Famous Temples in India

Religious Significance

With the blessings of Brahma, the mother of all worlds Uma Devi was born to Eraivadha Maharaja, the king of Vidharba Desam. The child named as Renugai grew and attained marital age. Permitted by her father and according to the customs of those times, Renugai traveled the whole world accompanied by her friends and an army in search of a suitable husband. At last, she arrived at Kundalipuram, where saint Jamathakni was doing penance. Since Renugai camped near the Ashram with her soldiers, the sacred place was named "Padai Veedu" (army encampment). Padaiveedu" is now called as "A.K.Padavedu (Amman Koil Padavedu)". Here, Renugai saw Saint Jamathakni.

Renuka Devi, daughter of king Raivada married Sage Jamadagni and delivered Parasurama. It so happened that Renuka Devi delayed in bringing water for Jamadagni’s puja as she stood wondering the beauty of the reflection of a Gandharva in the water. Suspecting her fidelity, Jamadagni ordered his son Parasurama to chop off her head which the son obeyed. Yet, Parasurama begged his father to give him back his mother. Jamadagni gave the son the water with a mantra power to restore her to life. While doing so, Parasurama wrongly fixed the head of his mother with other woman and was able to make only the head alive. Meanwhile, as one Karthaveeryarjunan stole the Kamadenu cow of Jamadagni after killing him. Renuka Devi accompanied her husband in death. However, as rain fell, she appeared with burn injuries and neem leaf clothing and met her son Parasurama. Parasurama pursued Karthaveeryarjuna and killed him and recovered the kamadenu and began destroying the Kshatriya community. Lord Shiva appeared before Parasurama and said that what happened was the act of destiny and asked him to end the anger. While Renuka Devi’s head alone stayed in Earth, the body accompanied Jamadagni to higher worlds. This is how, Renuka’s head alone stayed and now a swayambu in the Padavedu temple.