Mallikarjuna Magic – The 2nd Jyotirlinga

It is believed that when Sati immolated herself and Shiva performed the Tandava, various parts of her charred body fell in different directions. The Sri Shaila Parvat was where the neck of Sati fell, and it became a Shaktipeeth.

We were blessed to have the opportunity to visit the Mallikarjuna Temple, the second of the Jyotirlingas, at Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh during the auspicious month of Sawan. The drive from Hyderabad to the temple took 4 1/2 hours. We were eager to go for Darshan right away, but were told that the temple opens at 6 PM. So we first went to the Sri Saakshi Ganpati Mandir.

Here, Ganpati sits holding a pen and a notepad. It is said that He keeps a record of all devotees visiting the Mallikarjuna Temple. As we sat there, and the Panditji was chanting Mantras, a little mouse came and sat beside my husband. It was a strange sight, but somewhere we felt that perhaps the Mooshak-Vahana of Ganesha had come.

 We visited the Gram Devi Temple which is a small Devi Temple of the local deity. Thereafter, we went to the Veerbhadra Temple. He is the Kshetriya Lokpal here.

At 6 PM sharp, we entered the Mallikarjuna Temple. At the entry of the garbhagriha, was a 4 feet high, idol of Ganesha made of pure gold. It had been installed on the same day and was called Ratnagarbha Ganesha. There was a definitive magnetic aura about it and it was an overwhelming experience to pay obeisance to this magnificent Ganesha.

As we entered the Garbhagriha, we saw the Mallikarjuna Sivalingam. We sat close to it and offered Abhishekham of water and milk as well as white Mallika (Jasmine) flowers. To be able to touch the Shivalinga that is known to be Swayambhu (self-manifested), from time immemorial and has been touched by Lord Rama, Chatrapati Shivaji as well as Sathya Sai Baba was an overwhelming experience. The priest allowed both of us to bow down and touch our foreheads to the Shivalinga. It was an amazing experience to plug-in to the charging radiation that emitted from the Sivalingam. It was almost as if we were in a trance. The crowds were huge, so it was not possible to stay there too long, but in those few moments, the bliss was unquantifiable.

It is said that once Shiva and Parvati told Ganesha and Kartikeya that it was time for them to get married. Both were excited and it was decided that whosoever would go around the world three times and come back earlier, would get married first. Karthikeya set out on his peacock at the fastest speed possible and started circumambulating the universe. Ganesha on the other hand thought, his Mooshak-vahana (mouse), would take aeons to go around the universe three times. So he sat on his mouse and went around Shiva and Parvati as they sat together. He completed three circumambulations and said, “You, my parents, are my world. I have gone around my world thrice. Hence I have won the race!” Shiva was impressed by Ganesha’s intelligence and presence of mind. Ganesha was soon married to Riddhi and Siddhi. When Karthikeya got back, he was enraged and dejected that Ganesha was married first although Ganesha was the younger son. In anger, he decided to leave home and set off for Krauncha Parvat, his birthplace in Uttarakhand. Shiva and Parvati went there to appease him and ask him to come back but he refused.

Shiva wanted to stay in a place close by, so that he could keep an eye on Kartikeya. He decided to stay at Shri Shaila Parvat (now called Srisailam). It is believed that Shiva appeared at Srisailam in the form of an Arjuna tree and Parvati appeared as a creeper bearing white Mallika (Jasmine) flowers, entwined around the Arjuna tree that was Shiva himself. This place came to be known as Mallika-Arjuna, where the Shivalinga embodies both Shiva and Parvati. It is believed that Shiva visits Srisailam to check on Kartikeya every Amavasya day and Parvati visits here every Purnima day.

The inscriptions on the temple show evidence that the temple structures date back to the 2^nd century and was built by the Satavahan dynasty. Many additions and expansions were done during the time of King Harihara of the Vijayanagar empire in the 14-15^th century.

As is prevalent in Southern part of India, men enter the Garbhagriha wearing a Dhoti and Anga Vastra. Women can wear any Indian attire that is modest and not revealing. I really appreciate that the temples in the South, maintain the dress code as per our ancient customs and traditions.

The temple is built on the banks of the Pataalganga, a part of the River Krishna. It is believed that there is a direct pathway to Mount Kailash, under the Pataalganga. The Rishis of yore used it to travel to Kailasha from Mallikarjuna! Scientists and historians who visit here are unable to define the aura here. I would think that due to the potent energy of Mahadev here, the Yogis or Sadhakas of ancient times were able to connect mentally to the Lord of Kailasha, while meditating here. It was perhaps a virtual pathway to Mahadev …

As we came out of the Mallikarjuna Temple, just a few yards away was the Shaktipeeth of Maa Brahmaramba or Bhramari Devi. There is also a story about a demon called Arunasur, who had a boon from Brahmaji, that he could not be killed by anyone having two or four feet. Resultantly, no human or animal could have killed him. He terrorised and victimised many people. When Goddess Parvati took him to task, she came in the form of thousands of Black Bees that swarmed around Arunasura’s body.

They stung him all over his body, such that the poison injected by their stings killed him. She told him that she had manifested in this form because he could not be killed by any two or four legged creature. A black bee has six legs. The mention of this form of the Devi is there in the 10^th verse of The Mahishasura Mardini Stotram. (…  Sunayana Vibhramara bhramara, Bhramara brahmaradhipadhe, Jaya Jaya Hey Mahishasura Mardini Ramyaka pardini Shailasuthe.)

There is a huge pillar of pure gold where the flag of Shiva is hosted. Similarly there is a gold pillar in the compound outside the Devi Temple as well. One Sivalingam is there that has been installed there by Sitaji herself. There is a huge idol of Nandi in the compound. He sits facing Mallikarjuna Swamy.

This pilgrimage is unique in its own way, because this is the only place where the Shiva Jyotirlinga and the Devi Shaktipeeth are in the same compound. Every spec of this place exudes energy. Walking here makes you feel that each spec of the soil has divine vibes. India has so many beautiful places to see and experience … I hope everyone gets to see some … if not all!

This post has been published in The Daily Guardian on 23.08.2025 and can be viewed here:

The Daily Guardian - 23 Aug 2025 - Page 8

The Daily Guardian

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