A Virtual Tour of Divya Desham part 3

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Venai undavayan En ullam kavarthanai

Andar kon ani arangan

En amudhanai kanda kangal matrodrinai kanave

 

 

The Above mentioned passage itself, would have made us know, about

which divya desham my next posting is all about, yes my posting is

about My Srirangam and My Periya Perumal and My periya Piratti

 

 

Thiru Arangam

Pachai mamalai pol meni pavala vai kamala senkan

Achuta amararere ayar tham kozhute ennum !

Echsuvai thavera yan poi indiranlogam alum

Achsuvai perinum vendean aranga ma nagarulanea !!

Thondaradipondiazhwar - Thirumalai - 2

 

 

This kshetra is revered as the bhooloka vaikuntam and temple as Peria

Kovil. When we say Kovil in srivaishnavite parlance it refers only

this shrine like perumal kovil to kanchi varadaraja swamy temple. The

Perumal is the Aradhana perumal of the brahma in Satyaloka and was

gave away in a boon to King Ikshvaku dynasty till Sri Rama who gifted

it to Vibhisana after his cornation. When vibhisana took the perumal

to srilanka. He halted at srirangam for sramapariharam (rest). Lord

took fancy to this place as it was garlanded by cauvery as Kollidam

and Cauvery on its sides. When vibhisana decided to move he was not

able to take him beyond this place. From that day Periya Perumal

decided to stay in this place and promised vibhisana that he would

protect srilanka, hence the Lord faces south as symbol of protecting

srilanka.

In the words of Tondaradipodi azhwar

Vadathisai pinbu kaati, Thenthisai ilankai

noki

It is believed that vibhisana comes and worshipes the lord once in

every 12 years, In sri Valmiki ramayana, Valmiki describes this in

Sarga 128 and Sloka 90

 

The temple has seven prakaras and 15 gopurams. The seven prakaras

signify the seven lokas viz Bhoo, Bhuva, Suva, Maha, Jana, Tapa and

Satya lokas. Thirumangai Mannan constructed the Madils for the temple

and Rajagopuram (Tallest tower in Asia) was constructed by H.H Mukkur

Srimad Azhagiyasingar of Sri Ahobila Mutt .

 

Srirangam is also the avatara sthala of the all the greatest of the

acharayas like Swami Periya Nambi, Swami Parasara Bhattar, Swami

Pillai Ulagariyan, Vadaku Thiruveedhi Pillai etc

Arayar sevai the most unique way of reciting the prabandham is unique

to srirangam http://www.araiyar.com/. This is site which host more

details about the araiyars

 

 

Ranganathar and Ranga Nachiyar gave the titles of Kavitharkika simham,

Sarvathantra Svathantrar and Vedantachariyar (There might be

misinterpretation here as some people say it is Perundevi Thayar who

gave the title to out Swami but some say this Periya Pirrati). Our

Swami also wrote immortal Sri Paduka Sahasram on the Padukas of Lord

and Swami’s drama sankalpa suryodaya was enacted at this place.

 

As per the command of the Periya Pirrati, swami kumarar conscreted the

swami’s vigraha just opposite to the thayar sannidhi. This is a

privleage Thayar gives to our swami

 

The Kamba Ramayana was recited by Kambar for the first time in front

of the thayar sannidhi. It contained refrences to Prahalda varada and

Slaying of Hiranyakashabu by Lord Nrishimha, Many learned scholars

opposed to this as orignal Valmiki Ramayana did not contain any

references to this part. Then with the approval of Mettu

Azhagiyasingar sannidhi situated on the 5th prakara kambar read the

ramayana throught

 

In the Moolavar Sannidhi there are two sand pillars which is similar

to that of vaikuntam. It believed that those who embrace this pillar

will reach the vaikuntam.

In the words of Kulasekara Peruman

Kadiaranga tharavanaiyil palli kollum

Mayonai manathunea patri nidru En

Vayara endru kolo vazhtum nalea

 

It is customary to have the darshan of Pranavakara Vimanam and

Paravasudevar idol on the Vimanam. It is also belived that all the

divya desham perumal come to srirangam at night and return the next

morning

 

The Unique ritual callled a mattayadi utsavam is enacted with great

fervour on the Panguni Uttiram day when Azagiya Manavalan return from

Urayur. He is pelted with flowers, butter and fruits by thayar and

Lord Ranganatha asks thayar for her rude and Stanrange behaviour.

Angry questions regarding disshelved dress and His strange appearance

are hurled at him. Thayar finally permits him to enter the sannidhi at

the interference Swami Namazhwar

 

Vaikunta Ekadasi is another famous festival celebrated at this temple

.. Since it is bhoolaka vaikuntan lakhs of pilgrims from all over the

country rush to have darshan of Lord ranganatha on that Day and

Utsavam is celebrated as Pagal pathu and Ra pathu before and after

Valikunta Ekadasi and Celebration of Thiruneduntaka Thirunal

commomerating the bringing of Nanjeer to our sampradaya by Swami

Parasara Bhattar . More details about this can be had from the

posting of srimathi sumitra varadarajan earlier

 

This kshetra finds its mention in silappatikaram of Elangovadigal.

 

 

Perumal : Moolavar : Sri Ranganatha , Periya

Perumal, Nam Perumal ,

Uthsavar : Azhagiya Manavalan

Thayar : SriRanganayaki

Pushkarini : Chandra pushkarini , Cauvery , Kollidam

& Vedashringam Rivers

Vimanam : Pranavakar Vimanam

Pratyaksham : Dharmavarma , Ravidharma , Chandra and

Vibhishan

Mangalasasanam : Poigai Azhwar 1

Bhoodatazhwar 4

Peyazhwar

1

Thirumazhipiran 14

Namazhwar 12

Periazhwar

35

Kothai Nacchiyar 10

Kulasekara Peruman 31

Tondaradipodi Azhwar 55

Nampanan

10

Thirumangai Mannan 73

------------------

247

All azhwars execpt Madurakavi

azhwar

Vriksham : Punnai

 

 

En thirumalgal ser marvanea ennum

Ennudaiya aviya ennum

Nin thiruvayitril edantu ne konda

Nilamagal kelvanea enuum

Andruru vezhum tazhuvi nee konda

Aimagal anbanea ennum

Then thiruvaragam koil kondanea

Thelekilean mudivu eval thanakea

Namazhwar-

Thiruvoimozhi 7-2-9

 

 

Adiyean Desika DasanBAlaji S

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