RYALI

VIKRAMADEVA'S EPISODE

Once this region was under the suzerainty of King Vikramadev. According to Sthalapurana, he was a great king, but greater was his devotion to God, and perhaps, the greatest was his attitude to the cause of awakening and spreading religious culture among his subjects. And he was a brave king renowned for daring acts too. His religious zeal to steering the ship of his kingdom safely to the shoreless ocean of grace of Sri Mahavishnu was exemplary. Imbibing the spirit, people too followed in his foot steps and proved the truth of the adage "yada raja thada praja' as is the king so are the subjects. So, neither drought, nor distress dared to tread his land then.

The King went on an hunting expedition one day to the present part, when it was nothing but a thick forest infested with wild animals. Due to his misfortune, rather to the fortune of the world of religion, he could not find even a single prey. Mentally depressed and physically tired, he reached a shady tree and rested for sometime. He fell asleep.. In his dream, he heard devotion-dipped choral music coming from a little distance. Its tone being soaked in Vishnu bhakti, it lulled him for a while. Yet he decided to locate the spot. Rising up he bade his retinue to search for the party, but in vain. He did personally, but failed. Cursing his misfortune, he reached the palace and spent a restless day. And a sleepless night too. Before dawn when he was about enjoy a wink of sleep, the beautiful image of Lord Mahavishnu flashed across his mind and slid, "Dear Majesty, the place where you slept during the hunting pastime is very sacred, and I wish to dwell there to fulfilling the desires of people and emancipate them.

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