Ground racing g to meet

It feels like the ground is racing to meet Ramanujacharya when he is brought out in a procession.
The devotees of this age feel blessed that they were able to show their love and regard for a master so great that he was called none less than a god. the celebrations that were conducted in all the places be it a large one or small place the connection felt so good even after so many years one felt blessed just to be associated in celebrating this great saint.( for mankind through the ages has found no parallel.) It is rightly said then all those even associated with the great Emberumanar are a special lot. there is a sort of satisfaction among the devotees for having had an opportunity to be part of this great celebration. Be blessed folks and continue the great work handed down to us by our Lord and saint Sri Ramanujacharya.

Ther Aalan Oh! owner of the chariot.

From anothers post. Parakala Nayaki is standing next to a person whose identity she is not certain about. However, she describes the person through the following events:

(1) Siva and Brahma beheld this form of the person in amazement;

(2) People of the three worlds were singing paeans to this person; the sounds of which resembled tempestuous sea waves.

Parakala nayaki accosts this “half-man, half-lion” form of the person who had hairs like manes and whose teeth resembled battle swords and asked him about his identity.

The person replied: “I am the resident of Ashtabhuyakaram. I took residence here not just to help Prahalahada in times of yore but to also help people like you.”

Parakala Nayaki is able to clearly explain the attributes of the person she saw in Ashtabhuyakaram.

Sandhya

 Acamanam
Vighnsvara Dhyanam
Pranayamah
Sankalpa
Marjanam
Prasanam
Punarmarjanam
Argyapradanam
Prayascittarghyam
Aikyanusandhanam
Deva tarpanam
Japasankalpah
Pranava japah
Gayatri avahanam
Gayatri japah
Gayatri upasthanam
Suryopasthanam
Samastyabhivadanam
Digdevata vandanam
Yama Vadanam
Harihara vadanam
Suryanarayana vandanam
Samarpanam
Raksa

One more for Pulikal munivar.

Sage Vyagra pathar known famously as Pulikal munivar took his 3 year old son Upamanyu  to the Purushothaman koil. He is said to have left the child in the temple and gone into the forest to collect flowers to worship the Lord. The boy left behind was hungry and started to cry. The Lord and his consort appeared befoe the child bringing with them the Ksheerabdi to Nangoor to quench the hunger of the little boy. this occurred on Sukla Dwadasi day in the month of Karthigai the tank is even today known as Tiruparkadal.

orders oil to be applied on the neck of Thirumangai awar.

After having heard the Divya Prabandam recited by Thirumangai alwar the Lord felt he had been reciting for a long time and his throat may be aching  so he orders the temple priest to smear what is left of the oil used for his divine bath on to the throat of Thirumangai alwar. also once when it was not possible for perumal to enjoy his annual ceremonial bath he ordered the retenue to bathe Tirumangai alwar instead. The story of the Lamp lighter requesting Perumal who was keenly listening to Nampillai religious discourse,  to get back into the Garbha griha where he belonged is too well known. also how Divya prabandha got an equal status to the vedas is the reason Tirumangai alwar is the hero of Adyanutsavam to this day.

The reason for being called Sowriraja Perumal

God with long hair. Once Ranga Bhattar promised the Chola King that he would show that God grew and had a long hair. Now the Lord did not want to let his devotee down he is reported to have suddenly grown long tresses as promised by the priest. thence forth he came to be known as sowriraja perumal. the Kainkaryam of getting the Lord to rest for the night is another beautiful happening that goes on in all temples. I was fortunate enough to watch one such a long time ago. just as the Lord is donned with the different alankarams and aarthi is held so too when the Lord is prepared for the rest each item of finery when discarded is done so beautifully and aarthi is held the tresses are opened oil is applied a nice massage is given mirror is shown after all he wears the heavy crown the whole day. must be such a relief to get that crown down and imagine the heavy flowers decoration nice for us to see but it must be hurting him especially the flower is turned outwards and he is made to face the stalk and may be thorn too. one extra dress to wear and we feel the burden imagine the goddess too resting on his chest. and the Lord gets just a few hours of relief from all this. We can convince  ourselves that he does not feel like us but then the hot milk when cooled and offered was so pleasing to him. thus too if he is put to sleep  on a nice soft mull cloth for the few hours of rest. some north Indians do this to their lord each day. it must be so satisfying. another way of worship. remember the good old days when our cook at home used to have Takhur ji and he would every day dress the lord with finery and offer food and put the lord to sleep we have spent hours watching him it seemed a toy story an adult was performing. we used to choose the dress etc. Mondays were his Not speaking days and we enjoyed that day the best. Every thing revolved round pooja and gifting prasad plates to decorate and gift. The car rides the mill the music sessions the cousins the long holidays the fixed time for play and work the Friday prayers. wonder if i can keep quiet for atleast half a day like my friend does on Monday mornings. a must try on the wish list.
An interesting inscription in the North corridor of the temple there is an entry during the chola king Rajaraja III registering a lease of land in the street called Saveripperumal Perunderuvu for building shops and houses thereon for certain merchants with a stipulation that they should pay certain taxes on their goods to the temple. this order is said to have been issued in the presence of the God himself when he was seated with his consorts on the seat Nambikaliyan under the canopy of pearls called Ravna antakan in the Niravi mandapa. The leasing merchants were to engage themselves in the trade of gold and bell metal fabrications and they were allowed to fix forthemselves the rate of tax to be paid to the temple. On the fifth day of the Kalyana utsavam in the month of Chittirai this lease was said to be announced while the God was listening to the hymns of Satagopan. another inscription giving four villages free of all taxes 70 velis of land for worship and repairs in the temple. a gift of 1000 kasus by one lady called Idaiyarrukkudi  towards lighting of lamp in the temple. gift of land to grow red lotuses for the temple gift of land towards feeding the Vaishnavas during the festivals this Matham was called Suchaker Karunakaravirar matham. Land for weavers 20 families four from the five specified villages who migrated to Tirukkanapuram for favor granted to them etc. This comunity of weavers were known as Ayogavas they were a mixed class it seems the society took upon itself to provide for all category of people thus engaging every one irrespective of any divisions to serve the Lord. they were suppliers of the Banners used by the temple. A gift of land was made as Archana Boga to construct a shrine for Thirumangai alwar in the west street. lands donated for growing coconut and to supply the same from the sixth year of granting the lease. a jewel belonging to the Virarajendra chola padakam was melted and converted to 5350 kasus towards the payment for silver vessels utensils and lamps for the use of the Lord. Even in those days a management body of Vaishnavites were consulted before accepting and forming grants for the upkeep of the temple. 

Madhava advises Shiva.

Thirunangoor.
Lord Shiva was worried as he was suffering from Brahma hati dosha. Madhava advised him to go to go to Nagapuri which was to the north of Kaveri , south of Nupura Nadhi, and west of Swetaranyam. he also told he must manifest as 11 forms and perform the Aswameda Yagam. This explains the 11 Shiva temples around Thirunangoor. Shiva did as advised and the Lord Madhava appeared along with Bhoodevi and Neela devi who were worshipped by Brahma and other devas appeared before Shiva in his Pranava chariot with the Vedas as his horses. the Sun and Moon as the two wheels of the chariot having Brahma as sarathy gave Shiva his abhaya. which was accepted by the Lord Shiva who requested Mukundan to shower his kindness to other devotees as well and that perumal too should manifest himself in 11 avtaras and stay there assisting the devotees an easy access. this explains the 11 archa forms of Vishnu in and around Thirunangoor.

Rama Performs the Goprasavam

Hema Ranga Puri very interesting stories connected to this place one such one reproduced below.
Sri Rama decided to do a yagam to rid himself of the sin of having killed Vali. But when he started the homam he did not perform the pooja to Visvaksenar. the yagam could not be completed. Sri Rama realised his fault and did pooja to Visvaksenar who accepted his apology and gifted him Sahkha Nidhi and Padma Nidhi using these two SriRama was able to complete his Yagam. This yaga was performed near the Sem Pon Sei Kovil on the banks of the temple tank of Thiru Nangoor. the waters in this tank are till date ash colour as proof of the yagam performed. There is a Vinayaka idol who is known as Naalaayirathil Oruvar on the banks of the tank.
After the successful completion of this yagam. Rama was advised by a famous sage Druda netra who was the son of Kousika Maharishi living in Swetaranyam to perform the Goprasaam ceremony. This religious function required a huge image of cow to be made out of Gold. Sri Rama stayed inside the image of the cow for four days o  the fifth day he came out and gifted the cow to the brahmins. it is said that the gold was used by the holy people to renovate the temple tower, mandapam and Garuda Sannidhi. thus the Sem Pon Rangar temple got the name Hema rangaPuri. Hema in Sanskrit means Gold.
Thirumangai alwar has sung 10 verses on the Lord here their meaning goes (4-3-1 Peria Thirmozhi.) All the people in the world worship Him by chanting His 1008 names Sahasranamam. He is known as Perarulalan, he is spontaneously generous to his devotees. 
When i see him standing along with Sridevi and Bhoodevi at Sempon sei kovil he is as enchanting and captivating as if a dark rain bearing cloud is standing there. I worshiped that perumal and am the lucky recipient of His benevolent good wishes.

21 yet rearing.

1. Sriranga                                        Mangalasasanam by all Alwars except Madhur kavi.
2. Thirukkannapuram                       Nammalwar, Perialwar,Kulashekar alwar,Andal and                                                                       Thirumangai alwar.
3. Thirukkannangudi                        Thirumangai alwar
4. Thirukkudanthai (Kumbakonam) Nammalwar, Pootattalwar, Peyalwar, Thirumazhisai                                                                     alwar,Peri alwar, Andal and Thirumangai alwar.
5. Thrusirupuliyur                             Thirumangai alwar
6. Thirunangur (11 Garuda sevai)     Thirumangai alwar
7. Thiru Manimadakoil                      Thirumangai alwar
8. Thiru Arimeya Vinnagaram           Thirumangai alwar
9. Thiru Vellakkulam                          Thirumangai alwar
10. Thiru Kavalambadi                         Thirumangai alwar
11. Thiru Thetriyambalam                    Thirumangai alwar
12. Thiruvanpurushothaman                 Thirumangai alwar
13. Thiruvaikundha Vinnagaram           Thirumangai alwar
14. Thiru semponsainangur                   Thirumangai alwar
15. Thiru Manikkoodam                        Thirumangai alwar
16. ThiruParthanpalli                             Thirumangai alwar
17. Thirudevanar Thohai                        Thirumangai alwar
18. Thirukazhiseeramannagaram                                                                                                           (Sirkazhi)                                          Thirumangai alwar
19. Thiruvaliyum Thirunagariyum         Thirumangai alwar
20. Thiru Indalur                                    Kulasekhar alwar, Thirumangai alwar
21. Thirukkandiyur                                Thirumangai alwar.

old sanskrit books.

Sesha dharma; Vamana Puranam; Sri Aravamudha Vaibhavam; Kumbakonam Mahatmyam; Thiruvinnagar Mahatyam;Thirucherai Mahatmyam; Vanamalai Mahatmyam; Nandhipura Vinnagara Mahatmyam; Vanamamalai Mahatmayam; SrimushanaMahatmyam.

Bharatha natyam dance mudras depicted in the temple.

147 feet tall Gopuram the tallest temple tower in the pilgrim city of Kumbakenam is the one at Sarangapani temple. it is a 11 storied gopuram and around the outer walls are figures depicting images in sequence the puranic story of the avtaras of Lord Vishnu and that of other Gods and Goddesses. on the first tier one can see all around in granite108 dance forms. establishing the marvel of architechtural skill. above each picture is inscribed in Sanskrit the respective name of the mudra shown in the picture. this marvel must be seen to be believed.

Lord performs the last rites

Lakshmi Narayana Swamy. Was responsible all through his life in collection of funds to build the largest Gopuram for Sarngaani Perumal. It was his.life ambition people advised.him.to.get married. That there should.be.somebody to at least perform his last.rights.

{As per a temple legend, once a staunch Brahmin devotee of Aravamudhan spent most of his life to the service of the deity. At the end of his life, he felt his loneliness and prayed for his karma to be performed. Aravamudhan descended himself to perform the last rites on a Deepavali day. The ritual is performed annually by the priests and is one of its kind where death rituals are performed in the precincts of a Vishnu temple.}


Raghunatha Nayaka one of the 3 famous Nayak kings who ruled from Tanjore had an Asthan pandit by name Iyyakumara Tatacharyar. he was a great devotee of Arvamudhan. he spent his whole life doing work in the temple. He built a separate sannidhi for Thayar near the Perumal sannidhi. The thayar is believed to have appeared in a dream to the Nayak king and told him that a statue of Iyyakumara Tata charya may be set up opposite to her sannidhi so that the devotee could for ever continue to worship the Lord in her presence. Even today this idol can be seen in the temple. 

Lakshmi Narayana was a close  disciple of the above Tatacharya. he too was rewarded in an unusual manner by the Lord for his sincere work done by him in the temple. Lakshmi Narayana was a Sri Vaishnavite brahmachari and an orphan. he lived in Kumbakkonam and worshiped Sarangapani very sincerely. he wished to built the biggest Gopuram for the Lord in the chola desha. He approached a number of rich people and collected funds he spent his entire life in collecting money for the temple. he was growing old and people advised him to get married so that there would be somebody to perform his final obsequies he replied he was happy with the loka offered to him by Saranga raja Perumal and if he were to die thesamskara would surely be done by the Lord himself. He however was able to achieve his goal of building the Gopuram. people started calling him Lakshmi Narayana Swamy.  it is believed that when he died an archaka of Sarangapani temple dreamt that Lord Aravamudha appeared and told him to take the dharba from His hand and do samskaram for Lakshmi Narayana swamy. The nextmorni g the archaka did as ordered by God, as though the samskara was done by the Lord himself. even today during the Deepavali Amavasya the day Lakshmi Narayana swamy died the ceremony is performed by the temple after taking the dharba from Aravamudhan's hand. the food prepared that day is offered to the Lord.

Maha Makham (K)

Kumbakonam is famous for the Maha Makha festival which is celebrated once in 12 years in the month of February. The festival is celebrated when Jupiter passes the constellation of Leo. A bath in the Maha Makham tank on that day is considered very sacred. This tank is situated in the heart of the town and covers an area of twenty acres. There are 16 mantapas along the bank of the tank, dedicated to various deities. It is believed that the deities of all the nine sacred rivers meet on maha makhan day at Kumbakonam. The scientific explanation for this is that when the planet Jupiter passes over Leo on the great Maha Makham day, the waters of the tank get saturated with mineral properties. On this very same day in distant North Kashmir the Lake in Kotihar gets a full supply of water due to the planetary combination. Though the lake may run dry for 11 years in the 12 year on Maha Makham day gets a full supply of water. Another feature is the only temple for Brahma exists in the Pattunulkaara street to the left of the tank in Kumbakonam. On the right of the tank exists a shrine for the nine rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Narmada, Kaveri, Godavari, Mahanadhi, Palar and Sarayu. These nine rivers come here to cleanse themselves of all the sins accumulated. as all through the year humans washing themselves of their sins by bathing in these rivers make them very polluted and unbearable so these rivers get their cleansing done here. All the devas along with Brahma Vishnu and Siva too are present in the tank on that particular day the cleansing is extended to humans too. this tank is held in great esteem and people throng this great town every twelve years for this great festival.

shree, sri,

nin paDikku ellAm tan paDi ERka anbuDan ninnODu avadarittu aruLi (Swami Desikan, mummanikkovai)

svAmi deshikan lucidly injected the main concepts from the veda-s into a small tamizh hymn called mummaNikkOvai. The ten word verse given above gives the best description of the role of shrI with respect to Lord shrIman nArAyaNan. nammAzhvAr declared shrI as one, "who never leaves the Lord" (agalagillEn iRaiyum yenRu alarmEl mangai) in his tiruvAimozhi. Following his footsteps, deshika extends that further, here. "shrI is the one who takes the nature, form, character and ownership (svarUpa, rUpa, guNa, vibhUti) that is in His taste and in harmony with Him. She is yearning to make descents (avatAra-s) along with Him to bless everyone." At least ten meanings can be derived about shrI: from the above verse of 10 words 1. Infinite descents - Her descents are infinite just like His; 2. Conformity of form - Her forms (rUpam) conform (ERpa) with His. 3. Compatibility of nature - Her innate nature (svarUpa) is compatible with His 4. Inseparability - She is always with Him 5. Affectionate to Him - She is so affectionate towards Him 6. Suitable to him in all aspects - She is suitable to Him in every aspect 7. Loves everyone and everything - She always accompanies Him in every descent because of Her motherly love 8. Pours out Her grace - She blesses through her descents. 9. Synchronizes with the Lord - She synchronizes Her descent with His 10.Keeps in mind - She remembers (put them down in memory) to grace at proper time The word choices here are so astonishing. Each word lends to multiple meanings. For example, nin paDikku ellAm tan paDi - Here paDi has eight meanings – stepping stone, body, accordingly, nature, earth, read, stuck, fall down. nin paDi has eight and tan paDi has eight and if one starts deriving the viable combination of meanings, there is no end. The multitude of meanings in this verse is like inserting an universe inside an atom (aNuvukkuL aNDattai nuzaitarapol.