MOTHER SARADA OF SRINGERI

ANTIQUITY

The sanctity of Sringeri was shot up into firmament by the dwelling of renowned sage Kasyapa Vibhandaka in the Tretayuga. There existed then, a little temple atop the hill dedicated to Mallikarjuna. The story goes that while bathing in the river, he chanced to see the heavenly damsel Urvasi on her flight. Her ravishing buxom beauty gave a jolt to his austerity. For a while, he riveted his amorous look on her. Result; Viryaskalana. And it flowed down the river. Just at that moment, a lovely antelope chanced to come to the river to appeasing thirst. Kasyapa's virya flowing in the river water entered the womb of the antelope when drunk. Miraculously enough it gave birth to a male human child with horn on head, but died forthwith. Seeing its calamitous end, Kasyapa turned himself into mother-father and brought up the child with utmost love. Wasn't it his own child? Incidentally, he released from curse a devakanya, an engrossing piece of beauty of Indraloka, but roaming about in the forest as antelope due to a curse.Bestowing paternal care, he imparted all knowledge and made him an erudite scholar in Vedic lore of unparalleled eminence. So he blossomed into a brilliant youth endowed with bright, sharp intellect and sturdy well developed body.

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