• Jan 25 2016
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Sri Laxmi Narasimha Swamy Temple

Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple is situated in temple town named Antarvedi in Sakhinetipalle Mandal, located in the East Godavari district of the Andhra Pradesh state. The temple site is at the place of the confluence of Vashista Godavari, a tributary of the Godavari River with the Bay of Bengal.

In Kritayuga, Sage Sounaka and his colleagues gathered in Naimisaranya to conduct Satrayaga. One day, they asked Suta Maharshi to tell about the greatness and significance of Antarvedi Shrine and of Bhagwan Lakshmi Narasimha. Suta was pleased to tell the story which was once told by Bhagwan Brahma to Sage Narada according to which Sage Vasista established his Ashram at the meeting point of the Goutami  river (which is a tributary of river  Godavari) with the sea (Bay of Bengal).

In this place Bhagwan Brahma performed Rudrayaga and installed Bhagwan Neela Kantheswara to get freed from the sins he had committed against Bhagwan Sankara. As that place was made a stage or “Vedik” to perform the Yaga, it was named as “Antarvedi”.

Raktavilochana, son of the demon Hiranyaksha, did tremendous penance on the banks of Vasishta river and gets a boon from Bhagwan Shiva that the number of sand particles drenched by the blood drops falling from his body on to the ground at war, would produce equal number of Rakshasas as strong and vigorous as himself and they would assist him at war and become one with him after killing all the enemies. Thereafter Raktavilochana started harassing the brahmins, the Gods, the saints and the cows and obstructed Yagas and Vedic-recitals.

Sage Viswamitra found opportunity to take Vengeance against sage Vasishta and provoke Rakta-vilochana to kill Vasishta’s hundred sons in his absence. The Demon did so, causing an irreparable loss to Arundhati and Vasishta. Vasishta prayed for Bhagwan Narasmiha’s grace. Bhagwan Narahari (Narasimha) fought a fierce battle with Raktavilochana. During the battle every blood drop falling on the earth from the body of Raktavilochana produced equal number of demons as strong and vigorous as Raktavilochana.

Thereupon Bhagwan Narahari created “Maya Sakthi” to manage stopping the fall of blood drops from Rakta Viliochana body to the ground and kills Rakta Vilochana. Then the blood stopped by Maya Sakthi from falling on to the ground, was released by her as a reddish river, known as the “Raktakulya”. The place where Bhagwan, after killing the demons, washed his weapon Sudarshan Chakra, become popular as Chakrateertham. Bhagwan Narahari then assumes the form of Lakshmi Narasimha in the Ashram of Sage Vasishta.

According to Brahma Purana, in Tretayuga, Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Anjaneya worshipped Narasimha swamy at this place after Killing Ravana in the war. In Dwaparayuga, Arjuna, the Pandava prince, worshipped him here during his pilgrimage.

For some time after commencement of Kaliyuga, Antervedi was a Jungle and a cowherd named Mandapati Kesavadasu discovered the murthi while grazing the cattle. Later on, during the Reddy’s Kingdom (1325-1448 CE) it is believed that the temple was built the temple using bamboo sticks. As per the inscriptions, this temple was rebuilt by Kopanati Krishnamma of Agni Kula Kshatriya in 1823 A.D.

Thereafter Sri Narendra Lakshmi Narasimha Rao, wealthy generous gentleman of the local area also took initiative in re-erecting the temple. The temple was again ruined and another devotee by name Adinarayana and his two sons Ranganatha and Krishna did the reconstruction of the temple in 1923. Stone inscription available in the temple has documented this reconstruction of the temple in 1923.