Kumaradhara Theertham in Tirupati is associated with a miracle of Bhagavan Venkateswara. The popular story has it that the Kumaradhara Theertham waterfall transformed an old man into a sixteen year old youth.
Once, a learned man who was old and blind built a hermitage over Sri Venkatachala with the help of his son and was living in it. One day he was wandering around with his son Kaundinya and went far away from their hermitage.
The son asked his father to take rest under a tree; in the meantime he will spot the way back to hermitage and get back to him soon.
After waiting for sometime the old man began to shout loudly.
Hearing the shouts of the old man a young swami came near him.
“Old man! For whom are you searching? Nobody is found in the vicinity” said young swami to old man.
“I am searching for my son. Who will come to my rescue now?” said the old man.
For the hapless, God alone is the Saviour!” said young swami.
“Old Man! You seem to have reached the last stage of life. Instead of exhibiting such blind attachment to your son, you can pray for your deliverance” continued young swami.
The learned old man then sensed a divine presence and said “I don’t want liberation. I think you are Bhagavan Himself, will you fulfill my desire!”
“Old man! Everyone desires for deliverance. But you say you don’t need it?” said young man.
The old man then said “I didn’t fulfill the ordained rituals for parents. I owe my birth to them, I am indebted to them and I owe them the rituals. Please give me an opportunity to fulfill that!”
The young swami then led the man to a waterfall and asked him to take bath under it.
As soon as the man stood under the waterfall he was transformed into a young man.
The young swami appeared before the now transformed young man as Bhagavan Sri Venkateswara. Bhagavan asked the young man to make proper use of his newly acquired youth hood.
This divine incident gave the waterfall the name Kumaradhara Theertham.
Source - story based on a picture story in Bala Sapthagiri August 2020 issue.