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LORD SHRI KEDARNATH TEMPLE

dbed6d37@opayq.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 13:03:00 +0000

Kedarnath is named in honor of King Kedar, who ruled in the Satya Yuga. He had a daughter named Vrinda who was a partial incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. She performed austerities for several years and the land is named after her as Vrindavan. However, Kedarnath and its temple exist from the Mahabharata Era when the Pandavas are supposed to have pleased Lord Shiva by doing penance there. It is one of the most important dhams amongst the char dhams (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri). Bhairavnath Ji is considered as the protector of Kedarnath temple. The temple opens on Akshaya Tritiya (April end or first week of May) and closes on Bhai Duj(October end or 1st week of November) due to heavy snowfall and extreme cold weather during winter. Gaurikhund is 75 km (47 miles) from Rudraprayag. In between Rudraprayag and Kedarnath there are several places of pilgrimage such as Agastyamuni, Ukhimath, Phauli- Pasalat Devi Maa, Bamsu (Lamgoundi) Vanasur, Maa Jwalamukhi Devi village Andarwari, Maa Chandika Devi village lwara, Maa Kali at Kalimath, Trijugi Narayan (7 km (4 mi) from Son Prayag) (Where Lord Shankar got married to Goddess Parwati from when the fire of hawan kund is still alive) and Kashi Vishwanath at Guptakashi. During winter due to heavy snowfall, the Temple is closed and no one stays in Kedarnath. For six months (November to April) the Palki with the utsava murti of Lord Kedarnath is transferred to a place near Guptakashi called Ukhimath. People shift their settlement too from Kedarnath to nearby villages. Around 360 families of Tirtha Purohit of 55 villages and other nearby villages are dependent on Kedarnath for livelihood
Udar Kund is located here. It is written in Kedar Khand of Shiva purana that the water of Udak Kund is mixture of all the 5 Oceans and always remain fresh even when kept for many years. The holy water of Udak Kund is used for purification rituals. Hans Kund, Bharo Nath, Navdurga Mandir, Shankaracharya Samadhi, Ishaneswar Mahadev Temple, Ret Kund, Panch Ganga Sangam, Chaurwari Taal now known as Gandhi Sarowar, Bashuki Taal are also places to visit here. There are several guest houses in Kedarnath with reasonable rates. In June 2013, in the middle of pilgrimage season, torrential rains, cloud burst and resulting flash floods nearly destroyed the Kedarnath town. Thousands of people are feared killed and many thousands of others (mostly pilgrims) were reported missing or stranded due to landslides around Kedarnath. Although the surrounding area and compound of the Kedarnath temple were destroyed, the temple itself was still standing amid surrounding debris

IGNOU REGIONAL CENTRES ACROSS INDIA

dbed6d37@opayq.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:31:00 +0000

The Regional Centres (56), IGNOU-Army Recognised Regional Centres (6), IGNOU-Navy Recognised Regional Centres (4) and IGNOU-Assam Rifles Recognised Regional Centre (1) are responsible for the promotion of the Open University system; development, maintenance and monitoring of Study Centres and Student Support Services; and organisation of staff development programmes in the region. CLICK HEADING FOR IGNOU REGIONAL CENTRES

PANCHA BHOOTHA LINGALU

dbed6d37@opayq.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 16:49:00 +0000

Pancha Bhoota Temples 1) Sri Ekambreswara Temple 2) Sri Jambukeswara Temple 3) Sri Annamalaiyar Temple 4) Sri Kalahasteeswara Temple 5) Sri Chidambaram Temple Pancha Bhoota Stalam or Pancha Bhoota Stala refers to the five Shiva temples, dedicated to Shiva, each representing the manifestation of the five prime elements of nature- land, water, air, sky, fire. Pancha indicates Five, Bhoota means elements and Stala means place. All these temples are located in South India with four of these temples at Tamil Nadu and one at Andhra Pradesh. The five elements are believed to be enshrined in the five lingams and each of the lingams representing Shiva in the temple has five distant names based on the elements they represent. Indian belief associates the origin of life with the five basic elements (Pancha – five, Bhootam – Element) of Wind, Water, Fire, Earth and Space (ether). In Sanskrit, these elements are referred to as Vayu, Jalam (Apah), Agni, Prithvi and Aakasam. The Indian system of belief in Divinity also worships the divine as a manifestation of these basic elements. Accordingly, Shiva is worshipped as a manifestation of these elements in five ancient temples in India. There is much in common between these five temples. These are among the holiest Saivite shrines in India, and have been glorified by the poems of the Nayanmar Saints of Tamilnadu. Reference to these five temples in various literary works place them in history, in as early as a period as the Sangam period in the very early Christian era. A flickering lamp in the Sree Kalahasti temple shows the play of wind, the water spring in the innermost sanctum of the Tiruvanaikka temple shows the temple's relationship to the element water, the annual Kartikai Deepam festival at Tiruvannamalai where a giant lamp is lighted atop the Annamalai hill shows the Annamalaiyaar's manifestation as fire, the swayambhu lingam of sand at Kanchipuram signifies the deitie's association with the earth while the formless space at Chidambaram shows the association of the Supreme being with formlessness or nothingness. Pancha Bhoota Temples The five grand temples associated with the five basic elements are: 1. Earth – (Bhoomi or Nilam) – Kanchipuram(Tamil Nadu) - Ekambareswara Temple 2. Water – (Neeru) - Thiruvanaikaval - Jambukeswara Temple 3. Fire – (Agni or Nippu) - Tiruvannamalai - Annamalaiyar Temple 4. Wind – (Vaayuvu or Gali) – Srikalahasti (Andhra Pradesh)-Sri Kala Hasteeswara Temple 5. Sky – (Akaasam or Ningi) - Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu)- Chidambaram Temple Ekambreswara Temple, Kanchipuram (Earth) This is one of the most revered temples to Shiva; it is one of the Panchabhoota Stalams signifying the 5 elements of wind (Kalahasti), water (Tiruvanaikka), fire (Tiruvannamalai), earth (Kanchipuram) and space (Chidambaram). It is a vast temple with many an endowment from the Vijayanagara rulers, as seen in the long corridors, towering gopurams and mandapams. This is the 1st of the 32 Tevara Stalams in the Tondai region of South India. There are several Shiva temples scattered all over Kanchipuram, and it is to be noted that there is no separate shrine for Parvati in any of them.The Kamakshi amma temple is the only Ammal shrine in Kanchipuram. In Kanchi, the Ekambreswara, Kamakottam temples with Kumarakottam in between denote Somaskandar. History: This vast temple with high rising Gopurams dominates the skyline of Kanchipuram the historic capital of the Pallavas. Kanchipuram - a temple town is considered to be the foremost among the seven prime pilgrimage centers in India. Along with Mamallapuram and Tirukkalunkunram, this town attracts the attention of several tourists in Chennai. Also in Kanchipuram is the grand Varadarajar temple along with several other temples revered by the tamil hymns of the Alwars of the 1st millennium. The Pallavas, Cholas and the Vijayanagar Kings especially Krishna Deva Raya have contributed to this temple. Second century AD Tamil poetry speaks of Kamakottam, and the Kumarakottam (currently the Kamakashi Amman temple and the Subramanya temple). Tiruvacakam, Tirukkovaiyaar, Kanchipuranam, Manimekalai etc. speak of the glory of Kanchi the city.The existing structure then, was pulled down and rebuilt by the Pallava Kings. The Cholas who came in later also made several contributions to the temple. Architecture: The temple covers an area of over 40 acres. The Raja Gopuram or the entrance tower to the temple which rises to a height of 172 feet was built by the Vijayanagar aMonarch Krishnadevaraya. The pillared hall in front of the sanctum was also built by the Vijayanagara Kings. Deities: The presiding deity here is Ekambareswaraa or Shiva, worshipped as the Prithivi Lingam. A Somaskanda panel featuring Shiva, Parvati and Skanda adorns the rear of the main shrine, which has been held in worship for centuries together. It is believed that Parvati, the consort of Shiva worshipped him in the form of a Prithivi Lingam, or a Lingam improvised out of sand, under a mango tree. Legend says that the neighboring Vegavati river overflowed and threatened to engulf the Shiva Lingam and that Parvati or Kamakshi, embraced the Lingam, and Shiva, touched by the gesture materialized in person and married her. In this context he is referred to as 'Tazhuvakkuzhainthaar' in Tamil. As mentioned before, there is no separate shrine for Amma or the Goddess in the temple as she is worshipped along with Shiva, as in every other Shiva temple in the precincts of the town of Kanchipuram. There is another shrine of Shiva and Kamakshi under the Stala Vruksham or the Temple tree, which is a mango tree said to be 3500 years old. The mango tree is said to be the embodiment of the four Vedas and the tree is said to bear fruits of four different tastes each season here. The Saint poet Sundaramoorthy Nayanar is said to have recovered his eyesight (left eye) after offering worship here. Festivals and Services: Six worship services are offered each day in this temple - namely UshadKalam, Kaalasanthi, Uchi Kaalam, Pradosham and Sayarakshai and Ardhajamam. Colorful festivals such as Ani Tirumanjanam (June-July), Adi Kritikai (July-Aug), Avani Moolam (Aug - Sep), Navaratri (Sep-October), Kartikai Deepam (Nov-Dec), Thai Poosam (Jan-Feb), Panguni Uthiram (Mar-Apr), Chitra Pournami (Apr-May) and Vaikashi Vishakam (May-June) mark the temple's annual calendar. The Panguni festival lasts for 13 days and it is during this festival that the wedding of the presiding deity is celebrated, and the venerated Tamil poems of the Nayanmars (Tirumurais) are sung in great splendor. Nilaathungal Tunda Perumaal - Vishnu is worshipped in a small shrine in one of the corridors.The works of the Alwars refer to the Vishnu shrine here and it is revered as one of the 108 Divya Desams as well. Jambukeswara Temple, Thiruvanaikaval (Water) Thiruvanaikoil is a beautiful small urban village at Tiruchirappalli district ('Trichy', 'Thiruchirapalli', 'Tiruchinopoly', 'Tiruchi') in Tamil Nadu of Southern India. Thiruvanaikoil is also familiarly known as Tiruvanaikoil, Tiruvanaikaval, Thiruvanaikaval, Thiruvanaika, Thiruanaikaa. Thiruvanaikoil is around 3 Kms away from the heart of Trichy city and adjacent to Srirangam another small historic town and one of the holy places in India. Thiruvanaikoil and Srirangam are in the banks of river Cauvery. Literally these two places form an island, surrounded by river Cauvery and river Coleroon. This ancient temple dedicated to Shiva (Jambukeswara) and Parvati (Akhilandeswari) is one of the foremost Saivite shrines in Tamilnadu. This large temple celebrates Shiva as Jambukeswara, an embodiment of the element water and is often referred to as Appustalam and is hence one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams the other four being Tiruvannamalai (fire), Chidambaram (Space), Kanchipuram (Earth) and Kalahasti (Air) respectively. The Sri Jambukeshwara Temple is dedicated to Lord Siva and has five concentric walls and seven gopurams. It is built around a Siva lingam partly submerged in water that comes from a spring in the sanctum sanctorum. Non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple. The complex was built in the same time when Sri Ranganathaswamy temple was also built. The presiding deity is Lord Siva as Kalahasteeswara. The Siva Linga here is one of the five supreme Lingas representing the five elements (Panchabutha Lingams): water (appu), fire (tejas), air (vayu), ether (akash) and earth (prithivi). The Linga form in Kalahasti is believed to represent vayu. Even today the flame placed in Garbhagraha inside the temple flickers indicating the presence of the wind while there is no entry of wind to disturb the flame. The air is just sufficient to breathe in. This according to a belief is the existence of Shiva in the temple. According to the legend there was once a forest of jambu trees in the place of modern Tiruvanaikka. Nearby was a tank called Chandratheertha which was filled by water from the river Cauvery. Lord shiva appeared as a Lingam under one of the trees. The lingam came to be called the Jambulingam. Due to a curse, two of the shiva ganas Pushpadanta and Malyava, were born in the forest as a white elephant and as a spider. The elephant worshipped the Lingam with flowers and with water brought in its trunk. The spider too worshipped the Lingam, spinning out a web over the Lingam to prevent leaves of the tree from falling on it. The spider's web appeared to be unclean for the elephant and it destroyed the web. This lead to big clash between the two and ultimately resulted in their death. Lord shiva granted Mokshaa (salvation) to both. The spider was born in a royal Chola family as the great king Ko Chenkannan who built about 70 temples (Maadakovils) including the temple of Jambukeswarar at Tiruvanaika. Because the king remembered about his earlier birth, he built the temples in a such way that no elephant can enter the sanctum sancotrum and come near the Sivalingam. The temple at Tiruvanaikaval is a big one covering an area of about 18 acres with high walls and gopurams on all the 4 sides. The temple has 5 prakarams. The main sanctum sancotrum (the 5th prakaram) can be reached by entering a series of Gopurams (Towers). The shrine for female deity Akilandeswari is situated in the 4th prakaram. Theerthams: There are nine Theerthams (Holy Water Points) near this temple. • Sreemath Theertham • Rama Theertham • Chandra Theertham • Agni Theertham • Indira Theertham • Akasthiya Theertham • Jambu Theertham • Surya Theertham • Brahmma Theertham Annamalaiyar Temple, Tiruvannamalai (Fire) Tiruvannamalai is one of the greatest Saivite shrines in Tamil Nadu, India, on a sprawling 24 acre temple campus, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every full moon. The hill here is considered to be a manifestation of Shiva. Tiruvannamalai is one of the Panchabhoota Stalams signifying the 5 elements of wind (Kalahasti), water (Tiruvanaikka), fire (Tiruvannamalai), earth (Kanchipuram) and space (Chidambaram). Kartikai Deepam festival here is of great significance. Manikkavacakar composed his Tiruvempavai here. The Paatala Linga shrine is connected with the spritual savant Ramana Maharishi. Arunagiri Nathar began composing his Tiruppukazh here at this temple. The temple has 9 towers and seven parakrams. The main tower (Rajagopuram) is 217 feet high with eleven stories, and is the second largest tower in South India. History: In Thiruvannamalai, Lord Shiva took the form of a column of fire which had no beginning or end. This was done to destroy the ego of Lord Vishnu and Brahma. Lord Shiva in ardhanareeshwari with one half being Goddess Umadevi is said to have given dharshan to his devotees. This temple was expanded by Chera, Chola, Pandiya and Nayak rulers. Auspicious Day: Pournami (Full Moon) Day and also yearly once karthigai deepam. Kalahasteeswara Temple, Srikalahasti (Wind) This ancient temple dedicated to Shiva is one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams (temples celebrating Shiva as the embodiment of the primary elements), air being the element in case here, the other five temples being Tiruvannamalai (Fire), Chidambara (Space),Tiruvanaikkaval (Water) and Kanchipuram (Earth) respectively. Kalahasti is located near the pilgrimage town of Tirupati and is visited by thousands of pilgrims. This temple is also associated with Rahu and Ketu, (of the nine grahams or celestial bodies in the Indian astrological scheme). Antiquity: This temple has been referred to in pre-Christian Tamil literature. The Tamil Saivite saints of the 1st millennium CE have visited this temple and sung its fame. The adjoining hill Dakshina Kailasam has many a fine Pallava carving. The Tamil Cholas and the Vijayanagara Rulers have made several endowments to this temple. Adi Sankara is said to have visited this temple and offered worship here. There are Chola inscriptions in this temple which date back to the 10th century CE. The Telugu poem 'Sri Kalahasti Satakam' explains the traditions associated with this temple.Muthuswamy Deekshitar, one of the foremost composers in the Carnatic Music Tradition has sung the glory of this temple in his kriti 'Sree Kaalahasteesa'. Other works on this temple include the Sree-Kalattipuranam of the three brothers Karunapprakasar, Sivapprakasar and Velappa Deekshitar, Tirukkalattipuranam by Aanandakoottar of Veerainagar and Tirukkalatti Ula by Seraikkavirayar. Architecture: The vast west facing Kalahastiswara temple is built adjoining a hill, and on the banks of the river Swarnamukhi. At some points, the hill serves as the wall of the temple. The temple prakarams follow the contour of the adjoining hill and hence the temple plan is rather irregular. North of the temple is the Durgambika hill, south is the Kannappa hill and east is the Kumaraswamy hill. Krishnadevaraya built a huge gopuram, a few feet away from the entrance to the temple. The entrance to the temple is crowned with a smaller tower. There is an underground Ganapati shrine in the outer prakaram, while in the innermost prakaram are the shrines of Shiva and Parvati. The present structure of the temple is a foundation of the Cholas of the 10th century, as testified by inscriptions; improvements and additions were made during the subsequent years of the Chola rulers of Tamilnadu and the Vijayanagar emperors. The Manikanteswara temple, also in Kalahasti dates back to the period of Raja Raja Chola I (early 11th century), and it was reconstructed in stone in 1196 by Kulottunga III. Shiva here is also referred to as Manikkengauyudaiya Nayanar. There is also a Vishnu shrine in this temple. Legends associated with this temple: The legend here is similar to that of the Jambukeswara temple at Tiruvanaikka. Shiva is said to have given salvation to a spider, elephant and a serpent who were ardent devotees of the Shiva Lingam located here. The spider is said to have attained salvation in Kritayuga (the first of the four yugas in the Hindu tradition), while the elephant and the snake were devotees in Treta Yugam, the succeeding aeon. The elephant's devotional outpouring was a source of disturbance to the serpent's display of devotion and vice versa, resulting in animosity between the two, until Shiva's intervention gave both the devotees their liberation. Kannappa, a hunter is said to have been a great devotee of Kalahasteeswara. Legend has it that he offered his own eyes to the Shivalingam, and for this reason earned the name Bhakta Kannappa (his original name being Thinnappa), and the distinction of having his statue adorn the sanctum. Nakkiradevar, Indra, Rama, Muchukunda and others are believed to have worshipped Shiva at this temple. Festivals: Maha Shivratri which occurs in the Tamil month of Maasi (Feb 15 through March 15) is one of the greatest festival seasons here, and the celebrations are marked by processions of the deities. The fifth day of the festival in the month of Maasi coincides with the Maha Shivratri. Chidambaram Temple, Chidambaram (Sky) The temple occupies an area of about 51 acres. Four imposing towers rise on the four sides of the temple. Each of these towers rises to about 135 ft and are comprised of 7 storeys and are topped with 13 copper 'Kalasam' (finials). The entrances at the base of these towers are quite large rising at least to a height of 40 ft. The outer perimeter wall is about 30 ft high enclosing the outer 'street' (veedhi) and the inner enclosures (praharam). The shrines of Mukkuruni Vinayaka, Katpaga Vinayaka, Subramanya, Somasundara, Sivakamasundary and Pandyanayagara are all built along this outer 'street'. The sacred tank 'Sivaganga' and the thousand-pillared mandapam - 'Raja Sabah' - are also situated along this 'street'. The second 'praharam' (enclosure) is connected to the outer 'veedhi' by two entrances, one on the west and the other on the east. On entering the second praharam you can see the shrine of Kalasamhara moorthy, Oorthavathandava moorthy, Luxmi and Thandayuthapani. The Flagstaff can be seen on the southern section and the 'Nrithya sabah' houses the idol of Oorthavathandava moorthy. The shrine of 'Pollapillaiyar and the shrines for the four 'Nayanmars' Appar, Sundarar, Sambanthar and Manikkavasagar are seen here. The 'Deva Sabah' is also situated along this corridor. At the entrance to the inner enclosure the golden roof of 'Chittambalam' comes into view. It is in this 'manadapam' that Lord Nadarajah performs his dance (the Anandathandavam) eternally. The Chitsabah and the Kanakasabah are linked together and are called 'Ponnambalam'. This is also called as 'Chittambalam' and 'Gnanasabah'. There is a small entrance to the right of the Dancing Siva ('Nadarajah'). During 'pooja' the curtain hung at the entrance is drawn aside and 'araathi' is shown. There are no images inside but only a garland of golden 'vilva' leaves is seen. This represents the 'Chidambara Rahasyam' representing the Lord in the form of space. Chidambaram thus represents one of the five elements (ether) and is called 'Aakasa sthalam'.As you stand in front of the 'Chitsabah' at the entrance to the inner circuit you can see the South facing Nadarajah and the East facing Govidaraja Perumal (Vishnu). There is no other temple in the south where you can see both the Saivite god Shiva and the Vaishnavite god Vishnu from the same spot. Legends Rishi Madyandinar had a son. He, under the direction of his father, came to the forest of Thillai and worshipped the 'Lingam', which had appeared there. He usually got up early before daybreak to collect flowers with which to perform his pooja. One morning he could not collect the flowers early as it was dark and cloudy and he could not see the flowers. After daybreak he went to collect the flowers and found that the flowers had been polluted by the bees and was grief stricken. Lord Shiva on seeing his devotee grief stricken took pity on him and gave him the eyes and limbs of a tiger so that he could see in the dark and climb trees easily to collect the flowers. Thus he came to be known as 'Vyagrapadar' and the forest where he lived as 'Vyagrapuram' or 'Puliyoor'. During this time the rishis living in the forest known as 'Tharukavanam' became very arrogant as they had mastered all the 'Vedas', 'Agamas' and 'Shastras' and could raise powerful creatures from the sacrificial fires to do their bidding. Lord Shiva wished to show these rishis their limitations and appeared as a handsome mendicant with Vishnu as his wife 'Mohini'. This created chaos in 'Tharukavanam' as the wives of the rishis fell under the spell of this charming, handsome mendicant while the youthful rishis fell for the allure of Mohini. The older rishis became very angry and wanted to destroy the pair. They raised a sacrificial fire ('Homam') from which appeared a tiger which was directed at the pair. Lord Shiva killed the tiger, peeled off its skin and tied it around his waist. Then the rishis produced a poisonous serpent, which Lord Shiva caught and wore around his neck. The rishis also sent a demon 'Muyalakan' against Lord Shiva whom he crushed under his feet. Then the rishis sent the sacrificial fire against him which he put on his left hand. The rishis having lost the fire sent the vedic 'mantras' which the Lord wore around his ankles. At this the rishis conceded defeat and the Lord revealed himself by dancing the 'Oorthava thandavam' with his matted hair unfurling in all eight directions and the world reverberating to his steps.Lord Vishnu described this incident to Adishesa, the serpent on which Lord Vishnu reposes. Adishesha wished to see this dance and taking leave of Lord Vishnu went and prayed to Lord Shiva to grant him the honour of witnessing his dance. Lord Shiva advised Adhishesha to go to Vyagrapuram where he would one day perform this dance. Adishesha was then born on this land and was given the name Pathanjali. Pathanjali approached Vyagrapadar and told him of his quest. As Vyagrapadar himself was eager to see the Lord's dance he was delighted to receive Pathanjali and accompanied him to the temple of Lord Shiva and prayed for the Lord's appearance. On an auspicious day the celestial beings arrived at Thillai along with other Rishis, and sages and assembled where Vyagrapadar had his temple. The heavenly musicians too arrived. Then Lord Shiva appeared with one of His right hands beating the drums and the other hand bestowing grace.With His left hand holding the fire and the other pointing to his right leg trampling Muyalakan under the foot, He appeared with His left leg raised in a dancing pose. The guardian of the forest in Thillai, Goddess Kali, refused to allow Lord Shiva to dance in Her domain. Lord Shiva therefore challenged Her to a dance competition on condition that if He won then She would be banished from that area. The competition began. While Naradha played the veena, Nandikeswara played the drums and other celestial musicians accompanied with their instruments Lord Shiva danced with his hair flung in all directions. With the 'vedas' as his anklets, the serpent as his waist band, the tiger skin as his attire with Ganga and the crescent moon on his crest, He performed the 'Ananda thandavam'. At one stage Lord Shiva took a pose with His left foot raised above His head but modesty prevented Goddess Kali matching the same pose. Thus She lost the competition and had taken residence in the northern end of Chidambaram in the Thillaiamman temple. Every devotee who comes to Chidambaram after worshipping at the Natarajar temple visits this temple too. Pathanjali and Vyagrapadar prayed to Lord Shiva to remain at Thillai as the eternally dancing god 'Lord Natarajar' so that all the earthly beings could witness his dance and receive his grace and blessing. Opening Timings: The temple is open from 6 am to 12 noon and then from 5 pm to 10 pm --> google-site-verification: googleeee3de2574224ff7.html

NAVA NARASIMHA TEMPLES IN ANDHRA PRADESH

dbed6d37@opayq.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 16:23:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP_SpDOBrd4&feature=player_embedded

Narasimha avatharam

History
In the prehistoric days Lord Sri Vishnu killed Hiranyakasipa and he was moving around in the Forest, Goddess Sreedevi came in the disguise of ‘Chenchu’ tribe lady to calm down the anger of Lord Vishnu. She calms him down and hugs him (‘Penu chesukonuta’),so this temple(‘kshetra’) was named ‘Penusila’.Later on, as the days passed by the name changed to ‘Penchalakona’.This temple has lot of fame and is reputed as the ninth kshetra of Lord Vishnu.

W.W. Hunter Report

Page no 849. Vol VII of the Imperial Gazette of India by W.W. Hunter CIE. Director general of statistics to Govt. of India Yr. 1881.

Penchalakona Mountain in Nellore Dt., Madras is the highest point in the eastern ghat with in that district.

Latitude 14” 18” N, Longitude 70” 28” Elevation above sea level 45” 3000 ft.

Gonupalli is situated at a distance of 15 miles from Rapur. The total population of the village is made up of several sub-communities of case Hindus, Scheduled Castes (368) and scheduled Tribes (247). The cheifmeans of livelihood of the people is agriculture, Agricultural labor and other traditional occupations.

The Temple of Sri Penusila Lakshmi Narasimaha Swamy is situated at the foot of Hill of the picturesque Penchalakona Valley. The history of the Temple is buried in a hoary past and its “STHALAPURANA” indicates that it was a famed place as “TAPOVAN” of KANVAMAHARSHI who performed penance. The river KANDLERU as it is now called, originates from the water falls of the mountain ranges on the WEST and the South, had another name KANVAYERU. The river flows through Rapur Taluk and empties itself in the Bay of Bengal, Near Krishnapatnam.

The only construction that seems to have been at tempted about 670 years ago was the Garbhalayam (SANCTUM SANCTORUM) which had gradually been left neglected. And today it is in a state of virtual collapse. The image of the lord is a self manifested one. ( SWAYAMBHU) Two stones inter twisted to from a lion’s Head at the top. Hence the Lord is called “PENUSILA LAKSHMI NARASIMAHA SWAMY” I Telugu “PENU” means twist and “SILA” is stone. After killing Hiranya Kasipa as NARASIMAHA, Lord Vishnu married Chenchu Lakshmi in BHAIRAVAKONA, a place at a short distance from Pensusilakona and killed the RAKSHASAS who were torturing “RISHIS” . The Lord, Vishnu used to visit the lake every Saturday and as an evidence a Silver Umbrella rose from the Lake. The DEITY is very powerful are renowned as the saviour of chaste women.

Everyday gollabayadu used to go to the Kona to graze his cattle regularly from Gonupalli. One day boyadu saw an old man who told him that Penusila Lakshmi Narasimah Swamy established Himself in Kona. He asked boyadu to straight to the village head an inform of this miracle. He turned back to see the old man. To his astonishment the old man transformed himself into a rock.

After sine time the village head dreamt of the situation and accepted that the miracle was true. Then, the village head proceeded to build a temple and appointed Archankas (PRIESTS) to perform Pooja to the Deity regularly. Sri Penusila Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy as Penchala Swamy festival is celebrated every year from viasakaha Sudda Dwadasi to Bahula Padyami (April-May) to five days. Devotees fulfill their vows and offer hair to the Diety . It is an ancient festival confinded to the district and the neighboring districts like Cuddapah.

In the prehistoric days Lord Sri Vishnu in the incarnation of Narasimhavathara killed Hiranyakasipa and saved his devotees like Prahladhudu. He does chastise the evil and save the innocent (“Dhusta sikshana, sista rakshana”).

List of all the Kshetra’s (Temple) of Nava Naarasimha:

No Kshetra District Name by which he is worshiped

1 Ahobilam Karnool Ahobila Lakshmi Narasimha Swami
2 Yadhagirigutta Nalgonda Jhwala Narasimha Swami
3 MalaKonda(Malyadhri) Prakasham Malyadhri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami
4 Simhachalam Vishaka Krodhaakara Varaaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swami
5 Dharmapuri KarimNagar Bhargava Narasimha Swami
6 Vedhadhri Krishna Yoga Narasimha Swami
7 Antharvedhi East Godavari Aanandha Narasimha Swami
8 MangalaGiri Guntur Panakala Narasimha Swami
9 PenchalaKona Nellore Chathravati Narasimha Swami

Nava Naarasimha Sthothram(prayer):

“Jwala hobilamalola Krodakarascha Bhargavaha
Yoganandaschathravataha pavano navamurthayaha”

Shri Narasimha Slokas and Stotrams

I have included certain simple yet powerful slokas of Shri Narasimha with their English translations/meanings for the benefit of Bhakthas. The powers of these slokas are profound and overwhelming and the regular recital of them would invariably relieve everyone of their sufferings and difficulties.

THE NARASIMHA GAYATRIS

The Nrisimha Gayatris

Om Nrisimhaye vidmahe
vajranakhaya dhimahi
tan no simhah prachodayat

Translation

"Om. Let us think well aware of Nrisimha, the lightning-nailed.
May the Lion promote our thought and actions."

Vajra nakhaya vidmahe
tikshna damstraya dhimahi
tan no narasimhah prachodayat

Translation

"Let us meditate on He who is known as the possessor of nails as hard as
thunderbolts and sharp teeth. Let us all be enthused by Lord Narasimhadeva."

Sri Nrisimha Maha-mantra

ugram viram maha-vishnum
jvalantam sarvato mukham
nrisimham bhishanam bhadram
mrityur mrityum namamy aham

Translation

"I bow down to Lord Narasimha who is ferocious and heroic like Lord Vishnu.
He is burning from every side. He is terrific, auspicious and
the death of death personified."

Significance of Sri Nrisimha Maha-mantra

It is stated in Shastra that this mantra is the essence of all kavacha mantras, or mantras meant for wearing in a kavacha (capsule). The mantra is often written on a small piece of bark, such as from the botch tree. Then it is sealed in the capsule with a tulasi (Holy Basil) leaf or even flower petals that have been offered to the deity of Lord Narasimha. After worshipping the deity of Lord Narasimha with sixteen upacharas or items of worship, the pujari or priest performs a ritual called prana-pratistha: he calls the Lord to reside in the kavacha. He then worships the kavacha. Then it has full protective power. Men can wear the kavacha around the neck or on the upper right arm, while women wear it around the neck or on the upper left arm. The Kavacha may be worn in all circumstances, at any time, or in any place.

Runa Vimochana Narasimha Stotram

Devata karya sidhyartham, sabhasthambha samudbhavam,
Sri nrisimham mahaveeram namami runa mukthaye. 1

Lakshmya aalingitha vamangam, bhakthanaam vara dayakam,
Sri nrisimham mahaveeram namami runa mukthaye. 2

Aantramaladaram, sankha chakrabja aayudarinim,
Sri nrisimham mahaveeram namami runa mukthaye. 3

Smaranath sarva papagnam, khadruja visha nasanam,
Sri nrisimham mahaveeram namami runa mukthaye. 4

Simhanadenamahatha, digdanthi bhayanasanam,
Sri nrisimham mahaveeram namami runa mukthaye. 5

Prahlada varadam, srisam, daithyeswara vidharanam,
Sri nrisimham mahaveeram namami runa mukthaye. 6

Kroora grahaih peedithanam bhakthanam abhaya pradham,
Sri nrisimham mahaveeram namami runa mukthaye. 7

Veda vedantha yajnesam, brahma rudradhi vandhitham,
Sri nrisimham mahaveeram namami runa mukthaye. 8

Ya idam pathathe nithyam, runa mochana samjnitham
Anrni jayathe sadyo, danam sigramavapnuyath

Significance of Runa Vimochana Narasimha Stotram

This is a powerful sloka that when recited regularly will relieve people of their debts and
insolvency however severe and acute.

Narasimha Prapatti

MATA NARASIMHA, PITA NARASIMHA
BRATHA NARASIMHA, SAKHA NARASIMHA
VIDYAA NARASIMHA, DRAVINAM NARASIMHA
SWAMI NARASIMHA, SAKALAM NARASIMHA
ITHO NARASIMHA, PARATHO NARASIMHA
YATHO YATHO YAHIHI, TATHO NARASIMHA
NARASIMHA DEVAATH PARO NA KASCHIT
TASMAAN NARASIMHA SHARANAM PRAPADYE

Translation

Mother is Narasimha; Father is Narasimha
Brother is Narasimha; Friend is Narasimha
Knowledge is Narasimha; Wealth is Narasimha
My Lord is Narasimha; Everything is Narasimha.
Narasimha is in this world, Narasimha is everywhere (Omnipresent)
Wherever I go, there is Narasimha
Narasimha is the Supreme Lord, there is none other than HIM
So, I humbly seek refuge in you, Shri Narasimha

Significance of Narasimha Prapatti

A simple sloka that acts as a ‘great protective shield’ at all times

Mandra Raajapatha Stotram (Armor of God)

This stotram is called the ‘King of Slokas’. It is believed to be taught to Goddess Parvathi by Lord Shiva Himself. This powerful stotra can nullify the evil forces in all forms including the wicked effects black magic & demons and protect the devotees and their families like a strong armor (Kavacha). The English and Tamil PDF versions of this sloka are provided for the benefit of Bhakthas

listen to click Lakshmi Narasimha Ashtottara Shatanama stotra

Narasimho mahasimho divyasimho mahabala
Ugrasimho mahadevah stambajas cogralocana 1

Raudra sarvadbhutah sriman yoganandas trivikrama
Harih kolahalas chakri vijayo jayavardhana 2

Pancananah parambrahma aghora ghoravikrama
Jvalanmukho jvalamali mahajvalas mahaprabhu 3

Nitilaksah sahasrakso durniriksyah pratapana
Mahadamstra yudhahprajnas candakopi sadasiva 4

Hiranyakasipudhvamsi daityadanavabhanjana
Gunabhadro mahabhadro balabhadrah subhadraka 5

Karalo vikaralascha vikarta sarvakartrka
Sisumaras trilokatma isah sarvesvaro vibhu 6

Bhairavadambaro divyas cacyutah kavi madhava
Adhoksajo’ksarah sarve vanamali varaprada 7

Visvambaro’dbhuto bhavyah srivisnuh purusottama
Anaghastra nakhastracha suryojyotih suresvara 8

Sahasrabahuh sarvajnah sarvasiddhipradayaka
Vajradamstro vajranakho mahanandah paramtapa 9

Sarvamantraikarupascha sarvayantravidarama
Sarvatantratmakavyakta suvyakta bhakta vatsala 10

Vaisakhasuklabhutotthah saranagatavatsala
Udarakirtih punyatma mahatma candravikrama 11

Vedatrayo prapujyascha bhagavan paramesvara
Srivatsamka srinivaso jagadvyapi jaganmaya 12

Jagatpalo jagannatha mahakhago dvirupabhrt
Paramatma paramjyotir nirgunascha nrikesari 13

Paratattvam paramdhama saccidanandavigraha
Laksminrsimha sarvatma dhirah prahladapalaka 14

Idam laksminrsimhasya namastottaramisatam
Trisandhyam yahpathetbhaktya sarvabheestamavapnuyat 15

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SABRIMALA AYYAPPA

dbed6d37@opayq.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 06:02:00 +0000

SABRIAMALA IS IN DISTANCE OF KM 1179 KM FROM TANUKU(WEST GODAVARI-AP)

Sannidhanam

The layout of the Ayyappa temple is believed to have originated from the specific instructions of the Lord himself, who wanted Malikappurathamma, on his left a few yards from Sannidhanam, and his trusted lieutenants Vavur and Kadutha to be positioned as his guards at the foot of the holy 18 steps. The pilgrims worship in this place also. This exemplifies the unique feature of the temple. The temple is open to all faiths. The divine qualities like equality, fraternity, tolerance, humanity etc.. are shining well in the pilgrims.

Ayyappa cult gives much importance for the secularism and communal harmony and has turned out to be a model for the whole world. Another significant aspect of the pilgrimage is that all the pilgrims whether rich or poor, learned or illiterate holding position or not master or servant are all equal before LORD AYYAPPA and all address each other as AYYAPPA SWAMY.

The pilgrims on their sojourn to Sabarimala worship at Erumeli Sree Dharma Sastha Temple and conduct "Petta Thullal". They also worship in the mosque at Erumeli as a part of their pilgrimage.

According to legend, the temple of Sabarimala and the deity of Ayyappa have always been regarded as the Pandalam Raja's very own. So permission from the King has to be attained before proceeding to the temple. To make it easy for pilgrims to obtain the necessary permission, a representative of the king sits with all the royal insignia, on a raised platform at the base of the Neelimala Hill. The pilgrims offer a token amount (not necessary) to the royal representative, and receive vibhuti from him.

This marks the beginning of the steepest climb of the pilgrimage, the 3 km trek up the majestic Neelimala Hill, atop which sits Lord Ayyappa in all his glory. The pilgrims wind their way up the difficult trail in an unending stream, the hill reverberating with the constant chanting of thousands.

At the first sight of the Patinettampadi, the holy eighteen steps, a full throated cry goes up from the devotees, "Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa!" It is the realisation of a mission.

The shrine of Lord Ganapati: To the south-west of the main temple is the shrine of Lord Ganapati, known as Kannimula Ganapati. The special offering to this deity is Ganapati homan.

Homakunda: There used to be a large homakunda in front of the shrine, which burned constantly, fed by the coconut shells thrown by the devotees, after offering the ghee. As the coconut shells gets consumed by the fire, the sins of the devotees are believed to be cleansed. Due to the growing crowds in the temple, the homakunda has now been shifted to a location below the temple.

Bhasma Kulam: About a 100 metres away is the shrine of Malikappurathamma. En route to the shrine is the temple tank, Bhasma Kulam, in which hundreds of devotees take a holy bath in memory of the tapaswini Sabari who entered a fire to end her mortal life. It is after her that the peak is named Sabarimala.On account of the number of people who bathe in the tank, the water is frequently drained out and refilled with fresh water.

Malikappurathamma: Situated on a small hillock, the Malikappurathamma temple houses the shrines of the Devi and Kaduthaswamy. Devotees also worship a trident and lamp here, and offer coconuts. The coconuts are not broken, however, but are just rolled on the ground .

To the left of this temple are the shrines of the snake god and goddess, Nagaraja and Nagayakshi. Here, tribals beat on drums, play stringed instruments and sing sarppa pattu to protect devotees and their progeny from the harmful effects of snakebites.

Shrines of Kaduthaswamy and Karuppaswamy: At the foot of the Patinettampadi are the two shrines of Kaduthaswamy and Karuppaswamy, who stand like dwarapalakas or guardians of the holy steps, to ensure that they are not polluted by those who tread on them without fulfilling the rigid austerities required of them. They are also believed to protect the devotees from the evil spirits of the forests.

According to legend, Kadutha was a great warrior who helped the Pandalam king defeat the armies of Udayanan and other enemies. When the king came to Sabarimalai to reconstruct the temple, Kadutha came with him to protect him. Ultimately, he became so attached to Ayyappa that he decided to spend the rest of his days with his Lord.

Also near the Patinettampadi is the shrine of the Muslim Vavurswami. While there are several accounts of identity of Vavur, it is generally believed that he was a warrior who was defeated and subdued by Ayyappa, and later became a close associate. It is believed that Lord Ayyappa himself instructed the Pandalam king to build a mosque for Vavur at Erumeli and a shrine at Sabarimalai.

Renovations Done:

Golden 18 Steps: Built on a plateau about 40 feet high, the Ayyappan temple commands a lofty view of the mountains and valleys all around. The ancient temple has been rebuilt after a fire in 1950, consisting of a sanctum sanctorum with a copper-plated roof and four golden finials at the top, two mandapams, the belikalpura which houses the altar,and the flag-staff. Replacing the earlier stone image of the deity is a beautiful idol of Ayyappa in panchaloha, an alloy of five metals, about one and a half feet.

The original granite steps were badly damaged due to continuous breaking of coconuts on the steps by pilgrims climbing the steps. The Devasom Board with the approval of Lord Ayyappan through a devaprasanam, covered the steps with panchaloka. The work was completed by 15th November 1985. Later on these steps were covered with gold.

Several myths persist regarding the significance of the Pathinettu thripadikal or the 18 holy steps, but almost all of them stress the importance of the number, 18. According to a popular belief, the first 5 steps signify the five indriyas or the senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin), the following 8 the ragas (tatwa, kama, krodha, moha, lobha, madha, matsraya, and ahamkara), the next 3 the gunas (satwa, rajas and thamas) followed by vidya and avidya. Climbing these would take the devotee closer to self-realisation. The act of crossing the 18 steps is so sacred that nobody can mount them without undertaking the rigorous 41 day fast and carrying the irumudi. It is also widely assumed that the pathinettu padikal symbolize the 18 puranas; others believe that they connote the 18 weapons with which Lord Ayyappan obliterated evil. An Ayyappa devotee crosses the Pathinettaam padi only twice during his sojourn on Sabarimala - for entering the temple and to go downhill. Before ascending or descending the steps, pilgrims break coconut as an offering to the steps. One needs to have the sacred Irumudi on head while going up or down the 18 steps and while descending the steps the devotees climb down backwards facing the sanctum sanctorum.

MAKARAJYOTHI

The most important event at Sabarimala is the Makara Jyothi (usually on January 14th). Thiruvabharanam or the sacred jewels of the Lord (presented by the Pandalam king) arrives at Sabarimala in three boxes. On the arrival of the jewel boxes the whole mountain reverberates to the chanting of 'Saranam Ayyappa' by millions of devotees gathered there to watch the event.

The Thiruvabharanam box - still the private property of the Pandalam royal family, starts its journey two days before Makara Jyothi day from Pandalam. The person who carries the box dances in a peculiar trance. Thiruvabharanam travels through Valiakoikkal Sastha temple at Pandalam, Ayiroor Puthia Kavu Temple, Perunattil temple, Vlakkai, Nilaikkal Siva temple, Vellachimala, Pamba and Sabari Peedam before reaching at Sannidhanam around 6.00 PM on the Makara Jyothi day. Every year a Garuda hovers and flies above the Thiruvabharanam boxes as if to guard them.

On reaching the Sannidhanam the Melshanthi and Thandhri receive the sacred jewels amidst the thundering echoes of Sarana ghosham.

The Thiruvabharanam box contains a diamond crown, golden bracelets, necklaces and a sword. The priests adorn the Lord with these and perform arathi.

At the same moment a brilliant light of amazing magnificence appears in the northeastern side to the temple at the opposite mountain in a place called Kantamala (the home of devas and rishis). It is believed that this brilliant flame of light is the arathi performed by the rishis and the devas. This event marks the culmination of the pilgrimage to Sabarimala.

Makara Vilakku festival:

After the jyothi, that night Malikappurathuamma, mounted on an elephant comes in a procession to the Patinettampadi (18 steps ) and returns back to her abode. This is the beginning of the Makara Vilakku festival. This festival lasts for seven days. Many pilgrims stay back till this festival is over and Kuruthi pooja (offering of water mixed with chunnambu and turmeric powder to the forest deities) is performed.

Even some who leave Sabarimala after witnessing the Jothi observe fasting till the Makara Villaku and Kuruthi pooja is complete at Sabarimala.

Other festivals :
Onam, Mandalapooja, Pankuni Uthram (Lord’s Birthday) and Vishu are the other festivals celebrated at Sabarimala with pomp and glory.

Harivarasanam

Harivaraasanam- The sanctum sanctorum closes with this song, each day.

Harivaraasanam Viswamohanam
Haridhadheeswaram Aaradyapaadukam
Arivimardhanam Nithyanarthanam
Hariharaatmajam devamaasraye

Sharanakeerthanam Sakthamaanasam
Bharanalolupam Narthanaalasam
Arunabhaasuram Bhoothanayakam
Hariharaatmajam devamaasraye

Pranayasatyakaa Prananaayakam
Pranathakalpakam Suprabhaanchitam
Pranavamandiram Keerthanapriyam
Hariharaatmajam devamaasraye

Thuragavaahanam Sundaraananam
Varagadhayudham Devavarnitham
Gurukripaakaram Keerthanapriyam
Hariharaatmajam devamaasraye

Thribhuvanaarchitham Devataatmakam
Thriyanam Prabhum Divyadesitham
Thridasapoojitham Chinthithapradam
Hariharaatmajam devamaasraye

Bhayabhayaavaham Bhaavukaavaham
Bhuvanamohanam Bhoothibhooshanam
Dhawalavaahanam Divyavaaranam
Hariharaatmajam devamaasraye

Kalamrudusmitham Sundaraananam
Kalabhakomalam Gaathramohanam
Kalabhakesari Vaajivaahanam
Hariharaatmajam devamaasraye

Sithajanaproyam Chinthitapradam
Srithivibhooshanam Saadhujeevanam
Sruthimanoharam Geethalaalasam
Hariharaatmajam devamaasraye.

DOWN HARIVARASANAM AS RING TONE

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The world famous Tirumala Temple is located in the hill town of Tirumala in Tirupati, Chittoor District(AP). Tirupati is famous for LORD Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple.

It is around 600 km (370 mi) from Hyderabad, 138 km (86 mi) from Chennai, 546 km from TANUKU(West Godavari District) and 291 km (181 mi) from Bangalore.

Tiru means 'Holy' or 'Sacred' and mala means hills/mountain in Dravidian languages. Therefore it translates as Holy mountains.

The Tirumala Hill is 853m above sea level and is about 10.33 square miles (27 km2) in area. It comprises seven peaks, representing the seven heads of Adisesha, thus earning the name Seshachalam. The seven peaks are called Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrushabhadri, Narayanadri, and Venkatadri. The temple is on Venkatadri (also known as Venkatachala or Venkata Hill), the seventh peak, and is also known as the "Temple of Seven Hills". The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Venkateswara, a form of the Hindu god Vishnu. Venkateswara is known by other names: Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa. The temple lies on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini, a holy water tank. The temple complex comprises a traditional temple building, with a number of modern queue aand pilgrim lodging sites.

The temple is the richest pilgrimage center, after the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, of any faith (at more than INR 50,000 crore) and the most-visited place of worship in the world. The temple is visited by about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily (30 to 40 million people annually on average), while on special occasions and festivals, like the annual Brahmotsavam, the number of pilgrims shoots up to 500,000, making it the most-visited holy place in the world.

There are several legends associated with the manifestation of the Lord in Tirumala. According to one legend, the temple has a murti (deity) of Lord Venkateswara, which it is believed shall remain here for the entire duration of the present Kali Yuga.

Medieval history

Tirumala was under the rule of the Vijayanagara emperors, during which time the temple's assets were accumulated. Coronation ceremonies of the emperors were also held at Tirupati. In 1517 Krishnadevaraya, on one of his many visits to the temple, donated gold and jewels. It enabled the Vimana (inner shrine) and the roofing to be plated with gold. The Maratha general Raghoji Bhonsle set up a permanent administration for the conduct of worship in the temple. The rulers of Mysore and Gadwal endowed large gifts to the temple.

The Pallavas of Kanchipuram (9th century AD), the Cholas of Tanjore (10th century), and Vijayanagara pradhans (14th and 15th centuries) were committed devotees of Lord Venkateswara. During the invasion of Srirangam by Malik Kafur in 1310-11 AD, the Ranga Mandapam of the temple served as the shelter for the presiding deity of Srirangam, Ranganatha Swamy. Later, under the rule of the Vijayanagara emperors, was when the temple gained most of its current wealth and size, with the donation of diamonds and gold. In 1517 Vijayanagara ruler Sri Krishna Deva Raya, on one of his many visits to the temple, donated gold and jewels, enabling the Vimana (inner shrine) roofing to be gilded. Statues of Sri Krishna Deva Raya and his spouse stand in the premises of the temple. After the decline of Vijayanagara Empire, kings from states such as Mysore and Gadwal worshiped as pilgrims and gave ornaments and valuables to the temple. Maratha general Raghoji I Bhonsle (died 1755) visited the temple and set up a permanent administration for the conduct of worship in the temple. There is an idol of Raja Todar Mal who was the revenue minister of Akbar, greeting pilgrims in the premises of the temple.

Modern history

In 1843, with the coming of the Madras Presidency, the administration of the Sri Venkateswara Temple and a number of shrines was entrusted to Seva Dossji of the Hathiramji Mutt at Tirumala as Vicaranakarta for nearly a century until the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) was established as a result of the TTD Act in 1932. After independence Andhra state was created on linguistic grounds, wherein Tirupati which had and still has a majority of Telugu speaking population was assigned by Govt. of India, integrating it as part of Andhra.

TTD is operated by a Board of Trustees that has increased in size from five (1951) to fifteen (1987) through the adoption of Acts. The daily operation and management of TTD is the responsibility of an executive officer who is appointed by the government of Andhra Pradesh.

The temple attracts approximately 75,000 pilgrims every day. The annual budget, estimated at Rs 10 billion in 2008, runs charitable trusts whose funds are derived from the budget and donations from the devotees.

Vimanam

The vimanam is a monumental tower with a golden roof. Its inner temple or vimanam houses the main deity, Lord Sri Venkateswara. The deity stands directly beneath a gilt dome called the Ananda Nilaya Divya Vimana. This exquisitely wrought deity, called the Mulaberam, is believed to be self-manifested, and no human being is known to have installed it in the shrine. The Lord wears a gold crown with a large emerald embedded in the front. On special occasions, he is adorned with a diamond crown. The Lord has a thick double tilaka drawn on his forehead, which screens his eyes. His ears are decorated with golden earrings. His right hand is raised in a fist, which is decorated with a gem-set chakra; the left fist contains a Shankha (conch shell). The front right hand has its fingers pointing to his feet. His front left hand is akimbo. His body is dressed with yellow clothing tied with gold string and a gold belt with gold bells. He has a yajnopavita (sacred thread) flowing down crosswise from his left shoulder. He bears Sri Lakshmi Devi on his right chest and Sri Padmavathi Devi on his left chest. His feet are covered with gold frames and decked with gold anklets. A curved gold belt encompasses his legs. The Ananda Nilaya Divya Vimana was covered with gilt copper plates and surmounted with a golden vase in the 13th century, during the reign of the Vijayanagara king Yadava Raya.The ancient and sacred temple of Sri Venkateswara is located on the seventh peak, Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) of the Tirupati Hill, and lies on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini.

It is by the Lord’s presidency over Venkatachala, that He has received the appellation, Venkateswara (Lord of the Venkata Hill). He is also called the Lord of the Seven Hills.

The temple of Sri Venkateswara has acquired unique sanctity in Indian religious lore. The Sastras, Puranas, Sthala Mahatyams and Alwar hymns unequivocally declare that, in the Kali Yuga, one can attain mukti, only by worshipping Venkata Nayaka or Sri Venkateswara.

The benefits acquired by a piligrimage to Venkatachala are mentioned in the Rig Veda and Asthadasa Puranas. In these epics, Sri Venkateswara is described as the great bestower of boons. There are several legends associated with the manifestation of the Lord at Tirumala.

The temple has its origins in Vaishnavism, an ancient sect which advocates the principles of equality and love, and prohibits animal sacrifice.

Bangaru Vakili

From the Tirumamani Mandapam, one can enter the Bangaru Vakili (Golden Corridor in Telugu) to reach the inner sanctum sanctorum. There are two tall copper images of the dwarapalakas Jaya and Vijaya on either side of the door. The thick wooden door is covered with gilt plates depicting the dasavataram of Sri Maha Vishnu.

The doorway is directly in line with the Padi Kavali and the Vendi Vakili(Silver Corridor in Telugu). It admits pilgrims to the Snapana Mandapam.

Suprabhatam is sung in front of this door.

Garbha Griha

The Garbha Griha or sanctum is where the idol of Lord Sri Venkateswara is placed. The idol stands majestically in the Garbha Griha, directly beneath a gilt-dome called the "Ananda Nilaya Divya Vimana".

This idol, called the Mulaberam, is believed to be self-manifested. As there is no known sculptor possessing the capability to sculpt idols of god so proportionately. Further, no human being is known to have installed it in the shrine.

The idol of the Lord wears a gold crown (Kiritam), which has a large emerald embedded on its front. On special occasions, it is replaced with a diamond kiritam. On the forehead of the idol, two thick patchs of tilak drawn with refined camphor, almost covers the eyes of the idol. In between the two white patches is a Kasturitilakam.

Golden makara kundalas hang to the ears of the idol. The palm of its raised right hand is embedded with a gem-set Sudershana Chakra, and the left palm with the Holy Cone. The slightly outstretched front right hand, has its fingers pointing toward the feet, as if Lord is the only recourse to his devotees to dissolve in him and enjoy eternal bliss. The akimbo of the front left hand implies lord's protection to devotees, and to show that the Samsara Sagara (Ocean of Life) is never deeper than to hip's height, if they seek his refuge.

The body of the Idol is spun with a Gold-stringed-Pitambaram, with a belt of golden-bells. The idol is decorated with precious ornaments. It has a Umbilical Chord flowing down, cross from the left shoulder. It bears Goddess Lakshmi on the right chest and Sri Padmavathi Devi on the left. Nagaabharanam ornaments are on both of the idol's shoulders.The lotus feet are covered with gold frames and decked with clinging gold anklets. A strong curved belt of gold encompasses the legs. During Abhishekam, we can have darshan of Goddess Lakshmi.

The Ananda Nilaya Divya Vimana was covered with gilt copper plates and covered with a golden vase, in the thirteenth century, during the reign of the Vijayanagara king, Yadava Raya.

Pilgrims are not allowed to enter the Garbha Gruha (beyond Kulasekhara padi (path)).

DWADASA JYOTIRLINGA TEMPLE IN INDIA

dbed6d37@opayq.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 03:38:00 +0000

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DWADASA JyotirLinga Temples of Lord Shankar - Significance, Stories

JYOTIRLINGA: THE STORY OF THE LIGHT

What is jyotirlinga ?

Worship of shivalinga is considered the prime worship for the devotees of Lord shiva. Worship of all other forms is considered secondary. The significance of the shivalinga is that It is the resplendent light (flame) form of the Supreme - solidified to make the worship of It easier. It represents the real nature of God - formless essentially and taking various forms as It wills. More details on the shiva linga significance could be found at Shaivam A Perspective.

This jyoti swarupa of God exist in all the shivalinga forms, there are prominent abodes across Indian subcontinent, where It is in a splendid form. These are renowned as DWADASA JYOTHIRLINGAs or 12 jyotirlingas. These are held at much great esteem since the ancient pre-historic times. As per puranas said in many sections as well as in detail about the glory of these jyothilingas. Devotees have been getting pulled towards these JYOTHIRLINGA TEMPLES due to the highly benevolent divine presence in these abodes, since ancient times.

The 12 jyotirlinga temples

There is an sanskrit shloka that lists the twelve jyotirlinga temples. (This and the complete DWADASA jyotirlinga sthotra could be found at Scripture Page) You may observe these sthothra in so many shiva temples in the world.

“Saurashtre Somanathamcha Srisaile Mallikarjunam|

Ujjayinya Mahakalam Omkaramamaleswaram ||

Paralyam Vaidyanathancha Dakinyam Bheema Shankaram |

Setu Bandhethu Ramesam, Nagesam Darukavane||

Varanasyantu Vishwesam Tryambakam Gautameethate|

Himalayetu Kedaaram, Ghrishnesamcha shivaalaye||

Etani jyotirlingani, Saayam Praatah Patennarah|

Sapta Janma Kritam pApam, Smaranena Vinashyati||”

Mahadeva, the Lord incorporates in Himself, the aura and the holiness of all the twelve Jyotirlingas. The grandeur of these places is unique. Devotees line up in great numbers to take a look and get a Darshan of all the Jyotirlingas.

Location of the jothirlinga temples

Two on the sea shore, three on river banks, four in the heights of the mountains and three in villages located in meadows; the twelve Jyotirlingas are spread out like this. Every place has been described in glorious words by many detailing the surroundings etc.

Those of us who go to these temples of Shubhankara Shankara- Jyoti-Sivasthan, receive the holy blessings of the Lord, and come back happy, peaceful and blessed. This in indeed depends on one’s devotion and experience too.

Somnath JyotirLinga in Saurashtra (Guj)

Mallikarjun jyothirlinga in Srisailam (A.P.)

Mahakaleshwar jyotirlinga in Ujjaini (M.P.)

Omkareshwar jyotirlinga in Shivpuri / Mamaleswara (M.P.)

Vaidyanath jyotirlinga in Parali (Maharastra)

Nageswar jyotirlinga in Darukavanam

Kedareswar jyotirlinga in Kedarnath / Himalayas (Utt)

Tryambakeswar jyotirlinga in Nasik (Maharastra)

Rameshwar jyotirlinga in Setubandanam / Rameshwaram (T.Nadu)

Bhimashankar jyotirlinga in Dakini (Maharastra)

Visweswar jyotirlinga in Varanasi (U.P.) and

Ghrishneswar jyotirlinga in Devasrovar (Mah).

Those who chant the Dwadasa JyotirLinga Stotram or prayer will attain salvation and enlightenment and be released from this cycle of human existence with all its travails. By worshipping the Lingas, people of all castes, creeds and colour would be freed from all difficulties. By eating the holy offering made to these Lingas (Naivedyam) one would be rid of all the sins instantly.

As a matter of fact, we do the Darshan of the JyotirLingas as a part of our daily life. Sun, Fire and Light etc., are indeed a part of that great Light. “Om tatsavituvarenye” these magical words of the Gayatri mantra or chant invoke this Supreme light only. By chanting this powerful Mantra, humans can obtain divine power to their life-light or Atmajyothi.

The aura of the Sun rays and the various benefits that can be derived there from is indeed a difficult task to describe. This gorgeous life-light is the only thing that is responsible for the activity in the universe. We salute this life force.

“Agni” or fire is a great light. For all the activities on the earth, “Fire” is the pivot.

Deepajyoti or light and its greatness, is known to all of us, and we offer our prayers. Let us celebrate the glory of light. Light is offered a place of pride at welcome celebrations and on all auspicious occasions.

“Shubham karoti kalyanam Arogyam Dhanasampada|

Shatru buddhi vinashaya Deepa Jyoti namostute||”

This light removes the darkness from the lives of one and all. Darkness means ignorance and it is destroyed by this light. The natured light of God makes all our wishes come true, when we take a Darshan of it.

Thus, by taking a Darshan of these twelve JyotirLingas, the auspicious air surrounding them and the holy pilgrimage, will bring happiness, peace and satisfaction to all.

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dbed6d37@opayq.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:49:00 +0000