Divine Places - SriRangam

[gokulkr]

Divine Places - SriRangam

 

Presiding Deity :

 

Sri Ranganatha (The Lord of SriRangam), also known as Periya Perumal (the foremost lord) - reclining on Adisesha (the foremost devotee or servant of the Lord, present in form of a serpent, coiled up serving as a bed to the Lord) in a posture known as bujanga Sayanam (reclining with the hand supporting the face), facing south. The procession deity is called Azhagiya manavalan (the handsome bridegroom), or namperumal (Our Lord).

 

Divine Consort :

 

Sri Ranga nachiyar (The queen/goddess of SriRangam), also known as Sri Ranga Nayaki Thayar (The consort of Sri Rangantha).

 

Temple Legend :

 

Eons ago, Lord Ranganatha (in the exact same form as He is present in SriRangam Today), was worshipped by Brahma in a place knows as Satyaloka (one of the seven worlds according to Vedic literature). During a period, known as trethayuga (one of the four ages per Vedic Tradition), He was Worshipped on earth by a king knows as Ishvaku, the son of Manu (the author of code of conduct known as Manu Smrithi). This deity passed on through the generations to Lord Rama, who presented it to Vibheeshana, the king of Lanka after the ramayana war. On the way to Lanka from Ayodhya, the Lord was attracted by srirangam and wanted to rest there permanently. He promised Vibheeshana that he will grace him and Lanka by facing south (SriLanka is directly south of SriRangam).

 

Salient Aspects of the temple :

 

Vimanam (the name of the tower above the presiding deity's sanctum):

sri ranga vimanam, also known as pranavakruthi vimanam.

 

theertham (the name of the holy tank whose water is used for various purposes in this temple): chandra theertham (the most prominent one, currently present).

 

This temple has a unique arrangement. It is believed to be designed by satya varma (the divine architect) himself. There are seven gopuras(towers), named after the seven worlds, present in each of seven prAkArAs (passages around the temple). There are several sanctums for various incarnations/forms of Lord VishNu in these seven prAkArAs. There are also numerous sanctums for great teachers and saints of the religion in these prAkArAs.

Diving Outpourings on the Lord:

Srirangam is the only holy place that has been sung by 11 AzhvArs with a total of 247 verses. One of them, srI thoNdar-adi-p-podi AzhvAr sung exclusively about Lord ranganAthA. srI parAsara bhattar composed magnificent Sanskrit stOtrAs (praise verses) on the Lord, the key among which is known as srI rangarAja sthavam. Sri vEdAnta dEsika composed a

magnificent stOtra called srI pAduka sahasram (1000 verses on the Lord’s holy feet) here.

Great Teachers and Saints:

Srirangam has been, and is the seat of the Sri VaishNava religion. Given that, all the great teachers and saints have lived in Srirangam, and have propagated the religion from there. The following is a partial list of important sanctums present -

(i) All the AzhvArs (12)

(ii) srIman nAthamuni

(iii) srI yAmunAchArya (ALavandAr)

(iv) srI rAmAnuja

(v) srI kUrattAzhvAn

(vi) srI parAsar bhattar

(vii) srI nampiLLai

(viii) srI piLLai lOkAchAriAr

(ix) srI vEdAnta dEsika

(x) srI maNavALa mAmunigaL

Other important facts:

(i) Ramanuja established Srirangam as the seat of learning

(following the footsteps of yAmunAchArya and srIman

nAthamuni), established all the temple procedures and

services and established families to render specific services

to the Lord. He was followed by great teachers like srI

parAsara bhattar, srI nampiLLai and srI piLLai

lOkAchAriar. During the life of srI piLLAi lOkAchAriAr,

srIrangam was invaded by the North Indian rulers, and the

temple procedures were lost. Two generations later, svAmi maNavALa mAmuni reestablished the temple procedures,rejuvenated the rAmAnuja sampradAya, and made Srirangam the seat of learning again.

(ii) A method of propagating the concepts of SriVaishNavism

using song and dance, called araiyar sEvai, was established

by srIman nAthmuni. Following in that tradition, there are

several occasions a year when learned scholars belonging to

the araiyar family enact verses from the divine outpourings

of the AzhvArs.

How to get there:

Srirangam is located near Trichy (Thiru-chi-ra-palli) - about 10

kilometers from there. There is a railway station at Srirangam, and most of the express trains stop there. It is about 300 kilometers from Chennai. It takes about 6 hours by road from Chennai.

 

PROCESSION DEITY OF LORD RANGANATHA