Shri Salasar Balaji Temple

The Sri Kalahasti temple is renowned for Lord’s many devotees and how the Lord Maheshwara has blessed them beyond measures. There are many stories about the selfless sacrifices from devotees for the lord, we can also see the Lord Shiva who deeply cares for his devotees, and he also endows the visitors with generous blessings.

The name Sri Kalahasti comes from the three unlikely, but ardent devotees who sacrificed their lives for Lord Shiva – ‘Sri’ for a ‘Spider’, ‘Kala’ for ‘Serpent’ and ‘Hasti’ for ‘Elephant’. Each of the above was occupied with Shiva Pooja in their own ways. The Elephant (Hasti) used to Abhishek the Lord’s Linga with the water brought from the neighboring river. The Spider (Sri) used to weave his strong threads around the Linga to protect it from the natural elements. At this time Serpent (Kala) used to place his dear stone (Naga Manikyam) as a decoration for the Shiva Linga. Once these three happened to cross their paths. The elephant considered the action of the spider to be disrespectful to the lord and at once splashed away the spider’s web with his trunk-full of water. The spider and serpent were enraged by how the elephant’s destroyed their Pooja. The serpent entered the elephant’s trunk and discharged its venom there…The elephant in writhing-pain smashes its trunk against the Lingam and kills the serpent. The spider also dies in this tussle. It is followed by the death of poison-driven elephant. The Lord Maheshwara mightily pleased with this self-sacrifice gave Moksha’s to all the three creatures. The spider takes birth as a great king who continues with his divine task while the elephant and the serpent reaches the heaven attaining liberation from their earthly life- cycle.

Another important story is that of the Shiva devotee Sri Kannappa Swamy, belonging to the 63 sanities. It’s said that he saw blood oozing out of the Lord Shiva’s eyes. In desperation, the Kannappa Swamy plucked-out his own eyes and placed at linga. As he was about to tear down his other eye, the Lord Shiva stopped him and gave Divya-Darshan as Sri Kannappa has passed the divine test.