Download Vasavi Kanyakaparameswari Purana in Kannada
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PENUGONDA, the abode of VASAVI, is situated on the banks of the GAUTAMI RIVER which was one of the seven tributaries of the Sacred Godavari and it is the place where GREAT SAINTS performed YAGNA and penance. It is here the great saint Pulasthya was successful in achieving the simultaneous visual manifestation of the three deities, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. Penugonda is also the place where God KUMARASWAMY (Skanda) performed penance and Guru Bhaskaracharya envisioned the manifestation of Brahma.
Later on, Penugonda become the abode of LORD LAKSHMINARAYANA who went on to be known as KONAKOMALA JANARDHANA and PARVATHI PARAMESWARA who went on to become GOWRI NAGARESWARA.
PENUGONDA IS LOCATED IN WEST GODAVARI DIST OF ANDHRA PRADESH.
Dating of Goddess Vasavi's Birth and Life
Vidya Vachaspathi, Lalitha Kalanidhi, Kavi Brahma, Vasavi Gnana Sagara Sri Kollipara Panduranga Rao of Chirala, AP has carried out intensive research on the life and times of Goddess Vasavi Mata. He has examined several ancient source texts and has held extensive discussions about this with several researchers and has provided us an insight into this. Based on the source Purana "Vysya Purana Kavyamu" authored by Goddess Vasavi's Guru Sri Bhaskaracharya, her birth is estimated to have taken place on Friday, Vaisakha, Shuddha Dashami under the Punarvasu Star in the year 2617 BC (Julian). She is supposed to have performed "Agni Pravesham" along with the 102 Gotraja Couples and provided Viswa Roopa darsanam on Thursday, Magha, Shuddha Dwiteeya in the year 2628 BC (Julian). She also advised the Vasavi Sapta Shathi to all devotees at this time.
Renowned Astrologer Divyashree Bobrulu Rosaiah Siddhanti has authored a book in support of the above date and time. In addition, Sri Ekkirala Vedavyasa has reviewed horoscopes and planetary positions and has further endorsed the above dates.
Siddhanti Sri Lakshmikant Shresthi has also endorsed the above dates and has further advanced that Goddess Vasavi's life was contemporaneous with Lord Buddha's. Sri Vankadhari Nageswara Rao Shresthi has also supported this claim in his feature "Goddess Vasavi Kanyakaparameswari's" Life and Times in the Vasavi Sravanthi Magazine.
Goddess Vasavi's Life has been discussed in 9th Century AD works that discuss the history of 27 Chalukya Vishnuvardhana's lives and times. Hence, when we celebrate Vasavi Jayanthi or Vasavi Atmarpana Day, we calculate that from the year of her birth and her Agni Pravesham. Hence, in the year 2018, we celebrated the 4636th Vasavi Jayanthi (2018+2617 = 2635).
Goddess Vasavi's Story
The Vysya community consisted of 714 Gotrajas who lived happily in Penugonda Kingdom under the able rule of King Kusuma Shresti and Queen Kusumamba. King Kusuma Shresti who was 16th in the line of kings who succeeded SAMADHIMUNI was childless. As per Guru Bhaskaracharya’s advice they performed ‘PUTRAKAMESTI YAGNA’. Goddess PARASHAKTHI appeared from the HOMAKUNDAM and blessed the couple with payasam.
Kusumamba consumed the payasam with devotion and on VAISHAKA SHUDDHA DASHIMI day, she gave birth to twins - A boy, named Virupaksha who was an incarnation of God Nandikeswara and, a girl, Vasavi, an incarnation of Goddess ADIPARASHAKTI. Virupaksha attained proficiency in Dharmashastra, politics and martial arts.
Vasavi was taught Fine Arts and Music. From her childhood, she was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. She was a teenage girl of exceptional beauty. She decided to dedicate her life to Lord Shiva and remain unmarried as Gowrabalika.
King Kusumashresti was a tributary King to Emperor Vishnuvardhana who visited Penugonda. The Emperor received a rousing welcome by the King Kusuma Shresti and the people of Penugonda looked at him with awe and reverence.
Vishnuvardhana was captivated by the astounding beauty and glamour of Vasavi and decided to marry her at any cost.
His desire was like a death blow to Kusuma Shresti. King Kusumashresti called a meeting of the elders of 714 Gotra and discussed the matter in detail.
Under the guidance of Guru Bhaskaracharya, they all decided to give importance to the views of Vasavi. Royal couple, Guru Bhaskaracharya, Vasavi and Virupaksha had a secret meeting. Vasavi at this stage told that she wanted to uphold the dignity and honour of womanhood and was born with a purpose to preach non-violence (Ahimsadharma) to the world.
She exhibited her original form of Adiparashakti and vowed that she would remain a virgin. On hearing that Vasavi had declined to marry him, Vishnuvardhana deiced to marry her even by waging a war on Penugonda. In order to prevent bloodshed and to uphold the dignity and honour of womanhood, Vasavi decided to end her AVATAR by offering herself to the God of fire – AGNI.
Out of the 714 Gotrajas, 102 Gotrajas supported her view and decided to enter the sacred fire alongwith her. Fearing persecution from Vishnuvardhana, the remaining 612 Gotrajas ran away from Penugonda to save their lives. Malhara, a great sculptor built 103 Homakundas for the sacred occasion. On MAGHA SUDDHA BIDIGE day, Vasavi entered the Sacred Fire along with the 102 Gotraja
Vasavi emerged from the sacred fire as ‘KANYAKAPARAMEWARI’, and displayed her original form of ‘ADIPARASHAKTHI’ with eighteen hands - ASTA DASA BHUJA and preached Universal and Social Religiousness, Spirituality, Love, Sacrifice and Non-Violence and laid the foundation for Global Unity through non-violence and dharma rakshana. This day is celebrated as ‘ATMARPANA DAY’ on a large scale across all ‘VASAVI TEMPLES’.
The 102 GOTRAJA COUPLES who entered the sacred fire along with Vasavi were pardoned of their curses of 16 generations and given MOKSHA by VASAVI. This astonishing news reached Emperor VISHNUVARDHANA who was on his way to Penugonda and his head broke into thousands of pieces and died. The sons of the 102 Gotra Couple who entered fire went to KASI to perform last RITES and brought 102 SHIVALINGAS and installed these SHIVALINGAS at prominent place in Penugonda city. To this date, this street is known as LINGALA VEEDHI.
Virupaksha was crowned as the King of Penugonda by Raja Raja Narendra, son of Vishnuvardhana and provided excellent facilities to the citizens to lead a happy life.
Bharath Ratna Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Past President of India, has indeed very rightly described Goddess VASAVI as the FIRST ever known embodiment of NON-VIOLENCE in the world. Her path of non-violence was later tread by Jesus Christ, Goutam Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, Satya Sai Baba, Potti Sriramulu of AP and Martin Luther King. Penugonda the abode of Vasavi, situated in West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh is well connected by Road and Rail