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srishailEsha dhayApAthram DhibhaktyAdi guNArNavam |

yathIndhrapravaNam vandhE ramyajAmAtharam munim ||

 

Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya nama:

 

Temple Legends:

The SriRangam temple has a glorious and long history dating

back to proto-historic times. According to tradition, the idol of Sri

Ranganatha was worshipped by Brahma in brahma/sathya lOka, and was

brought to bhUlOka/earth in thrEtha yuga and being worshipped by

Ikshvaku, a king of Ayodhya and the progenitor of the dynasty to

which SriRama belonged. In course of time,SriRama inherited it.

After His coronation/pattAbhishEka, He presented it to VibhIShaNa on

his return to Sri Lanka. On his way back, Vibhishana laid it down at

the place where SriRangam now is, so that he could refresh in the

Kaveri. When VibhIShaNa,on his return, attempted to remove it, he

found that it had become fixed to the ground. He was heart-broken

but the Chola king, Dharmavarman, consoled him. Sri Ranganatha

Himself told vibhIShaNa that He desired to dwell on the banks of

KAveri(which originates in Kudagu) and for Vibhishana's sake He would

lie down facing south, in the direction of Sri Lanka. The sanctum in

the temple faces south, and the main entrance is also from the south.

King Dharmavarman built a temple around the shrine.

 

ThoNdaradippodi AzhvAr says in his ThirumAlai:19

 

kudadhisai mudiyaivaiththu kuNadhisai pAdhamnItti*

vadadhisai pinbukAtti thendhisai ilangainOkki*

kadalniRak kadavuLendhai aravaNaith thuyilumAkaNdu*

udalenakku urugulAlO! enseikEn! ulagaththIrE!

 

Also vAlmIki in his rAmAyana(VI:128:90) mentions the fact that

vibhIShaNa, alongwith the idol of SriRanganATha(as a gift from

SriRama) returned to SriLanka

 

vibhIShaNOpi DharmAthmA saha thEnair-puthraSharbhai |

labdhvA kuladhanam rAjA lankAm prAyAn mahAyasa ||

 

This temple was flooded by the Kaveri and got buried under the sand.

Dense forest obscured it from sight, and its existence became

unknown. At last, a descendent of Dharmavarman's KiLi by name, who

happened to be resting under a tree in the forest, heard a parrot,

or "kiLi" in Tamil, repeating a verse that this was the site of the

Srirangam temple and that it could be perceived. But the king was

unable to locate the temple. He began building another to the west of

the tree under which he had rested. Lord Vishnu appeared in his dream

and pointed out where the old temple was. The king was happy to

recover the site, clearing the forest. He built a temple and a town

around the rediscovered temple.

 

AzhvAr EmperumAnAr Jeeyar TiruvadigaLE sharaNam

NC Nappinnai