Bhargava Narasimha, Ahobilam

భార్గవ నరసింహ స్వామి

Narasimha · Bhargava Narasimha

Four-armed, holding conch and discus, two hands tearing open Hiranyakashipu

Near Lower Ahobilam, Ahobilam, Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh · Vaishnava tradition

The shrine is named for Bhargava Rama (Parashurama), who did penance by the pond below it.

The story begins: “The Bhargava shrine stands above a pond about 2 km from Lower Ahobilam.”

Read the story
Directions

At the gate

Walking and access
About 2 km from Lower Ahobilam. The Ahobila Math says there is no paved road — plain ground that needs a jeep or auto-rickshaw. More on access
Getting there
Train: Nandyal railway stationAir: Kadapa Airport

Not yet confirmed: darshan hours, dress code, phone rules, entry for visitors of other faiths. Ask at the temple office or enquiry counter — and if you know, tell us. hello@aalayakatha.com

Full visiting details

Sthala purana

The story of this place

Family note: this story includes violence or death.
Told in: The Ahobilam sthala tradition, as published by the Sri Ahobila Math and reported by the Deccan Chronicle (2018)

Parashurama's request

The Bhargava shrine stands above a pond about 2 km from Lower Ahobilam. The Ahobila Math names both after Bhargava Rama — Parashurama — who did penance beside the water.

The Deccan Chronicle's 2018 account gives the purpose of that penance. Parashurama, whom the paper notes is himself an incarnation of Vishnu, prayed at the Akshaya tirtha that Narasimha would appear to him in the form in which he had slain Hiranyakashipu. The image in the shrine answers the request. It is four-armed: two hands hold the conch and the discus, and the other two tear open the demon king's stomach. Outlook Traveller (2017) names the pond Akshaya Tirtham too and gives the shrine's founder simply as the sage Bhargava; the matha calls the water the Bhargava Theertham.

The form Parashurama asked for is the one the Bhagavata describes at the threshold of Hiranyakashipu's hall: the king laid across Narasimha's thighs, his skin — which Indra's thunderbolt could not scratch — opened by the claws (7.8.29).

So the shrine records a request granted. Among the nine, the Upper Ahobilam cave also holds Narasimha in the act of slaying; Bhargava is the shrine where tradition names who asked to see that form, and the pond where he waited is still beside it.

Where this account comes from

  • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: Deccan Chronicle, "Ahobilam: A journey into spirituality", R. Sandeep Kumar, 9 September 2018 deccanchronicle.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: Outlook Traveller, "Ahobilam: Realm of the Man-Lion", Benny Joshua, 7 June 2017 outlookindia.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Purana: Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 7, Adhyaya 8, vv. 29 (tr. on wisdomlib.org) wisdomlib.org

In one minute

Why Bhargava Narasimha, Ahobilam matters

Each line says who it comes from and how settled it is. What the labels mean

  1. The shrine is named for Bhargava Rama (Parashurama), who did penance by the pond below it.

    2 sources for: The shrine is named for Bhargava Rama (Parashurama), who did penance by the pond
    • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09
    • Press: Deccan Chronicle, "Ahobilam: A journey into spirituality", R. Sandeep Kumar, 9 September 2018 deccanchronicle.com · seen 2026-10-09

  2. The image shows Narasimha in the act of slaying: two hands hold conch and discus while the other two tear Hiranyakashipu open.

    Source for: The image shows Narasimha in the act of slaying: two hands hold conch and discus
    • Press: Deccan Chronicle, "Ahobilam: A journey into spirituality", R. Sandeep Kumar, 9 September 2018 deccanchronicle.com · seen 2026-10-09

  3. It lies about 2 km from Lower Ahobilam by the Bhargava (Akshaya) tirtha, off the paved road.

    2 sources for: It lies about 2 km from Lower Ahobilam by the Bhargava (Akshaya) tirtha, off the
    • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09
    • Press: Outlook Traveller, "Ahobilam: Realm of the Man-Lion", Benny Joshua, 7 June 2017 outlookindia.com · seen 2026-10-09

Shilpa

When you visit, look for…

Architectural style not yet identified

No published architectural study of the Bhargava shrine has been found yet.

  • Sanctum

    The slaying image

    Four arms: conch and discus in two, the other two tearing Hiranyakashipu open (Deccan Chronicle 2018).

  • Temple tank

    Bhargava (Akshaya) tirtha

    The pond below the shrine where Parashurama did penance (Ahobila Math; Deccan Chronicle 2018). Long steps lead up from it to the sanctum (Outlook Traveller 2017).

  • Sacred water

    Bhargava Theertham (Akshaya Tirtha)

    Named Bhargava Theertham by the Ahobila Math and Akshaya Tirtha by the Deccan Chronicle and Outlook Traveller.

Yatra

Plan your visit

Darshan times

We could not confirm the opening times from the temple’s own notice, so we are not printing any. Please check with the temple office or the devasthanam before you travel.

Before you go

  • No dress code or entry rules have been confirmed for this temple yet. Traditional, modest clothing is always the safe choice; ask at the entrance.

Walking, steps and access

About 2 km from Lower Ahobilam. The Ahobila Math says there is no paved road — plain ground that needs a jeep or auto-rickshaw. Outlook Traveller (2017) calls it normally easy but notes that part of the trail floods in the monsoon and that long steps lead up to the sanctum.

Getting there

  • By air: Kadapa Airport · about 120 kmDistance as given by the Ministry of Tourism's Utsav page for the Ahobilam Brahmotsavam. Outlook Traveller (2017) names Hyderabad as the nearest airport; check current services.
  • By train: Nandyal railway station · about 60 kmThe Utsav portal gives Nandyal at about 60 km and also lists Kadapa (about 120 km). The Ahobila Math's guide describes rail access via Kadapa from Chennai and via Kurnool from Hyderabad, then road.
  • By road: AllagaddaThe Utsav portal gives Allagadda at about 23 km; the Ahobila Math's guide gives about 30 km, with local buses to Ahobilam roughly every 45 minutes. Lower and Upper Ahobilam are linked by a ghat road the matha puts at about 12.8 km.

Routes are general guidance and not yet checked against an official source.

PIN 518543 (not yet checked with India Post)

The order of darshan

No published source gives the order in which to visit the shrines here, so we have not invented one. Follow the queue and the temple staff.

Festivals

  • Swathi Thirumanjanam

    monthly, Swati

    A monthly abhishekam for all nine Narasimhas of Ahobilam on the day of the Swati nakshatra. The Ahobila Math notes that devotees travel in from Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore for it and advises booking rooms in advance.

Itihasa

Through time

Two registers, kept apart on purpose: what the Puranas tell, and what the historical record shows. They answer different questions and we do not force them to agree.

In the Puranas and tradition

  1. Parashurama's penance

    Parashurama does penance at the pond and is granted a vision of Narasimha in his slaying form. The tradition does not say in which yuga this happened.

    2 sources for: Parashurama's penance
    • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09
    • Press: Deccan Chronicle, "Ahobilam: A journey into spirituality", R. Sandeep Kumar, 9 September 2018 deccanchronicle.com · seen 2026-10-09

In the historical record

No dated history of this temple has been sourced yet — no inscription, survey or study we can cite.

Around here

Worth the detour

  • Temple

    Yogananda Narasimha

    About 2 km south-east of Lower Ahobilam on a paved road.

  • Temple

    Chatravata Narasimha

    A few km from Lower Ahobilam by road, under a peepal tree.

  • Temple

    Karanja Narasimha

    Roadside on the ghat road about 1 km short of Upper Ahobilam.

  • Temple

    Prahlada Varada (Lakshmi Narasimha) temple, Lower Ahobilam

    The main temple of Lower Ahobilam, with three enclosures, carved pillars and the processional images, including a ten-armed Jwala Narasimha (Ahobila Math). It is not one of the nine.

Also in Nandyal district

Sources

Where this page comes from

  • Temple administration: Sri Ahobila Math, "Visit Ahobilam" (pilgrim guide: shrines, routes, guest house, festivals) ahobilamutt.org · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: Deccan Chronicle, "Ahobilam: A journey into spirituality", R. Sandeep Kumar, 9 September 2018 deccanchronicle.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: Outlook Traveller, "Ahobilam: Realm of the Man-Lion", Benny Joshua, 7 June 2017 outlookindia.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Purana: Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 7, Adhyaya 8, vv. 29 (tr. on wisdomlib.org) wisdomlib.org

Cite this page

Aalaya Katha Foundation, “Bhargava Narasimha, Ahobilam”, Aalaya Katha, version last reviewed 2026-10-09. https://www.aalayakatha.com/temple/bhargava-narasimha (accessed ).

Last reviewed 2026-10-09. How we label sources and confidence