Renuka Yellamma Origin
The legends of Renuka are contained in the Mahabharata, the Harivamsa and in the Bhagavata Purana.
Renuka/Renu or Yellamma or Ekvira or Ellai amman or Ellai amma (Marathi:श्री. रेणुका/ येल्लुआई, Kannada: ಶ್ರೀ ಎಲ್ಲಮ್ಮ ರೇಣುಕಾ, Telugu : శ్రీ రేణుక/ ఎల్లమ్మ, Tamil: ரேணு/Renu) is worshipped as the goddess in the Hindu religion. Yellamma is the patron Goddess of the south Indian states of Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Her devotees revere her as the "Mother of the Universe" or "Jagadamba".
Childhood:
Renuka devi, the daughter of the king of Vidhrabha region in Maharashtra who is believed to be an incarnation of goddess Parvati in Kruthayuga. Prasnejit was the ruler from Suryavamsha Ikshvaaku dynasty ruling current place of Vidharbha region of Maharashtra. King was well known for his supremacy but he remained childless even after getting three wives. This made king unhappy. Upon suggestion of Priests from his court he performed holy fire ritual for progeny. From the flames of fire there evolved a baby glittering like gold. King was so happy and thought the baby was a boon to him by goddess Durga. As baby was not born out of a womb of a female she is called as Ayonija and king named her as Renuka. As she was born out of fire she was even praised as Agnija. From her childhood onwards Renuka was spiritually advanced. She had learnt each and every art, a princess must know.
When Renuka reached age to marry Saint Agasthya advised Prasnejit to make Renuka married to saint Jamadhagni. Saint Jamadhagni was from lineage of Bhrigu Maharshi son of Sage Ruchika and Sathyavathi. He was known as one among the Saptharshis and was well known for his angry. Sage can smash anyone who come to his notice by committing any mistake. Jamadhagni showed reluctance to marry Renuka as she was princess and can’t sustain in hermitage with utmost austerities. Renuka then lived in the hermitage for few days and proved herself to be capable to follow Ashrama rituals. Saint Jamadhagni accepted Renuka and married her in the presence of all Guru and Heavenly gods. Lord Indra gifted a celestial cow named Kamadhenu which can offer whatever we ask for.
Catastrophe between Rishi Jamadhagni and Sun God:
One fine morning Renuka and Jamadhagni travelling along the banks of Kamandalu river. Suddenly a desire of copulation raised in Jamadhagni and thought to have in open area as it is barren place and no one could see. But Jamadhagni forgot the tradition that such act in presence of sun is a sin. Jamadhagni urged Renuka to walk fast but due to severe heat of sun she could not walk on sand. Saint got angry and asked Renuka for the reason and she replied the same. Then saint became furious and called cursed the sun god to loose his glory and become a diminished star. Sun reminded saint about the sin he committed and cursed the saint that he will be killed by a King. Then saint Naradha came and pacified both of them and mitigated their curses that Sun will be attacked by Rahu and Ketu once in a year and loose his glory and king will be eventually killed by a king but his son would protect him. Sun also blesses Umbrella or Chathra and Chappal or Padhuka to mankind to protect them from his intense heat during summer (the first umbrella and Padhuka to mankind).
After that Renuka and Saint were living happily in a hermitage near Kundalipuram of current Tamilnadu. Renuka gave birth to five sons namely Vasu, Viswa Vasu, Brihudyanu, Brutwakanwa and Ramabhadra. Younger son Ramabhadra is an incarnation of Lord MahaVishnu who later came to known as ParashuRama. Parashuram was a powerful victor who mastered all the sciences. He did immense penance for Lord Shiva and acquired Maha Parashu an Axe. Then onwards he is called as ParashuRam.
Renuka daily used to fetch water from a river nearby and that water is used for holy rituals. By her devotion towards her husband and her idealness Renuka was capable of making pots out of dry sand. She daily makes a fresh pot with sand at river bed and used to carry it on her head by balancing with a black cobra.
Tragedy near the river changed life:
One fine morning when Renuka was on her way to river to bring water by means of sandpots. After making pots she stepped into the river for filling water into the pot. In water she found the shadow of Gandharva couple engaged in sensual play. Renuka upon seeing this, lost concentration and sandpot on her head was broke. She tried to make new pot but sand becoming heaps and she was unable to complete that. She tried to catch Adhiseshu but she can’t even catch as that snake started fleeing away. She came to know about the reason about these things and went to hermitage with empty hands. Jamadhagni upon seeing Renuka coming with empty hands came to know about what happened and cursed her to get dreadful skin disease and cursed her from the protection of all Panchabhuthas. He also asked her to leave hermitage and not be in his sight.
Renuka felt remorse and tried to worship Lord Shiva but his shrine has disappeared. As there is no way she started moving away from the Ashram and travelling across forests. She was unable to get food and water due to curse from Jamadhagni. She moved to tribal area where downtrodden people used to live usually called as ChandalaVaatika. There Renuka reached house of a chuckler woman's house. She was called as Mathangi a woman belonging to Mathang community. Mathangi received Renuka with utmost love and care and started treating the skin disease with medicinal roots and herbs available around. One day when Renuka was on her way in the forest she came across two saints namely Eknath and Jognath who recognized Renuka as princess and asked the reason for her bad situation. Then Eknath and Jognath thought for a while and suggested Renuka a ritual which is utmost severe. The only one who can ameliorate her condition was Lord Shiva and asked her to do penance with utmost austerities. Renuka sat to North East in Mathangi’s house and started doing penance. Time passed meanwhile termites and mounds started heaping around Renuka and within few days she got completely enclosed by those mounds. Mathangi used to worship Renuka through this anthill. After many days Lord Shiva came to Renuka's vision and said that time has come to wash away her sin. Shiva asked Renuka to beg rice from nearby villages and cook holy rice with it without keeping on fire and reach him in the place nearby where he was situated along with Ganga who can wash her sin completely. Renuka did the same and cooked the rice by keeping the pot on her stomach and lying in severe sun. To her surprise rice got cooked and by carrying that pot on head she reached Shiva. There she offered the holy rice to Shiva and bathed in the natural spring nearby along with Mathangi, to her surprise all her diseases and sins got washed away. Voice from sky spoke that "Renuka all your sins got cured but now comes really a testing time for you be ready for that and accept the fate you will become immortal later and received by your husband with love and care". Feeling happy for getting rid of sins Renuka along with Mathangi reached the hermitage and went to Jamadhagni.
Blessings, Renuka became Mariamman and Yellamma Devi:
Sage upon seeing Renuka felt happy and came to know entire thing happened by Renuka but he hesitated to accept her because she is still a human and thought her soul to be liberated. Thinking to liberate her soul and free mind from sensual pleasures Jamadhagni thought for a while and decided to give her Kapaala Moksha by decapitating her head. Sage called his 3 elder sons but due to their attachment with her they could not do that. Sage called Parashurama and asked him to slay Renuka's head.
Parashurama understood the reason behind father's order and tried to behead her mother But Mathangi who could not understand the purpose stopped Parashurama who got angry and beheaded her too. Jamadhagni then asked Parashurama to ask for a boon. Parashurama asked to make her mother
alive as a boon. Jamadhagni agreed and gave same holy water and asked him to pour on the corpse upon joining their heads. Parashurama in a hurry to make her mother alive, exchanged heads of Mathangi and Renuka and attached mistakenly. Parashuram got awe stuckby seeing this and brought two ladies to his father. Parashurama upon seeing her mother with exchanged face said Mari-Amman (Mother who has changed) thus Renuka was named as Mariamman (Mathangi’s body and Renuka’s head).
Jamadhagni then named the other with Renuka’s body and Mathangi’s head as Yellamma means (mother of all). Sage poured his Shakthi into Yellamma who moved to forests and started blessing the people. There by Yellamma is called as Dhandu Mariamman or Verkaadu Mariamman.
Kings outrage to Kamadhenu, Rishi Jamadhagni and Parashurama’s realization:
Saint Jamadhagni took sanyashrama deeksha and along with his family shifted their hermitage to Himalayas to live their later life. Kamadhenu a holy cow gifted to Jamadhagni and Renuka by Lord Indra on their marriage occasion was also taken along with them. The region they live comes under kingdom of Kaarthaveeryarjuna a blessed king, blessed with thousands hands by Lord Dattathreya. He attained many powers by worshiping Lord Dattathreya. With those powers that king turned arrogant and tried to rewrite the shashtras on his own. He neglected the words of saints and sages in his court.
One fine day king thought of having a look at his kingdom and came to the place where Jamadhagni's hermitage was located. King after hearing about greatness of sage came to his hermitage then saint with utmost respect received king and asked him to come to his hermitage and take rest for the night. Then arrogant king under estimating the sage said "How to live in your hermitage there are no facilities nothing to eat except leafs and buds" Then saint with utmost peace said that he has a Kamadhenu which gives whatever you ask. King by getting surprised accepted and came before Kamadhenu which gave all the things they have asked for.
King after having lavish and sumptuous dinner asked Jamadhagni to surrender the cow to him. Jamadhagni said "It was not to be held with all people it is most holy if it is used for unnecessary things it becomes humiliation to cow and one who has gifted us". Then king became angry and said he was the king of this place and one who lives in the kingdom must follow king's words. The sage refused to give the cow. King fought with sage and threw arrows at him. Sage died and king caught the cow and ran away. Then Renuka after coming from river saw Jamadhagni laying and called Parashurama for help. Parashurama came running towards hermitage and came to know all the story happened. Parashuram in angry went to the palace and waged war against King. Sahasraveeryarjuna then died and when blood of King touched Parashuram they both realized the reason behind their births. Parashuram in remorse took the cow and came to hermitage. Then all were gathered to conduct final rituals to saint Jamadhagni then Maharshi Bhrigu the head of Brigukula came and made saint Jamadhagni alive by means of Sanjeevani vidhya.
An end, a new beginning:
After defeating king and his father became alive Parashurama asked his father for his further rituals. Jamadhagni said killing king of our kingdom was a sin it was not accepted by shashtras so you must do severe penance at Ganda Madhana range and do penance for Lord Shiva. Parashuram accepted and went back to Ganda Madhana range. By taking this as opportunity Kaarthaveeryarjuna’s sons came to ashram and killed Jamadhagni with twenty one arrows Renuka while seeing this called his son Parashuram twenty one times each time for one arrow. Parashuram had entire vision and ran back to hermitage .By the time he reaches Jamadhagni was no more. Renuka then asked all the elders in Bhrigu's lineage to commence funeral rituals and for her Sathisahagamanam.
When Parashuram tried to attempt them Renuka rejected by saying that your penance was not completed you were not fit for this rituals so do what I say. Take a Kaavida (Two baskets hanged on both sides of a bamboo) keep his father's corpse in one and her in another and move towards south and you will come across Baniyan tree which occupied hundred yojanas there pray for Lord Dattathreya and ask him to conduct the funeral rituals. Parashuram did so and reached place now called Mahurgad in Maharashtra and worshipped lord Dattathreya.
As Dattathreya was the one who blessed Kaarthaveeryarjuna with all powers he will purify you from sin of killing Karthaveeryarjuna. Parashuram worshipped Dattathreya with utmost devotion upon which Dattathreya came and blessed Parashuram. Dattathreya upon seeing Renuka in that pity situation felt bad then Renuka by wiping his tears said it was according to Vidhi dharma and asked to continue with further rituals. Then Dattathreya arranged funeral fire and worshiped both couple who are incarnations of Lord Shiva and Parvati and lit the fire. There by the godly souls of couple reached Shiva and Parvati. Then Parashurama pledged on the fire that before this fire gets ended up he will traverse across this earth 21 times and kill all the kings who are deviating from dharma and neglecting Shashtras. Parashuram with his axe ran and killed all the kings and finally came to Ayodhya where Lord Dasaratha Rama was ruling, Parashuram ran to Lord Shri Ram and when he came across him he was unable to raise the axe and tears rolled down from his eyes. Parashuram getting fainted were lifted up by Vashishta and said that it was the time to leave this avthara as ParashuRama as Rama is the person who came to establish a kingdom which is free of all the bad things and he would set his ruling as role model for next generations.
Udo Udo
The story of origin of Yellamma is unique and is associated with Goddess Renuka the mother of Parashurama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Mahurgad Renuka Temple, Maharashtra:
Mahur or Mahurgad is a town and religious place in Nanded district of Maharashtra, India. Mahur is the birthplace of Hindu God Dattatreya. Dattatreya parents Atri Rishi and Sati Anasuya Mata lived here. Brahmadev, Vishnudev and Lord Shiva once got a news about Anusaya Mata that there is no one more pious and pure as her. To test her piousness they arrived under the garb of asking Alm (bhiksha). When she brought it, they asked to serve them while being naked, she realized by her power that she is under a test. She made them a three headed child & fed them. This became Dattatreya, the unified God.
There are three mountains in Mahur. The first one and most known is having Renuka Mata Temple, who is mother of the god Parshuram. Other two are called Datta Shikhar and Atri Anasuya Shikar Temple's. Mahur has a sacred temple to Renuka Mata, which is considered one of the three and half Shakti Peethas (temples) in the state. A big fair is held here every year on the occasion of Vijayadashami. This became the famous Renuka Mata temple. The "Matru Tirth" (means sacred place for Mother's worship) Place on this Mountain is the one which is where today stands a lake, is "Antyeshti Sthan" (Means place where last rites were performed). There are many other temples in Mahur like Rishi Jamdagni Temple, Lord Parshuram Temple, Kalika Mata Temple, Devdevshwar Temple, and also the Caves called Pandav Leni.
The Renuka Devi Temple as a Shakti Peeth:
The temple is considered as a revered shrine for the Shaktism sect, because of the above told mythology and also because the Shrine is a Shakti Peetha. It is believed that Renuka Mata, (the wife of Sage Jamadagni) was decapitated by her own son Parashurama and her head fell here. Renuka was later given rebirth as a boon by Sage Jamadagni to his son Parashurama. The temple is considered as a Shakti Peetha because of the mythology of Daksha yaga and Sati's self immolation.
Shakti Peethas are Durga or Adiparashakti shrines that are believes to have enshrined with the presence of Shakti due to the falling of body parts of the corpse of Sati Devi, when Lord Shiva carried it and wandered. There are 51 Shakti Peeth linking to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. The Shakti of Mahur is addressed as Renuka Devi. Most of the Shakti Peetha is associated with a Kalabhairava shrine.
Near by significance:
All three important temples — Renuka Mata Temple, Lord Dattatreya Temple and Anusaya Mata Temple — are built on three mountain ranges. Mahur is surrounded by jungles rich with trees and wild life. There is teakwood trees everywhere. Peafowl, deer, black bears, panthers are very common in the jungle.
On one of the mountains is the ancient Mahurgad Fort constructed in the 12th century. Mahur was an important fort in ancient Berar history. It became a separate province in 1478 during the Bahmani Sultanate. It was one of the Sarkars (then district) with 20 parganas (towns) in Berar Subah (state) in Akbar's rule.
Holy Attractions:
The main attractions in Mahur are Matapur Niwasini Shri Jagdamba Devi Temple or Renuka Devi Temple, Lord Dattatreya Temple, Anusaya Mata Temple, Devdeveshwar Temple, Lord Parshuram Temple, Sarvatirtha, Matru-Tirtha, Bhanutirth, Hati darvaza, Bal samudra, Pandav Leni, Mahurgad Fort, Mahakali Temple (In the fort), Mahur Museum, Sonapir Dargah, Shaikh Farid Water fall (Wazara), Palace of Raje Udaram. Raje Udaram Deshmukh and later his brave wife RaiBagan (Royal Tigress) were the rulers of Mahur.
People who visit Mahur also visit Unkeshwar Hot Spring (90 km from Pusad; 50 km from Mahur; 15 km from Kinwat), which has natural sources of hot water. This sulphur-rich water is supposed to have medicinal value. The name Unkeshwar is because of Lord Unkeshwar (MAHADEV i.e. Shiva) temple and Aashram complex.
Devdeveshwari mandir belongs to Mahanbhav Panth, basically called a nidra sthan (sleeping place) of Jagat Guru Shree Dattatreya Prabhu. It is at elevated outskirt of Mahur town, 2 km from Mahur bus stand.
Daily Shree Dattatreya Prabhu will take nitya snan (daily bath) at meruwada talao (tank) in Mahur, bhiksha (the meal served to a sadhu or Indian monk) at Kolhapur, bhojan (lunch) at Panchaleshwar and get back to sleep in Devdeveshwar mandir Mahur (nidra sthan of God Dattatreya Prabhu). Jagat Guru Shree Dattatreya swami is a chiranjiv avtar (Immortal) so it is believed that even today Shree Dattatreya swami comes to sleep here.
Travel facilities and Pilgrimage Amenities:
There are Maharashtra state transport buses that go from Nagpur, Amravati, Akola, Nanded, Kinwat, Yavatmal and Pusad to Mahur. Although the District of mahur is Nanded, for all practical purposes it is unwise to go to Nanded for going to Mahur. For people from Mumbai it is better to reach Shegaon (a religious place of Gajanan Maharaj) by train & take a Bus or taxi from there. For Pune visitors, take a train Pune -Amravati & get down at Washim. From there it's about 80 km by road (one can take a bus or taxi from Washim).
Hadgaon also has bus and taxi transport going to Mahur. The only way to approach Mahur is by Road. There are frequent buses (State-run ST buses as well as private buses) from Yavatmal and Pusad.
Accommodation facilities are available in Mahur city (7 km from the temple). All types of accommodation facilities are available like lodges, hotels, government rest houses. For more luxurious options, at a distance of about 70 km, Yavatmal is the best option. Foods served by local hotels, dhabas (roadside eateries for the travelers) are of good quality and served fresh.
On auspicious occasions like Navaratris, Datta Pournima; Mahapuja is organised which is followed by Mahaprasad (Feast for the Pilgrims).
Yellamma Temple, Saundatti:
Yellamma Temple, also known as Renuka Temple,Kannada in ರೇಣುಕ ಯಲ್ಲಮ್ಮ ದೇವಿ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ is a pilgrimage destination located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away from the town of Saundatti in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is situated on a hilltop known earlier as Siddhachal Parvat and now known as "Yellamma Gudi", named after the temple.
About Location:
The hill on which the Yellamma Temple sits is part of the Sidhachal or Ramagiri range, oriented east-west and overlooking the Malaprabha river near the town of Saundatti. While the temple 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away from the town, the town itself is 112 kilometres (70 mi) away from Belgaum, the district headquarters. Dharwar and Hubli are two other major towns which are at a distance of 38 kilometres (24 mi) and 58 kilometres (36 mi) respectively from Saundatti.
Temple History:
The temple was built in 1514 by Bomappa Nayaka of Raybag. According to archaeological evidence found around the temple, a temple existed here either during the early Rashtrakuta or late Chalukyan period from the mid-8th to the mid-11th centuries. The megalithic tombs found here are dated to a much earlier period. Also seen on the hill are potsherds of early historic redware dated to the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD, in addition to megalithic blackware and redware. It is believed that the Yellamma fertility cult was prevalent here even during the Chalukyan period, following their taking possession of this region from the Kadambas of Banavasi.
Another place of worship is the sacred "Yogarbavi Satyabamma Kunda" or tank at the lower end of the hill, where devotees bathe and put on new clothes before proceeding to the temple for worship. A notable custom observed here is called "Nimmana", which involves the circumambulation of the "Sathyamma Temple" with neem leaves in their mouths. The temple deity is also known as Jagadamba, meaning "Mother of the Universe" and is believed to be a form of Kali.
The temple has been under the management of the Government of Karnataka since 1975. Facilities for pilgrims visiting the temples, like Dharmashalas (free guest houses), health centers, and other basic facilities, have been created by the government.
Known as Saptamatrika or seven divine mothers from the Adiparashakti:
The Yellamma Temple is built in the Chalukyan and Rashtrakuta styles, as evidenced in the carvings created in Jain architecture. According to the government gazetteer, the goddess worshiped in the temple is associated with Parasurama's (an incarnation of Vishnu) mother Renuka, the wife of the sage Jamadagni. She is revered as one of the Saptamatrika or seven divine mothers, who protected the earth and its rulers. The goddess is also known as Yelumakkaltai, meaning "the mother of seven children" in Kannada language. She is a cult figure worshiped by the pastoral community of the Dhangar and Kurumbas of southern Maharashtra and North Karnataka.
There are three water tanks or ponds at the back side of the temple known as Kumkum Kundam, Yoni Kundam, and Arihan Kundam. These are considered holy and are places where people bathe and offer worship. There is also a sacred well called the Jogal bhavi; the water of this well is believed to cure skin diseases. Another location adjacent to the temple known as Parasurama Kshetra is believed to be the site where Lord Parausrama sat in penance.
Within the temple precincts stand shrines dedicated to Lord Ganesh, Mallikarjun, Parashuram, Eknath, and Siddeshwar.
Renuka Yellamma Thalli, Balkampet (Hyderabad):
One of the famous temples of Renuka Yellamma Thalli is located at Balkampet in Hyderabad where every year in Ashadha month Yellamma Kalyanothsavam is celebrated with thousands of pilgrims performing special rituals to get the blessings of Renuka Yellamma Thalli. The idol of the goddess, interestingly, is 10 feet deeper than the ground level. There is also a well in the Balkampet Yellamma temple complex and some devotees believe that the water in the well heals all ills. Therefore, a bath here is supposed to purify you of all disorders and skin diseases. This holy water is called ‘Theertham’. An Akhand_Jyoti is also present in the temple that was lit during the renovation. In fact, Nita_Ambani wife of India's richest person Mukesh_Ambani visits the temple whenever she is in Hyderabad to express her faith in the deity.
Every year, there is a gathering of as many as 200,000 of her devotees at the Yellamma Gudi temple (Yallamma Temple) in Saundatti
