Religion - - Posted on September, 14 at 4:34 pm
Tirupati BalajiVenkateshvara or Balaji is a form of Vishnu with dark complexion and four hands. In his two upper hands he holds a discus (a symbol of power) and a conch shell (a symbol of existence) and is adorned by a Tripundra (the tilak on the forehead). He lives on the seventh peak of Venkatachala. There is a legend which explains the arrival of the Lord from his celestial abode.
Legend of Balaji
Once Lakshmi got furious with Vishnu and went to live in the Bhu Loka abandoning the lord. Vishnu felt miserable staying alone in Vaikuntha. Determined to find Lakshmi, he started wandering on the earth. He crossed many rivers and mountains without any food or rest and finally stopped on Sheshadri when he couldn’t move further. He found an anthill as his resting place. Days passed but he did not emerge from the ant hill.
Narada saw this with his divine eyes. He informed Shiva and Brahma who took the shape of a cow and a calf. Lakshmi in the disguise of a cowherd girl went to the king and sold the cow, so that it could go in the jungle with the herd and feed Vishnu. Everyday the cow stopped near the anthill and fed Vishnu. When the herd went back to the royal shelter the cow would not give any milk. The cowherd was puzzled and decided to find the cause. On the next day they saw the cow dropping milk on the anthill. Angered by this he attacked her with an axe. Vishnu intervened and got a wound on his forehead. Seing this the boy fainted. The cow came back, tears rolling down from her eyes. The king was puzzled and decided to find the reason. When he reached the anthill, Vishnu came out and cursed him to be a Rakshasa for being so arrogant. The king asked for mercy and was told that he will be relieved of the curse when he attends his marriage with Padmavati.
After this incident Vishnu started roaming around the hilly region and found the hermitage of Varahasvamy and Vakuladevi. They accepted him as their son and named him Shrinivasa. Once while pursuing a fierce elephant Shrinivasa accidentally entered the garden of Padmavati.
Padmavati was the daughter of king Akasharaja. He had found her while ploughing with a golden plough. She was actually Vedavati in previous life when Vishnu as Rama had promised to marry her in her next life. She fell in love as soon as she saw Shrinivasa. The marriage was arranged by Vakuladevi and all the gods were invited. As Lakshmi had abandoned Vishnu he was penniless thus Kubera lent him gold and jewels.
Vishnu was living happily with Padmavati when Lakshmi started becoming jealous and came searching for him. She found both of them sitting in their private garden. There was an angry exchange of words between Padmavati and Lakshmi. The Lord could not bear it and with a thunderous sound turned into a stone. Both of them were shocked with the site.
Shrinivasa pacified them and told that now on he will be called Venkatesha and will stay on the hill till Kaliyuga. Lakshmi took her seat in Vishnu’s heart and Padmavati took place to her right. He asked Thondaman, the brother of Padmavati to build a temple on Venkatachalam. Vakuladevi turned into a garland and continued to shower her devotion in this way.
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