Renuka-Yellamma [was Scientists Save Shrinking Himalayan Lake

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, "Devi Bhakta"

<devi_bhakta> wrote:

> For what it's worth, here's an alternative legend of Renuka's

origin,

> which brings in the Yellamma connection you asked about. Perhaps it

> will shed some further light on this devi.

>

> Renuka is said to have been the beautiful wife of an old Brahmin

sage

> named Jamadagni. Through her exemplary chastity (that's a story in

> itself; see Wadley's "The Powers of Tamil Women"), Renuka acquired

> many powers, one of which was the ability to collected water in

> unbaked clay pots.

>

> One day, while collecting water on the banks of the Narmada River,

> she spied a physically beautiful young prince bathing nearby.

> Unthinking, her eyes lingered on him for a few moments, and sexual

> desire arose in her heart. At once she lost her siddhis, and her

> unbaked pots immediately dissolved away into the river's current.

 

Namaste,

 

Ganapati Muni, who is great Chinna Masta upasaka in recent times

says that Renuka was beheaded because of the mistake of staying in

another man's home and not because of desire for that prince. Am

unable to find this version anywhere else. If anyone comes across

please share.

 

When Renuka was beheaded the power of Chinnamasta entered Her body

and hence She is known as an avatara of Chinnamasta.

 

The story of Renuka running into Yellamma's house is a folk tale

without much basis. The story itself is inconsistent because it

mentions the ashrama near Narmada, and yellamma is an Andhra/Tamil

name both of which are nowhere near the river Narmada.

 

The reason for Her worship being famous in south could be that

after Kartavirya(he is an incarnation of Sudarshana-Vishnu's discus),

the king of Mahishmati(in central india) killed Jamadagni, Renuka

instructs her son Parashurama to move south.

 

The story also refers to a yogic phenomenon by name Kapala Siddhi.

Ganapati Muni is known to have attained this Kapala Siddhi.

 

Renuka is also known by the names Ekaviraa and Bhimaa.

 

Rgds

 

>

> --- prainbow61 <paulie-rainbow@u...> wrote:

> > Namaste,

> >

> > I'm interested in this Goddess Renuka, but I could

> > find very little

> > online. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong places.

> >

> > I did find this hymn to Goddess Renuka, but it's in

> > sanscrit which

> > this computer won't even display properly:

> >

> > http://sanskrit.gde.to/doc_devii/reNukAstotram.html

> >

> > And this picture of a household shrine to Goddess

> > Renuka:

> >

> > http://www.asia.si.edu/devi/fulldevi/deviCatRenuka.htm

> >

> > There also seemed to be some connection to the

> > Goddess Yelamma, but

> > I'm not clear on the connection.

> >

> > I would appreciate an information you have to offer.

> >

> > Blessings,

> >

> > prainbow

> >

> > , "Devi Bhakta"

> >

> > <devi_bhakta> wrote:

>

> > > According to Hindu lore, the lake is the

> > embodiment of the goddess,

> > > Renuka. Each November, a fair is held to celebrate

> > her immortality.