Draksharamam Temple - Andhra Pradesh, Bhimeswara Swamy Temple

Near the delta of the sacred Godavari River, in the northeastern costal regions of Andhra Pradesh, India, exists an ancient storehouse of Divine Energy, a timeless treasure known as Draksharamam Temple. The temple stands on hallowed land that has witnessed some of the most significant events in Sanatana Dharma (Hindu) faith. Today, Drākṣārāmam Temple enshrines the world’s largest svāyambhu (or self-born) Śiva Lingam and is one of the 18 Śaktī Peethas (or centers of divine feminine energy in the world). The Śiva lingam here is 14 feet tall and known as Śrī Bhīmeśwara Swāmi, which literally translated means the awe-inspiring form of Lord Śiva. His consort is the Goddess Śrī Māṇikyamba Devī, one the 18 Shakti Peethas in the world as recognized by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, the great saint who lived in the 8 century CE that with unified the main branches of thought within Hinduism.

Drākṣhārāmam Shakti Peetham The history of this important pilgrimage place begins countless of years ago,in previous yugas (or ages), with the story of Lord Śiva and the human incarnation of the Divine Mother known as Satī Devī. At times the Divine Mother, Śakti, has taken birth as a human being to reunite with and marry Lord Śiva. Such was the case when Satī Devi was born into the family of a powerful but arrogant ruler,  Dakṣha Prajāpati. The Prajāpati despised Lord Śiva. But despite her father’s staunch disapproval, Satī Devī eventually married Lord Śiva. After their marriage, Dakṣha Prajapati traveled from North India to Drākṣhārāmam to perform a large yajnam, or fire ceremony, that has become known as Dakṣha Yajnam. Dakṣha invited the entire celestial realm, all of the Devatas (Gods) were invited, with the the exception of Lord Śiva and Satī Devī. In an attempt to convince her father to accept Lord Śiva as both her husband as well as a form of the Supreme Being, Satī Devī left Lord Śiva and attened Dakṣha’s Yajnam. Tragedy soon followed when the Prajāpati refused Satī Devī and her requests to welcome Lord Śiva. Dakṣha continued to insult the Lord and Satī Devī, until enraged Satī Devī was driven to end her human existence by self-immolation.

Upon witnessing this awful scene, the all-knowing Lord Śiva descended to earth and mourned the loss of his eternal Love, the complement of his own Self in human form, Satī .  Today, a portion of the remains of Goddess Satī still remain at Drākṣhāramam, and the other locations in the world where they are known as the Śaktī Pīthas.  It is worth noting that Drākṣhārāmam was earlier known as Dakṣhārāmam.

The portion of Satī Devī that exists in Dakṣaramam was installed by Lord Śiva.  Much later, about 1200 years ago, the Ādi Śaṅkarācārya visited this place and installed a powerful Śrī Chakra here in the shrine of the Goddess. This extremely powerful form of Divine Mother is known as Māṇikyamba Devī, and is one of the 18 recognized Śaktī Pīthas. Today the temple is under the shield of the Indian government’s archeological department.

Neighboring the Drakṣhārāmam Temple we can still see today the Dakṣha Prajāpati’s Homa Kunda (or sacrificial fire pit) where Satī Devī left her body. Now the homa kunda retains water and has become a small tank. An effigy of the Goddess Satī has been enshrined in the center and small temple exists adjacent to the homa kunda.

Śrī Bhīmeśhwara Swāmi – the largest svāyambhu lingam in the world.  Towering at 14 feet high and tunneling to unknown depths underground, Śrī Bhīmeśwara Swāmi is an awesome experience to behold.  The lingam was not carved or fashioned by any human hands, rather it is svāyambhu (or self born).  It is a sphaṭika (or crystal) lingam that now has an opaque hue from ages and ages of abhiṣhekam (bathing the lingam in various auspicious substances). It is one of the five Panchārāma Lingams, which literally means a Lingam of the ‘five pieces’. Each of these five Śiva lingams were originally a single, extremely powerful lingam that came from the ātma of Lord Śiva Himself.  As such, this lingam grants health, wealth, material needs and comforts to His devotees. And most importantly Śrī Bhīmeśwara Swami bestows mokṣha or spiritual illumination to the devout.

Budhanilkantha Temple Nepal- A Statue of Sleeping Vishnu

The Budhanilkantha statue of the Hindu god Vishnu, located approximately 10 kilometers from the center of Kathmandu at the base of the Shivapuri Hill, is the largest and most beautiful stone carving in all of Nepal. It is also the most enigmatic.

Carved from a single block of black basalt stone of unknown origin, the Budhanilkantha statue is 5 meters in length and it lies in a reclining position inside a recessed tank of water (representing the cosmic sea) that is 13 meters in length. Called the Sleeping Vishnu, or Jalakshayan Narayan, the statue depicts the deity reclining on the twisting coils of the cosmic serpent Shesha (Shesha is the eternal, multi-headed king of the serpent deities known as Nagas, and also is the servant of Vishnu). Vishnu’s legs are crossed and the eleven heads of Shesha cradle his head. Vishnu’s four hands hold objects that are symbols of his divine qualities: a chakra or disc (representing the mind), a conch-shell (the four elements), a lotus flower (the moving universe) and the club (primeval knowledge).

 Budhanilkantha literally means “old blue-throat’ and how it got that name is fascinating, as explained by the excellent Rough Guide to Nepal:

“Budhanilkatha’s name has been a source of endless confusion. It has nothing to do with the Buddha (budha means “old”, though that doesn’t stop Buddhist Newars – a particular sect of Nepalese Buddhists - from worshipping the image). The real puzzler is why Budhanilkantha (literally “Old Blue Throat”), a title which unquestionably refers to Shiva, has been attached here to Vishnu. The myth of Shiva’s blue throat, a favorite in Nepal, relates how the gods churned the ocean of existence and inadvertently unleashed a poison that threatened to destroy the world. They begged Shiva to save them from their blunder and he obliged by drinking the poison. His throat burning, the great god flew up to the range north of Kathmandu, struck the mountainside with his trident to create a lake, Gosainkund, and quenched his thirst – suffering no lasting ill effect except for a blue patch on his throat. The water in the Sleeping Vishnu’s tank is popularly believed to originate in Gosainkund, and Shaivas claim a reclining image of Shiva can be seen under the waters of the lake during the annual Shiva festival there in August, which perhaps explains the association. Local legend maintains that a mirror-like statue of Shiva lies on the statue’s underside.”

Two old stories offer differing explanations of the origin of the Budhanilkantha statue. One says that the statue was sculpted and brought (by devotees or forced labor) to its current location in Kathmandu during the reign of the seventh-century monarch Vishnugupta, who controlled the Kathmandu valley under the Licchavi king Bhimarjunadev.

An alternate legend relates that in times past a farmer and his wife occupied a farm in an (unspecified) area and while cultivating the land they struck the Deity. Immediately afterwards blood began to flow from the ground and thus the lost deity of Budhanilkantha was recovered and placed in its rightful position.

Whatever the actual source of the statue and the time of its creation, it is known that for much of its history it was considered a representation of Vishnu. This is understandable, given the fact that the main sect of Hinduism in Nepal was Vaishnavism, or the worship of Vishnu. At different times, however, for example in the 12th and 13th centuries of the Malla Dynasty, when Shiva became the most popular deity, the Budhanilkantha was not so revered.

In the late 14th century, the Malla king Jayasthitihi (1382–1395) is credited with reviving the Vishnu cult by claiming to be the latest incarnation of this often-incarnated god. Subsequent kings of Nepal, most notably Pratap Malla (1641-1674) have made the same claim. According to a story originating from this time, Pratap Malla had a prophetic vision, which resulted in his strong belief and fear that should the King of Nepal visit the Budhanilkantha temple, death would be imminent upon his departure. Continuing to this day the Hindu Kings of Nepal will not visit the temple. The devotional practice of other Hindus is to approach Vishnu’s feet and, after touching them, make prayers and/or give thanks to the god (but it is forbidden for foreign visitors to do this).

Budhanilkantha has become the site on which Haribondhini Ekadashi takes place during the 11th day of the Hindu month of Kartik (October – November). Attended by many thousands of pilgrims, it is the principle festival for the year in celebration of the awakening of Lord Vishnu from his long sleep