Srivaikunda Virakthaya Swami Pushkarani Thade
Ramaya Ramamanaya Venkatesaya Mangalam
Tirumala
/Thirupathi is one of the 108 Divya Desasam of Lord Vishnu known as Adi Varaha
Kshetram/Swayam Vyaktha Kshetram located on the Eastern Ghat widely known as
Sapthagiri/Seven Hills such as Seshadri, Niladri, Garudadri Anjanadri,
Vrushabadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri in Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh.
This Divyadesam constitutes shrines of Sri Adi Varaha Swamy, Sri Srinivasa
Perumal/ Sri Kalyana Venkateswarar with his consort Goddess Sri Padmavathy, Sri
Govindaraja Perumal in reclining posture – brother of Sri Srinivasa Perumal
with his consort Sri Pundarikavalli Thayar and a separate shrine for Sri
Padmavathy Thayar at Tiruchanur. The grandeur of this temple was
precisely narrated in Brahmanda Purana, Skanda Purana, Padma Purana, Garuda
Purana, Aditya Purana, Markandeya Purana, Varaha Purana and Brahmanda Purana
respectively.
Presiding
deity –Moolavar Sri Srinivasa Perumal with his consort Goddess Sri
Alarmelmangai Thayar, Utsavar - Bhoga Srinivasa Perumal/Kalyana Venkateswara/
Sri Rama/Ugra Srinivasan/Koluvu Srinivasa/Krishna/Balaji/ Malaikuniyanindra
Perumal with his consort Goddess Sri Alarmel Mangai
Vimanam –
Ananda Nilaya Vimanam
Theertham –
Seshachala Theertham, Swami Pushkarani, Chakra Theertham, ( There are 14 holy
Theerthas positioned here). Holy dip in Swami Pushkarani is capable to
eradicates all the sins and cure illnesses.
Prathyaksham
to – Thondaiman Chakravarthy, Lord Subramanya,
Mangalasasanam
– Periyalwar, Sri Andal, Kulazhekara Alwar, Thirumazhisai Alwar, Thiruppana
Alwar, Thirumangai Alwar, Poigai Alwar, Boothathalwar, Peyalwar, Nammalwar,
Festivals –
There are Nithyostavam, Pakshostavam, Masostavam, Brahmostavam etc...
Brahmostavam in Purattasi &Karthikai as well, Thiru Kalyana Utsavam,
Vaikundha Ekadashi, Krishnashtami, Rama Navami, Vasanthostavam, Ratha Sapthami,
Sahasra Deepa Alankarana Seva, Dolostavam, Nithya Kalyana Utsavam,
Vasanthostavam, Arjitha Brahmostavam
Nithyostavam
- Nithyakalyanostavam, Arjitha Brahmostavam, Dolostavam, Vasanthostavam,
Sahasradeepalankarana seva,
Sri
Srinivasa Swamy Kalyanam with the Ubhaya Devis Sri Sridevi and Sri
Bhoodevi Thayar in a celebrated manner beings with Vikshwasena Puja,
Angoorarppanam, Rakshabhandhanam, Agni Prathishta, Madhuparkka
Samarppanam, Pradhama Kanya Veekshanam, Noothana Vastra Samarppanam, Maha
Sankalpam, Kalyana Pravaram ( in this the details of the lineage and
grandeur of bride-groom and bride is mentioned), Mangalya Aradhana
with the holy water of Akasha Ganga, Mangalya Puja, Mangalya Dharanam, Ananda
Karpoora Neeranjanam, Laaja Homam, Poornahuthi, Varanamayiram, Pushpamalika
Parivarthanam, Thalambrala Seva, Maha Mangala Harathi.
During
Arjitha Brahmostavam the presiding deities Sri Srinivasa Perumal with
Ubayanachiyars Sri Sridevi & Boodevi Nachiyars will give dharshan on the
golden celestial vehicles in an order 1) Garudalwar 2 ) Anajaneya 3) Anantha
and offerings of Doopam, Deepa, Karpoora harthi is performed.
Dolostavam
performed to the presiding deities Sri Srinivasa Perumal with Goddess Sri Devi
& Boodevi Nachiyars in a golden ceremonial carriage along with Vedic chants
and concludes with Ananda Karpoora harthi.
Vasantostavam
is performed to the presiding deities Sri Srinivasa Perumal with his consorts
Goddess Sri Sridevi & Boodevi Nachiyars . It includes Arkhyam,
Parkhyam, Achamaneeyam, Dhoopam, Deepam, Karpooraharathi and
followed by sacred bath with Go Ksheera, Dhadhi, Madhu, Nalikerapaneeyam,
Haridra Jalam, Sandanam followed by Vedic chants and Sahasradhara.
Vasantostavam
- Vasntostavam of Lord Sri Srinivasa with Ubhyadevi's begins with vedic
chants of Purusha Sooktham and Sri Sooktham and the sacred rituals are
performed according to Vaikhasana Agama. The rituals includes
Sankalpam, Upacharam with Doopa, Deepa, Neivedhyam, Thamboola Samarppanam,
rituals baths to the deities with Go Ksheera, Dhadhi, Madhu (honey),
Nalikerapaneeyam, Haridra Jalam, Sandanam followed by Nakshatra Harathi, Kumbha
Harathi, Karpoora Neeranjanam and Sahasra Dara / Kalasabhishekam.
Sannidhis –
Adi Varahaswamy, Goddess Vakuladevi (Mother of Lord Srinivasa), Sri Ramanujar,
Yoga Narasimhar, Vikshwasenar, Garudalwar, Sugreeva, Lord Anjaneya, Angadha
The legend
has that Sage Kashyapa performed a grand Yagna on the river banks of Ganges.
There were several Rishis and Sages took part in it, there appeared Maharishi
Narada with a discreet query. Maharishi Narada enquired the Rishis about
the purpose of the fire sacrifice and who will be most pleased out of the
Trinities? But Rishis were unable to answer the queries of Maharishi
Narada. They approached Sage Brighu to find an appropriate answer.
Sage Brighu left to Brahma Loka/Satya Loka – The Abode of Lord Brahma in order
to get a precise answer and examine the same. There he found Lord
Brahma and Goddess Sri Saraswathy were engaged in reciting Vedas to please Lord
Vishnu, they did not pay any attention to Sage Brighu’s obeisance. Sage
Brighu was extremely disappointed and left to Mount Kailash/Shiva Loka - The
Abode of Lord Shiva; there he found Lord Shiva and his consort Goddess Sri
Parvati absorbed in performing cosmic dance forms. They were unaware of
the presence of Sage Brighu and same thing repeated there too. Sage
Brighu unhappily left to Sri Vaikundham - The Abode of Lord Vishnu.
There he found Lord Vishnu in his cosmic sleep and Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi
attending to him. This infuriated Sage Brighu, in a sudden rage he raised
his leg and kicked on the chest of the Lord the place where Sri Mahalakshmi
resides. Instantly, Lord Vishnu rose from his cosmic sleep and took hold
of Sage Brighu’s feet regretfully, with a deep concern pressed it with a
thought of his feet might have got hurt by this action. The
most pleased Sage Brighu declared that Lord Vishnu is the Supreme Lord amongst
the Trinities most delighted with the fire sacrifices. Therefore,
Sage Brighu peacefully left Sri Vaikundham.
After this
incident, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi had a heated argument upon
the disrespectful act of Sage Brighu and Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi left Sri
Vaikundham. It was unbearable for Lord Vishnu to live without Goddess Sri
Mahalakshmi at Vaikundham, so he also came down to Earth and resided in an
anthill situated in Venkatadri hills on this sacred land. Lord
Brahma, Lord Shiva and deities assumed the form of Cow and calves and they
began to attend Lord Vishnu in the anthill in order to preserve the existence
of Trinities and thereby protect the Universe. The cows served the
Lord by pouring its milk on the anthill. One day, the cowherd
noticed the cows pouring their milk on the anthill, it infuriated him and he
threw an axe on the cow. Suddenly, there appeared Lord Srinivasa from the
anthill and protected the cows from its danger. Instead, Lord Srinivasa
got a cut mark on his chin and started to bleed. At this very sight, the
cowherd died out of shock. The King who was ruled the province came with
his men to inspect the land, Lord appeared before him and cursed for the
irrational behavior of the cowherd. Later, the most compassionate Lord
pardoned the King and remained as Lord Srinivasa on this sacred land known as
Varaha Kshetram.
There are
several interesting myths attached to this temple. Rangadasa
an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu found an idol of Lord Vishnu on the river
banks of Swami Pushkarani. He became thoughtful at the sight of the
idol of Lord stayed behind the open space at the intense heat and cold.
He sincerely constructed a rough wall around the idol to protect from the
weather changes and started to worship Lord. Lord was pleased at the
devotion of Rangadasa and blessed him. Rangadasa born to a Royal
couple Suvira and Nandini, they named the child as Tondaiman and became a legal
heir to the throne. He became the ruler of that province and
continued his selfless worship to Lord. While Tondaiman
Chakravarthy on his hunting expedition arrived at this sacred land and found
the Idol of Lord Vishnu. Shortly, he constructed a magnificent temple of
Lord Vishnu on its place to worship.
Ananthalwar,
disciple of Sri Ramanujar and one of the fervent devotees of Lord Vishnu
constructed a beautiful flower garden in order to worship Lord with fresh and
alluring flowers. The couple worked all day to find a water source and
created a well for watering plants. They were totally engrossed in their
work. There appeared a Brahmachari with a helping hand to Ananthalwar’s
wife. Ananthalwar refused any help from the Brahmachari and
angrily threw the spade on him. The spade hit on Brahmachari’s chin and
started to bleed, instantly he disappeared from the scene. In the
evening, Ananthalwar with a heavy heart entered in the sanctum and sanctorum of
Lord and found the blood oozing from the chin of the idol. Ananthalwar
turned inconsolable; He earnestly prayed to Lord and applied a herbal substance
on the wounded chin. This particular custom is still continuing in
this temple as a part of daily rituals to Lord Srinivasa.
This temple
remains open from 3.00AM to 3.00PM in the mornings 4.00PM to 9.00PM in the
evenings (approximately 18 .00 to 20.00 hours a day).
