Significance of Panchami Theertham at Tiruchanoor Temple

The most important and sacred fete during the Navahnika Karthika Brahmotsavams is Panchami Theertham which will be observed in religious connection with the emergence of Goddess Sri Padmavathi Devi in Padma Sarovaram.

The importance of Panchami Theertham and the significance of Padma Pushkarini are clearly mentioned in Padma Puranam, one among the 18 Puranas penned by Sri Veda Vyasa Maharshi.

When Sage Brigu hit Lord Srimannarayana in His chest which is the dwelling place of Goddess Mahalakshmi, she left for Patala Loka in anguish. Lord searched for Goddess roaming 56 countries and finally happened to locate her in Kolhapuri. The divine voice from the cosmos told the Lord to perform penance on the banks of Swarnamukhi so that the Goddess would emerge as Padmavathi.

Following the divine message, Lord Srinivasa performed penance on the banks of River Swarnamukhi and dug a huge pond with a weapon called “Kuntala”. He later instructed Lord Indra to fill the pond with golden lotuses. With those lotuses, He prayed to Lord Sri Suryanarayana Swamy located opposite the temple pond in Tiruchanoor.

The Goddess impressed by His penance appeared in a 1000-petal mammoth golden lotus flower on Panchami Tithi in Uttarashada Star on Friday. The significant aspect is that the Goddess performed penance to attain the Lord in 108 Divya Desams while it is the Lord who performed penance for His love for 12 years in Tiruchanoor.