Pithapuram Kukkuteswara Temple History:
Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple History 1:
This is the brief history of Paadagaya Kshetram, which is one of the important Astadasa Peetha, located in Pithapuram in the eastern district of Godavari in Andhra Pradesh. It is described in the third chapter of Bheema Khanda and Shandapurana.
Bhima Mandalam consists of Andhra, the border of Orissa at the foot of the Vindhya mountains. It is the best piece of land of the nine land divisions with all kinds of crops and gardens. Pithapuram has become famous as a holy and sacred pilgrimage on this earth. Pithapuram is an equally sacred and holy place with ‘Kedaram’ in northern India and ‘Kumbhakonam’ in southern India. This place was visited by the sage Vyasa with his disciples and was written in Bhimakhanda of Skanda Purana, one of the eighteen epics.
The great poet, “Srinadha”, wrote in the third chapter of “Bheemeswara Purana” as follows. The next four places that give salvation or “Moksha, are (banaras), Varanasi, Kedaram, Kumbhakonam and Pithapuram (Kukkuteswara Stanamu). Pithapuram became Paadagaya Keshetram. Formerly, KRUTAYUGA had a demon king, Gayasura. Through his austere penance and sacrifice, he attained royalty in heaven and ruled over the three Lokas (Swarga, Marthya, Patalam). He led three Lokas following the sacrifices made by the sages. Defeated by Gayasura, Lord Indra and other deities approached the Trimurthies (Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara) to restore their position. Trimuthies disguised as Brahmins visited Gayasura.
Gayasura used to fulfill the desires of the people who asked him by virtue of his kind and charitable qualities. By his mere visit, even sinners used to get rid of their sins and reached heaven. Gayasura received them warmly and worshipped with utter respect, (Arghya and Padya) and received their blessing. He asked them to tell the cause of their arrival. Then they were told to offer a sacred place to perform the sacrifice. He promised to provide the place. They asked to give his body as it was a holy place to perform the sacrifice. He agreed to it.
They gathered material, sages and deities and requested Gayasura to commence yaaga (Sacrifice). The Gayasura extended his body from Gaya in Bihar State to Pithapuram in Andhra State and asked them to start sacrifice (yaaga) They started yaaga on his chest. Yaaga was intended to finish in seven days, counting every day, from early in the morning (i.e. cock crowing time). After six days, the deities prayed to Lord Eswara to spoil the Yaaga. Then Lord Eswara in the Form of a Cock at midnight (Lingodhbhava kala), (Before early in the morning) sounded “Kokkuroko,” Gayasura thought that the Yaaga was over and moved his body. Then they were ready to kill Gayasura as he spoiled their sacrifice. Gayasura accepted this. By pleasing with the words of Gayasura, they asked him to request them a boon. Then Gayasura told them that he had no personal desires. But for the benefit of the world, he requested Vishnu to be at his head, at the naval cavity Brahma, and at the feet of Eswara in the form of Cock, permanently. These three places should be treated as holy places and if anybody performed shraddha karmas in these places, their fore Fathers would reach salvation without rebirth.
For that reason, Lord Vishnu is being Worshipped in the form of Gadadhara in ‘Gaya’ in Bihar even today. Brahma who’s in the form of Girijadevi is receiving prayers by devotees in Nabhigaya which is in Orissa State near Jajipur railway station.
Pithapuram in Andhrapradesh become famous as padagaya. The primal deity of this is Lord Shiva in the form of Cock. This Shakti Peetham is famous for the name Puruhutika.
Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple History 2:
Once Indra cheated Ahalya (wife of Gautama Maharshi) in the form of Gautama and was cursed by the Maharshi. Indra lost his testes and got the symbols of Yoni all over his body. He felt very sad and prąyed Gautama a lot. Finally, the Rishi accepted and told that the Yoni symbols will look like eyes so that Indra will be called as Sahasraksha thereafter. But Indra lost his testes. He wanted to regain them. He left his kingdom, came to Piithika puri and did Tapasya for Jaganmata. After a long time, Jaganmata appeared before him and blessed him with wealth and testes. Indra was very happy and prąyed her as Puruhutika Devi (One who was worshiped by Indra).
Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple History 3:
Once Goddess Parvathi, Laxmi Devi and Saraswathi wanted to test the loyalty of Anasuya Mata towards her husband and sent Trinity to Earth to test her.
Soon Trinity stood in front of Atri’s hermitage seeking alms. At that time Atri was not at home so Anasuya took them inside and made them comfortable. When she was getting ready to serve food, they stopped her saying that they cannot accept the food until she serves them in nudity. Surprised and shocked to know their demand Anasuya mata was in a great dilemma about whether to give them food or not. But she believed in the words” ATHITHI DEVO BHAV” which meant guest is equal to God.
Immediately she remembered the Lotus feet of her husband and sprinkled water on the three guests and turned them into infants. She then fed them and made them fall asleep. Meanwhile, Atri returned home after his regular rituals and knew the facts from his wife and understood that they were none other than Brahma, Sri Vishnu & Maheshwara.
Knowing about their husbands, Goddess Laxmi, Saraswathi and Parvati Devi came to Atri’s hermitage and asked to give their husbands to them. Then on prayers of Atri & Anasuya Trinity took their original forms and blessed them with three sons who bear the power of the Trinity.
Pithapuram Puruhutika Devi Temple Timings:
Morning: 5:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Evening: 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Pithapuram Sri Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple Address:
Pithapuram,
East Godavari District,
Andhra Pradesh – 533450
Phone: 08869 – 251445(office)
Email: eopadagaya@gmail.com