"Chathuraanana
Hethobja Chitrabhanu Swaroopine Vedaadri Gahwarasthaaya Yogaanandaaya
Mangalam"
The visit
to this Sri Yogananda Narasimha Temple (Yogananda – Yogi, Yoga) at Ahobilam was
a part of the Ahobilam Temples Visit, on 25th and 26th
August 2025, organized by Mantra Yatra (website). Thanks to Mr. Balaji Davey and
his team of Mantra Yatra for the excellent arrangement and personal care.
The list of Ahobila
nine Narasimha Temples, considered as a single Divya Desam, and the individual
posts' links of this blog are given below.
Jwala Ahobila Maha Lola!
Kroda Karancha Bhargava!
Yogananda Kshatravata!
Pavaneya Nava Moorthayah!!
All the above nine Narasimha Swamy Temples at Diguva
(Lower) Ahobilam and Eguva (Upper) Ahobilam are considered as one Divya Desam of 108 Divya Desams, mangalasasanam
done by Thirumangai Alwar. Thirumangai Alwar mentions this Ahobilam as Singavel
Kundram in his Pasuram (1008-17).
அங்கண்ஞாலமஞ்ச
அங்கோராளரியாய் அவுணன்
பொங்கவாகம்வள்ளுகிரால் போழ்ந்தபுனிதனிடம்,
பைங்கணானைக்கொம்புகொண்டு
பத்திமையால், அடிக்கீழ்ச்
செங்கணாளியிட்டிறைஞ்சும் சிங்கவேள்குன்றமே (1008)
செங்கணாளிட்டிறைஞ்சும்
சிங்கவேள்குன்றுடைய,
எங்களீ
சனெம்பிரானை இருந்தமிழ்_ற்புலவன், மங்கையாளன்
மன்னுதொல்சீர் வண்டறை தார்க்கலியன், செங்கையாளன்
செஞ்சொல்மாலை வல்லவர்த்திதிலரே.
(1017)
Moolavar: Sri Yogananda Narasimha
Some of the salient features of this temple are…
The
temple faces east. This shrine is a plain stone structure with a square Garbhagriha
and ardha mandapa. The Yogananda Narasimha appears calm, is seated on a Garuda
pedestal of 1 foot 2" high, the image of the Narasimha is about 2’8" high
in the yogic posture of the legs being crossed and tied with a Yogapatta. The
deity is four-handed and holds the Chakra and the Shankha in the upper hands. The other
two hands rest on the knees. The form of Sankha and Chakra, the hand postures,
the conical kirita, and the style of the decoration show that this image is
possibly of the 9th - 10th century CE.
There
is also a similar image installed above the original image in recent
years.
Navanarashimha
in the form of the Navagrahas temple (Built by the siddhar Kasi Reddy, and his
Samadhi is also near this temple), Sri Bala Yogananda Narasimha Swamy temple, Sri
Ramuluvari Alayam, and Kasinaayana Swamy Devalayam are around this temple.
Navanarashimha
ARCHITECTURE
The
total temple was constructed with bricks and cement concrete in recent years.
The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum and an open mukha mandapam. Stucco
image of Yoga Narasimhar and the Ahobilam mutt Jeeyars are on the mukha mandapam
parapet wall. The sanctum sanctorum is on an upanam and a pada bandha
adhistanam with jagathy and three patta kumudam. The pilasters are of
brahmakantha pilasters with vettu pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi and
kapotam. One tala vimanam, with a vesara sigaram, is on the prastaram. Stucco
images of Maha Vishnu and Varahara, Narasimhar are on the tala and greeva
koshtams.
HISTORY
AND INSCRIPTIONS
This is one of the
108 Sri Vaishnava Divya Desams. Sri Thirumangai Alwar, one of the Alwars who
lived in the 8th century CE, composed ten Pasurams of Nalayira Divya Prabandham
on Ahobilam. Hence, this Nava Narasimhar group of temples might have existed during the 07th to 08th Century CE. Later, the rulers Chalukyas,
Kaktiya, Reddy Kingdom, Vijayanagara, Gadwal Samasthanam, and the British extended
contributions to the Ahobilam Temple. During the Mohammedan invasions, the
temple’s property and jewels were looted and damaged. The same was rectified and
brought back to worship.
There are altogether
30 inscriptions and many copper plates recorded at Ahobilam. These inscriptions
are in the Upper and the Lower. Ahobilam is engraved on the walls, pillars, and
stray stone slabs. The earliest of the inscriptions of Ahobilam belongs to the
time of Chalukya Kirtivarman II (744- 755 CE) and the latest to the time of
Venkatapatiraya II (1585-1614 CE). Most of the inscriptions are donor
records.
As per the
inscriptions, this place was called ‘Vobula', 'Ahobala’, 'Ahobila', 'Ahobilagiri', 'Vedadri’, 'Diguva Tirupati‘, 'Garudadri’, 'Virakshetra’, 'Achalachaya
Meru’, 'Singavel Kunram', 'Nidhi', and
Nagari', etc.
Ref:
1. The
temple’s website
2. A book on AHOBILAM
SRI NARASIMHA SWAMY TEMPLE, Prof. R. VASANTHA, published by TTD, Tirupati.
LEGENDS
Hiranyakashipu
(son of Sage Kashyapa) did a penance on Brahma to get a boon of immortality, to
take revenge on Maha Vishnu, who killed his brother Hiranyaksha. Brahma said he
cannot give a boon of immortality. Hiranyakashipu said that if the boon of
immortality cannot be given, alternatively, he asked for a boon of not being
killed by a man or animal, not being killed day or night, not being killed on the floor or in the sky, not being killed outside or inside a specific place, and
not being killed by any weapon. Brahma granted the boon. After obtaining the
boon, he conquered three lokas and took the position of Indra. He thought
himself superior to God, and Hiranyakashipu ordered that no one should
pronounce the name of Maha Vishnu and worship him.
In
the meantime, Narada made Parhalad, son of Hiranyakashipu, a devotee of Maha
Vishnu, since he was in the womb of his mother. After Prahalad grew up, he
started worshipping Maha Vishnu. Angered Hiranyakashipu, he tortured his son
and tried to kill him. He asked Prahalad whether Maha Vishnu would come from
the pillar and save him. Prahalad said, “Yes, he will”. Hiranyakashipu hit the
pillar with a mace. Maha Vishnu in the form of Narasimha came out of the pillar, breaking it vertically, took Hiranyakashipu, sat on the door frame, and kept him on
his lap. With protruding nails of
fingers, he tore his stomach, took out the intestine, wore it as a garland, and
finally killed him.
With
the blood splashed on his hand and face, Maha Vishnu has become more ferocious
and behaves like a demon. Came to this Nallamala forest and roamed. The worried
Devas sought the help of Maha Lakshmi to pacify him. She took the form of
Chenchu Lakshmi, a tribal girl, in the same forest. On seeing her, Lord
Narasimha asked her to marry him. After marriage, Maha Lakshmi, as Chenchu
Lakshmi, sat on the left lap of Naraimha, and he became calm.
The Garuda wishes to have darshan of Maha Vishnu’s Narasimha avatar. So he did a penance of Maha
Vishnu. Satisfied with Garuda’s penance, Maha Vishnu gave him the Narasimha
avatar and stayed at nine places with different forms to bless devotees.
Bhakta Prahalad and
Brahma worshipped Narasimha Swamy of this temple. He taught Rajaneethi Sastram
and Yoga Sastram, Yogic asanas, etc., to Bhaktha Prahlada after killing the Demon
King Hiranyakashipu.
All
the Nine Narshimha are connected with the nine planets. This Yogananda Narashimha
is connected to the planet Shani. Devotees worship Narashimha to get less
Shani effect and peace of mind to make decisions on all walks of life.
POOJAS
AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart
from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Narasimhar Jayanthi days,
etc.
TEMPLE
TIMINGS
The
temple will be kept open from 9:00 hrs
to 16:00 hrs.
CONTACT
DETAILS
Ahobilam
Math website
Sevas and Bookings /
Enquiry -+91 9440120878
Mr.
Narendra Kumar can be contacted on his mobile number, 9642844839, for Local Guide, Poojas, Darshan, Stay, Food, and Jeep Services for the two temples.
HOW
TO REACH
This temple is about
2.9 km from Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, 29 km from Allagada, 67 km from
Nandyal Railway Station, and 107 km from Tadipatri.
The nearest Railway
Station is Nandyal Railway Station.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
---
OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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