SRI VADIRAJA
VIRACHITA “TEERTHA PRABANDHA” – STEP 19
ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ
ವಿರಚಿತ “ತೀರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಬಂಧ”.
Description of Sri Nandikeshwara/ನಂದಿಕೇಶ್ವರನ ವರ್ಣನೆ
ಸುಚಾರುಕರ್ಣಲಾಂಗೂಲಶೃಂಗಾಂಘ್ರ್ಯುದರದೃಜ್ಞುಖಂ|
ಕಕುದ್ಮಂತಂ ವೃಷಂ ಶ್ವೇತಂ
ನೌಮಿ ಶಂಕರವಾಹನಂ||26||
SuchArukarNalAmgUlashrungAnghryudadrungmuKham|
Kakudmantam vruSham shwEtam naumi ShankaravAhanam||26||
SUMMARY: A bullock, which has a white body, is the vehicle of Lord Rudra
and this bullock is called as Nandi. The tail, ears, horns, feet, abdomen, eyes
and face and all parts of Nandi are very attractive. It has beautiful and
elevated withers. I salute that Nandeeshwara.
Sri Nandikeshwara templeis at Yellur, which is located about 15 km to the
south-west of Udupi. It is stated in the epics that this holy place is a
representative of Varanasi or Kashi.
According to a legend, a Shudra king called Bhurikeerti appealed to
Bhargava Muni, who had come very close to his village, to visit his village as
well. The sage said that he would not visit a place where there is no temple
and went away. Dejected by this incident, Bhurikeerti, along with a Brahmin born
in Kadambalittaya family, went to Kashi. He worship Lord Vishwanatha at Kashi
with devotion. Impressed with his worship, Lord Vishwanatha told Bhurikeerti
that he would manifest at a place where a Brahmin known for offering worship to
him (Lord Vishwanatha) was living. In that place, Lord Shiva said, tigers and
cows were living without enmity. Bhurikeerti returned to his village.
Meanwhile, a Chandal woman was trying to dig a mound with a sword. As soon as
her sword touched the ground, blood started springing from the ground. Frightened
by that rare happening, the woman ran away pronouncing the name of her deceased
son. Within a short while, the Lord came out of the place where she had hit
with the sword. His forehead was still bleeding. From then on, the place came
to be known as Yelluru. The wound in the forehead of Lord Shiva is visible even
to this day. Therefore, the priest applies Sri Gandha paste on the forehead of
Lord Vishwanatha every day. When Sri Vadirajaru arrive at Yelluru during one of
his pilgrimage, the doors of the temple of Sri Nandikeshwara were closed. Some
sources contend that the priest had come to know about the holy place in
advance and therefore, with an ulterior motive, closed the temple doors early.
Sri Vadirajaru offered prayers to the Lord by chanting the Mantras such as “rakShOgaNakShapanam”
in praise of Lord Vishwanatha. Impressed with the prayers, Lord Shiva opened
the doors of the sanctum sanctorum and appeared in front of the Brahmin. However,
the Brahmin could not get closer to the Lord because Nandi was standing in
between. Sri Vadirajaru again sang “SuchArukarNalAngUla”. Then, Nandi lowered
his back so that Sri Vadirajaru could have the Darshan of Lord Nandikeshwara. It
is because of this reason that even today, Lord Vishwanatha can be easily seen
from any distance, without any difficulty or obstacle.
As a testimony to the visit of Vadirajaru to this place, owing to the
demand put forth by the priest and people there, he installed a Saligrama of
Lord Lakshminarasihma in the temple. Vadirajaru is said to have declared that
Vaishnavas can visit this temple as it was dedicated to Sri Lakshminarasihma, the
intrinsic and inseparable d
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