Shankaranarayana Temple

Overview

Shankaranarayana Village is located in Kundapur Taluk of Udupi District in Coastal Karnataka. This place is around 35 KM from Udupi. According to puranas Subrahmanya, Udupi, Kumbhakashi, Koteshwara, Shankaranarayana, Kollur and Gokarna are considered as Saptakshetra.

About the Temple

The region of Shankaranarayana also has the Sri Sambasadashiva Temple, situated around 1.5 km away from the Shankaranarayana Temple. This temple was built around one thousand years ago and the main attraction is the Shiva Linga made of the saligrama stone. The Sri Sambasadashiva Temple has a statue of Nandi, carved out from a single stone and faces the idol of Lord Sambasadashiva. The statue of Lord Venkataramana can be seen to the south of the Sri Sambasadashiva Temple. River Varahi flows behind the Temple of Sri Sambasadashiva. The main deity of Shankaranarayana Temple is in the form of Udbhava Linga. The naturally formed lingam of Lord Shankara and Lord Narayana is one feet below the ground, inside the Garbhagudi. The devotees can only see the mirror image of the lingam. The Shankara Linga is on the right (left as seen by the devotees) and Narayana Linga on the left. While Shankara Lingam is in round shape, where as Narayana Linga is a flat one with foot prints of holy cow in it. Devotees believe that these were foot prints of Kamadhenu (holy cow) which had stood here for dripping milk on the Shankara Linga. There is water around Udbhava Linga at any time of the year. This holy water is called Suddhamrita Theertha.
Koti theertha is located in front of the temple. Devotees coming to this temple first make prokshana of this theertha and then have darshan of Lord Shankaranarayana. The stone enclosure and the surrounding coconut and arecanut groves enhance the beauty of the pond. The pond has rich spiritual bearing. Rituals such as Pitratarpana and Theerthasnana are held at this pond. Koti theertha stands out as most beautiful and vast of all the twenty one ponds found around this place.

About the Deity

The devotees can see the silver plated of idols of Lord Shankara and Lord Narayana. The seven hooded serpent and silver hallow also add to the grace of the deities. Udbhava Linga is placed just ahead of these deities, under the dharabattalu. These deities receive the main prayers from the devotees.

Gowri-Lakshmi

The idols of Gowri (the wife of Lord Shankara), Lakshmi (wife of Lord Narayana) and idol of Lord Shankaranarayana are worshipped together in a Temple to the north-west of the Sanctum Sanctorum. This idol of Lord Shankaranarayana is made of five precious stones (Panchaloha)

Belli Shankaranarayana

This majestic beLLi (silver) idol of Lord Shankaranarayana, 6 feet in height, is placed prominently at eeshanya (north-east) direction of the Sanctum Sanctorum. The left half (from viewer perspective) of the idol is Lord Shiva and the right half is Lord Vishnu. This idol is made of silver and it was given by a king as Tulabhara.

Mahaganapathi

Mahaganapathi, also called as "Agra Poojitha" (one who is offered the first prayers), is installed prominenty at the main entrance of Sanctum Sanctorum.
Even before any prayers are offered to Lord Shankaranarayana, the reigning deity of this temple, this idol of Mahaganapathi receives the first Pooje (offerings) of the morning

Gopalakrishna

This idol of Sri Gopalakrishna, is the first deity on the left side of the prakara, outside of Sanctum Sanctorum.

Legend and Stories

Shankaranarayana is also known as Kroda after Kroda Maharshi. In the 24th Chapter of Pushkara Kaanda in Padma Purana, one can find a beautiful description of Krodha Shankaranarayana. According to this, the demons Kharasura and Rattasura were ill-treating common people. Kroda Maharshi meditated Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu together and prayed them come in the form of Lord Shankaranarayana. Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, pleased with the meditation of Krodha Maharshi, came to this place as Shankaranarayana and killed Kharasura and Rattasura. The hill beside the Shankaranarayana Temple, atop which Krodha Maharshi meditated Lord Shankaranarayana, is named as Kroda Giri. The idol of Lord Shankaranarayana along with Godess Gowri and Godess Lakshmi are at the top of Kroda Giri.

Festivals

Shankaranaraya Jaatre is observed two days after of Sankranti, every year (generally falls on Jan 16th).

Accessibility

Mangalore has the closest airport. There is no railway station near to Shankaranarayana in less than 10 km. Bhatkal Rail Way Station (near to Bhatkal) , Bhatkal Rail Way Station (near to Bhatkal) , Bijoor Halt Rail Way Station (near to Kundapur) are the Rail way stations reachable from nearby towns. Kundapur, Bhatkal are the nearby by towns to Shankaranarayana having road connectivity to Shankaranarayana.

Temple Address

Shankaranarayana Temple, Kundapur Taluk,
Udupi District, Coastal Karnataka.