Importance of Urdhva Pundram (Vertical thilak on fore head)

[Guest guest]

Jai Srimannarayana

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

 

There was a query on Signififcance of Naamam (Thiruman ka:ppu) on forheads:

 

Thiruman ka:ppu- is called " U:rdhva pundram- "

 

Urdhva means vertical;

pundram means mark.

 

Swamy Ve:da:nta De:sika explains the saasthra prama:nam of the same in crystal

clear terms in His Saccharitharaksha, which is divided into three parts with the

titles:

 

Sudharsanapaanchajanyadha:ranavidhi

Urdhvapundra dha:rana vidhi

Bhagavannive:dhitho:pa:yo:ga vidhi

 

Swamy Ve:da:nta Desika starts the Sacharitharaksha which establishes the

absolute and prime need of Pancha samskaram:

 

(meaning of 1st sloka): Let us carry the people on our head who bear the mark of

Sudharsana and Paanchajanya; who wear the Urdhvapundra (Thiruman kaappu) on

forheads; who consume only the food offered to the Lord and by virtue of the

above who are saluted even by Nithyasu:ris.

 

All of us have these doubts as to where the saastra:s says that one should wear

Thiruman kappu. Swamy Desika has beautifully explained it in this work.

 

Vedic authority of Urdhva puNdram dhAraNam is:

 

Grutho:dhvapundra: parame:sitha:ram na:ra:yanam saankhya yo:ga:dhi gagyam |

jna:thva: vimuchye:tha nara: samasthai: samsaara paasairiha chaiva vishNu: ||

 

Maho:panishad statement above says: One who wears U:rdhva pundra and meditates

on Lord Sriman Narayanan and realizes Him through his mind gets liberated from

the bondage of samsaara.

 

 

In Paancharaathra samhitha it is said:

yagno: dha:nam thapou ho:ma: bho:janam pithru tharpanam

sarve: bhavanthi viphalaa: u:rdhva pundram vina:krutha:ha

 

Yaga, charity, penance, daily sacrifice, taking food, offering of

water to manes (argyam?) etc., is all null and void if one does without wearing

Urdhva pundram. Libations means pouring of water in honor of God. Manes means

spirit of the dead (deceased Father, Mother. Grand father, Grand mother, Great

grand father, Great grand mother et al).

 

pithru tharpanam means offering water with sesame seeds to those twelve Pithru

de:vatha:s. Hence, wearing Urdhva pundram is essential. The shape of U:rdhva

pundra should be in the shape of Haripa:dakruthi (in the shape of the Lotus Feet

of Sriman Narayanan).

 

In Varaaha pura:na Lord says:

 

ye:ka:nthina: maha:bha:ga:ha math swaru:pa vidha: amala:ha

sa:nthara:la:n prakurvi:ran pundra:n *mama padhaa kruthin*

 

As per Brahmaanandha pura:na, in the middle of every Urdhva puNdra, which is

wide and good looking, Lord Sriman Narayanan stays with His Consort Goddess

Mahalakshmi. The symbol of Mahalakshmi is Sri choornam.

 

Thus, Swamy Veda:nta Desika in the three chapters, establishes by his beautiful

and inimitable style and power of arguments based strictly on scriptures, the

three important customs and rituals of Srivaishnavas which are Pancha samskaram,

UrdhvapuNdradha:ranam and partaking of the food offered to the Lord Sriman

Narayanan in archa form.

 

(The above article is based on write up of Sri U Ve Anantha

Naarasihmachariar Swamin of Srirangam)

 

Azhwa:r Emperumaanaar Jeeyar thiruvadigale: Saranam

Regards

Jai SrimanNarayana

adiyEn Ramanuja da:san Raghava Krishnamaraju

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Krishnamraju ji,

 

Thank you for the insightful summary on the significance of thiruman

ka:ppu. To add to this, I think it is important to remember the

A:zhwa:r's message that the wearing of thiruman ka:ppu is a gift given

to us by the Supreme Being, because it is He Alone that chooses our

head as a resting place for His Feet, and in doing so, opens our

heart to His Eternal Protection and Blessings.

 

I personally find that remembering this while donning thiruman

provides great solace and humility.

 

adiye:n

Mohan Raghavan

 

, " Raghava Krishnamaraju "

<raghava.krishnamaraju wrote:

>

> Jai Srimannarayana

> Dearest Srivaishnavas,

>

> There was a query on Signififcance of Naamam (Thiruman ka:ppu) on

forheads:

>

> Thiruman ka:ppu- is called " U:rdhva pundram- "

>