The beauty of the Sun-rise and the
roaring voice of the sea charmed Narasimhadeva since his early life.The river
chandrabhaga which is now dead,was once flowing within a mile to the north of
the temple site and was joining the sea.On its banks,existed flourishing towns
and important trading centres.Trade was carried on with foreign countries as
well,by sea routes, as there was no better communication other than the river
in those days.
Narasimhadeva had preferred the place
for his proposed temple,for not only enabling him to bring his building
meterials from different places by the said river,but the sanctity of the was
also considered by him.In this connection there is an interesting legend which
says that,once Samba,the son of Sri Krishna,incurred the displeasure of
Narada.Who revenged himself by getting Samba afflicted with
leprosy.Ultimately,when Samba, was found innocent,he was advised to practice
penance in the Maitreyi forest for 12 years,to please Surya(Sun God) to cure
him of his disease.He acted accordingly and after the prescribed period the Sun
appeared before him and asked to recite the twenty-one different names of the
deity.Next morning when Samba was taking his bath in chandrabhaga,his hands
came in contact with something in the water.He immediately lifted it up and saw
an image of Surya(Sun God)standing on a lotus pedestal,holding two lotuses in
his both hands.He carried the image to his Ashrama(hermitage) and installed it
in a temple,built by him.Samba was however completely cured,after sometime,by
worshipping the deity.
Besides the sanctity and the
favourable surroundings,the presence of majestic sea eternally roaring and
rolling within a striking distance,was perhaps an added attraction for them.
