Yadavagiri - A bridge between Solar clan & Lunar clan

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Melkote (Thirunarayanapuram) -

Melkote is located in the Mandya district, Karanataka State,160 kms

from Bangalore (3 hours drive appx). It is at an altitude of about

900 metres above the sea level. The place has a very long history,

dating back to " Kritha " Yuga, when it was called " Vedadri " .

In " Thretha " Yuga it was called " Narayanadri " and in " Dwapara " Yuga

was called " Yadavadri " . The main deity Cheluvanarayana, is known to

have been worshipped by Sri Krishna and Balarama in Dwapara Yuga.

In " Kali " Yuga, Acharya Sri Ramanuja, reinstalled the deity and the

place came to be known as " Yathisaila " . Melkote is equated to the

famous Badarinath, and is called Dakshina Badari Kshetra. (South

Badari)

Mythological link:

Brahma requested Lord Narayana (Vishnu) to provide him an idol, to

perfporm daily prayers. Vishnu in turn gifted an idol to Brahma,

which was created from his Atma Kalasha. Brahma who was using it

for regular prayers, presented it to his son (Manasika Putra)

Sanathkumara, for his daily prayers when he came down to Earth.

Sanathkumara brought this idol of Narayana to south India and

installed it in the present day Melkote. Hence this place gained

the name " Narayanadri " .

Now, in the absence of a Vishnu's idol for offering prayers, Brahma

once again approached Vishnu with the request. Vishnu gifted him

another small idol along with the idols of both his

consorts, " Bhudevi " (Earth) and " Sridevi " (Laksmi).

In Thretha Yuga, Brahma gifted these precious idols to Lord Rama.

Lord Rama was greately attached and deeply devoted to these idols.

In view of Rama's deepest love and reverence to this Thirunaryana's

idol, it gained the name " Ramapriya " .

Kusha, Lord Rama's son inherited Ramapriya's idol which he gifted to

his daughter Kanakamalini during her wedding to a Yadava king. Sri

Krishna and Balarama of the Yadava family, inherited this idol in

Dwapara Yuga. Balarama during his travel, observed the exact

similarities of the main deity of Cheluvanarayana in Narayanadri,

with the Ramapriya's idol in his pocession. Balarama and Sri

Krishna brought Ramapriya's idol to Narayandri, installed it in the

temple as the " Utsavamurthy " and offered their prayers. Thus the

place gained the name " Yadavadri " .