The life of the great sage Upamanyu was told by Vaayudeva in Shiva Maha Purana.
Upamanyu was a devotee of Lord Shiva and made severe penance and obtained Ksheera ramalingeswara in his childhood.
Upamanyu is the son of Ugradanta and was very poor and instead of giving him milk, his mother used to give the child, powder mixed with water. Upamanya after going to his uncle’s house and drank the cow’s milk, he insisted his mother to give him the same.
His mother has asked him to do penance on Lord Shiva and to get fulfilled his wishes.
She described the greatness of Shiva mantra and blessed her child and taught him the great Shiva panchakshari - Na Ma Shi Va Ya.Then upamanyu went to himalayas and built a small temple and worshipped Lord Shiva in the form of Paardhiva linga(Shiva linga made of mud).
By pleased with the severe penance of Upamanyu, Lord Shiva showed himself as Ksheeraramalingeswara, and showed the child the ocean of milk, ocean of ghee, Sea of immortality and also tasty food.
Upamanyu was very happy on seeing his Lord Shiva and Paarvathi, and worshipped them with happiness.Then Lord shiva assigned him with the leadership to all of his shivaganas. Goddess Parvathi blessed him with a boon of being young throughout his life. Lord Shiva blessed the child with immortality.
Upamanyu has asked Lord Shiva to stay with him and to protect him throughout his life.
Lord Shiva was very happy and he stayed there as Ksheeraramalingeswara with Paarvathi, and this place is called Ksheerapuri and now known as Palakollu.
Let us pray to the great Maharishi ‘UPAMANYU’ and get fulfilled our needs and desires.
‘OM SHREE MAHARISHI UPAMANYUVE NAMAHE’
R.HARISHANKAR
