| As the shrine of
Lord Venkateswara is one of the most celebrated shrines in India, a few of the Puranic
legends, which are well known, are given below: The
Puranic legend on the above is contained in the Brahmanda Purana, in which, the sport of
the Lord in hunting in the forests, and in killing Vrishabhasura is described.
Vrishabhasura was a great Bhakta of Siva, and was living in South Tirupati, and was giving
trouble to the Rishis etc. Suddenly one day he found a hill growing up, and Vrishabbasura,
thinking that it must be the result of some magic, wanted to give battle to whoever it was
that created that hill. He therefore went in search of the creator of the hill, and found
the Lord who was hunting in the forests of the hill, and mistook him for the creator of
the hill and started giving battle. The Lord with the help of Vishwaksena destroyed the
entire army of Vrishabhasura. There upon Vrishabhasura created a second huge army through
his Maya, and himself disappeared into it. The Lord thereupon began to attack that army
with his Chakra. Vrishabhasura then understood that it was Lord Narayana who was his
opponent and, being a good Bhakta, thought that death at the hands of the Lord would lead
him to salvation. There fore he prayed that the Lord should kill him. |
