Kolhapur, Maharastra, India
12 April 2004
Amazing Nrsimhapura!
Morning, 12 April
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| After I completed my morning puja we piled into a car and
drove an hour and a half to Nrsimhapura. Martanda and I at the
front gate of the temple complex. |
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| We are about to enter the temple building. The Nrsimhapura
Mandira is an ancient structure that is slowly being renovated.
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Nrsimhapura temple is like no other Nrsimha
temple that I know about. The Deity is housed deep underground!
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| We begin the descent. |
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| We enter this underground darsana hall where a few sacred
pictures and small altars can be seen. But this is not our destination.
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| We descend to another level, through this doorway.
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| And having reached that level we go even lower! |
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| This is a steep stairway...mind your step! |
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Around the last corner...
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| Sri Ugra-Nrsimha ki jaya! This is a self-manifest Deity
that appeared from one huge saligram sila. He was located in the Krsna
River that flows next to the temple by a brahmana who had a dream that
guided him to the Lord. In the dream Lord Nrsimhadeva told him, "Where
you see fire on top of water, that is where I am." After the brahmana
awoka he went to the river and sure enough saw fire burning on the surface.
Beneath that fire this murti was recovered. |
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| We sit before the Deity a long time and chant. Nrsimhapura
Ugra-Nrsimha is an incredibly powerful Deity. As soon as one is in His
presence one becomes so humbled it almost takes one's breath away! Seated
in the middle is Jayananda Prabhu, who drove us. |
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| The figures seen around the Lord's head are the Dasavataras!
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This shaft in the upper back wall of the
darsana room is for donations. Coins are dropped into this donation
box...
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| ...located on the surface. The coins drop 3 floors
through the shaft and spill onto the floor of the darsana area, rolling
up to Lord Ugra Nrsimha's lotus feet! Of course if you happen to be
sitting and chanting your japa underneath the donation shaft, you're
liable to get a coin abhiseka. |
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| The temple is so old it is almost a ruin. Still the
Deity is visited throughout day by hundreds of devotees who live in
the villages in the area. |
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| Rocana Prabhu emerging from the Deity level. "He took my
mind away from me!" was Rocana's comment. |
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| The lovely Krsna River seen from Nrsimhapur Mandira. This
river really lives up to its name: it is dark like Krsna, it
is pure like Krsna, it is beautiful like Krsna, and it is sweet
like Krsna. |
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| Looking back at the mandira from the bank of the Krsna river. |
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Just to take a bath in the Krsna River
is more than worth the price of an air ticket to India.
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Rocana's mind still hasn't returned.
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| Sriman Vrndavana Ananda Prabhu. |
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| Martanda takes a dip. |
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A river to keep in your heart.
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