How did Tirupati Balaji become? | The Untold Story of Tirupati Balaji

How did Tirupati Balaji become? | The Untold Story of Tirupati Balaji

Have you ever thought that the story of Tirupati Balaji started with a blow? Yes, you heard it right. A sage named Maharishi Bhrigu had kicked Lord Vishnu on his chest and after that blow Lord Vishnu neither got angry nor cursed, but he did something which forced Goddess Lakshmi to leave Vaikuntha due to which Vishnu had to take birth on earth and due to which today crores of devotees climb the hills of Tirupati. This is a story, this is a story of tolerance. That pinnacle which only God can touch. This is the story of a curse that became a blessing. Don’t stop because this story has just begun. Welcome to Cartoon Tale Studios. This is about the beginning of creation. Once a huge yagya of Maharishis was being performed on the banks of Prayag. Thousands of ascetic Brahmarishis and Devarshis were gathered there. There was an echo of Vedic mantras in the atmosphere.

At the end of the yajna, a serious question arose. The question that had echoed through the depths of the universe for ages. Who is the best among the Trinity? Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. Who is the highest, the best and the most revered among these three? It wasn’t just curiosity. This was a theological question and without knowing its answer it was not possible to decide to whom the fruits of the Yagya should be dedicated. Maharishi Vashistha, Maharishi Vishwamitra, Maharishi Gautam all were silent. Because this question was not simple. The Trinity are the three forms of the Supreme Being himself. Then how to find the best in them? Then everyone’s gaze turned towards Maharishi Bhrigu. Maharishi Bhrigu who was assigned the toughest test. Maharishi Bhrigu was no ordinary person. He was one of the mind-born sons of Brahma. His penance was so intense that even the sun would pale in comparison to his brilliance. Both his curses and blessings were considered unbroken.

The sages requested Bhrigu Muni, O Maharishi, only you can solve this question. You yourself go and test the Trinity and tell us who is the supreme among them. Bhrigu Muni smiled. There was a special glow in his eyes. He accepted and with this acceptance began the most unique test in the universe. Maharshi Bhrigu reached Satyaloka first of all. The abode of Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma was seated on his throne. Vedic mantras were echoing from all four mouths. Goddess Saraswati was sitting next to him. Generally, when a sage comes, he prostrates himself before him. But Bhrigu Muni had come to test him. Therefore, he deliberately neither greeted nor introduced himself. Brahma ji could not tolerate this disrespect. He became angry. Bhrigu, you are my son and you did not even come and greet me. This is ego. Bhrigu Muni looked at it calmly. Brahma ji was the creator of the universe. But he also had a sense of ego. This exam ended here. Bhrigu Muni realized that he could not be the best and he left from there towards Kailash.

Bhrigu Muni went towards Kailash, where Lord Shiva was sitting in meditation on the snow-covered peak of Mount Kailash. There was a mysterious peace in the atmosphere. Nandi was standing at the door. Reaching Kailash, Bhrigu Muni tried to go inside. Nandi stopped him and said that sage Lord Shiva is still in meditation. Wait. But Bhrigu Muni did not wait. They went straight inside. Shiva’s meditation was broken. He opened his eyes and saw a sage standing in his room without permission. Lord Shiva got up. Sparks of fire started appearing in his third eye. Bhrigu, you disturbed my meditation. This is a crime. Now you will be punished. He started picking up the trident in anger. Then Goddess Parvati intervened and somehow calmed him down. Bhrigu Muni was calm. He also observed here that Tamaguna is predominant in Lord Shiva. He immediately became angry. The best god must be beyond this. Two exams had been conducted. Both failed. Now only the third and final exam was left. Bhrigu Muni went towards Vaikuntha.

Finally Bhrigu Muni reached Vaikuntha. Jaya and Vijaya stopped them. The great sage is at rest. You cannot go here. But Bhrigu Muni did not stop. They went straight inside. Lord Vishnu was lying on the bed of Sheshnag. Goddess Lakshmi was massaging his feet. Bhrigu Muni remained standing. There was no welcome. No greetings. And then Bhrigu Muni did something that no one had even thought of. He raised his foot and placed it on Lord Vishnu’s chest exactly at the place where Goddess Lakshmi resides. He struck hard, there was an earthquake-like vibration in Vaikuntha, Goddess Lakshmi was stunned, Garuda was shocked, Jaya and Vijaya trembled with fear, Lord Vishnu got up but there was no anger on his face. There is no showmanship, no reaction that one would have expected. Lord Vishnu held the feet of Bhrigu Muni. Hey Rishivar, you are welcome. I am sorry I did not get up when you arrived. Your feet are soft. Did my hard chest hurt you? Bhrigu Muni’s eyes filled with tears. They stood there speechless. No words came out of his mouth.

In this one moment Bhrigu Muni got the answer. Brahma ji was angry. Lord Shiva had picked up the trident. I apologized. This is the sign of the best. The eldest bows first. Bhrigu Muni’s tears started flowing. They bowed down in prostration. Lord you are the best. You are the Supreme Being. You are the supreme. But the story doesn’t end here. Goddess Lakshmi was witness to the entire incident. She had seen a sage place a mark on her husband’s chest exactly at the place where she herself resides. He kicked him and her husband caressed the sage’s feet. Goddess Lakshmi’s heart was hurt. She could not understand. Is my place of residence so insignificant? Can anyone trample with their feet the chest where I live? And my lord caressed her feet. Without considering my feelings. This was an insult to the wife. This was an insult to the goddess. And Goddess Lakshmi left Vaikuntha in anger. As soon as she leaves, the golden glow of Vaikuntha begins to fade. The flowers wither. Lord Vishnu stares at them as they go. Lord Vishnu knew that where there is no Lakshmi, there is no prosperity. Where there is no Lakshmi there is no completeness and that is why Lord Vishnu also decided to leave Vaikuntha. He will go to earth and search for his Lakshmi and from this search will be born the immortal story of Tirupati Balaji.

Lord Vishnu came to earth. He took shelter on the Venkatachala mountain in South India and started doing penance. He was waiting for his beloved Lakshmi. Meanwhile, Goddess Lakshmi was also roaming the earth in different forms. She was born as Padmavati, as the daughter of King Akashraj of Narayanpur. One day, while hunting, Lord Vishnu in the form of Srinivasa met Princess Padmavati. He got recognized. She was his eternal beloved in a new format. Love arose again, becoming the path to union. But money was needed for the wedding. The heavenly splendor was left behind and now their lives were run according to the laws of the earth. Then occurred an event which is still remembered with reverence and devotion. Lord Vishnu asked Kubera, the god of wealth, for a loan. It was extraordinary. Vishnu himself who is the husband of Lakshmi whose storehouses are never empty. They were asking for a loan. O Kubera, I need money for marriage. I want to borrow from you. Kubera asked, how will you return? Lord Vishnu said that till the end of Kaliyuga, any devotee who will visit my Venkateshwara form and offer me money, all that will be yours. I will keep paying this debt until then. Kubera gave the loan and that is why even today every coin, every hundi offered in the temple of Tirupati Balaji is a symbol of that loan. Today Tirupati temple is counted among the richest temples in the world. Every day lakhs of devotees come here to express their devotion with shraddha and devotion. This tradition of devotion, dedication and faith continues uninterrupted even today.

The wedding was a grand affair. Srinivas and Padmavati unite. Vishnu and Lakshmi were reunited. But this union was now in a new form on earth. In the sacred land of South India where the seven peaks of Mount Venkatachala are considered to symbolize the seven coils of Adisesha and Lord Srinivasa who was a form of Vishnu, Venkateshwara became established as Balaji right there. They are still there today, with the love and devotion of millions of devotees since ages. Now a question that must have arisen in your mind. Did Maharishi Bhrigu really intentionally hit Lord Vishnu on the chest? Was this a test or something? There is a deep explanation of this incident in the Puranas. First interpretation, exam. The sages had entrusted Bhrigu Muni with the responsibility of testing the Trinity. They were deliberately testing the endurance of every god. This blow to Vishnu’s chest was his final and most severe test. Second interpretation, Leela. Some scriptures say that all this was Lord Vishnu’s own play. He knew that Bhrigu would come. He knew that Goddess Lakshmi would be angry. They knew that would lead them to the establishment of the earth. Nothing happens by chance in the play of God.

When Bhrigu Muni saw the reflection of Lord Vishnu, he was heartbroken when he saw that the Lord did not get angry but instead caressed his feet. They cried, they started apologizing. Vishnu said to Bhrigu, what you did was right. The mark it left on my chest was a very poignant moment. It was not a very poignant concern. He was concerned about his wife’s feelings. The temple of Tirupati Balaji is situated on the seven hills of Venkatachala. These seven hills have special significance. According to the Puranas, these seven hills symbolize the seven hoods of the serpent Adisesha. Adisesha himself assumed the form of the mountain Venkatachala so that Lord Vishnu can rest there. The seven hills are named Niladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishbhadri, Narayanadri and Venkata, and the temple spire is located on the peak of Venkatadri. When devotees climb the hill, they do not just step on it, they live the story of an era. Why is there a tradition of tonsure in Tirupati Balaji? There is a story behind this. Once Lord Shiva struck Lord Vishnu on the head and one of his hairs flew off. A Gandharva girl cut hair from her head and planted it at that place. God was pleased and granted the boon. Whoever offers me hair will get its reward. This tradition has been going on ever since. Today thousands of kilograms of hair are offered every day in Tirupati. The auction of these hairs generates crores of rupees for the temple. A little faith and a great tradition.

What is the biggest message in this whole story? It is that the proof of excellence lies not in anger but in forgiveness. Brahma ji got angry because his ego was awakened. Shiv ji picked up the trident because his Tamoguna was awakened. But Vishnu ji tolerated the blow, forgave him and asked, did your leg get hurt? This is the nature of the Supreme Being. This is the essence of Vaishnavism. The Supreme Being behaves like a servant and perhaps that is why millions of people still worship that form of Vishnu. Perhaps that is why the glory of the hills of Tirupati is never hindered. So this was the story of that one strike. A sage had come to take the test. A wife had left hurt. A God had descended on earth. A loan was taken for love. And a temple stood for eternity. That attack by Bhrigu Muni was not an insult. That was the beginning of a play. And today when you go to Tirupati, when you climb those seven hills, when you offer your hair, when you put your oblations in the hundi, then you also become a part of that play. Part of the narrative that started with a blow. Jai Sri Venkateswara, Jai Balaji. So like, share and comment below have you visited Tirupati Balaji? How was that experience? If you want to listen, don’t forget to subscribe to Cartoon Tale Studio. We will continue to meet with stories, with history. Jai Shri Hari.