Srikakulam Andhra Mahavishnuvu Temple, Srikakulam
Sri Andhra MahaVishnu temple on the banks of Krishna river is located in Srikakulam of Krishna district. Sri Andhra Maha Vishnu told Sri Krishnadevaraya to compose the story of his wedding with Andal at Srirangam. He also ordered the Emperor to tell the story in the Telugu Language.
The Emperor was obliged to compose Amukta Malyada, which is one of the most famous poetic works in Telugu literature.
How to Reach Temple
Srikakulam is located at a distance of 80 Kms from Visakhapatnam and 720 Kms from Hyderabad. Devotees can visit this sacred temple and seek the blessings of Lord Maha Vishnu.
Vishnu – Being the Most Popular Name
Of the limitless holy names of Sri Maha Vishnu, the name ‘Vishnu’ is the most popular sacred name, and Vishnu means one who pervades the whole Universe, and who resides in every animate and inanimate object. The first holy name that occurs in Sri Vishnu Sahasranama is Viswam, meaning the Universe, and the second name is Vishnu and both these sacred names perfectly define the all-pervasive nature of Sri Maha Vishnu.
Of the five forms that the Lord has chosen to bless His devotees, viz., Para, Vyuha, Vibhava, Antaryarmi and Archa, the last form Archa is the most popular and easily approachable form. Lord Maha Vishnu resides as Archa Murthi (the vigraha in the temples) in the thousands of shrines found not only through the length and breadth of our country but in overseas lands also.
Most Popular Vishnu Temple
In all these places He is hailed by one of his infinite holy names.
For example,
- He is Sri Srinivasa in the holy Tirumala Hills,
- Sri Ranganatha in Sri Rangam,
- Sri Varadaraja in Kanchipuram
there is a temple in Andhra Pradesh where the Lord is known Maha Vishnu, and as the temple is in Andhra He is known Andhra Maha Vishnu.
12 Alwars
Of the twelve Alwars Perialwar was born as the manifestation of Garuda in Srivilliputtur in Tamil Nadu and he was blessed by the Lord with a girl who was found under a Tulasi plant. She was named Goda Devi and brought up by the Alwar. Goda Devi popularly known as Andal dedicated her life to the service of Lord Ranganatha and yearned to join Him in the holy wedding.
Lord Ranganatha overwhelmed with her unsullied devotion took her as his Devi. Separate shrines for Sri Goda Devi in Vishnu temples stand testimony to her bhakti. Tiruppavai is the name of the popular Tamil work containing thirty beautiful verses composed by her. Tiruppavai verses are very popular in all the Vishnu temples. The holy verses are sung in Tirumala temple during Dhanur (Margazhi) month.
Sri Andhra Maha Vishnu Temple at Srikakulam set the stage for the king to compose his work Amukta Malyada. The temple is replete with puranic legends and historical incidents to its credit.
Lord Brahma who was much vexed with people of Kali Age steeped in vices and sins, came down to Srikakulam on the banks of Krishna river and performed a severe penance towards Lord Vishnu. The words “Ka” (Brahma) and “aakulam” (mental agony) give the name Srikakulam to this place. Impressed with the penance of Brahma Sri Maha Vishnu appeared before him and removed his misery.
Brahma Installing Sri Vishnu
Brahma installed Sri Vishnu in this holy place and worshipped Him. It is believed that even before the advent of the Satavahana dynasty in Andhra Pradesh, which lasted for nearly four centuries until 220 AD, one Emperor Andhra Vishnu ruled this area and in memory of his name this temple was constructed.
This Andhra country is nestled inside the area with three historical and legendary Siva temples situated on its perimeter viz., Srisailam on the west, Bheemeswaram on the south and Kaleswaram on the north sides.
Thrilinga Kshetra
As Andhra is located at the centre of these three Siva (linga) kshetras, the land was called “Thrilinga Kshetra”. The word thrilling became “Telugu” and gave the name to the language also. Legend says that Emperor Andhra Vishnu built a massive fortification enclosing all these three temples! People hailed him as an incarnation of Sri Maha Vishnu and called him Srikakulandhra Vishnu.
Sri Andhra Maha Vishnu temple is considered one of the oldest in the country. Here the Lord is called, Srikakuleswara, Andhra Nayakudu (Lord of Andhra), Telugu Vallabudu and Srikakula Devudu.
When the Vijayanagar king Krishna Devaraya during his Kalinga campaign happened to travel through Srikakulam in 1515 he visited Sri Andhra Maha Vishnu temple. When the king was observing Ekadasi fast staying at the temple, Srikakuleswara appeared in his dream and commanded him to compose the story of Goda Devi in the Telugu language.
Well versed in Telugu language and literature the king with the divine assistance of the Lord composed his work Amukta Malyada which is hailed as one of the beautiful literary pieces in the language. The Mandapam where Krishnadevaraya sat and composed the story of Goda Devi was dilapidated during the later centuries.
In the temple of Sri Andhra Maha Vishnu, there are 32 epigraphs of different kings, including those of Krishna Devaraya’s reign. From these, researchers have concluded that this temple might have been here as early as 1010 AD. The temple during the following centuries lost its majesty and significance and during the rule of Chola Kings, they carried out extensive renovation works to the temple, retrieved the vigraha of Sri Mahavishnu from the banks of the Krishna river and reinstalled it in the temple.
Inside Temple
The main entrance of Sri Andhra Maha Vishnu temple is adorned with a five-tier Rajagopuram and very next to this, Ranga Mandapam and Antharala are located in Sanctum Sanctorum. It is believed that this Ranga Mandapam was famous during the rule of Kakatiya kings.
The pillars of Ranga Mandapam are replete with finely Chiselled figures from Kakatiya and Vijayanagar reigns. Andhra Maha Vishnu with His consorts Rajyalakshmi and Baghyalakshmi have separate sannidhis which were created during Kakatiya rule.
Dwarapalas Jaya and Vijaya stand guard at the entrance of the Sanctum and near them we see the bass relief sculptures of Poorna Kumbas. The garbagriha is known as Bhadra Kodi Vimanam where Sri Andhra Maha Vishnu in his majesty and splendour blesses his devotees. Generally in the idols of Sri Vishnu the rear right and left hands are shown to hold Sudarsana and Shanka (conch) respectively. But Sri Andhra Maha Vishnu holds the Chakra in his left hand and the Conch on the right.
The change is attributed to a fascinating legend. As the Lord chose to reside in this temple as soon as he gave Moksha to the elephant king Gajendra by killing the crocodile with Sudarsana chakra, he shifted his chakra weapon to his left hand, and it is believed that Gajendra Moksham was held in this place, once a dense jungle on the banks of Krishna river. The Lord holds the Padmam (lotus flower) in the front right hand and Gatha on the left.
Finely sculpted Dasavatar Murthis adorn the Prabhavalli around the 12-foot-tall idol of Sri Maha Vishnu. At the base of the Prabhavalli on both sides, we see the idols of Sri and Bhu Devis. Nearby we also see the Utsava idol Sri Chenna Kesava and it is notable that He also wields the Shanka and Chakra in the reverse order.
On the southern prakara of the Sanctum, there is the mandapam where Nithyagni hotram is held. It is said that such a Nithyagni hotra mandapam is in this temple alone in the State. This holy place is believed to have been populated once by Nithya Agni Hotris (vedic scholars who performed agnihotra every day).
In the Dasavatara Sannidhi, the idol of Sri Krishna is missing and it is said that Sri Andhra Maha Vishnu Himself has manifested as Lord Krishna. In the centre of Alwar Acharya Sannidhi, we have the darshan of Lord Ramachandramurthi sitting in Virsana with Sita Devi on his left lap. It is fascinating to see Lord Rama sporting a moustache.
There is also an idol of Sri Mahalakshmi. In the prakara there is a niche where Hanuman and Vishnu idols are installed. In this Vishnu idol also the weapons are seen swapped.
Rathotsavam in the temple is held on Vaisaka Pournami. Sri Ekarathri Prasanna Mallikarjuna Swami enshrined in a separate temple in Srikakulam is adored as the Kshetrapala of the place.
Sri Suryanarayanaswami Temple
Sri Suryanarayanaswami Temple in Arasavalli, part of Srikakulam town, Sri Mukhalingam on the banks of Vamsadhara river at a distance of 48 Kms from Srikakulam and Srikurmam where the rare Kurmavathara temple is located at 18 Kms are some of the ancient and famous temples around Srikakulam.
