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" Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha !"
124. Q .: swamy kindly enlighten us on the celebrations of chaitra pournami which is conducted at " thumbura theerdam" on apr 9th 2009 swamy
Ans .: Tumburu Theertha Mukkoti : So many natural watercourses whose divinity and sanctity dates back to vedic ages, Tirumala provides an ethereal appeal to the devotees. In one way or the other this torrential water course are connected with the legendary characters in the puranas. Tumburu teertham is not an exception to this common rule.
It holds the story of Thumburu, a gandharva who cursed his wife for her laziness. As per this, the lady became a toad who had to survive in the pond till sage Augusthya came there with his disciples. While the great sage described the divinity of the pond to his disciples, the toad regained her Gandharva form and hence this teertham began to be called as Tumburu teertham.
The Sacred Water Pond Tumburu Theertham is situated at a distance of 7 ½ miles to the Sanctum of Tirumala Hill Shrine. This Holy Theertham is one of the 7 Theerthas (Sapta Theerthas) which confers Salvation to the Devotee, When taken a holy dip in it. The auspicious time for these Holy Waters comes on the day of Pournami during the Phalguna Masa on the bright Constellation of Uttara Phalguni, Afternoon. When taken a dip in the Tumburu Theertham during this ‘Tumburu Theertha Mukkoti’, one is relieved from all sins and all doshas and is conferred with the fulfillment of all Wishes.
A brief account of this Theertham is given in Skanda Purana and Brahmottara Khanda. The following is from Skanda Purana:
Once upon a time a Gandharva by name ‘Tumburu’ was wandering in the Sky with his Wife. Tumburu adviced his Wife that He wants to bathe during this Magha traya (Peak Winter) and perform auspicious rituals to Lord Vishnu. His Wife fearing of the extensive Cold during that season was reluctant to accept his advice. The ever peaceful Tumburu has got very angry and cursed her Wife that Live as a Frog in the hole of a Aswatha tree near the ‘Ghona Theertha’ in the Venkatadri Hills.
She was worried and asked for pardon at Tumburu, Who then revealed that you will become a Gandharva and reach Gandharva Loka, When Sage Augustya bathes in the Ghona Theertha and teaches his disciples, under the Shadow of that Aswatha tree, about the sacred Ghona Theertha (also called as Tumburu Theertha).
Then She became as a Frog and lived in that Aswatha tree. When Sage Augustya visited Venkatadri to have darsan of Lord Srinivasa and also came to Ghona Theertha and has taken a holy dip in that Pond and taught his disciples about the glory of the Tumburu Theertha under the shadow of that Aswatha tree.Upon hearing the divine teachings of the Sage Augustya, the Gandharva lady came back to normal form and prostrated before the Sage and told her story. Then Sage Augustya was happy that she regained her original form and taught her several Pativratha Dharmas. The Gandharva lady then reached the Gandharva Loka and lived with Tumburu.
Jai Srimannaryana !
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