many Afghans. A nephew of Bahalul Lodi bore this name. Prof. P. Mukherjee observes that "The Muslim chronicles conclusively prove that Kalapahara was a full blooded Afghan and not a Brahmin renegade."_[8]

Sulaiman Karrani died in 1572 A.D. followed by several invasions and plunders on the temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri by his successive rulers, namely Bayazid, Daud, Kuya Khan and Kutlu Khan Lohani, who ruled over Orissa one after another.

After them the sixth invasion was jointly waged on the temple of Jagannath in 1592 A.D. by Suleman, the son of Kuthu Khan and Osman, the son of Isha (ruler of Orissa). They havocked people at Puri and killed them mercilessly. They desecrated the images of the great temple and plundered its wealth. By such action, the invaders violated the treaty earlier signed between Isha and Raja Mansingh in 1590 A.D. Mansingh the Mughal general finally suppressed the militant activities of these two Muslim invaders in 1592 A.D.

During this time Ramachandradeva, the Bhoi dynasty ruler of Khurda, took the leadership of feudatory rulers of Orissa, who joined their hands against the Mughal rule. During the reign of Purushottamadeva of Bhoi dynasty, Mirza Khurum, the commander of Islam Khan, the Nawab of Bengal invaded Puri in 1601 A.D., which is considered to be the 7th attack on the temple of Lord Jagannath. The servitors of the temple could smell of it and shifted the triad Deities to village Kapileswarpur near Puri in vessels, on the River Bhargavee. The Deities were kept in the Panchamukhi Gosani Temple at Kapileswarpur. Dola festival was celebrated in that temple. Thereafter the Deities were shifted to Dobandha — Pentha where Their Lordships passed eight months with shital bhoga offerings. As per the description of theMadalapanji, Mirza Khurum invaded Puri temple during the time of Dola Yatra. He found no Deities in the temple and so looted the underground treasury.

Hasim Khan, the Subedar of Orissa waged the eighth invasion on the great temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri. This time Purushottam Deva was also the King of Khurda. He shifted the deities to the Gopal temple at Khurda before Hasim's arrival at Puri. In order to satiate his master Jahangir, the then Mughal emperor, Hasim Khan plundered the temple of Jagannath at Puri. The Deities were returned to the temple at Puri Dham by the King in 1608 A.D.

The ninth invasion on the temple of Jagannath was launched by a Hindu Rajput, Jagirdar Kesodasmaru in 1610 A.D. Kesodasmaru was serving under Hasim Khan. He was a friend of Jahangir. He came to Puri in disguise of a pilgrim accompanied by his faithful soldiers, without military uniform during the celebration of the car festival. They entered into the Jagannath Temple and occupied it, converting the temple into a fort. At that time the Triad were in the Gundicha Temple. Kesodasmaru plundered crores of treasury of the Temple of Jagannath.

Unfortunately, the king of Khurda Purusottamdeva was absent at Puri as chherapahanra(sweeping the chariots) was performed by Mudirath on behalf of the king. The king immediately rushed to Puri with his Paik soldiers, chariots, cavalry forces, elephant forces, arms and ammunitions to punish Kesodasmaru. The Paik soldiers jumped into the premises of the temple with the help of chariots, through the four gates. They fought against the Rajput soldiers who were looting the wealth of the temple. Kesodasmaru ordered his soldiers to counter attack the Paik army. The Rajput soldiers decided to bind up clothes tightly with bamboos and used oils to ignite the clothes, which turned into fireballs, and threw them against the chariots to burn. The chariots very quickly caught fire and burnt to ashes. So many Paiks died.

The King was unable to face the invaders, who looted the wealth of the temple, then went away. During the course of attack, the Deities remained in the Gundicha Temple for eight months. They were brought back to the Temple of Jagannath by the help of Vimana.

FOOTNOTES:

1. K.C. Panigrahi, "The Bhaumakaras", in History of Orissa, Cuttack 1995, pp. 78-79
2. Rabindranath Pratihari, "Exile", in Cultural Heritage of Odisha, Puri Dist.(ed) G.Mohanty (et al), Vol. XII, part-III, Bhubaneswar, 2010, P-188
3. Ibid, p. 199
4. Ibid, p. 189
5. K.C. Panigrahi, "The Chalukyas", History of Orissa, Cuttack, 1995, p. 242
6. Ibid, p. 243
7. lbid, p. 244
8. Ibid, p. 245
Source: 'Orissa Review' 

THE HISTORY OF SRI TIRUPATI BALAJI VENKATESWARA from Puranas

The History of Sri Tirupati Balaji Venkateswara from the Puranas

The Rishis headed by Kasyapa began to perform a sacrifice (yaga) on the banks of the Ganges. Sage Narada visited them at that time and asked them to tell him why they were performing the sacrifice and who would be pleased by it. Not being able to answer the question the Rishis approached Sage Bhrigu.To reach a solution after a direct ascertainment of reality, Sage Bhrigu first went to Satyaloka (the abode of Lord Brahma). There, he found Brahma reciting the four Vedas with his four heads in praise of Lord Narayana and attended upon by Sarasvati and not taking notice of Bhrigu offering obeisance. Concluding that Brahma was unfit for worship, Bhrigu left Brahmaloka for Kailasa.

At Kailasa, Bhrigu found Lord Siva spending his time pleasantly with Parvati and not noticing the Sage Bhrigu. Parvati drew the attention of Siva to the presence of the sage.

Lord Siva became furious at the intrusion of Bhrigu and tried to destroy him. The sage cursed and left for Vaikuntham.

The angry sage went to Shri Vaikuntham. Shrimannarayana was reposing at that time on Adisesha with Shri Mahalakshmi at His feet in service. Finding that Shrimannarayana also did not notice him, the sage was infuriated and he kicked the Lord on His chest, the place where Mahalakshmi resides.

At once the Lord hastened to make apologies to the angry Sage and pressed his feet to allay the pain caused to the leg. In doing so the Lord removed the eye in the foot of the Sage, which gave him power as to defy the Devas. The Sage thereupon decided that Shri MahaVishnu was the most Supreme of the Trimurtis and told the Rishis the same.They thereupon decided that Shri MahaVishnu was the fruit of the Yaga and sacrifice was offered to Him (Vishnu).

At the commencement of the present Sveta Varaha Kalpa, the whole Universe was filled with water and the earth was immersed in it. Lord Vishnu took to form of a White Boar and dived into the water to lift the earth. He slew the demon Hiranyaksha who caused obstruction to him and rescued the earth.

Brahma and the other Devas extolled Shri Varaha at the time with the chanting of the Vedas and showered flowers on him for saving the Earth. Lord Vishnu decided to stay on Earth in the form of the White Boar for some time, to punish the wicked and protect the virtuous. This place thenceforward came to be known as Varaha Kshetra and Varaha Kalpa began from that time.

After the departure of Mahalakshmi, Lord Vishnu left Vaikuntha in a forlorn condition and took his abode in an ant-hill on the Venkata Hill under a tamarind tree beside a Pushkarini.

Brahma and Mahesvara, taking pity on the condition of Vishnu, made up their mind to assume the forms of a cow and its calf to serve him.

The Sun God informed Mahalakshmi of this and requested her to sell the cow and calf to the king of the Chola country assuming the form of a cowherdess.

The king of the Chola country bought the cow and its calf and sent them to graze on the Venkata Hill along with his herd of cattle. Discovering Lord Vishnu in the ant-hill, the cow everyday emptied her under over the ant-hill and thus fed the LORD.

Finding that the cow did not yield any milk, the Chola Queen chastised the cowherd severely.

To find out the cause of the absence of milk, the cowherd followed the cow and hid himself in a bush and discovered the cow emptying her under over the ant-hill.

Getting wild over the conduct of the cow, the cowherd aimed a blow with his axe on the head of the cow. But the God rose from the ant-hill to receive the blow and save the cow.

When the cowherd saw the Lord bleed at the blow of his axe he fell down and died.

On the death of the cowherd, the cow returned bellowing to the presence of the Chola King with blood stains over her body. To find out the cause of the terror of the cow the Chola King followed her to the scene of the incident.

Near an ant-hill, the King found the cowherd lying dead on the ground. While he stood wondering how it had happened, the Lord rose from the ant-hill and cursed the king to become an Asure from the fault of his servant. Entreated by the king who pleaded innocence, the Lord blessed him by saying that His curse would end when He was adorned with the Kireetam presented by Akasa Raja at the time of His marriage with Shri Padmavati.

Thereafter Shrinivasa decided to stay in this Varaha Kshetra. He therefore requested Shri Varahaswami to grant Him a site for His stay. His request being readily granted, Shrinivasa ordained that a pilgrimage to His shrine would not be complete unless it is preceded by a bath in the Pushkarini and Darsan of Shri VarahaSwami, and that Puja and Naivedyam should be offered to Shri Varaha first.

Yasoda brought up Shri Krishna, the son of Devaki, in his early years. Yasoda was not blessed to witness the marriage of Shri Krishna with Rukmini and she felt very sad. Shri Krishna promised to fulfil her desire in her next birth as Vakuladevi in his next Avatara as Shrinivasa. This Vakuladevi was sent to serve Shrinivasa by Lord Varahasvami, on whom she was attending till Shrinivasa came to Venkatachala.

Sometime after, a King named Akasa Raja who belonged to the Lunar race was ruling over Thondamandalam. He had a brother named Thondaman. Akasa Raja had no issue for a long time and so he wanted to perform a sacrifice for obtaining an offspring. While he was himself ploughing and ground for sacrifice, his plough turned up a lotus in the ground. On examining the lotus, the King found a female child in it.

The king was happy to find a child even before he performed a sacrifice and carried it to his place and gave it to his Queen to tend it. At that time he heard an aerial voice which said "O King, tend it as your child and fortune will befall you". As she was found in a lotus, the king named her Padmavati.

In course of time Princess Padmavati grew up into a beautiful maiden and was attended by a host of maids. One day while she was spending her time in a garden picking flowers with her maids, Saint Narada approached her. Assuring her that he was her well-wisher, he asked her to show him her palm to read her future. He foretold that she was destined to be the spouse of Lord Vishnu himself.

At this time Lord Shrinivasa, who went for hunting chased a wild elephant in the forests surrounding the hills. In the pursuit, Shrinivasa was led into a garden, where Princess Padmavati and her maids were picking flowers.The sight of the elephant frightened them and their Princess.

But the Elephant immediately turned round and saluted the Lord and disappeared in the forest.Lord Shrinivasa came on horse back and saw the frightened maidens and he was accosted by them with queries.

Lord Shrinivasa had explained them about his birth and parentage. He enquired them about their princess and her parentage and birth.

When he was informed that the Princess was Padmavati (lotus-Born) the foster Daughter of Akasaraja, he loved her and made advances to the Princess. He was repulsed with stones by the maids and he urgently returned to the hills leaving the horse, which fell on the ground.

Vakuladevi, as usual, brought dinner to Shrinivasa comprising various delicious dishes. But she found him lying on his bed love-sick. She enquired the cause of his sickness. The Lord informed her that unless he secured Princess Padmavati, he would not be well. Vakuladevi then asked him to tell her all about the Princess, who she was, and how he came to love her. The Lord then narrated the story of her (Padmavati’s) previous birth and his promise to wed her.

In olden times Lakshmi was staying as Vedavati in a Rishi Asrama in the forests. At that time Ravana, the lord of Lanka came there and tried to tempt her. Vedavati grew angry and cursed him that she would bring about his death.

To fulfil her words, Vedavati entered into the fire but the fire-god rescued her. He took Vedavati to his house and entrusted her to his wife to take care of her.

When Ravana was about to carry away Sita from Panchavati in the absence of Rama and Lakshmana, the Fire-God appeared on the scene and offered Vedavati to Ravana as the real Sita who was kept with him by Rama to evade Ravana.

Ravana took Vedavati to Lanka thinking she was the real Sita, while Agni(Fire-God) took Sita to his house and asked his wife Swahadevi to look after her.

After the destruction of Ravana, Vedavati entered the fires when rejected by Rama. Then the Fire-God offered the real Sita to Rama. Rama then questioned her as to who the other lady by her side was.

Sita informed Rama that she was Vedavati who suffered all the tortures for her sake for ten months in Lanka and requested Rama to accept her also as his spouse. But Rama declined her request saying that he was wedded to policy of having only one wife during his life time, and he promised to wed her in her next birth as Padmavati, born as the daughter of Akasaraja when he will take the form of Shrinivasa.

There upon Vakuladevi thought that Shrinivasa would not be happy unless he married Padmavati and she offered to go to Akasaraja and his queen and arrange for the marriage. On the way she met the maid-servants of Padmavati returning from a Siva Temple. She learnt from them about Padmavathi's love-sickness and went to the queen along with them.

Akasaraja and his queen Dharanidevi became anxious about the health of their daughter. They learnt about Padmavati's love for Shrinivasa of Venkata Hill. Akasaraja consulted Brihaspati about the propriety of the marriage and was informed that the marriage was in the best interests.

After the departure of Vakuladevi Shrinivasa could not rest in peace. He doubted her success in the mission. He therefore assumed the form of a Yerukula-woman and entered the streets of the capital telling fortunes. Padmavati's maids saw her and invited her to the presence of their queen.

The maid-servants went and informed the queen that the fortune-teller was hesitating to come into the palace without an invitation from the queen.

The queen came out herself and invited the fortune-teller into the palace.The fortune-teller was taken to the presence of Princess Padmavati.

The fortune-teller saw the palm of the Princess and told the queen about the cause of Padmavati's indisposition and advised to give her in marriage to Lord Shrinivasa. She also told the queen that a lady would approach her shortly to formally request Padmavati's hand in marriage on behalf of Shrinivasa.

After the departure of the fortune-teller, Vakuladevi went to the queen along with the maids and informed her that she came from Shrinivasa to request the hand of Padmavati in marriage for him.

Having consulted Brihaspati and heard from his queen about the prediction of the fortune-teller and arrival of the messenger, from Shrinivasa, Akasaraja decided to bestow his daughter on Shrinivasa and he called the palace purohits to fix a Muhurtam for the marriage.

Akasaraja informed his Ministers and other Officials of his intention. Immediately a letter was drafted for being sent to Shrinivasa requesting him to come and marry the Princess.

Akasaraja entrusted the letter to Sukamahamunin for being delivered to Shrinivasa. Suka went to Venkata Hill with Vakulamalikadevi. He presented the Patrika to Lord Shrinivasa, who felt pleased and sent his garland through him for Padmavati.

Immediately Lord Shrinivasa called for a conference of the Gods to win their consent for His marriage with Princess Padmavati.

To meet the expenses of the marriage, Kubera lent money to the Lord.

Lord Shrinivasa started for the residence of Akasaraja with his consorts and Brahma and Siva and his vehicle Garutman.

At the entrance the Lord was received by Akasaraja with all honours and was taken in procession on a mounted elephant to the palace for the marriage.

In the presence of all the Devas, Lord Shrinivasa took the hand of the Princess Padmavati and wedded her and thus blessed Akasaraja.

Contest between Adisesha and Vayudeva

During the Dwaparayuga, Vayudeva (the Wind God) went to Vaikuntam to pay his obeisance to Lord Shri Vishnu. The Lord was reclining in the company of Shri Lakshmi. The doorway was guarded by Adisesha. Vayudeva was incensed when Adisesha prevented him from entering Shri Vishnu’s mansion. Adisesha and Vayudeva began to fight with each other.

When Lord Vishnu intervened, each was boasting of his superior valour and supreme might. To test who was stronger, the Lord suggested that Adisesha encircle the Ananda hill, an off-shoot of the Meru mountain on its northern side, and that Vayudeva blow hard to try and dislodge the Ananda hill from Adisesha's hold. The contest waxed furiously, and as the World trembled, Brahma, Indra and the other Divine Beings requested Adisesha to yield victory to Vayudeva for the welfare of the world.

Obliging them, Adisesha released his hold on the hill. As a result, Adisesha and the Ananda hill were blown away to the banks of the river Swarnamukhi. Adisesha was dejected by his defeat. Lord Brahma and the others appealed to him by saying that he would be merged with the hill Venkatadri and Vishnu would reside on him. Adisesha then metamorphosed into the vast Seshadri, with his hood manifesting itself as Venkatadri sustaining Shri Venkateswara, his middle as Ahobila supporting Lord Narasimha, and his tail as Shrisailam bearing Lord Mallikarjuna (Lord Siva).

Restoration of the Earth by Adi Varaha

During the eight thousand yugas (the equivalent of a day and night for Brahma, the Creator), there was a raging fire, and everything on Earth was reduced to ashes. Man had to forsake the Earth and seek refuge in Janaloka.

At the approach of night (of Brahma), Vayu, the Wind God, blew furiously. Huge clouds were formed, there was torrential rain, and it resulted in Pralaya Kalpa (the Great Deluge). The Earth sank into the Patala loka, and remained in that state for a thousand years (during a part of that night of Brahma).

Shri Maha Vishnu, wanted to rescue the Earth. He assumed the form of Adi Varaha and proceeded to Pataloka. He fought a fierce duel with Hiranyaksa and killed him. He then slashed the water and brought up the Earth on his tusks.

Brahma, the Devas and the sages extolled Adi Varaha's virtues, by chanting the Vedic mantras. They prayed to Him to re-establish the Earth as before. Adi Varaha obliged them, and called upon Brahma to recreate the world. He expressed his desire to reside on the Earth to protect its people. He commanded his vehicle, Garuda to fetch Kridachala (an extensive natural hill with lofty peaks, embedded with gold and precious stones, and which resembled Adisesha in shape) from Vaikuntam.

Garuda brought Kridachala and deposited it on a sacred spot (to the East of Swami Pushkarini) chosen by Adi Varaha. Adi Varaha stood within the divine vimana of Kridachala, which shone with many gem-studded gopuras.

Brahma and the other holy personages requested the fearsome-looking Adi Varaha to assume a tranquil and composed look, and rest on the hill to protect men and grant boons to people unable to reach God through Dhyana Yoga (meditation) and Karma Yoga (doing one's own duty).

Adi Varaha appeared with four arms and a white face. He was adorned with jewels and accompanied by Bhu Devi. He resolved to stay at Venkatadri, under a divya vimana, to grant the prayers of men.

Source : http://www.indiadivine.org/news/temples-and-holy-places/the-history-of-sri-tirupati-balaji-venkateswara

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