Sri Adi Shankaracharya Sri Sharada Lakshminarasimha Peeta

Address

Sri Adi Shankaracharya Sri Sharada Lakshminarasimha Peeta – Karnataka

Hariharapura, Koppa Taluk, Chickmagalur District,

Karnataka – 577120

India.

Moolavar

Lakshminarasimha

Amman

Sri Sharadamba

Introduction

Sri Adishankaracharya Sharada Lakshmi Narasimha Peetam is Vishnu temple located at Hariharapura, Karnataka. At a distance of 20 Kms from Sringeri, Hariharapura is a small village on the banks of River Thunga. It is famous for Sri Sharada Lakshmi Narasimha Peetam & Temple established by Adi Shankaracharya. The temple here is dedicated to Lord Narasimha and it’s believed to be over 1500 years old. There is also a shrine for Sri Sharadamba installed by Adi Shankaracharya.

Puranic Significance

According to the inscriptions, this place was ruled by Vijayanagara King Harihara Maharaya, who had recognized this mutt and had also conferred titles to the then Swamiji and gifted lands to the mutt.
Hariharapura, the holy land, located on the banks of River Tunga is where the Lord Daksha Prajapathi performed his great Yajna (Sacrifice), according to Skanda Purana (Sahyadri Kaanda). Lord Parama Shiva appeared from the ‘Yajna Kunda’ as Dakshahara Someshwara and blessed all. There is a ‘Swayambhoo Someshwara Temple’ here and hence it is considered as Yaga Bhoomi and sacred, auspicious and effective for performing homa, havana and yajnas.

This “Yaga Bhoomi’ became a ‘Tapo Bhoomi’ later, when Sage Agasthya stayed here and did penance (Tapas). The Lakshminarasimha Saligrama, worshipped by Sage Agasthya is in the main shrine at Hariharapura even today.

Later, this holy land of sacrifice and tapas turned into a land of wisdom/knowledge (Jnana Bhoomi) when Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya installed Sri Chakra Yantra and consecrated the idol of Sharada Paramesheari, the Goddess of knowledge and gave ‘mantra diksha’ to Sri Swayamprakasha Krishna Yogendra Saraswathi Mahaswamiji, the first Guru of this Peetam.

This yaga, Tapo and Jnana bhoomi having closeness to Lord Shiva was earlier known as ‘Kapaalam’. About years ago, the Emperor of Vijayanagar Empire, Harihara Raya constructed an Agrahara here and gifted several villages to the Peetadhipathi Sri Ramachandra Saraswathi Mahaswamiji. Hence this place came to be known as Hariharapura.

Special Features

This ‘Kshetra’, Hariharapura a triangle of Yaga Bhoomi, Tapo Bhoomi and Jnana Bhoomi is destined to have this grand and majestic temple with shrine of Kailaseshwara, Lakshiminarasimha, Sharada Parameshwari. The hoary shrine of goddess sri sharadamba at hariharapura is situated inside the sharada lakshminarasimha swamy temple premises, at the banks of the holy tunga river. The shrine that was earlier of wood now stands as a marvelous stone structure, with intricate traditional stone carvings and sculptural magnificence. Goddess sri sharadambika, the presiding deity of sreemath hariharapura, resides inside the majestic sanctum sanctorum in all beauty and grace. The enchanting smile and affectionate motherly glance of the goddess drives away all worldly fears and instills unprecedented peace and serenity in the hearts of devotees.