SRI VADIRAJA VIRACHITA “TEERTHA PRABANDHA” – STEP 25 ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ ವಿರಚಿತ “ತೀರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಬಂಧ”.

SRI VADIRAJA VIRACHITA

“TEERTHA PRABANDHA” – STEP 25

ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ ವಿರಚಿತ “ತೀರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಬಂಧ”.

19. KrODashankaranArAyaNa Kshetra/ಕ್ರೋಡಶಂಕರನಾರಾಯಣ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ

ಕ್ರೋಡಯೋಗೀಶ್ವರಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಂ ಭಾತಿ ಶುಕ್ತಿಮತೀತಟೇ|

ಸತಾಂ ಮತಾ ದ್ವಿತಾ ಯತ್ರ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟೋಮೇಶರಮೇಶಯೋಃ||51||

KrODayOgeeshwarakShEtram BhAti shuktimateetaTE|

SatAm matA dwitA yatra spaShTOmEsharamEshayOho||51||

SUMMARY: Krodasha Kshetra derives its name due to Krodasha Muni. It is shining on the banks of Shuktimatee River. Here the righteous can clearly understand the difference between Rudra and Vishnu.

ದ್ವಾಸುಪರ್ಣೇತಿ ವೇದಾರ್ಥಭೂತೌ ತೌ ಪ್ರಾಯಶೋ(s)ಮರೌ|

ಯದೇಕೋ(s)ಶ್ನಾತಿಬಹುಶೋ(s)ನಶ್ನನ್ನನ್ಯೋ ವಿವರ್ಧತೇ||52||

DwAsuparNEti vEdArThaBhUtau tau prAyashO(s)marau|

YadEkO(s)shnAtibahushO(s)nashnannyyO vavarDhatE||52||

SUMMARY: Sri Shankara and Sri Narayana existing at Kroda Kshetra are probably the meaningful manifestation of what Shruti “Dwasuparna” states. Shankara, who is one of the two, perhaps eats heavily. However, Narayana, the other God, keeps on growing  without eating.

Sri Shankaranarayana Kshetra is located on Sagar-Shivamogga road while travelling on Kundapur-Hulikal Ghat route. Lord Hari and Hara manifested in a common Linga form here to bless sage Kroda. A significant feature of this temple is that the Narayana Linga is a little plump while the Rudra Linga is comparatively lean. Sri Vadirajaru has said in this stanza that Sri Narayana perhaps consumes more food, compared to Rudra and therefore Sri Narayana Linga ta Kroda is hefty. Another significant fact is that the priest is believed to offer more Naivedya to Narayana compared to the quantity offered to Rudra Linga. In Atharvana Shruti it is stated:

“DwAsuparNA sayujA saKhAyA samAnam vrukSham pariShaswajAtE|

TayOranyaha pippalam swAdwatti anasnannanyO aBhichAkasheeti||

ದ್ವಾಸುಪರ್ಣಾ ಸಯುಜಾ ಸಖಾಯಾ ಸಮಾನಂ ವೃಕ್ಷಂ  ಪರಿಷಸ್ವಜಾತೇ
ತಯೋರನ್ಯಃ ಪಿಪ್ಪಲಂ ಸ್ವಾದ್ವತ್ತಿ ಅನಶ್ನನ್ನನ್ಯೋ ಅಭಿಚಾಕಶೀತಿ||

What is surprising is, in reality, almost same quantity of Naivedya is offered to both Narayana Linga and Rudra Linga. Yet, Rudra Linga seems to get weaker while Narayana Linga, despite not ‘consuming’ anything, gets heftier by the day. It is, in a way, the difference between Rudra and Narayana, or it appears as such, says Sri Vadirajaru in this context.

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