| The
Aalayas of Andhra Pradesh |
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| Temples
Of India |
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SRIKALAHASTI |
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at this time, a huge elephant was worshipping the Siva linga here
every day with a devotion unequalled in fervour and periodicity. And
its past too was something fascinating. In the past life, it was a
brahmin well-versed in sastras and won a name for austerity. He was
poor in health. And wealth too. To add fuel to fire, as it were, he
was sick always. When prevailed upon by some rich to waking up one
whole night on Sivaratri doing pujas, he did, tempted by a prize; he
then availed the darsan of the Lord during the Deepakainkarya- the
ritual of waving of oil lamps before the Lord. As ill-luck would
have it, he died seeing the ritual bitten by a snake. That mercinary
acts of officiating as priest for others and keeping awake the whole
night, according to scriptures tantamount to selling of dharma. So
he was born as a wild elephant, yet had the knowledge of past life.
He was adorning the Vayu linga with utmost devotion by removing the
gems offered by the serpent first, and pouring water from its trunk
over the linga and placing lotuses before it. It did it regularly,
and only after this ritual, it was drinking or eating. The
on-lookers were struck with wonder at its piety, but to the serpent
it was an obnoxious act, since its offer of diamonds was thrust
aside every day by the elephant.
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