While entering through the main gateway people loudly chant the holy name of Lord Venkateswara as Edukondalawada, Venkata Ramana Govinda! Govinda!! Govinda!!!
Sankha Nidhi & Padma Nidhi
Stop for a while and look to your left and right while passing through the main gateway. You will find two panchaloha (Alloy of five metals) idols of 2 feet high. They are the two celestial security guards of Lord Venkateswara.
Sankhu Nidhi or Sankha Nidhi
The guard standing on the southern side i.e., to your right has two conch shells in His hands. He is Sankhu Nidhi.
Padma Nidhi
Similarly to your left i.e., in the northern direction, there stands the second guard. He holds two lotus flowers in his two hands. He is named as Padma (Lotus) Nidhi.
These two celestial security guards are there to protect Lord Venkateswara’s Treasury, which is full of nine gems.
Achyuta Deva Raya
Near the feet of these celestial guards, you will see six inches long idol of a king standing with folded hands. He is the Vijayanagara king by the name Achyuta Deva Raya. Most probably he would have installed the two statues of those celestial guards.
As per Agamashastra (the Temple Architecture), the statues of such security guards are installed on the two sides near the third entry door of the surrounding wall.
Enclosures
- This installation at the main entry gate of the temple proves the fact that the first enclosure (Avarana) indicates Mukkoti (three crores) Pradakshana (circumambulation),
- the second encloser as the Vimana (the upper dome of a temple over the sanctuary) pradakshanam and
- the third (enclosure) as the Sampangi (Gold Flower) Pradakshanam. Let us bow to the celestial security guards and enter the temple premises.
