Veñkateśa, Veñkateśvara
By Swami Harshananda
Origin of Veñkateśa and Veñkateśvara[edit]
Veñkateśa and Veñkateśvara is the two most common names of the god of Tirumala-Tirupati. The hill on which the temple and the deity are situated was called Veṅgaḍa, a Tamil word, later Sanskritized to Veṅkaṭa. The lord of this hill came to be known as Veṅkaṭeśa or Veṅkaṭeśvara.
Myth Related to Veñkateśa and Veñkateśvara[edit]
According to the local legends, when the sage Bhṛgu who went to Vaikuṇṭha[1] humiliated Lord Viṣṇu, Lakṣmī[2] got angry, descended to the earth and settled down at Kolhāpur. Viṣṇu too came down in search of her. He was roaming around in the forest when he did not find her. Then Padmāvatī, the daughter of the king Ākāśarāja, was rescued by him from a fierce elephant. She fell in love with him.[3] They were duly married.
Significance of Tiruccānur[edit]
Viṣṇu as Veṅkaṭeśvara settled down on the hills whereas his new consort had to stay back at the foot of the hill. This place now houses her temple and the place itself is called Tiruccānur.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore