Legend:
Renukadevi, daughter of King Raivada married Sage Jamadagni and
delivered Parasurama. It so happened that Renukadevi delayed in
bringing water for Jamadagni’s puja as she stood wondering the
beauty of the reflection of a Gandhar va in the
water. Suspecting her fidelity, Jamadagni ordered his son
Parasurama to chop off her head which the son obeyed. Dobis
(Cloth washers) came to rescue the mother but Parasurama killed
all of them. 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 dobi woman and
was able to make only the head alive. While Renukadevi’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. |