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The
ancient Chandra Mouleeswara Temple lies to the south west of Krishna
Mutt and it enshrines a beautiful Sivalinga of - about three feet in
height. It was originally called Ananteswara. It has a long tale and
encircles the life of Parasurama and the great king Ramabhoja. The
Temple was then situated in a little village called Shivali, and
from this emerged the present cosmopolitan city called Udipi. It
appears that once, Ramabhoja, while ploughing the land to making it
fit for sacrificial ground, a serpent hit by the tip of the plough
died on the spot. For expiating the sin, he built four shrines in
the four corners of Shivali village. And one more in the centre of
the village and worshipped Parasurama in the form of Sivalinga
installing it on a silver seat. This legend accounts for the origin
of the temple, called Anantheeswara which has another interesting
version, emphasising that this place was a Hariharakshetra.
Incidentally it traces the purport of Parasurama's birth too. When
the Kshatrias, the ruling clan abusing the power perpetrated heinous
crimes, Lord Maha Vishnu descend as Parasurama to stamp out the
unjust sovereignty. He learnt then the art of archery from Lord
Siva. Soon after accomplishing the objective Parasurama decided to
get himself identified with the Sivalinga. So that both the teacher
.and the taught would receive prayers jointly and simultaneously by
the devotees. He merged in the Sivalinga. And so the Sivalinga
was
called Anantheeswara - Anantha being one of the names of Mahavishnu.
This establishes the cosmic truth that both Siva and Vishnu are one,
and justifies the attribute Mahadeva applicable to both Siva and
Vishnu. Hence the glorification in Vishnu Sahasranam, mentioning as
"Adideevo mahadeevo deeveesoo deevabhrd guruh".
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