Some more on Sri Rangam (Sri Vaikundam)

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Arangan ThiruvadikaLE saraNam

>

> *********** Forwarded Message**************

> Dear Srini,

>

> I was delighted to read about Tiruvarangam temple. However, there are

> some points I want to mention :

>

> (1) The 1000 pillar temple known as Seshraya mandapam is not the one in

> which Arayar Sevai takes place (if I am not wrong). Arayar sevai takes

> place in 5th circle in Kili mandapandam. There is a Tulak nachiyar

> sannidhi at the end of kili mandapam.

>

 

When I mentioned that araiyar sEvai takes place here, it was not meant to be

in

1000 pillar hall but in that cicuit. However, the relevance to mentioning this

statement just after 1000 pillar hall is such that, the araiyar sEvai takes

place in front of the 1000 pillar hall during vaikuNda eKadEsi. PerumaL will

get into the 1000 pillar mandapam immediately after this sEvai. The sEvai and

the mandapam are in the same circuit. The reason that I have not mentioned the

exact places of each festivites (in fact there are so many festivities

associated with each deity there including the thulukachchi naachiyaar, even

Uraiyoor naachiyaar etc) is such that it needs to be written elaborately and

one can publish several books on these. The reason araiyar sEvai was mentioned

here is becuase it was significant in the light of the fact that Sri

Raamaanujaa emphasised the vazhipaadu niyamanam through it. Much more to say

that the entire post had some hidden "places and phrases" that each reader

according to their "stages" will conceive it. For example note that a small

circuit closest to Arangan known as saaligraama suRRu is not discussed in this.

This is not open to public now. When I was a young boy I had had chances to go

through this inner most circuit with my Grand Father. Certain things cannot be

revealed in public domain. They are to be realised individually only.

 

> (2) Sirirya tiruvadi i.e there are 2 temples for anjaneyar because in the

> place where siriya tiruvadi is there, there is a place for keeping

> Thirumanjan kudam. Of course every day theertham is brought from Cauvery

> with all Raja maryadai i.e., on elephant with umbrellas and nadaswaram etc.

>

 

There are two aanchanEyar sannithis in Srirangam. But the most "significant"

one is the one that was mentioned here. For a derailed account of the daily

rituals you may want to wait until 108 CD is released ,'cos we will present

them in the thala puraaNam such details. The focus for this post is ...

 

 

> (3) I do not remember if the note mentioned about Nammalwar sannidhi

> which is also in the same circle as siriya tiruvadi. From the entrance,

> when we are facing the direction of sanctum sanctorum, to our right is

> siriya tiruvadi; to our left is nammalwar's sannidhi.

>

 

 

I didnot write about nammaazhwaar specifically, because of the fact that I had

mentioned about "sEnai mudali" in two "relevant" places.

 

 

> (4) It was not mentioned that the moolavar in Ramanujar sannidhi is

> Ramanja's physical remains themselves. It is called "Thaan aana tirumeni"

 

 

Since there are few accounts of details that are elaboate on this Sri

Raamaanujar's sannidhi, i didnot mention it, in this post.

 

> (5) Mettu narasimhar is called mettu azhagiya singar.

>

>

 

 

According to some, HE was also the refree when the RaamyaaNam was delivered.

It is also beleived that HE acknowledged the contents od Kambar's presentation

with a thundering laugh.

 

> (6) Just a few yards from Mettu azhagiya singar and Kambar's Arangetra

> mandapam, is Vedanta Desikar's sannidhi. 3 years ago some people were

> chanting some of the works of desikar every day. Then, over a period of

> time, they noticed that the footprints of Arangar started appearing on

> the wall of desikar sannidhi.

>

> Of course there is so much to know about Srirangam. But this is some info

> I have come to know when I visited, and thought would share with you.

>

> Regards,

> Anand

>

>

>-- End of excerpt from SRINIVAS

 

While thanking everyone for their interest in this posting, I would like to

add

that any "major" ommission is not due to lack of info on major aspects. I had

mentioned in my introduction that I will only "attempt" to present some

details. Though I had not presented 85 % of the details, someone may know many

more details. When adisEshan couldnot possibly tell the leela vibuthis of the

Lord with the 1000 heads, A small person with some limitations can tell only to

some extent. However I still feel that there will be several accounts of

Sriranmgam present with so many people. While most of them are connected to

thala puraaNam, some of it are not there, Partly becuse they can not be

presented in public domain as they are personal and its divine nature.

 

I was born in the southern banks of the kuaveri which is presently known as

thiruchi, derived from thiru cheernagap paLLi of arangan. I never lived there

continuously except for my vacations from the school days of childhood. But I

have had several "intimate" occassion of being with Arangan as my Grand Father

is one of the "TEN" upayak kaaraaLs during the iraap paththu festival after Sri

vaikuNda eKaadEsi. In response to kanaka's song (the thaalaattu song) posted

yesterday I am sure everyone will have their own tales to tell. I want to write

a little bit on some personal encounter in our family similar to kanaka's

experiences . The song mentioned is a thaalaattu song. I have had the unique

opportunity to attend the veeNai vazhipaadu few times during "Ekaantha sErvai",

prior to "aRavaNai". The important gift to our family was that the songs played

on our "ubayam". They are "aaraavamuthE..", "meenaayp pirappinum

thrivEnadachunaiyinuLLE..", and the classic "En paLLI koNdeer aiyaa ?"

I had to little bit narrate some background from my family here. It is said

that the veenai vaadthyam was so great that perumal HIMSELF came out to enjoy

this lullable music that was designed to end the day's celebrations and put HIM

to sleep. The lamp or thiruviLakku (some may call deevatti) bearer, had noticed

the LORD behind the pillar hiding and listening to this. On seeing the Lord, he

was about to shout in great joy, and it seems that the Lord stopped him saying

"pEsaathE" ie "donot speak", just to keep the music uninteruppted. As a mark of

keeping this tradition, even today, the lamp or thiruviLakku bearer, will shout

"pEsaathE" in the middle of this Ekaantha sErvai vaibavam.

 

Coming to some personal encounters, I hope it may be useful for those who may

want to know about what all Arangan will do for a true bakthaa.

 

 

It was a stormy night with thunders and rain pouring heavily. My Grand

Father

woke up as he heard some one calling him by his name. He went out to see and

found no one. After he went to bed again, he had a divine dream. In his dream,

he was told that he must construct an aanchnEyar temple. Mysteriuosly, the next

morning, he found a larger than usual monkey lying dead in his back yard. He

buried it there and strangely some one gave him the aanchnEyaa idol and so on.

He built an aanchnEyar temple in the backyard of our own house in Trichy, which

is still there and maintained by our family. He used to visit Arangam everyday,

and we were many grand children to accompnay. There will be a race for it and

luckily my Grand Father will choose me every day to accompany him as I held a

special place in his heart. (it was not only becuse i was named as Rengarajan

by him, but also that since I was born as a heir to our family, after several

years of prayers and finally after sravana vratham. Strangely the trend

continues as, I and my wife do sravana vratham for some years now, and we are

lucky to have our son named "Sravan" and that he is blessed to have born in

"panguni uththiram", the holiest day for Arangan and thayaar).

 

A few months back, he visited me in my dreams and asked me to pray

amuthan with

some specific paasurams in "thiruch chantha viruththam". I did the same the

next morning. Strangely to my surprise, Lord SaarangapaaNi appeared in my dream

the following night. My visits to arangam with my Grand Father is green in my

memory and eyes. Every thing there is "registered" so much into me that I can

close my eyes and If I may want I can present myself mentally (maanaseekamaaka)

in front of HIM, anytime. I have myself had some more pleasant and in some way

divine encounters which I donot want to discuss here. I had spent several times

in the past and also I spent some of my vaction last year in Sri vaikuNda

eKadEsi and iraap paththu festivals as our family is still one of the

upayakaaraas. When it takes an hour or two for many (it took little longer than

half hour for my uncle that day, who is one of the present upayak kaaraa) to

have HIS darshan, for me and my wife and son (I carried him) it took "only 8

minutes" to reach HIM from eastern entrance on 5th circuit, and complete the

darshan and enter Swarga vaasal, last year on Sri VaikuNda eKaadEsi! Everyone

in our family was surprised on hearing that. Even if you are a upayak kaaraa,

on vaikunda eKaadEsi day, no one can enjoy any special privileages. As we

entered the eastern entrance and someone approached us and said he will try to

help us have the darshan. We simply followed him and we walked right into the

karuvarai very rapidly as he walked ahead of us and guided us through. He is a

normal man only, but he was himself not sure how it was so quick. Perumal comes

to our (my uncle's) house in adaiya valainthaan, for paNguni festival. I will

write about it later. Keep the faith on Arangan !

 

engu suRRiyum ranganaiyE vanthu sEr

 

(meaning, which ever part of the world you would live or travel, finally,

destine to reach rangan only)

 

Arangan thiruvadkaLE saraNam

Sampath Rengarajan