Veeraraghava Swamy and Panchamugha Anjeneya
Date:- 7th Nov 2009
Destination1: Panchamuga Anjeneya
Location: -In Thiruvallur District
5 faced Hanuman. The faces belong to Hanuman in front , Hyagreva in the top, Narasimha to the right, Varaga to the left and Garuda at the back of Hanuman face. The temple construction is still going on. Puja is performed to the Uthsavar a replica of the huge deity. The roads are not laid down yet and hence it is not very reachable. Funds are being collected for construction of the temple.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FIVE FACES
SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PRADISHTAI
Location2: Shri Vaidhya Veeraraghava swamy temple ( 1 among 108 divydesham)
The most famous temple in Thiruvallur or rather makes the place popular. Veeraraghava swamy is the Uthsavar here. Ranganatha perumal showers his blessings laying on the 5 headed Adhishesha with brahmna sitting in the lotus plant from his navel point. The Lord doesnt wear any silk dhoti , rather he wears a red-white checkered blanket as Vsthram. His consort is Goddess Kanakavalli also know as Vasumathi. Other shrines located are that of Rama, Krishna, Alwars Ramanujar, Desigan. The temple has a huge layout.
Speciality: People bring jaggery and dissolve it in the temple pool. Mix of salt and pepper are offered at the Lotus feet of the Lord. Amavasiya is most important day for this temple.
The main temple is maintained very well though the same can't be said for the rest of the temple.
Downside:- Maintainence could be better. You get the stinking smell of bats at some places of the temple.
Sthalapuranam:- (Taken from a website on the temple)
The legend connected with the origin of this temple shows that once upon a time, in Krita Yuga, a sage by name Purupunyar lived with his wife Satyavati in Badarikashram. They had no children. Purupanyar performed a Sali Yajna (Putrakameshti Yaga) with great fervor and devotion. The sage offered 1,000 'Ahutis' (oblations of ghee to the sacrificial fire after chanting the mantra each time) every day, for one full year. On the last day, when Purnahuti (the final offering) was performed, Lord Narayana was pleased with the austerity of the ritualistic observances of the sage, and appeared in the sacrificial fire in a blissful mood to offer boons. The sage prayed for a noble son.
The boon was granted with the condition that he should be named after the name of the Yajna as Salihotran. With this blessing, Lord Narayana disappeared. Then the sage collected the ash strewn around the Yajna Peetha and gave a handful of it to his consort to take in with great veneration as Prasadam.
In the tenth month after that, a glorious son was born to Sage Purupunyar. The child was named Salihotran as ordained by Lord Narayana. With the growth of years, the child showed signs of precocity and started on a pilgrimage-visiting temple after temple. On Pushya Amavasya day (New Moon day in January-February), he reached Tiruvallur where he found that Lord Brahma, other Devas and great sages like Vasishtha, were engaged in taking bath in the Hrittapanasini tank.
Next year, on the same Pushya Amavasya day, he completed one year of penance and took a holy bath in the Hrittapanasini tank and observed his morning prayers. As he was fasting for one year without food or drink, he collected on that day some paddy and prepared prasadam out of that. He divided it into three parts; the first part was offered to Lord Narayana. The second part was kept for offering as charity and the third for his own consumption.
At this juncture, Lord Narayana took the form of an old Brahmin and came the way where Salihotran was waiting to offer the share to a guest. When Salihotran saw the old Brahmin, he immediately requested him to grace his hermitage. He respectfully offered to the Brahmin the prasadam meant for the guest. Quickly the Brahmin ate up the offering and Salihotran felt from his facial appearance that he was not satisfied.
On inquiry, he learnt that the old Brahmin had had no food for the last 4 or 5 days and his hunger was not fully satisfied. At this, the second portion that he kept for himself was offered to the guest. The guest was satisfied and left the place. Salihotran commenced another year's penance without food and drink. Again, on the day of Pushya Amavasya at its close, he took his holy bath in the tank and noticed many unusual good omens on his way. After finishing his morning rituals, he procured some paddy and prepared oblations. Like the previous year, he offered a portion to Lord Narayana and was waiting for a guest to offer the second portion, leaving the last portion for him.
This time also, Lord Narayana took the form of an old Brahmin and was coming by that way. Salihotran-welcomed him and while accompanying him to the hermitage, the old Brahmin expressed that he was feeling extremely hungry and thirsty and needed a place for rest also. In the hermitage, Salihotran offered the entire prasadam meant for the guest as well as for himself. The old Brahmin was greatly pleased and asked Salihotran, for a place to lie down. Salihotran arranged for a bed too.
Later that night Salihotran saw a beautiful princess passing by his hermitage. The prince was so charmed by the beauty of the princess that he voluntarily expressed that he, a prince was on the lookout for a bride. The princess advised the prince to go and worship Lord Veeraraghava in the temple situated on the northern bank of Hrittapanasini tank, if he wanted to marry her.
But the prince did not move, but argued that if the mutual love was real, God Himself would come down to approve of it. The princess then sent for her parents. Arriving there, they enquired about the prince's lineage but the prince would not divulge his identity.
However, he swore by Lord Veeraraghava that after his marriage with the princess, he would stay there. This being a very sound proposal, the marriage was fixed; and performed. Following the traditional custom of offering prayer at the temple after marriage, by the newly wedded couple, the prince and princess, accompanied by the parents and the invited guests, went to the temple of Lord Veeraraghava.
When they approached the sanctum sanctorum, to the utter amazement of all present, the newly married couple merged into the deity and stood transformed as Lord Veeraraghava, and his divine consort Kanakavalli, who blissfully blessed the parents and the assembly to attain salvation after their preordained, stay in the world.
The Holy Tank
The sacred tank here is known as "Hrittapanasini". The tank is so holy that evens a sight or a touch or a bath would immediately dispel all anguish of heart. The local tradition attaches greater importance to this tank than to the Ganga, the Godavari, etc Unfortunately, the tank is now dry. As usual, at the centre of the tank there is a Mandapam, where seasonal festivals are performed.
Destination1: Panchamuga Anjeneya
Location: -In Thiruvallur District
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FIVE FACES
- The face towards the East is "Sri Anjaneyaswami Mukha" which removes all blemishes of sin and confers purity of mind
- The South facing mukha of "Sri Marasimhaswami" removes fear of enemies and confers victory
- The West facing mukha of "Sri Mahaviragarudaswami" drives away evil spells, black magic influences and removes all poisonous effects in one's body
- The North facing mukha of "Sri Lakshmi Varahamurthyswami" wards off the troubles caused by bad influences of the planets and confers all prosperity – Ashta Aishwarya
- The face looking upwards of "Sri Hayagreevaswami" confers knowledge, victory, progeny and mukthi
SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PRADISHTAI
- Tallest (32') Sri Panchamukha Anjaneyswami in Viswaroopa form, magnificently sculpted out of a massive monolithic green granite stone (36' X 20' X 10') transported from Hassan, Karnataka
- The Only pradishtai in the whole under Mandra Shastra
- The place of pradishtai was known as Rudhra Vanam in legendary times where great sages like Agasthya have done penance.
The most famous temple in Thiruvallur or rather makes the place popular. Veeraraghava swamy is the Uthsavar here. Ranganatha perumal showers his blessings laying on the 5 headed Adhishesha with brahmna sitting in the lotus plant from his navel point. The Lord doesnt wear any silk dhoti , rather he wears a red-white checkered blanket as Vsthram. His consort is Goddess Kanakavalli also know as Vasumathi. Other shrines located are that of Rama, Krishna, Alwars Ramanujar, Desigan. The temple has a huge layout.
Speciality: People bring jaggery and dissolve it in the temple pool. Mix of salt and pepper are offered at the Lotus feet of the Lord. Amavasiya is most important day for this temple.
The main temple is maintained very well though the same can't be said for the rest of the temple.
Downside:- Maintainence could be better. You get the stinking smell of bats at some places of the temple.
Sthalapuranam:- (Taken from a website on the temple)
The legend connected with the origin of this temple shows that once upon a time, in Krita Yuga, a sage by name Purupunyar lived with his wife Satyavati in Badarikashram. They had no children. Purupanyar performed a Sali Yajna (Putrakameshti Yaga) with great fervor and devotion. The sage offered 1,000 'Ahutis' (oblations of ghee to the sacrificial fire after chanting the mantra each time) every day, for one full year. On the last day, when Purnahuti (the final offering) was performed, Lord Narayana was pleased with the austerity of the ritualistic observances of the sage, and appeared in the sacrificial fire in a blissful mood to offer boons. The sage prayed for a noble son.
The boon was granted with the condition that he should be named after the name of the Yajna as Salihotran. With this blessing, Lord Narayana disappeared. Then the sage collected the ash strewn around the Yajna Peetha and gave a handful of it to his consort to take in with great veneration as Prasadam.
In the tenth month after that, a glorious son was born to Sage Purupunyar. The child was named Salihotran as ordained by Lord Narayana. With the growth of years, the child showed signs of precocity and started on a pilgrimage-visiting temple after temple. On Pushya Amavasya day (New Moon day in January-February), he reached Tiruvallur where he found that Lord Brahma, other Devas and great sages like Vasishtha, were engaged in taking bath in the Hrittapanasini tank.
Next year, on the same Pushya Amavasya day, he completed one year of penance and took a holy bath in the Hrittapanasini tank and observed his morning prayers. As he was fasting for one year without food or drink, he collected on that day some paddy and prepared prasadam out of that. He divided it into three parts; the first part was offered to Lord Narayana. The second part was kept for offering as charity and the third for his own consumption.
At this juncture, Lord Narayana took the form of an old Brahmin and came the way where Salihotran was waiting to offer the share to a guest. When Salihotran saw the old Brahmin, he immediately requested him to grace his hermitage. He respectfully offered to the Brahmin the prasadam meant for the guest. Quickly the Brahmin ate up the offering and Salihotran felt from his facial appearance that he was not satisfied.
On inquiry, he learnt that the old Brahmin had had no food for the last 4 or 5 days and his hunger was not fully satisfied. At this, the second portion that he kept for himself was offered to the guest. The guest was satisfied and left the place. Salihotran commenced another year's penance without food and drink. Again, on the day of Pushya Amavasya at its close, he took his holy bath in the tank and noticed many unusual good omens on his way. After finishing his morning rituals, he procured some paddy and prepared oblations. Like the previous year, he offered a portion to Lord Narayana and was waiting for a guest to offer the second portion, leaving the last portion for him.
This time also, Lord Narayana took the form of an old Brahmin and was coming by that way. Salihotran-welcomed him and while accompanying him to the hermitage, the old Brahmin expressed that he was feeling extremely hungry and thirsty and needed a place for rest also. In the hermitage, Salihotran offered the entire prasadam meant for the guest as well as for himself. The old Brahmin was greatly pleased and asked Salihotran, for a place to lie down. Salihotran arranged for a bed too.
Later that night Salihotran saw a beautiful princess passing by his hermitage. The prince was so charmed by the beauty of the princess that he voluntarily expressed that he, a prince was on the lookout for a bride. The princess advised the prince to go and worship Lord Veeraraghava in the temple situated on the northern bank of Hrittapanasini tank, if he wanted to marry her.
But the prince did not move, but argued that if the mutual love was real, God Himself would come down to approve of it. The princess then sent for her parents. Arriving there, they enquired about the prince's lineage but the prince would not divulge his identity.
However, he swore by Lord Veeraraghava that after his marriage with the princess, he would stay there. This being a very sound proposal, the marriage was fixed; and performed. Following the traditional custom of offering prayer at the temple after marriage, by the newly wedded couple, the prince and princess, accompanied by the parents and the invited guests, went to the temple of Lord Veeraraghava.
When they approached the sanctum sanctorum, to the utter amazement of all present, the newly married couple merged into the deity and stood transformed as Lord Veeraraghava, and his divine consort Kanakavalli, who blissfully blessed the parents and the assembly to attain salvation after their preordained, stay in the world.
The Holy Tank
The sacred tank here is known as "Hrittapanasini". The tank is so holy that evens a sight or a touch or a bath would immediately dispel all anguish of heart. The local tradition attaches greater importance to this tank than to the Ganga, the Godavari, etc Unfortunately, the tank is now dry. As usual, at the centre of the tank there is a Mandapam, where seasonal festivals are performed.
Comments
Post a Comment