Govinda … Govinda- A Special Article on lord Sreenivasa

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Govinda … Govinda

 

-By Mohan Chippagiri

 

||Kalyana adbhutha gathraya kamithartha pradhayinesrimadvenkata nathaya srinivasaya they namaha ||

 

Tirumala is the Bhoo Vaikunta on this earth. Lord Sreenivasa is the roopa of Lord Vishnu. But the Avatar of Sreenivasa in not the part of Dasavataras. There are many incidents are present about Tirumala. It is the famous and richest temple in this world. Here crores and crores of pilgrims will be visiting this shrine. Sreenivasa can also be called as “Venkatardri†(means removing the sins). South Indians pray him as Sri Venkateshwara and North Indians pray as a Balaji. The Temple is managed by the Tirumal Tirupathi Devasthanam (TTD)

 

Roopa of Sreenivasa

 

The Moola Virat is Swayambhoo Roopa. It is present from “Agama Shatras†. there is a “Koustubham†present on his chest and Naga bharanas is present in his hands. Simha Vahanam†present on the “Gopura†Top. It is nothing but mixture of Sarva Devatha Samanvaya Roopa.

 

Generally all Vigrahas Right hand will be “Abhaya Hasta and left hand Varada Hastha But Sreenivasa Right hand indicates Varadha Hastha. This Posture called as “Kattla Valanchita Mudraâ€. A piligrim who surrenders to this feet of Lord Venkateshwara whole deep sea samsasara look like a knee deep water.

 

The Lord's image has four arms, signifying the four stages that may be found in every form of development of life. It also represents dominion over four directions of space and thus the omnipotence of the Lord. The upper right arm holds Sudarsana Chakra (discus) and right arm holds Pancha-Janya (Conch). The lower right hand is in Varada hasta (boon giving) pose and lower left hand is in Katyavalambita pose, turned inwards.

 

All are His Servants:

 

According to the history for the past 1500 years Kings participated in serving the lord and the construction work under taken by them. The south ruled Pandhya Kings, Chola Kings and Vijayanagara Emperors served the lord with great devotion and they have offered jewellery and diamonds. The value of the Jwellary and diamonds given by the Vijayanagara emperor cannot be determined value of their offerings.. In this whole world Lord Venkateshwara is the richest The earnings by him will run one complete State Government.

 

 

 

Income & Expenditure

 

The Income from Hundi collection will be around 450 Crores. There are 50 personel will be working for counting of money. It looks like small bank.( According to reports Last year collections 1,216 crores out that 425 crores is cash. The Gold and sliver vessels will be 11 tons of total weight. He will be getting Rs 350 crores on interest on deposits from the various

banks. . the Sales of hairs which has given by the devotes will crossing Rs 100 Crores. Sale of tickets is Rs 35 crores. It is estimated that nearly 1200 crores will be collected per year.

 

TTD is look like a small Government. It has 99 departments. Every department contains 100 workers in them. There are officers above the officiers there will be one IAS officer is appointed. Nearly 154 crores spent on the salaries of the employees. The Mud vessel which is donated by Indian (Which is used for serving the Naivedhya) and NRI Indian Sir Thomas Munro donated Gangala (Big vessesl which is used to cook Naivedhya for the

lord)

 

Sreenivasa Temple

 

Sreenivasa temple is spread in 2.2 acres. The length is 413 feet and width is 263 feet it is in the rectangular shape. the Garbha Gudi is in the square shape. The height of the Moola Virat is 9 feet. What ever the jewellary prepared for the sreenivasa they will prepared in two pairs. if any jwellary is damaged other pair will be used.

 

In 1933 Britishers constructed steps. In 1940 Roads were laid 50 years back only 500-600 pilgrims are used visit the temple from 1950’s the rush picked up. Apart from this TTD has undertaken many charitable institutions and started spreading Hinduism. From the sale of its publications TTD earns 150 crores Under TTD 23 educational institutions are running. Three Vedapatashalas and one Sanskrit University, Schools and four hospitals are run by the TTD. And It will be spending nearly 200 crores fund various schemes of TTD.

 

From 1985 TTD is started serving the food for the pilgrims. Everyday 45000 pilgrims will be served with food

 

Flowers and Oil offered

 

Every day 800 to 1000 Kgs of flowers are used. In that 200 to 300 Kgs will be utilized for the Alankara for the Sreenivasa. TTD is spending 25 Lakhs on the flowers. 50 to 70 Kgs of Ghee Gingely oil and 7 to 8 kgs of Camphor(Karpoora) will be used.

 

Tirumala Laddu

 

For prasada there will be small laddus and big laddus are prepared for this purpose every day 4000 Kgs of Kadle Hiitu, 18500 kilos of Ghee 900 kgs of Sugar 2000 kgs of Gudambi ,150 kgs of Yallaki, 300 kgs of Khalakhanda and 600 kgs of dry grapes are used. Every day they will be preparing 55000 small ladhus , 7000 big laddhus and 3000 Vadas are prepared. Every year 25 lakhs and 55 thousand Big laddhus, 2 crores 75 thousand small ladhus

will be distributed to the piligrims as prasadam.

 

 

Sevas to the Lord Sreenivasa

 

Every hour there will be seva is performed to Sreenivasa whole day temple will be opened. According to the Agama Shatras the pooja will be performed only for Six times a day. The types are Prathusha, Prabhata Madhyana and Ratri(night) Poojas.

 

Important Poojas among them are “Suprabha Seva†to participate in all the seva called as “ Udhaya Asthamana Seva†for this Seva he devotees are required to pay 10 Lakhs per ticket.

 

Apart from performing Nithy Pooja other sevas are performed . Every Tuesday there will be pooja with 108 Asta dalas(Eight petals) made up of gold . These flowers made of gold are offered by a devotee.

 

There is a special seva decorated with the Sreenivasa with Flowers this seva is called Pulangi Seva. Every Thursday after early morning seva the Archakas remove the Camphor Nama with this effect the devotees can see the eyes of Lord Sreenivasa very clearly.

 

After that the Moola Virat will be covered with 24 Mooras Silk Dhothi with border. Feet is decorated with golden cover. Tiruppai is the special pooja on Thursday for this event nearly 450 Kgs of prasadam is offered. Friday seva is the special seva This darshan is called Nija Roopa Darshan on that day Canmphor nama will not be applied to the Lord. Apart from these there will many sevas are offered to the lord.

 

From Kings Land Lords to common people every body will offer Jwellary to the sreenivasa some of names of the jwellary wore by the lord Sreenivasa are Suvarna Padma Peeta, Every inch of the Moola virat is covered with Gold. Gold made Shanka, Charkas, Nagabharanas, Vaikunta Hasta, lakshmi hara Kouthubha Pitambara etc., First gift to Sreenivasa is given by his father-in-laws Sri Akasha Raja has given Pure Gold crown which weights 9,750 Kilos today it is very difficult to determine the price of that crown. According to the estimates now 1500 to 2000 crores Jewellery are available.

Everyday new gold oranaments are offered by the devotees.

 

Today what we are seeing the Crown worn by the Sreenivasa that was made in the year 1986. In this crown there are 28,369 diamonds and 13.36 Kgs of Gold is used and at that time the price was Rs 5.73 crores but according to today’s price it costs Rs 50 Crores. Nearly 20 goldsmits worked for making it and they took Six months to finish it. The Silk Dhothi which is wored by Lord Sreenivsa with a golden border weighs 40 Kilos.

 

Every year Brahmastovas are celebrated It is a function 9 days many devotees are eagerly waiting to attend this function. Many Haridasas are visited Tirumala and had darshan of Lord Sreenivasa and they have written many Kruthis on this lord Sreenivasa and it known fact that Sree Vyasarajaru worshiped Sreenivasa for 12 years. And finally Great Haridasa Pitamaha Sri Purandara Dasaru says one of his Devaranamas on Sreenivasa as

“Dhaniya Nodedeenoo Venkatana

Mana Dhaniya Nodideeno Sikha Mani Tirumaleshana …….â€

 

And I hav got an excellent opportunity to write this article on this Magnificent richest Lord Sreenivasa and my pranamas to the Hari Vayu gurugalu who helped me to write this article Govinda ... Govinda .

 

||barathi ramana mukhya pranantargata srikrishnarpanamastu||

 

 

!!! Prathamo Hanuman Nama, Dvitiyo Bhimayevacha,

Purnapragnya Tritiyasto Bhagavatkaryasadhaka !!!

Mohan Chippagiri MCA

Lecturer in Computer Science

Bangalore

 

 

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