VIJAYAWADA is practically the centre of Andhra
in all its aspects. It is an important junction in the Madras-Calcutta, Madras
- Delhi routes, and probably the foremost town of Andhra. It contains three
ancient temples viz., the Kanakadurga temple, the Malleswaraswamy temple and
the Vijayeswaraswami temple. These are the three temples of Vijayawada.
Vijayawada is known in mythology as
Vijayavata, and is mentioned in some inscriptions as Rajendracholapura also. it
is a famous place of pilgrimage on the river Krishna, and 'has a temple
dedicated to Lord Siva in his aspect of Malleswara or Jayasena. Sage Agasthya
is said to have been the greatest devotee of this deity and admirer of the
deity's several leelas.The origin or installation of Kanaka - durga Devi at
Vijayawada is unknown. She is said to be Swayambu or selfmanifest. She also
takes the aspect of Chandi or destroyer of the demon Durgama who was causing
havoc among the peace - loving inhabitants of Dakshinapatha.
Mallikarjuna or the Malleswara as he is known in
the Puranas is said to have been installed by Yudhishthira, the eldest of the
Pancha Pandavas, as a token of their victory of the South. Thribhuvana Malla,
Western Chalukya King of the 10th century A.D, historically constructed the
temple.The installation of Vijayeswara is said to have been done by Arjuna, one
of the Pancha Pandavas, to commemorate his victory with Lord Siva in the shape
of Kirata or hunter.
The place Vijayawada is surrounded by many hillocks
and the most important of them is Seethanagaram, while the less important is
called the Kanakadurga or Kanaka konda. On the southern side of the Kanakadurga
temple, is a hillock with sculptures bearing inscriptions, indicating the names
of Gods and Goddesses cut below them. Most of these figures are forms of the
Goddess in her aspect of Durga, which are dealt with in the Mantra Sastras.
Traditionally these hills were originally continuous and at the commandof the
Lord, they got separated, making enough space for the river Krishna to pass
through.
One of these hills is called Indrakila, which is a
famous hill mentioned in the Mahabharata as the place where the Pandava hero
Arjuna obtained from Lord Siva an important weapon called Pasupatastra. The
aspect of Lord Siva who appeared before Arjuna for granting him the boon is
Kirata or the hunter. Bharavi in his celebrated Kavya "The
Kirtarjuneeya" has immortalized this. The temple of Vijayeswara is
attributed to Arjuna to commemorate the event of obtaining Pasupatha. The
shrine has the representation of this and many other events of the Mahabharata
commemorated in sculpture.
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