Lilavai

SR No.: 002796
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1966
Total Pages: 500
Language: Sanskrit, Hindi, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Literature
File Size: 15 MB

Page 82

INTRODUCTION
Later on (gatha No. 1064 f.) Satavahana also starts with his army, hunts on the way, and after many days' journey comes to SaptaGodavari Bhima, meets that ascetic, kills Bhiṣaṇanana and rescues Citrangada from the curse. There we have the gathering of all concerned : Madhavanila is married with Mahanumati and Satavahana with Lilavati. The above details make it clear that the main scene of our tale is laid near about the confluence of Godavari, adjacent to the SaptaGodavari Bhima which is interpreted by the commentary as Bhimesvaradeva on the bank of Godavari the water of which has spread into seven streams.
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The topographical details induce us to search for some temple of Bhimesvara on the bank of Godavari, and one is tempted to identify it with the Bhimesvara temple at Draksharama1 with which we should get ourselves acquainted in essential details.
It
Dräkṣārāma (its ancient name according to inscriptions and literature being Dakṣārāma or Dākṣārāma) is a village in the Ramachandrapuram Taluk of the East Godavari Dist. in Madras Presidency. It is located some six miles away due north of the river Gautami, a branch of Godavari. This place is at a distance of about 25 miles from Rajahmundry, of about 20 miles from Cocanada and about 4 miles from Ramachandrapuram. is considered to be one of the most sacred spots in the whole of the Andhradeśa, because it is one of the five celebrated Sivaksetras in that country, the other four being Bhimārāma, Kṣirārāma, Amarǎrāma and Kumārāräma. Tradition says that it is one Linga that broke into five pieces and fell at those five places. This Drākṣārāma is famous for its grand, two-storeyed temple of Bhimeśvara which has a compound wall with Gopuras in four directions. Within the compound we see (in the photograph included in this volume) the Sikhara of the temple and a Gopura of one side: there are also coconut trees and some secondary shri
1
I record my sincere gratitudes to my learned friend N. Laksminarayan Rao Esq. M. A., Ootacamund, for a valuable note on Drakṣārāma which I have incorporated in this section. My thanks are also due to G. Laksmi Narasimham Esq. of the Drakshnaram Temple; R. S. Panchamukhi Esq., Dharwar; B. V. Krishnarao Esq., Madras, Prof. P. T. Raju, Waltair; R. Subbarao Esq., Rajahmundry; Prof. E. V. V. Raghavacharya, Cocanada; and Dr. V. Raghavan, Madras, who kindly explained my queries about this locality.
2 Some inscriptions call it Dakṣiņa Kaśi.