Lord Rudra narrated the origin of the Sri Ranga temple to Naradamuni. According to it, the temple sprang as a result of the tapas or meditation of Lord Brahma in the depth of the Milky ocean. Pleased with the devotion of Buddha, Lord Vishnu came in front of him as an idol in a vimana.. The Idol was borne by the celestial bird Garuda while Adishesha spreads its hood over it. The sun god and the moon god were seen fanning the deity. The celestial musicians Narada and Thumburu followed them singing his glory. The other devtas including Rudra raised the Jayaghosas.

When Brahma aroused from his meditation, he found Lord Vishnu in front of him in the Garuda vimana. It was then that Lord Vishnu informed him of his new form as a Swayamuyakta or an idol, Hence, the temple sprang up in devotion to lord Vishnu on the particular place. Further the lord said that there would be 8 such temples apart from Srirangam which are Srimushnam, Venkatadri, Saligram, Naimisaranya, Totadri, Pushkara and Badri.