kula daivam?

November 9, 2004

Adiyen have a question about ishta daivam and kula daivam. I'm not

sure if this topic has already been discussed before.

Everybody including archagar in our vaishnava sthalam have ishta

daivam and kula daivam which will be different from the koil that he

is doing archagam. I understand the meaning of ishta daivam, as it is

a daivam prefered by the individual. What is kula daivam?

Though our single motive is to attain saranagathy to the lord. We have

kula deiyvam like hanuman, durgai, etc.,. Is it kula daivam means the

god/godesses is workshiped by our family for very longtime? if so on

what basis do we classify? Is it based on our ancesters did

archagam/kaikaryam to this god? Can you please explain?

Sriman narayanan

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November 10, 2004

Dear Sriman Kidambi:

You have requested comments on the distinction

between Kula Dhaivam and Ishta Dhaivam .

As You have put it so well , the performance of SaraNAgathy

at the feet of the SaraNya Dampathis is the ultimate goal of

life for a Sri VaishNavan and to live out a life of service to one's

AchAryan , BHagavathAs and the dhivya dampathys.

In this coveted journey , Sriman NaarAyaNa serves as the supporting

staff ( OonRu kOl) and one feels empowered to embark and conclude

this precious journey with the anugraham of one's AchAryan .

We meditate on our Kula Dhaivam , Ishta Dhaivam , which are

one or other forms of Sriman NaarAyaNan for a Sri VaishNavan.

Ishta Dhaivam , KUla Dhaivam provide a personal bond and develop

a close relationship with Sriman NaarAyaNan as the dearest Friend , Father , Mother

or other dear relative . This unique and special bond helps us

to progress speedily towards our journey to perform SaraNAgathy

at the sacred feet of the dhivya dampathis .

Ishta Dhaivam

******************

Some devotees have Lord KrishNa or Lord Raama or Lord

Lakshmi Narasimhan as their ishta dhaivams . The leelAs of these

Vibhava avathArams appeal to them and they got drawn to them like

a piece of iron before a powerful magnet . They see that Ishta dhaivam

in all archaa Murhtys and divine forms . They become KrishNa prEmis

or Raama DaasAs or Nrusimha UpAsakAs . Their whole inhalations

and exhalations are pervaded by the bliss of association with their

Ishta Dhaivam. Two classic examples are the experiences of Saint

ThyagarAja and Sri LeelA Sukhar , the author of Sri KrishNa

KarNAmrutham . Saint ThyAgarAja composed the Aarabhi Krithi

" SaadhinchanE " to celebrate the mischeivous pranks of Baala

GopAlan and half way thru that effort was so overwhelmed with

the powerful waves of thought about his ishta dhaivam that he ended

up deflecting his Aarabhi kruthi ( Pancha Rathnam) towards Lord Raamaa.

In the case of LeelA Sukhar , He had a vision of Lord Raamaa and

responded to the Lord by requesting Him to put aside the bow of

KOdhaNdam and appear before him with the flute and peacock feather

associated with KrishNa , his ishta dhaivam . He asked Raama to reappear

in KrisNa roopam to enable him to meditate appropriately . Such is

the power of Ishta Dhaivam !

Kula Dhaivam

*******************

Kula Dhivam is the deity worshipped traditionally by the members of

the Family for many generations. For me it will alwaysd be Lord

Oppiliappan . I was born in this dhivya dEsam of Oppiliappan and

thru my parents and grandparents have been blessed to think of

Lord Oppiliappan and His divine consort , BhUmi Devi always.

Even while I stand before other ArchAvathAra Moorthys in

celebrated dhivya dEsams , the thoughts of Lord Oppiliappan

will dominate due to this habit of reflecting on Him like an automaton.

All important events in one's life are performed at the sannidhi

of one's Kula dhaivam .

There are cases when one's Kula Dhaivam and Ishta dhaivam

fuse into One and the Same Dhaivam .

Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan