| Type: | Hindu |
| Devanagari: | रेणुका |
| Sanskrit Transliteration: | Rénûka |
| Affiliation: | Devi |
| Consort: | Jamadagni |
| Children: | Ṛumaṇvān, Suhotra, Vasu, Viśvāvasu, Parashurama[1] |
| Deity Of: | Goddess of the Fallen[2] |
| Region: | India |
Renuka, also known as Yellamma, is a Hindu mother goddess worshipped predominantly in the South Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and the western state of Maharashtra.[3] She is the mother of Parashurama, the sixth avatar of the god Vishnu. She was given the name "Renuka" and acquired the status of a mother goddess before eventually being associated with the legend of Parashurama.[4]
Renuka is venerated by a number of different appellations such as Yellamma, Ekvira, Yamai, Ellai Amman, Padmakshi Renuka, and Ellai Amma Mahar and is worshipped as the goddess of the fallen in the Hindu pantheon. Her devotees revere her as the "Mother of the universe" or Jagadamba.
Other names for Yellamma include Mariamma, Chaniamma, Gangamma, and Kariyamma.[5]
Legends about Renuka are mentioned in the Mahabharata, the Harivamsa, and in the Bhagavata Purana.[6]
There are four incarnations of Adi parashakti (Kamakshi in Kanchi[7]) is worshipped. Vishalakshi in North Kashi,[8] Renukakshi[3] (Padmakshi) in West Alibag also known as padmakshi renuka of Konkan, Meenakshi[9] in South in Madurai also known as Meena and Bahulakshi[10] in East.
Renuka's father, King Renu, performed a yajna – a ritual performed to maintain peace and good health. He was blessed with a daughter, who originated from the fire of this yajna. Renuka was a bright and active child and became the most beloved child of her parents.
When she was eight, Agastya, the guru of King Reṇu, advised him to have his daughter married to Jamadagni when she reached maturity. Jamadagni was the son of Ruchika and Satyavati and had obtained the blessings of the gods by performing severe penance. Renuka helped Jamdagni in all of his tasks of performing various rituals and puja. After a while, Renuka was blessed with a daughter called Anjana. Renuka would wake up early in the morning to bathe in the Malaprabha River with complete concentration and devotion. Her devotion was so powerful that she was able to create a pot to hold water made only of sand, one fresh pot every day. She would fill this pot on the bank of the river and would use a snake which was nearby, turning it into a rope-like convolution and placing it on her head, so that it supported the pot. Thus, she brought the water to Jamdagni for his rituals of oblation.
Renuka gave birth to five sons: Ṛumaṇvān, Suhotra, Vasu, Viśvāvasu, and Rama Bhargava.[11] Rama Bhargava was the youngest and most beloved, gaining the favour of Shiva and Parvati. Rama performed severe penance and was bestowed with an axe (parashu), and was henceforth called as Parashurama (the sixth incarnation of Vishnu).[12] One day, when Renuka went to the river, she saw a king make love to his wives. She was captivated by the sight, as a result of which she lost her concentration and devotion to her husband for a moment. As she was distracted, she lost her power of collecting water in unbaked pots, which she had gotten from her chastity. She lost the water that she had collected. Disappointed by this, she returned to the ashram in worry. Jamadagni had seen these events through his yogic power and was furious when she came back to the ashram.[13]
After being cursed by her husband, Renuka went east and sat in the forest to meditate. In her penance, she met with the saints Eknath[14] and Joginath; and requested them to gain the mercy of her husband. They first consoled her and then instructed her to follow their advice exactly as told. They told her to purify herself, first bathing in a nearby lake, and then to worship a Shivalinga, which they had given to her. Next, she was asked to visit the nearby town and beg for rice from the houses (this ritual, called "Joga Bedodu", is still carried out by women during a particular month in Karnataka/ "Jogawa" in Marathi, "Yellamma Jogu" in Telangana).
After collecting the rice, she was to give half to the saints and cook the remaining half, adding jaggery, partaking of the cooked rice with full devotion. They said that if she performed this ritual for three days, she would be able to visit her husband on the fourth day.
Knowing the anger of Jamadagni, they warned her that she may not be fully pardoned by him and that she would have to experience the most difficult time of her life for a few minutes. "After that," they said, "you will be eternally revered and will be blessed with your husband. You will be worshipped by all the people henceforth." After blessing her thus, they disappeared. Renuka followed their instructions with devotion and worshipped the Shivalinga with reverence. On the fourth day, she went to see her husband.
Jamadagni was still furious with Renuka and ordered his elder four sons to kill his wife, but all of them refused to kill their mother. Jamadagni cursed his four sons and reduced them to ashes for disobeying his order. Then, Jamadagni called his fifth son Parashurama, who was meditating on Shiva, and ordered him to behead Renuka. Parashurama immediately obeyed his father's words and beheaded his mother with his axe. Jamadagni was pleased by Parashurama's devotion and obedience towards him.
He then offered a boon to Parushurama, who wisely asked for his mother and brothers to be brought back to life. Jamadagni was impressed by Parshuram's pragmatism and brought Renuka and her four sons back to life. Jamadagni felt strong remorse for what he had done to his beloved and compassionate wife. He then vowed not to get angered ever again and gave up krodha forever.
According to one legend, the emperor Sahastarva wanted to marry Renuka. When Parashuram was away, Sahastarva killed Jamadagni and his four sons and then Renuka jumped in the pond known as Ramsarover. This lake is today venerated as Renuka Sanctuary.[15]
A version among Deori people states that Jamadagni asked his sons to kill Renuka to prove their obedience before bringing her back to life.[16]
One of the famous temples of Balkampet Yellamma Temple, located in the Balkampet neighbourhood of Hyderabad where every year in the Ashadha month Yellamma Kalyanothsavam is celebrated with thousands of pilgrims performing special rituals to receive the goddess's blessing. The statue of the goddess is 10 feet deeper than the ground level. There is also a well in the Balkampet Yellamma temple complex and some devotees believe that the water in the well heals all ills. Taking a bath here is supposed to purify one of all disorders and skin diseases.[17] This holy water is called 'tirtham'. An Akhand Jyoti is also present in the temple that was lit during the renovation.
Every year, there is a gathering of 200,000 to 600,000 devotees at the Yellamma Gudi temple (Yellamma Temple) in Saundatti.[18] [19]
Another temple Renukambe [Yellamma] is atop a hill in Chandragutti, Soraba Taluk in Shimoga. This temple is an example of ancient architecture and dates back to the Kadamba period. Another temple is in Mahur, Maharashtra, the supposed birthplace of the goddess, which finds mention in Devi Gita, the final chapter of Devi Bhagawatam as, "Matripura in the Sahyadri mountain; here the Devi Renuka dwells".[20]
Another temple of Devi is at Dhamnand-Posare, Taluka Khed, Maharashtra known as "Devi Yalubai".[21]
In Tamil Nadu, Renugambal Amman Temple (it is Kuladaivam for Jambu Maharishi (Jamadagini) gotra Vanniyars), Senguntha Muthaliyars and other communities' people tracing their origin in that locality. The temple is situated in Padavedu, Thiruvannamalai District and it is one of the most important Sakthi Sthalas, another temple is located at Manthangal village, Ranipet district, Tamilnadu. The presiding deity here is called Kondi Amman (worshipped by Pokanati Reddys settled from the Carnatic-Andhra regions).[22]
Renuka Lake in the Renuka Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh is named after the goddess. According to one legend, the Haihaya King Sahasrarjuna (Kartavirya Arjuna) wanted the Kamadhenu cow from Jamadagni and Renuka. So for this he killed Jamadagni, and Renuka jumped into pond here along with Jamadagni at Renuka, Sirmour (Himachal Pradesh).[23]