OmkAra vimAnam

[Guest guest]

>Sri SatakOpan

>

>The vimanam for Sri Ranganatha is said to be

>PraNava vakruthi vimanam. Does one see PraNavam

>(in the plan or side view of the vimanam)?

>I could not see PraNavam in Pomona.

>Don't know in Srirangam, Tiruchy?

>Or is it just the name of Vimanan?

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

A devout Sri Ranganatha BhakthA asked the above question .

Although one can visualize the shape of PraNavam with

its charactrestric twists with some effort , the real

significance of the Compound name PraNavAkruthi

can be understood this way .

 

PraNavAkruthi is made up of "PraNava + aakruthi".

 

PraNavam is the essence of Vedams . The four

Kalasams in a row on the Sriranga VimAnam

and another set of four kalasams perpendicular to it

represent the four Vedams .To take a cue from

Thiruppaavai taniyan , this is "Vedam anaitthukkum

VitthAhum " .The seed of Vedams is PraNavam.

 

AakAra/Aakruthi means Form or Shape or figure.

The other meanings for AakAra are: identity or

sign .

 

PraNavAkruthi then means of the form of PraNavam

or signifying PraNavam or being identical with

PraNavam.

 

Para VaaudEvan with PrayOga Chakram , the object of

the salutation of the VedAs is blessing us with

His darsanam on the PraNavAkruthi VimAnam to

remind of this realtionship of Vedam with Pranavam.

Under the shade of the VimAnam rests the Veda Naayakan,

Lord RanganAthan.

 

In one of the 18 earlier postings on Sri RanganAtha

Temple at Pomona , the Veda sambhandham of

PraNavAkruthi VimAnam was discussed at length.

The connection of each set of the four kalasams

on this VimAnam to each of the Four Vedams were covered.

 

ON THIS SACRED DAY OF MAHAA SAMPROKSHANAM AT THE SRIRANGAM

TEMPLE , I WILL BE HAPPY TO SEND TO THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED

THE MOST RECENT PICTURES OF THE RADIANT GOLD-CLAD PRANAVAAKRUTHI

VIMAANAM AT SRIRANGAM . I WILL ALSO BE HAPPY TO SEND TO

INTERESTED BHAKTHAAS ANOTHER JPG IMAGE OF PARAMAPADHA NAATHAN

AT HIS SANNIDHI AT SRIRANGAM .IT MAY TAKE ME SOME TIME TO

RESPOND TO INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS.

 

The ONLY REQUEST I would like to make to the BhakthAs is

to send a SamarpaNam to our own Lord resting under identical

PraNavAkruthi VimAnam at Pomona , NY . It can be any amount .

Please send your samarpaNams to :

 

Sri RanganAtha Temple

P.O.Box 120

Pomona , NY 10970

 

You can also make a donation on-line as described

in the Home pages for the Sri RanganAthA Temple at

Pomona , NY ( http://www.ranganatha.org).

 

Pacchai Maamalai pOl mEni Ponnarangan ThALL Vaazhi,

Azhagiya Singar PaadhAngri rENu,

V.SatakOpan

Vikrama Panguni KrishNa Paksha Shashti ,

Anusha Nakshathram

[Guest guest]

Dear Satakopan

 

Your interpretation is interesting.

However, I would like to share a view expressed by a scholar some 25 years

back.

Even physically, the garbhagruham is in a shape of the letter "OM" -

written not in devanagari but in grantha script. If you know grantha script,

pl write 'om'. You will first have a semi-circular background and a straight

long front portion. Now if you can visualise the top view at Srirangam, you

will appreciate.

 

By the way, do you know that standing on ground when you look straight up at

Gali gopuram in Tirupati, you are exactly looking in the direction of

garbhagruham at Tirumala ? I once had the fortune - thanks to the pilot - to

have an aerial look specifically on Tirumala when I saw the temple and Gali

gopuram in the same frame !! They are just in the same line!!

 

Abhinava Desika Swamy's thiruvadi

T.N.Santhanam

Bangalore

[Guest guest]

At 07:27 PM 3/19/01 +0530, you wrote:

>Dear Satakopan

>

>Your interpretation is interesting.

>However, I would like to share a view expressed by

a scholar some 25 years back.

>Even physically, the garbhagruham is in a shape of the letter "OM" -

>written not in devanagari but in grantha script.... You will first

have a semi-circular background and a straight long front portion.

 

Dear Sriman Santhanam:

 

Thanks very much for your note.

There is indeed an enormous symbolism backed up

by Vaasthu Saasthram in construction of

the PraNavAkAra VimAnam .

 

The great experts in Silpa Saasthram believe that

"Temple is not merely a Home of God , but a Form of

God as well". They practise their craft under the credo:

 

" PrasAdham PURUSHAM mathvaa poojayEth manthra vitthama:"

 

(meaning ): Temple building (Vimaanam et al) is an

embodied Energy .

 

This is the essence of Vaasthu Saasthram .

>From the Sthupam to the basement of the VimAnam ,

these scholars in Silpa Saasthram match the limbs

of the Lord .

 

The VimAnam is made up of the following parts from

kalasam/SthUpi to the foundation in a descending oder:

 

**Stupi(Hair Lock of the Lord)

 

**Sikharam (Mukham )

 

**netram /side features of Shikaram( Eyes&Face )

 

**Galam /connection of Sikaram to Prastaram(Neck)

 

**Prastaram ( Shouder of the Lord)

 

**Padha Vargam ( Arms Navel and down to the thighs)

 

**AdhishtAnam (Knee Cap)

 

**Upapeetam (Foot of the Lord/Thiruvadi)

 

Thus , all features/aspects of the VimAnam

from Finial to Basement/Foundation of the sacred

Vimanams are accounted for .

 

The shape of the VimAnams , PraNavAkruthi , Gaja prushta

Vimaanams and others take this basic shilpa Saasthram rules

into account.These VimAnams are Temples of Space Science

as pointed out by none other than the famous Sthapathi,

Sri Vai.GaNapathi Sthapathi involved with the recent

Srirangam SamprOkshaNam .The Temple , its VimAnam

are vast explorations of Vaasthu purusha maNdalam

(VasthurEva Vaasthu).The "vibrant stillness" of

these VimAnams and their sanctity is ancient.

 

There are similar aspects to the construction &Consecration

of the ArchA Moorthy that is beyond the scope of this note.

 

Coming back to the shape of the Sriranga VimAnam and

its kinship to Pranava Aakruthi, You are correct in

Your observation. When One combines the VimAnam at

Srirangam and the Munn MaNtapam , then alone , we can see

the form of the Tamil letter " O " to link the shape

to PraNavam .This is a Valampuri or Valam Suzhi

VimAnam like the trunk of an elephant. It is also

understood as the blossoming and protrusion of the

combined essence of "Oli" ( primordial Sound )

and "oLi" (Svayam JyOthi of the Lord )taking

the shape of PraNavAkAra VimAnam.That is where

we hear the dhivya Naadhams of His sanchAram with

His Paadhukais (Swamy NammAzhwAr ).

 

The whole Garbha Graham with its extension ( Munn MaNTapam )

has to be taken into account to visualize the Tamil letter,

" O " , which is formed from a symmetrical ellipse with

extended legs on its incomplete sides.

 

"ParamANurithi prOktham YogiNAm dhrushti ghOcahram"

 

Such is indeed the greatnes of the PraNavAkAra

VimAnam that is casting its rejuvenating shade both

at Srirangam and at Pomona , NY.

 

Under this Sacred and ancient VimAnam rests our

Lord of Lords , Sri RanganAthA saluted by Swamy

Desikan in the first slOkam of Sri Bhagavath DhyAna

SopAnam:

 

"anthar jyOthi: kimapi yaminAm anjanam yOgadhrushtE:

chinthA rathnam Sulabhamiha na: Siddhi MokshAnuroopam

DhinAnATa vysanasamanam DhaivathaanAm

dhivyam chakshu: SruthiparishadhAm dhrusyathE RangamadhyE"

 

(Meaning by Dr.V.N.VedAntha Desikan Swamy):It is a unique

effulgence that Yogis alone can mentally experience

the vision of ! It is the magic colyrium that brings

a thing perceptible to the ocular vision as well !

It is the veritable ChithAmaNi (gem )that can grant one

wants, at once and easily; be it mundane wish or other-

worldly enjoyment; It is capable of eradicating the grief

of the poor and helpless ;It is the God of all Gods ! It

can be called the eyes of the vedAs in their legion!

What is IT ? It is the Lord(RanganAtha) you can see in

the heart of Srirangam shrine (under the praNavAkAra VimAnam) !

 

SrimathE RanganAyaki SamEtha Sri RanganAtha SwaminE Nama:

Jayathu Jayathu Sri ranganAtha: !

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan