Sri Panaka Narasimha Swamy: Mangalagiri

Om Namo Narayanaya namah

Ohm Vajranakaya Vidmahe
Dikshna Dhamshtraya Dhemahi|
Thanno Narasimha Prasodayadh||

Kshetram: Mangalagiri

Abode of: Sri Panaka Narasimhar

Important Festivals:
Nrusimha jayanthi , Brahmotsavam (Feb-March) 15th). Srirama Navami, Hanumajayanthi, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Mahasivarathri. On Mahasivarathri, Lord will go on procession on a small chariot.

Mangalagiri means 'The Auspicious Hill'. This place is one of the 8 important Mahakshetrams (sacred places) in India. The eight places where Lord Vishnu manifested himself are (1) Sri Rangam (2) Srimushnam (3) Naimisam (4) Pushkaram (5) Salagamadri (6) Thothadri (7) Narayanasramam (8) Venkatadri. Thotadri is the present Mangalagiri. Lakshmi Devi has done tapas on this hill.

Sthala Puranam:
The Lord that has established himself on the hill is in the form of Narasimha (man-lion) which Lord Vishnu assumed to kill Hiranyakasipu, a rakshasa father of Prahlada, a great devotee. He is also called as Sudarsana Narasimhaswamy. The legend says that Namuchi, a Rakshasa after great penance obtained a boon from Brahma that he would not be killed by anything that is either wet or dry. He began to harass Indra and the Devathas. Encouraged and supported by Lord Vishnu, Indra commenced destroying the army of Rakshasa Namuchi, who did in a cave in Sukshmakaram (small size) giving up his sthulakaram (Physical manifestation). Indra dipped Sudarsanam, the disc of Lord Vishnu in the foam of the ocean and sent it into the cave. Lord Vishnu manifesting himself at the centre of the disc destroyed the Pranavayuvu (life breath) of the Rakshasa with the fire of his exhalation. He thus got the name of Sudarsana Narasimha. The blood that flowed from the body of the Rakshasa seemed to have formed into a pool at the foot of the hill which is known hill. The Devathas themselves were unable to withstand the fire of the anger of the Lord and they prayed for appeasement. The Lord took amrutam (nectar) and cooled down. It was in Krithayugam. The Lord said that he would be satisfied with ghee in Threthayugam, with milk in Dwaparayugam and with panakam(Jaggery water) in Kaliyugam. Hence the Lord is called in Kaliyugam as Panakala Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy.

Nearby Cities/Towns

Vijayawada: 8 miles
Guntur: 13 miles

How to get there

Air: Vijay Wada

Rail: Vijay Wada. From Vijay Wada by road to Mangalagiri. Buses/Cabs available.