Category: Nagalapuram

Nagalapuram is a Mandal Headquarter in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. This town is home to Vedanarayana Temple, where the presiding deity Vishnu is in the form of Matsya, the first incarnation of Dasavatara

Matsya Jayanti – Nagalapuram

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Matsya Jayanti or Matsya Dwadashi

is a festival dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The observance is dedicated to the first incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Matsya in the form of fish, who came to earth in the Satya Yuga.

The Matsya Dwadashi is celebrated on the Dwadashi of the Shukla paksha of the Margashirsha month as per the traditional Hindu calendar.

The celebration of Matsya Dwadashi

Apart from being celebrated by the devotees at home and by attending nearby Vishnu temples; there is only one temple in India which is dedicated to the first Avatar of Lord Vishnu – the Matsya Avatar.

This temple is the Nagalapuram Veda Narayana Swamy Temple near Tirupati in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Devotees come from far away on this auspicious day to worship Lord Vishnu in his Matsya Avatar on this day.

Matsya Avatar of Maha Vishnu - Matsya Jayanti

Legend of Matsya Avatar

In the Satya-yuga era, a king called Manu or the Vaivasvata Manu ruled. He had performed severe penance and worship to Lord Vishnu.

Manu – Small Fish – Big Fish

  • Manu one day saw a little fish in his folded hands while he was in the Kritamala River.
  • While Manu was about to put the small fish back in the water, it requested not to be thrown back in the water as it was scared of the bigger fish.
  • The King promised the fish safety put it in a small jar and carried it with him.
  • The fish became too big for a jar. The king let it out in a pond.
  • Then it turned too big for the pond or the Ganges or the ocean.

World in danger due to flood

Upon request, the fish then revealed that it was Lord Vishnu himself. He appeared in front of Manu and told him that in seven days a great deluge would flood the whole world. He instructed the King to build a boat and bring one kind of all living beings together, the seven sages, and also gather all kinds of seeds.

He also instructed the serpent Vasuki, to be used as a rope to tie to his horn. He was the one-horned fish who would take care of the boat. The Matsya disappeared. Manu made all the necessary arrangements.

On a fateful day, turbulent rain lashed the earth and the one-horned fish appeared again. The king tied the serpent to the Matsya’s horn. Matsya then took them all to Mount Himavan and kept them all there till the flood water had come down.

In the new era, the king could start procreation. While en route, Matsya as Lord Vishnu revealed to the King the knowledge of the Vedas, Puranas, Samhitas, and also the Eternal Truth. Lord Vishnu as Matsya, then vanquished Hayagriva the demon, and rescued the Vedas.

Rituals of Matsya Dwadashi

  • On the day of the Matsya Dwadashi people awake early and take a ritual bath.
  • They then wear clean clothes and visit a nearby Vishnu temple.
  • The devotees worship the deity with sandalwood paste, incense sticks, fruits, and flowers.
  • The devotees also fast the whole day and read sacred scripts such as Vishnu Sahasranama to seek blessings from the Lord Vishnu.
  • Shodasopachara puja or puja with 16 steps ritual and charity is offered to the Brahmin on this auspicious day.
  • Married women observe this day for marital well-being and the good health of their husband and child.
  • Women who have no children perform this vrat to have virtuous children.
  • Men observe this Matsya Dwadashi vrat for health, wealth and prosperity from Lord Vishnu.

Significance of Matsya Dwadashi

It is believed that worshipping the Matsya avatar of Vishnu on Dwadashi absolves a person of all sins. It is also believed that proper observance of the Matsya Dwadashi will bless a devotee with Moksha or salvation.

*Data Source: Saptagiri Magazine

Surutapalli – The Place of Gods

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Surutapalli

Surutapalli is situated on the Andhra Tamilnadu border near Nagalapuram on the way to Chennai.

There are many temples of Lord Shiva in our country. In most of the temples, Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of ‘linga’. In the temple at Surutupalli, Lord Shiva appeared in the manifestation of a ‘Murthy’ in the sleeping posture.e., ‘Sayanamurthy.’ Lord Shiva receives worship in a sleeping posture.

Kalakuta SayanaKshetram

The Lord is named ‘SriPallikondeswara Swamy’. Goddess Parvathi is named ‘Sri Sarvamangala Devi’.’ Surutupalli’ is located on the banks of the holy river Aruna in Nagalapuram Mandal in Tirupati district, A.P. It is named ‘Kalakuta SayanaKshetram’ as it is the place where Lord Shiva slept and rested due to chaos after consuming ‘KalakutaVisham’ (poison) emerged from the Ocean of Milk at the time of churning.

Surakotipalli

During that time all the deities i.e. crores of ‘suras’ prayed to Lord Shiva. Hence this place was named ‘Surakotipalli’. LaterSurakotipalli was changed to Surutupalli.

At the time of churning the ocean of milk, when poison came out of it, Siva took it into his mouth and since the poison would annihilate the universe within his stomach, he kept it in his throat without swallowing.

The God’s throat turned black because of the poison. Thus, he came to be known as Neelakanta.

Lord Siva became unconscious, then Goddess Parvathi rested on his head on her knee revived him, and all the divine beings came to see him. So this place came to be known as Surutapalli – the Place of Gods. It turned out to be Surutapalli finally.

He is called Pallikondeswara Swami and also Sayana Siva.

Nowhere is Siva found other than as Linga except in this place where he is sculpted in human form.