AdiyEn's Sep 10-17 visit to India : Part VI / ThirukkOshtiyUr Visit

[Guest guest]

Sri :

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

Sep 14 was dedicated to a visit to ThirukkOshtiyUr ,

a dhivya dEsam closely linked to AchArya RaamAnujA's life .

 

Azhwaar's ManagaLAsAsanams

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The AchAryan of PeriyAzhwAr (Selva Nambi) was a resident of

this dhivya dEsam as well . This dhivya dEsa EmperumAn

has recieved 39 Paasurams from 5 AzhwArs : PeriyAzhwAr ,

13-22 , 173 , 360-370 , Thirumangai 1550, 1838-1847 , 1856 ,

2674(125) , Bhutham 2227, 2268 , pEy 2343 and Thirumazhisai 2415 .

 

Location & Sthala VisEshams

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ThirukkOttiyUr ( ThriugghOshtiyUr ) is 21 miles from

the dhivya dEsam of Thirumeyyam . The names of

the dhivya dampathis at ThirukkOttiyUr are

Sowmya NaarAyaNan and ThirumAmahaL respectively .

 

DEvAs are said to have come here to conduct secret

consultations in a batch (GhOshti) to strategize on ways

to eliminate HiraNyan . Hence , the KshEthram is known

as ThirukkOshtiyUr ( SrI GhOshtipuram ) . There are two

fierce images of BhagavAn Ugra Narasimhan in the northern

prakAram : (1) One where the Lord is in the form of chasing

and catching HiraNyan and (2) Holding HiraNyan in His lap

and tearing his chest and pulling out of his intestines

in a great fit of anger over his apachAram to PrahlAdhan .

These are exquisite pieces of sculpture , which were once

in worship inside the temple . They were brought out

with binnam to reduce the ugra nature of the Moorthams

at a later date .

 

The AshtAnga VimAnam

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ThirukkOttiyUr VimAnam is the exquisite AshtAnga VimAnam ,

where the vimAnam is built in the form of four storeys .

 

The gound floor has the sannidhi for Sayana Moorthy .

The first floor houses the Lord in the standing poisture .

The second floor , the Lord is seen in the sitting poisture .

There is also a basement , where there is an archai of

Narthana KrishNan . Thus , the Lord seen in this kshEthram

in Sitting , standing , resting , walking and dancing Poistures

( irunthum , ninRum , kidanthum , nadanthum and kootthAdum

roopams ).

 

AchAryAs & ThirukkOttiyUr

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ThirukkOttiyUr Nambi was a disciple of Swamy

AlavanthAr and one of the five AchAryans of

Sri RaamAnuja . It was here , AchArya RaamAnujA

travelled 18 times from Srirangam to recieve rahasyArtha

ManthrOpadEsam on Moola Manthram. For 17 times ,

ThirukkOttiyUr Nambi refused to instruct Sri RaamAnuja

on the esoterics of the Moola Manthram and finally on

the 18th round , Nambi relented and performed the upadEsam

on condition that his upadEsam be kept absolutely

confidential . There is a legend that Sri RaamAnuja

went up the AshtAnga VimAnam and shouted the meanings of

Moola Manthram to one and all so that they can also

benefit from the knowledge about the esoteric meanings

and be saved from SamsAric sufferings . There is a statue

of AchArya RaaamAnujA at the site , wherefrom He is

said to have performed the upadEsam for the crowd of

aasthikAs assembled below in the court yard of the temple .

Strict observers of the SampradhAyam would not agree

that AchArya RaamAnuja rashly disobeyed his AchAryan's

command . The view from the crawl space near AchArya

RaamAnujA's statue is extraordinary . The surrounding

countryside for 10 miles atleast are seen from there .

It is an exerting journey up the VimAnam to reach

this area and those who are of generous dimensions

will experience stresses to get to this height and stand

next to the AchAryan's statue . All the physical troubles

to get there are worth it . One races back more than

900 years in Sri VaishNavite History .

 

After AchArya RaamAnuja , Sri ParAsara Bhattar came to

ThirukkOttiyUr to spend some time away from the ChOLa king ,

who was the ruler of Srirangam territory . This king had committed

an asahyApachAram to a Parama BhAgavathar and would not

listen to Swamy ParAsara Bhattar . The saddened Bhattar left

Srirangam for sojourn in ThirukkOttiyUr until the king passed

away as a result of a sudden disease . During his ThirukkOttiyUr

stay , Bhattar missed so much the worship and sevai to Lord of

Srirangam . He composed Sri Rangaraja Sthavam at ThirukkOshtiyUr

to console himself over the unavoidable seperation from

Sri RangarAjan . There are sanndhis for AchArya RaamAnujA and

ThirukkOttiyUr Nambi here and one of the descendants of latter

is performing AarAdhanam today with the traditional Munkudumi

( Poorva SikhA ) .

 

( To be continued )

 

Sri Sumya NaarAyaNa SWaminE Nama:

Dasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan