Sri Srinivasa Vaibhavam- Introduction

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

 

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

 

Continuing on the glory of Tirumala Sri Srinivasa

perumAL:

 

The Lord of Tirumalai – Sri Srinivasan is like magnet

drawing people to His temple on this hill. Every day

thousands of devotees flock to His shrine in greatest

reverence and love for Him. Tirumala hill is believed

to be Kridadri [Or Kridachala] as sacred as Vaikuntha

itself. Known by different names in different yugas,

it was called Vrishabhadri or Vrishabhachala in Kritha

yuga; anjanadhri or anjanachala in Thretha yuga;

Seshadri or Seshachala in Dwapara yuga; and Venkatadri

or Venkatachala in Kaliyuga; The stories of the hill

thus establish its sanctity in every age. Achala- or

Adri means hill. Malai in Tamil also means Hill.

 

Vrishabadri- During Kritha yuga, a wicked asura named

Vrishabhasura captured the Kridadri Hill where he

performed a terrible penance for thousands of years.

Every day he cut off his head and offered as a flower

to Lord Narasimha and the head would grow again.

Finally Sriman Narayana appeared before him and asked

him what he wanted. Vrishabha replied that he wanted

no boon and he wished to fight with the God to conquer

Him. Thus began a battle and Sriman Narayana sent His

mighty charka towards Vrishabhasura. Vrishabha

believed that sicne those who were killed earlier by

the divine charka aleays attained moksha, he too would

now achieve it. He also pleaded to the Lord for naming

the hill on his name.

 

These hills have achieved their sanctity as a direct

result of the imprint of Lord Srinivasa's holy feet on

them. On top of these hills , the Lord known also as

Balaji resides under the vimaanam known as Ananda

Nilayam or the abode of bliss. Here, he accepts

worship according to Vaiganasa agama tradition.

 

Balaji's sacred temple is located on one side of the

holy tank known as Swami Pushkarani. In addition to

this sacred tank, there are other holy water-bodies in

these seven hills known as Akasa Ganga, Koneri

theertham, Papa Vinasini falls, Tumburu theertham,

Rama Krishna theertham, Pandava Theertham and

Svarnamukhi river.

 

Venkataadri- Brahma took a sankalpam from Vishnu that

He would redeem the sins of all the devotees /

pilgrims who come to the hills of this temple. Thus

Seshadri hills were renamed as Venkatadri or

Venkatachala. Vem- dire sins; Kata- power on immunity.

 

 

Other names of the hill are:

 

Vaikutadri- for it was brought from Vaikuntha

Simhachala- because it was here that Vishnu took His

Narasihma form for killing HiraNyakasipu [it is told]

Varahadri- as it is the Hole of Varaha [There is a

Varahaa murthy here in Tirumala]

Srisaila- for it is the Hole of Sri Lakshmi

Anandadri or Kridadri- for it is the site of Vishnu’s

sport

Pushkaradri- where there is a crystal clear pushkarini

where red lotus grew in plenty on this Hill

Gnanadri-for it confers jnanam on the devotee

Chinthamani- since it grants the object of one’s

desire;

Teerthadri- named after the many sacred watering spots

are situated here.

Dharmadri- for Dharmadeva, the God of righteousness

who performed penance on this Hill.

Kanakdri- where gold and precious stones were found on

the Hill;

Narayanadri- after a Brahmin Narayana who performed a

severe penance and was granted his desire to have the

hill named after him.

Nilagiri- after the Vaanara chief Neela who lived here

once

Srinivasagiri- where the Lord Srinivasa married

Padmavati and live here;

Garudadri- since it was brought from Vaikuntha by

Garuda;

 

Tirumala hill is a vast area dotted with peaks from

which rise lakes and waterfalls. Of these 108 are

believed to be sacred and associated with various epic

characters and leelas of Sri Srinivasa.

[Reference material: Book- Balaji- Venkateswara- Lord

of Tirumala- Tirpuati- An introduction written by

Nanditha Krishna]

 

Sri Venkatachalapathy is the presiding deity of this

Thiruvenkatam, which is also revered as saptha giri or

seven hills. The extraordinary and ancient glory of

these hills is attributed to the residence of

Sriman Narayana on them as Sri Venkatachalapathy. The

seven hills associated with Him are Seshadri,

Garudadri, Venkatadri, Anjanadri, Narayanadri,

Vrushabhadri and Vrushadri.

 

Let us enjoy the teerthas on this Hill in our next

post.

SrI PadmaavathI samEtha Sri Srinivasa ParabrahmaNE

Namah:

Acharyan ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan