Raghuveera Raghudheera

Sriman Venkatanatharya kavi tharkika Kesari, 
Vedanthacharya varyoh may sannidatham hrudhi 

Venktanatha the lion among poets and debate, 
Who is a great scholar of Vedantha, 
Keeps the Lord always in his mind. 

Salutation to God Rama 

Jayathi asritha santhrasa dwantha vidwamsanodhaya, 
Prabhaavaan Sitaya devyaa parama vyoma Bhaskara 

Victory to him who is the destroyer of fear 
Of darkness to those who surrender to him, 
And that lord of splendour is the divine Sun, 
In the sky of the Goddess Sita. 


Text of Maha Veera Vaibhavam also called Raghu Veera Gadhyam 

1. Jaya , jaya, Maha veera , 
2,Maha dheera dhoureya,jaya, jaya 
3. Devasura samara samaya samudhitha nikhila nirjara nirdharitha niravadhika, Mahatmya, 
4.Dasa vadana dhamitha dhaivatha ,Parishad abhyarthitha dasarathi bhaava, 
5.Dinakara kula kamala divakara, 
6. Divishad adhidadhipathi rana sahacharana chathura Dasaradha charama runa vimochana, 
7.Kosala sudhaa kumara bhava kanchuchitha karanaakara, 

Victory, Victory to the greatly valorous one, Who is in front of all very bold people, 
Who during the war between devas and asuras , was accepted as one of unsurpassed and complete valour, who was imperishable and of great fame, who took the form of the son of Dasaratha as per the request of the devas who were troubled by the ten headed Ravana, 
Who is the lotus opened by the Sun in the clan of the Sun, who by his birth removed the debt for the manes of Dasaratha who helped Indra during his war, who being born as the son of the daughter of Kosala and assumed the activities of a child and hid the real causal reason for his birth, 

8.Koumara keli gopayitha koushikaadwara, 
9.Ranaa dwara durya bhavya divyasthra brundha vandhitha, 
10. Pranatha jana vimadhana dhurlalitha dhorlalitha, 

Who like a sport of a lad protected the fire sacrifice of Sage Viswamithra, Who was saluted with humility by the crowd of divine arrows waiting for his commands at the battle, Who shines with his fearsome shoulders that lead to the destruction of enemies of those who salute him, 

11.Thanuthatra vishikha vithaadana vighatitha visaararu shararu thadaka thadakeya, jaya, jaya 

Who using his tiny arrows killed Thadaka and humiliated her sons, whoi were never troubled by any one before, victory. victory 

12.Jada kirana sakala dara jatila nata pathi makuta thata natanapatu vibhudha saritha athibahula Madhu ganana lalitha patha nalini raja upa mrudhitha nija vrujina jahadhupala thanuruchira paramamudhivara yuvathi nutha,jaya , jaya 

“You were praised by great lady ahalya, who was the wife of sage goutama, by cleansing her sin by the dust and touch of Your lotus feet, and also getting her true form from that of the state of being a stone. Your lotus feet is so pure and holy that the sacred ganga which flowed from the head of the Lord Siva who is a master in dancing and who wears the moon as a ornament on his head.”, victory, victory(from http://www.srivaishnavan.com/upload2.5/raghuveeragadyam.html) 

13.Kusika sutha kadhitha vidhitha nava vividha kadha, jaya, jaya 

You heard the varied types of stories told by Viswamithra the son of Kusika, victory, victory. 

14.Maithila nagara sulochana lochana chakora chandra, jaya, jaya 

Oh Lord who was like a Chakora bird’s moon to the pretty eyed ladies of Mithila, victory, victory 
(Chakora is a mythical bird eating moon light and waits for the moon) 

15.Khanda parasu Kothanda prakhanda khandana sounda bhuja danda , jaya , jaya 

Breaking the bow of Lord Shiva by your arm , Oh strong armed one , victory, victory. 

16.Chanda kirana mandala bodhitha pundareeka vana ruche luntake lochana , jaya , jaya 

Your eyes stole the beauty of the lotus flowers energized by the piercing rays of the sun, Victory, victory. 

17.Mochitha Janaka hrudaya sankhathanga, jaya , jaya 

You freed the heart of Janaka of the doubt and worry, Jaya , jaya 

18.Parihrutha nikhila narapathi varana Janaka duhithru kuch thata viharana samuchitha kara thala, jaya, jaya. 

Seizing the wedding garland from all other kings , you had the suitable handle to fondle over the chest of the daughter of Janaka , victory, victory. 

19.Sathakoti sathaguna kadina parasudhara munivara kara drutha duravanamathama nija Dhanur aakarshana prakasitha paaramoshtyaa , jaya , jay 

The sage with an axe who had a in his hand, Hundred billions times hard and hundred times more efficient bow which was hard practice , and you showed that you can bend the bow to send an arrow and showed him your supreme glory. 

20.Kruthuhara shikhari kanthuka vihruthyunmukha jithahari danthi Dhandhura dasavadana dhamana kushala dasa satha bhuja mukha nrupathikula rudhira jara bharitha pruthuthara tataka tharpitha pithruka brughupathi sugadhi vihathi kara natha parudishu paritha , jaya , jaya 

You put an end using a broad arrow resembling the lock of the door , to the good period of the lord of Bhrugu clan who killed 

the king with thousand arms and faces who himself defeated the ten faced Ravana, who shook the Kailasa mountain, defeated Devendra and exhibited the wounds inflicted on him by the majestic elephant of Indra 

And also killed twenty one generations of kings and did oblation to his father in the pond filled with their blood ., victory , victory 

Ayodhya Kandam 

21.Anrutha bhaya mushitha hrudaya pithru vachana paalana prathijnaa vajnatha youa rajya, jaya , jaya 

For carrying out the orders of your very fear struck father who was tied by the oath he had given, you gave up the position of Yuva Raja(crown prince), victory ,victory 

22.Nishadha Raja Souhrudha soochitha sousheelya sagara , jaya , jaya. 

You proved that you are ocean of good nature by showing great friendship to the hunter king, Victory, victory. 

23.Bhardawaja saasana parigraheetha vichithra chithra koota giri kataka thata ramya vasadha , jaya, jaya. 

As per the wish of sage Bhradwaja you lived in a pretty house on the foothills of the wonderful Chithrakoota, victory, victory 

24.Ananya sasaneeya , jaya , jaya 

You who cannot be commanded by anyone else , victory, victory 

25.Pranatha Bharatha makuta thata sughatitha Padukagryabhisheka nivarthitha sarva loka Yoga kshema , jaya, jaya 

You arranged for the crowning of the Slippers by Bharatha , who saluted you and looked after the welfare of all people , victory, victory. 

26.Pisitha ruche vihitha duritha valamadhana thanaya Bali bhuganugathi Sarabhasa sayana truna sakala paripathana bhaya chakitha sakala sura munivara bahumatha mahasthra samarthyaa, jaya , jaya. 

You sent a blade of grass from your Durbha bed at the son of Indra in the form of crow ,interested in eating flesh with the power of Brahmastra and he greatly scared approached all gods and sages, victory , victory. 

27.Druhina hara valamadhana duraaraksha , saralaksha , jaya , jaya. 

Even all gods could not protect that son of Indra from the aim of your arrow, victory, victory. 

AAranya Kandam 

28.Dandakaa thapovana jangama Parijatha , jaya, jaya. 

You were the moving wish giving tree of Dandadka forest , victory, victory. 

29.Viraadha Harina Sardhoola , jaya , jaya 

You were like to the deer called Viradhaa , victory, victory 

30.Vilulitha bahuphala makha kalama rajanichara mruga magrayaarambha sambrutha cheera bruthanurodha, jaya jaya 

Then you hunted the Rakshasas like one hunts beasts to protect the crops and protected the sages like a bark protects them, victory, victory. 

31.Trisira sirasthrithaya thimira niraasa vasarakara , jaya , jaya 

You appeared like the sun who banishes darkness when you cut the three heads of Trisiras, victory, victory 

32.Dhooshana jala nidhi soshana thoshitha rishigana ghoshitha vijaya ghoshana , jaya , jaya. 

You brought back water in the treasure of water dried by Dhooshana (commander of Khara) and sages hailed your victory . victory, victory. 

33.Khara thara, Khara tharu khandana , chanda pavana , jaya jaya 

You were the storm that broke the ferocious Khara in to two pieces, Victory, victory. 

34.Dwisaptha raksha sahasra nala vana vilolana mahakalabha , jaya , jaya. 

You were the great elephant that uprooted fourteen thousand tree like rahshasas. 

35.Aasahaaya Sura, jaya jaya 

An incomparable hero , victory, victory 

36.Anapaya sahasa , victory , victory 

You were eternally brave hero, victory, victory. 

37.Mahitha mahamrudha darsana Maithili drudathara parirambhana vibhava viropitha vikata veeravruna , jaya, jaya. 

Seeing the greatly respected battle, The daughter of Mithila embraced you tightly , with your chest covered with wounds of the battle , victory, victory. 

38. Mareecha maya mruga charma parikarmitha nirbhara dharbhastharana , jaya , jaya 

Your bed of Dharbha grass . was spread with the skin of the illusory deer called Mareecha, victory , victory. 

39.Vikrama yaso laabha vikreetha jeevitha grudra raja deha dhidakshaa lakshitha 
BHakthajana Dakshinya, jaya , jaya 

You who has softer emotions to your devotees , did the funeral rites of the kingof eagle who with great valour fought and lost is life .victory, victory 

40.Kalpitha vibhudhga bhava Kabandha abhinandhitha, jaya , jaya 

You were thanked by Khabhanda who regained his wise form , victory, victory 

41.Avandhya mahima muni jana bhajana mushitha hrudaya kalusha SAbari moksha sakshi Bhootha, jaya jaya 

You were the witness to the salvation of the lowly Shabhari , who served several saints of unblemished reputation with enraptured mind , victory, victory 

Kishkinda Kandam 

42.Prabhanjana thanaya bhavuka bhashitha ranjitha hrudaya, jaya , jaya 

Your mind was pleased by the auspicious and polite talk of the son of wind god, victory, victory 

43.Tharani sutha SAranagatha parathanthrikrutha swathanthrya, jaya , jaya 

You sought refuge from the son of Sun God and by that you ceded your independence to him, victory, victory. 

44.Druda gaditha Kailasa koti vikata Dhundhbhi kankala koota dhoora vikshepa Daksha dakshinethara padangushta dara chalana viswastha suhruda aasaya, jaya , jaya. 

You gained the close friendship and belief by the movement of your right thumb by which you threw the mountain like monstrous skeleton of Dhundhubhi for a very long distance , victory, victory 

45.Athi pruthula bahu vitapi giri dharani vivara yuga padhudhaya vivrutha chithra punkha vaichithrya, jaya , jaya 

You with your decorated arrow pierced the very broad trees, mountain , earth and hell , Wonder of wonders, victory, victory. 

46.Vipula bhuja saila moola nibhida nipeeditha Ravana rana ranaka janaka chathuradhadhi viharana chathura kapi kula pathi hrudaya vishala silathala dharana dharuna silee mukha , jaya , jaya 

You sent your fierce arrow at the broad and stone like chest of the king of monkeys , who caught the anxious Ravana who came to fight and keeping him in his arm pit flew to the four oceans to do his daily oblations , victory, victory. 


Sundara Kandam 
47.Apaaraa Paaraavaara parigha parivrutha dhava davana javana pavana bhava kapivara bhavitha sarvaswa dhana , jaya, jaya 

You embraced the monkey lord who was the son of wind god , which appeared to him as giving all that he desired and you blessed him to cross the very great ocean and set fire to the town.victory, victory 

Yudha Kanda 

48.Ahitha sahodhara raksha parigraha visamvaadhi vividha sachiva visrambhana samaya samrambha samujjrumbitha sarveshwara bhava , jaya , jaya 

You assumed your universal form to give confidence to the different ministers when they were considering the protection to be given to the brother of the enemy., victory, victory 

49-51 SAkruth prapannasamrakshana deekshitha, jaya, jaya 
Veera,jaya, jaya, 
Sathya Vrutha jaya, jaya 

49-51You had taken the penance of protecting those who surrender themselves to you, victory , victory 
Valorous one , victory, victory 
One who has penance of truth, victory, victory. 

52.Prathisayan bhoomika bhooshitha payodhi puina , jaya, jaya 

You who made the sands of the ocean by lying down on it decorating it with grass 

53.Pralaya sikhi parusha vishikha shikhaa soshithaakoopaara vari poora , jaya , jaya 

You dried up the waters of the ocean by your flaming arrows, which resembled the flame at deluge., victory, victory 

54.Prabhala ripu kalaha kuthuka chatula kapikula thoolitha hrutha giri nikara sadhitha sethu pada seemaa seemanthitha samudra , jaya, jaya. 

You built the bridge that divided the ocean employing the monkey clan who were eager for the war and brought mountains as if they were bales of cotton and threw it in the sea, victory, victory. 

55.Drutha gathi tharu mruga varoodhini nirudha lankha varodha vepadhu lasya leelopadesa desika dhanurjyaghosha, jaya, jaya 

You the teacher by the sound of your bow instructed the ladies of Lanka in trembling like dance , when the monkeys speedily marched and put their city under siege, victory, victory 

56.Gagana chara kanaka giri garima dhara nigamamaya nija garuda garudhanila lava galitha visha vadana sara khadana, jaya , jaya. 


Your friend that Garuda who is the embodiment of Vedas came like a golden mountain in the sky and by the breeze of its wings chased away the effect that poisonous arrow , victory, victory. 

57.Akruthachara vana chara rana karana vailakshya kooneethaksha bahuvidha raksho baladhyaksha vaksha kavata patina patima saatopa kopavalepa, jaya , jaya 

You with anger and valour split open the chests , like opening a door of Rakshasas whose eyes were shut because they were fighting against lowly monkeys , victory, victory

58.Katuratadh atani tankruthi chatula katora kaarmukha vishikha vithadana vighatitha makuta vihwala viswasthanaya visrama samaya visravana vikhyatha vikarama , jaya , jaya 

You with great anger after twanging your bow sent a flameless bow which powdered the crowns maing him scared and you allowed him to take rest showing your very famous valour., victory, victory 

59.Kumbhakarna kula giri vidhalana dhamboli Bhootha ni shanka khgangapathra , jaya , jaya 


You using a very powerful arrow which is of unquestioned power broke their family mountain Kumbakarna, victory , victory 

60.Abhicharana huthawaha paricharana vighatana sarabhasa paripatha aparimitha kapi bhala jaladhi lahari kalakalarava kupitha Madha vajidh abhihanana kruth anujasaksheeka Rakshasa dwadwa yudha , jaya, jaya 

Your brother who after killing Indrajith with angry enthusiasm after disturbing his black magic homa with the limitless monkey army by making screeching sounds and throwing waves of water , witnessed your great battle with the Rakshasas with great pride , victory, victory. 

61. Aprathi dwanda pourusha, jaya , jaya 

Your absolute and incomparable valour in mutual fight , victory , victory 

62.TRayambaka samadhika ghorathradambara. Jaya , jaya 

You are have more fiercer divine arrows than lord Shiva 

63.SAradhi hrutha Radha sathrapa shastrava sathyapitha prathapa, jaya , jaya 

Your fame was proved as true when the charioteer of that Rakshasa king , lead him away from the battle, victory, victory 

64.Sitha sara krutha lavana dasamukha mukha dasaka nipathana punar udaya dara galitha janitha dara tharala harihaya nayana nalinavana ruche khachitha nipathitha suratharu kusuma vithathio surabhitha Radha padha, jaya , jaya 

Your path of chariot was made scented by the showering of flowers of Kalpaga tree which was further added by the thousand happy eyes of Indra, (which looked like a forest of fully opened lotus flowers) seeing you cut off the heads of Ravana by Brahmastra , after they fell and appeared again .victory, victory 

65.Akhila jagadadhika bhuja bala dasaka lavana janitha kadana paravasa rajani chara yuvathi vilapana vachana sama vishaya nigama shikara nikara mukhara muka muni vara pari panitha , jaya, jaya. 

You were saluted and praised by great sages using praises worthy of Vedas after Mandodhari , the young Rakshasa lady lamented at her loss her very strong lord of the universe using words containing Vedic truths due to her very great sorrow.victory, victory 

66.Abhigatha sathamuka huthvaha pithrupathi Niryathi Varuna Pavana Dhanadha Gireesa Mukha Surapathi nuthi mudhitha 

You were approached by Indra , Agni, Yama , Niruathi , Varuna , Vayu , Khubhera , Lord Shiva and were made happy by their praises, victory, victory 

67.Amitha mathi vidhi vidhitha kadhitha nija vibhava jaladhi prushatha lava , jaya, jaya 

You were praised Lord Brahma who had very great wisdom told about your real greatness and it was only a drop in the ocean, Victory, victory 

68.Vigatha bhaya vibudha parivruda veera sayana saayitha vanara pruthanougha, jaya, jaya 

You then requested Indra who has lost his fear to bring back to life all the monkeys and he did it and the monkeys started moving like a great river., Victory, victory 

69.Swasamaya vighatitha sughathitha sahrudhaya saha dharma charineeka, jaya, jaya 

You again joined with your wife (The partner in execution of Dharma) , from whom you had separated earlier of your own free will.Victory, victory 

70.Vibheeshana vasamvadheekrutha Lankaiswarya , jaya , jaya 

You put Vibheeshana in complete control of the wealth of Lanka., victory, victory 

71.Nishpanna kruthya , jaya , jaya 

You completed your duties, victory, victory 

72.Kha pushpitha ripu paksha, jaya, jaya 

You made your enemies in to the flowers of the sky, victory, victory. 

73.Pushpaka rabhasa gathi ghoshpathikrutha gaganarnava , jaya , jaya 

By the speed of the Pushpaka Vimana , you made the sea in to a hoof of a cow, Victory, victory 

74.Prathijnarnava tharana krutha Kshana Bharatha manoradha Samhitha Simhasanadhi rooda, jaya, jaya 

You fulfilled the wish of Bharatha who had taken a vow to jump in fire , by sitting on the throne, victory, victory 

75.Swamin , jaya, jaya 

My Lord victory, victory 

76.Raghava Simha, jaya , jaya 

Oh Raghava the lion, victory, victory 
Uthara Khanda 

77.Hataka giri kataka ladaha pada peeta nikata thata pariluthidha nikhila nrupathi kireeta koti vividha mani gana kirana nikara neeraajitha charana rajiva , jaya , jaya. 

Your foot golden foot rest shined like the golden meru mountain and when your shining lotus , was reflected in the crowns of the saluting kings , it appeared as if , it was being worshipped with lighted camphor.victory, victory 

78.Divya bhouma Ayodhya adhi daivatha, jaya , jaya 

You were the presiding deity of the two Ayodhyas (one in heaven and another in earth), victory , victory 

79.Pithru vadha kupitha parasu dhara muni vihitha nrupa hanana kadana Poorva kala prabhava satha guna prathishtapitha dharmika raja vamsa , jaya , jaya. 

You reestablished good royal families as the previous generations were killed by the axe bearing sage who became angry because his father was killed , victory, victory. 

80.Shubha charitha ratha Bharatha garvitha garva gandharva yoota getha vijaya gadha satha , jaya , jaya 

You sent the well loved Bharatha with good nature to fight with the proud and haughty Gandharwas and after his victory that started singing and praising you , victory, victory 

81.Shasitha Madhu sutha Shatrugna sevitha , jaya , jaya 

You sent Shatrugna to kill Lava thson of Madhu and after doing that he started serving you again 

82.Kusa lava parigrahitha kula Gadhaa visesham, Jaya , jaya 

Kusa and Lava learnt the very special story of your clan, victory, victory 

83.Vidhi vasa parinamadha mara bhanithi kavi vara rachitha nija charitha nibhandhana nisamana nirvrutha, jaya, jaya 

You were thrilled to hear the discourse of your story composed by a great poet who saw the death due to turns of fate ., victory, victory 

84.SArva jana Sammanitha, jaya, jaya 

You who have breen glorified by all people, victory, victory 

85.Punar upasthapitha vimana vara visravana praneetha vaisravana visravitha yasa prapancha , jaya , jaya 

You returned as gift the Pushpaka Vimana to Kubhers who became happy and praised you and your fame spread all over the world 

86.Panchathapanna muni kumara sanjeevanamrutha , jaya , jaya 

You brought back to life the dead son of a sage who was doing penance , victory, victory 

87.Tretha yuga pravarthitha Kartha yuga vruthantha , jaya, jaya 

You maintained in Krutha yugam, the dharma of Tretha yugam, victory, victory 

88.Avikala bahu suvarna haya mukha nirvahana nirvarthitha nija varnasrama dharma, 

You followed the real Varnashrama dharma by giving as gift lots of gold and also conducting several Aswa Medha sacrifices, Victory, victory 

89.Sarva karma samaradhya jaya, jaya 

You who were worshipped by performing all duties by people , victory, victory 

90.Sanathana Dharma jaya jaya 

Victory ,victory to the religion of Hindus(Perennial Dharma with no origin) 

91.Sakhetha jana pada janidhanika janthu Jatha divya gathi dhana darsitha nithya nisseema vaibhava, jaya , jaya 

You whose fame is always and limitless also gave salvation to all the people of Ayodhya, as well the animals living there , victory, victory 

92.Bhava thapana thapitha bhaktha jana Bhadra Rama, jaya , jaya, 

You take care of the devotees suffering due to sorrow of domestic life and keep them safe, Victory, victory 

93.Sri Rama Bhadra Jaya, jaya 

Victory , victory to Rama Bhadra 

94.Namasthe , punasthe nama 

Salutations and again salutations. 
Chathur mukheswara Mukhai puthra pouthradhi saline , 
Nama Sita samethaya Ramaya Gruha medine 

Salutations to Rama who is leading family life with Sita, 
Who has Lord Brahma as son and Lord Parameswara as grand son. 

Kavi Kadhika Simha kadhitham katora sukumara gumba gambheera, 
Bhava bhya bheshajam yethath padatha Maha Veera Vaibhavam Sudhiya. 

Oh intellectuals this work called “The greatness of the great hero”, 
Has been composed by the poet who is the lion among poets , 
And is made up of soft and hard words with deep implications, 
And would destroy the fear of the disease of domestic life. 

koil

Srirangam: The Place and the Concept.

Srirangam, situated on a densely green island in river kāvēri in the Tamil midland, has historic claims as the nucleus of the Bhakti movement which originated in the Tamil region in the beginnings of the Christian era, later spread to the ṁahārāshtra segment and gradually reached the northern plains of gangā where it emitted humanistic and egalitarian vibrations during the Mughal times.

The vaishṇava bhakti literature had its seeds in the early Tamil sangham classics. This consisted of a reference in the tolkāppiam (the earliest extant Indian language work available) to the tiruvēnkatam hills, the abode of Lord SrI vēnkatēshvara, and lengthy vaishṇava hymns in paripādal. The well-known aphoristic work tirukkuraḷ refers to the trivikrama incarnation (“aḍi aḷandān tāyadellām”) and the lotus-eye attribute (“tāmaraik-kaṇṇān ulagu”) of vishṇu-nārāyaṇa as specifically glorified in the vēda. The shilappadhikāram contains full vaishṇava hymns, besides descriptive references to shrīranganātha and SrI vēnkatēsvara. The epic-sequel of maṇimēkhalai refers to the vishṇu purāṇa.

It is in the divya-prabandham (or, the aruḷic-cheyal) of the āḻvār mystics that bhakti found its home and radiance. The āḻvār are reverently mentioned in the bhāgavata purāṇam ~~ kalau khalu bhavishyanti nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇah… dramiḍēshu cha bhūrishah (For, it is in the kaliyugam that steadfast devotees of nārāyaṇa will appear; and plenteously in the draviḍa regions).

The divya-prabandham is the collective corpus of the passionate hymns of the āḻvār mystics (5–8 cent. AD). It was SrI nāthamuni who, in the 10th century, retrieved and compiled this bhakti treasure which is the pride of the Tamil classical literature. The shrīvaishnava guru-paramparā (inheritance order of the preceptors) is held to commence from Lord SrI nārāyaṇa himself, and to centre, rightly so, around SrI nāthamuni and his grandson SrI yāmuna. The āḻvār represented all the caste-groups of the society and their works enjoy the status of drāviḍa-vēda at par with the gīrvāṇa-vēda in pre-pāṇiṇī ‘sanskrt’. The divya-prabandham is in the form of adoration of the deities of 108 temples (divya-dēsham) situated in different parts of the country, and employs every form of poetics (aṇi) and prosody (Chandam) available in Tamil. Of the 108 temples commemorated, it is SRIRANGAM which is regarded as the Temple par excellence, and is referred to as the bhū-lōka-vaikuṇṭham. It is for this reason that the 20-day- long festival of vaikuṇṭha ēkādashī (in the kārtika-dhanur months) has acquired a unique prominence in Srirangam.

It is not that Srirangam earned veneration only in the works of the āḻvār or other Tamil classics. The marāṭhi work dāsabōdham of samartha rāmadāsa, the telugu classic Amukta-mālyadā of the vijayanagara emperor krshṇadēva rāya, gōsvāmi tuḷasīdāsa’s rām-charit-mānas and guru SrI arjun dev’s sahansar-nāma are some of the non-Tamil works which contain tributes to Srirangam.

It may be mentioned in the passing that the ‘peria-koil’ (Great Temple) of shrīranganātha-svāmi in SRIRANGAM ranks among the largest-sized temples and religious centres of the world, such as Boroboudor in Indonesia, Angkor Vat in Cambodia, the Vatican in Rome,and Machu Pitchu in Peru. The bare physical facts about the temple are staggering. It extends over an area of 156 acres, there are 21 ‘gōpuram’ in all, a total of 49 individual shrines (‘sannidhi’) and 9 sacred tanks (‘tīrtham’). The ‘punnāga’ is the sacred tree of SrI ranganātha. The temple in shrīrangam has, of course, far greater antiquity than its peers. Srirangam has also had a recent distinction when (in the year 1987) a 236 ft high ‘gōpuram’ (of 13 tiers and mounted with 13 ‘kalasham’) was raised and consecrated over the (existing) southern rājadvāra built by achyuta-rāya who ruled in vijayanagara during 1530–1541.

The shrine (peria-sannidhi) of SrI ranganātha occupies the core of seven in-set enclosures (prākāram) ~~ constituting the total temple-complex, slightly rectangular in shape. This is the only temple of the vēdic tradition having the full complement of seven enclosures which have received many a symbolic and esoteric explanation, such as the seven layers of consciousness (saptāvaraṇam) which one has to penetrate to attain ‘brahma-jñānam’. The outermost (and seventh) enclosure was known as the māḍa (to-day’s chitra) vīthi, the sixth as trivikrama (to-day’s uttara) vīthi, the fifth as akaḷankan, the fourth as Ali-nāḍan (after tirumangai āḻvār), the third as kulashekharan, the second as rājamahēndran, and the innermost as dharmavarman vīthi (or, tiruviṇṇāḻi pradakshiṇam) holding the core of the sanctum sanctorum. The sanctum is crested with the gold-gilted ‘praṇava-ākāra vimānam’ with para-vāsudēva-mūrti on the front.

The nucleus of the Srirangam temple was known to the early chōḻa kings (who were titled as ‘kiḷḷi’, and who ruled from uraiyūr situated on the southern bank of kāvēri) one of whom had uncovered it from under heavy layers of silting by the river kāvēri in its cyclic spate. The temple grew down the ages through devotion and contribution of several ruling dynasties, culturing skills and philosophical disquisitions, festivals and literatures. Its physical development, true to its evolved character, accommodated every known period and style of sculpting and architecture. It is reasonable to state that it was in Srirangam that the culmination and best definition of the draviḍian temple was achieved.

The veḷḷai gōpuram on the east rises on poignant historic memories, while the nān-mukhan (‘chatur-ānanam’) gōpuram on the southern entrance to the temple is enriched with vivid terra-cotta of the temple episodes. Besides the main shrines of SrI ranganātha and of SrI ranganāyakī, individual shrines are dedicated to the āḻvār and the principal āchārya, as well as some Agama-specific deities. The seated garuḍa facing the main shrine is lofty in height, in scale with the reclining mūla-mūrti of SrI ranganātha himself. The cow-pen and granary (‘SrI-bhandāram’) aresituated to the west of garuḍa. The tranquil eye-view of garuḍa directs one to the āryabhaṭa gate, further on to the golden ‘dhvaja-stambham’ (the flag-mast), before reaching what the kaṭhopanishad calls the parama-padam of vishṇu, the ultimate destination in the sanctum where Lord SrI ranganātha waits to communicate through the devotee’s longing eyes. For, this is Srirangam, the ‘peria-kōil’ (Great Temple), more than a mere city, a belonging and a longing, a fulfilment and confluence of all pilgrimages, an ambience of stimulation and consolation.

The shrine of Sri Ramanujacharya

SrI Ramanuja’s mission was accomplished in Srirangam and, in a sense, it was SrI rāmānuja who made what Srirangam grew to be, the foremost centre of organised worship, the principal centre of learning and aesthetic sensibilities and human values. The world outside of the shrīvaishṇava community knows SrI rāmānuja (1017–1137 AD) as an eminent successor of SrI Sankara in the vēdic tradition, one who proposed a pragmatic philosophic modification of SrI shankara’s doctrine of monism with its corollary of phenomenal illusion (‘avidyā’ and ‘māyā’).

SrI rāmānuja was, however, much more than a mere dialectician. He had a natural and abiding faith in the vēda, his dialecics was always informed by pragmatism and enlivened by a deep humanitarianism, he was lovingly devoted to the Tamil scripture of divya-prabandham which represented the peak of human achievement in philosophic profundity, humanistic solace and literary elegance, he was, like gautama-buddha, a charismatic leader of men, a sensitive organiser and administrator, and he ranks among the best-known apostles of truth. His polyvalent personality is best described, in the words of John Dryden applied to Shakespeare, as “the large and comprehensive soul”.

SrI rāmānuja was born in shrīperumpudūr and had his early education in tiru-puṭkuḻi near kāñchīpuram. Dismayed over his teacher’s limited vision, and pedantry, he sought out for better sensibilities elsewhere. His inborn humility combined with his eagerness for knowledge earned for him access to five eminent preceptors in succession:tirukkacchi nambi, peria nambi, peria tirumalai nambi, tirumālai āṇḍān, and tirukkōshtiyūr nambi. He assumed the uttama-ASramam at an early age and became an anchorite (san-nyāsin) and migrated to shrīrangam in pursuit of intellectual and religious career and mobilisation of men in the service of shrīranganātha. Given his multi-faceted scholarship, persuasive ability and liberal outlook on human affairs, he was able to identify and enlist 74 personages (‘simhāsana-adhipati’) to serve as conduits to irrigate the extensive community with divine grace and to cultivate genuine bonhomie (‘loka-hitaishī’). Mudali-ANDAn, his nephew, who headed the convocation of his 74 disciples, and kūrattāḻvān, the scholar-extraordinary, were the mainstay of SrI rāmānuja’s career.

SrI rāmānuja had experienced a deficiency in that he did not have the fortune to meet the great personage yāmunāchārya (alis āḷavandār) during the latter’s life-time. Yamuna had left a message for his vicarious disciple SrI rāmānuja that he should write a commentary on the brahma-sūtra to amplify and clarify the doctrines of the ancient thinkers. This commission took SrI rāmānuja (in the company of kūrattāḻvān) to the shāradā-pīṭham in kāshmīram (now in Pakistan-occupied territory) where he had a happy, if precarious, chance to go through the bodhāyana-vrtti on brahma-sūtra. Returning to shrīrangam, SrI rāmānuja wrote his commentary (famous as the SrI-bhāshyam) on the brahma-sūtra, with the participation of kūrattāḻvān.

The most visible merits of SrI-bhāshyam deserve to be listed. It had a basic fidelity to the vēda, it upheld an organic unity suffusing all the vēdic texts through logical reconciliation (‘samanvaya’) of the seemingly contradictory passages in the vēda (the bhēda-, abhēda-, and nhaṭaka- Sruti), the primary trust in the essential and functional reality of the phenomenal world, rejection of the advocacy of despair, delineation of a positive and humanitarian message of creative freewill (“krta-prayatnā-pēkshas-tu”) and deliverance and, above all, a surpassing semantic clarity and logical integrity.

When sectarian intolerance erupted at home, SrI rāmānuja had to move to the karnāṭaka region, and settled down for full 12 years in mēlkotē (tiru-nārāyaṇa-puram). The local hoyshaḷa king vishṇuvardhana became devoted to him and SrI rāmānuja availed of his support and got mudali-ANDAn to supervise the building of five temples to SrI nārāyaṇa.

SrI rāmānuja’s return to Srirangam was a great home-coming and, under his personal tutelage, the twin children of kūrattāḻvān (named parāshara bhaṭṭā and vēdavyāsa bhatta) flowered into outstanding intellectuals who started the unequalled tradition of philosophic disquisition, vyākhyāna- paramparā, which forms the most precious inheritance, to date, of theṭamil language and community in terms of contemporary information, literary glossary and aesthetic perception.

SrI rāmānuja was the only personage whose remains were interred inside the Great Temple precincts. The mūla image of the āchārya was fashioned over his relics and hence it is known as the Image per se, ‘tām Ana tirumēni’. (This image receives, twice a year, a coat of camphor mixed with saffron, and this special observance had continued for the last eight centuries and a half.) The iconic image at his birth-place, shrīperumpudūr, vividly captures his youthful and handsome appearance and is known as the Image Dear to Devotees, ‘tamar uganda tirumēni’. The one in mēlkōṭē, cast before his return to shrīrangam, reflects his old age and was blessed by himself; it is known as the Image Which Pleased Him, ‘tām uganda tirumēni’.

The Shrine of chakkarattāḻvār (śrī sudarśana)

This shrine is dedicated to Sriman-nārāyaṇa’s weapon, SrI-sudarzanam, the divine discus. sudarzana translates as the One with Auspicious Appearance. The ḷord’s other weapons are the conch, pāñcha-janyam; the sabre, nāndakam; the bow, Sarngam; and the mace, kaumodakī. According to the Tamil Sangham classics, it was the ancient practice to make infants wear a medal with the fivesome vaishṇava weaponry (aym-paḍai-tāli) embossed on it. These very divine weapons are carried, even to-day, on the coins of Nepal. The sudarzana- chakram and the Sankham are popular emblems in Nepal.

The shrīvaishṇava observe a five-fold ritual known as pancha-samskāra, as prescribed in the pāñcharātra-Agamam and padma-purāṇam. This is also referred to in the Tamil scripture, tiruppallāṇdu of periāḻvār. The five observances

are: tāpah (branding the shoulders with chakram and Sankham),

puṇdrah (wearing on the forehead the shrīvaishṇava mark symbolising nārāyaṇa’s lotus feet), nāma (assuming the name rāmānuja-dāsa), mantrah (the sacred eight-syllable formula), and yāgah (the daily worship of the household deity).

The sudarzana shrine in Srirangam was installed by the ascetic kūra-nārāyaṇa jīyar who became the first occupant of the gadi of shrīranga-nārāyaṇa jīyar (the pontiff of Srirangam temple) in 1126 AD [History of the Srirangam Temple: VN Hari Rao]. It was this jīyar who had also visualised and installed the lofty garuḍa facing the main shrine. He was a many-sided personality and successfully averted many a difficult situation that arose in the Great Temple of Srirangam. He was an accomplished māntrik and was devoted to SrI-sudarzana-upāsana and, wherefore, he composed a very beautiful and structured hymn called sudarzana-zatakam.

The sudarzana deity in this shrine is iconised as nārāyaṇa himself, but emphasising the armoury. Devotees, especially when in distress, flock to this shrine for relief and cure by faith. The sudarzana shrine in shrīrangam was the first of its kind and was subsequently replicated in other temples like varadarāja- svāmi in kāñchīpuram, kālamēgha in tirumōhūr near madurai, shrīrangapattanam near Mysore in karnātaka etc.

The shrine of tāyār (śrīranganāyakī)

SrI is the feminine personification of the Grace of the Creator. The sahasranāmam (occurring in mahābhāratam) refers to the Lord as ‘SrI-vatsa-vakshāh’, meaning that SrI dwells in the heart of the (anthropomorphic) deity. The Christian scripture, for instance, affirms that God made man in His own image, and it is acceptable that man could contemplate God in human appearance. Both the shrīsūktam and the vishṇupurāṇam contain the core and definition of the SrI imagery. SrI is the embodiment of all auspicious qualities. These qualities have been extolled by shrīparāshara bhaṭṭa in his ‘stotram’ known as SrI-guṇa-ratna-kōsham. The sahasra-nāmam refers to the Lord both as ‘guṇa-bhrt’ and as ‘nirguṇa’, that is, the One with attributes, and the One transcending attributes. This complementariness is matched by the sacred name shrīman-nārāyaṇa. SrI is worshipped for her principal role of ‘purusha-kāram’, intercession with the Lord to show mercy on erring men. The shrīvaishṇava religion has steered clear of a polytheistic doctrine which stalls by postulating a multiplicity of absolutes or infinities. SrI is therefore not a deity apart from nārāyaṇa; SrI is ‘anapāyinī’, inseparable. SrI is unto nārāyaṇa as the brilliance is to the sun, and this is vouchsafed in Sri-rāmāyaṇam, “ananyā rāghavēṇāham bhāskarēṇa prabhā yathā”.

The shrīvaishṇava know SrI as tāyār, the Mother. shrīranganāyakī has her own exclusive shrine within the precincts of the Great Temple. She extends her grace to the devotees through her own festivals (which follow close on the calendar of shrīranganātha’s festivals), all celebrated within her own shrine. The day of asterism uttara-phalgunī in the month of mīnam is of high emotional value, for it is on this day that the devotees can worship shrīranganāyakī and shrīranganātha seated together in divine union, and it is on this day that SrI rāmānuja recited his ‘gadya-trayam’ litany.

The sacred tree (‘sthala-vrksham’) of shrīranganāyakī is ‘vilvam’ which stands in her shrine, and is of unknown age. shrīranganāyakī is also fondly spoken of as shrīranga-nācchiyār and as tāyār. tāyār appears to us in the classical iconography of holding lotuses (‘padma-hasta’), teaching men to be humble, and gesturing protection.

The grace and beauty of tāyār combine to offer all that a supplicant could seek in his devotional life.

The shrine of śrīranganātha-svāmi

shrīranganātha is worshipped in two forms, the ‘achala-mūrti’ (or,‘mūla’), the stationary; and the ‘chala-mūrti’ (or,‘utsava’), the mobile one. In the mūla-mūrti, the Lord is depicted as two-armed and reclining in yoga-avasthā (cosmic contemplation) on the couch of ananta (Time Infinite). The ananta-nārāyaṇa image, and its imagery, have been popular all over the country ~~ such as at tiruppullāṇi near sētukkarai/rāmeshwaram, tiruvanantapuram, shrīrangam, mahābalipuram, angul in Orissa, deogarh in Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh etc.

The image of shrīranganātha is reckoned among nine ‘svayam-vyakta’ (sui generis, or self-manifested) deities.

The mahā-nārāyaṇopanishad describes the manifestations of nārāyaṇa, the Supreme, as five-fold:

             “ambhas-yapārē bhuvanasya madhyē
                     nākasya prshṭhē mahatō mahīyān
              shukrēṇa jyōtī:mshi samanu-pravishtah
                     prajāpatish-charati garbhē antah.”

In the ‘param’ state, He is transcendentally Supreme (mahatō mahīyān) and spans the high heavens (“nākasya prshṭhē”) in vaikuṇṭham/paramapadam; ‘vyūham’ is the state of diversification as vāsudēva, sankarshaṇa, pradyumna and aniruddha, of which the vāsudēva form as ‘kshīrābdhi-nātha’ (“pālāḻi nī kiḍakkum”, “ambhas-yapārē”) is specially extolled; the ‘vibhavam’ consists of his various incarnations (most significantly the shrīrāma and shrīkrshna avatāram) in the world he created (bhuvanasya madhyē); the ‘archā’ is indicated by the dear luminous images (shukrēṇa jyōtī:mshi) consecrated and worshipped in temples and households, and accessible (vishēshhēṇa grāhyatē vigraham) to the devotees; as ‘antaryāmī’, he is immanent (“charati garbhē antah”) in the hearts of all his creatures.

The vēda refers to him as nārāyaṇa the para-brahma, and this is how he appears in the mūla-mūrti of shrīranganātha. nārāyaṇa also chose to instruct Man (nara) in the badarī-kshētram, in performing penance; hence in the sanctum of shrīranganātha, an image of badarī-nārāyaṇa is installed, issuing the message of the ashṭāksharī-mantram.

The utsava-mūrti, with his spouses shrīdēvī and bhūdēvī, is the lord of glory, the lord of the earth. He is fondly known as azhagia-maṇavāḷan, the charmer bridegroom; during a long period of rapacious invasion of Srirangam (circa 1320 AD), shrīranganātha was removed to different places and finally restored to Srirangam when a difficulty arose in identifying this dear personage as the lord of Srirangam. It was the temple’s washerman who, grown blind and in his last days, sniffed shrīranganatha’s robes and declared, Verily is this our lord! nam Perumāḷ! So was it that the endearment ‘nam-perumāḷ’ got accepted and grew fragrant with every remembrance of him.

namperumāḷ is of surpassing beauty and of unknown antiquity; he, verily like the eternal child krshṇa of brndāvanam, has been the unrivalled darling of our sanctified memories, had animated the entirety of the divya-prabandham hymns, and the subsequent philosophical literature of the āchārya. He, this namperumāḷ, is held to have been the household deity of the ikshvāku lineage of ayōdhyā and the ancestors of shrīrāma. Commentators cite two verses from shrīrāmāyaṇam to this effect:

“saha-patnyā vishālākshyā nārāyaṇam upāgamat.” (‘ayōdhyā’)

“ikshvāku-kula-dhanam labdhvā lankām prāyāt vibhīshaṇah.” (‘yuddha’)

The latter verse identifies vibhīshaṇa (the ‘dharmātmā’) as the beneficiary who received shrīranganātha as a gift from shrīrāma himself and, as the benefactor who installed Him in the sylvan setting of Srirangam island. A sculpture each in the third and the fourth enclosures of the temple testify to this benevolence of vibhīshaṇa āḻvār, as he is referred to in the Srirangam tradition.

The great poet kamban extols this belief, and gōsvāmi tulasīdās addresses a significant prayer to shrīranganatha in the lines,

      “bār-bār bar māngūn, harshi dēhu shrīrang,
       pada-saroj anapāyini, bhagati sadā sat-sang!”

In his fragmentary sequel (entitled sahansar-nāmā) to the Adi-granth sāheb, guru arjun-dēv fervently includes the name of “shrīrang, vaikuṇṭh-kē-vāsi”. In Rajasthan, the rājā of Bundi styled themselves as shrīrangadāsa. The kēshav-rāi pātan temple situated on the northern bank of river Chambal, off Kota in Rajasthan, has a stone tablet of Sanskrit inscription which commences with the invocation, shrīranganāthō jayatu!

shrīranganātha, or namperumāḷ, as the archa manifestation par excellence, has been hymned by one and all of the āḻvār, and by the feminine incarnation of ANDAL. The āḻvār tiruppāṇ of humble origin, as well as ANDAL, are believed to have attained mystic union with shrīranganātha.

Sri-vēnkatēshvara is held to be shrīranganātha’s manifestation in the north of shrīrangam, and shrīshaurirāja (in the temple of tirukkaṇṇapuram) in the east.

The name shrīrangam stands for the seat of glory (‘Sriyah rangam iti’).

shrīranganātha presides over the principal kshētram out of the 108 vaishṇava centres (‘divya-desam’) hymned by the āḻvār. Hence the name ‘peria sannidhi’, the Audience Supreme.

shrīranganātha is not a ‘remote’ deity but one who receives endearments and adorations, as for a child of the household. His day begins with tender ‘vīṇā’ recital, and an elephant and cow presented in the sanctuary as auspicious gesture. He is given a bath (‘tirumañjanam’) in pellucid water brought on elephant-back from the sacred rivers of kāvēri and koḷḷiḍam. His ornaments are invaluable and pleasingly crafted, his victuals marked by a special cuisine cooked in his large kitchen known as ‘aravinda-nāyakiyār peria tiru-maḍai-paḷḷi’.

It is common knowledge that the adoration of this dear Lord of shrīrangam transcended orthodoxies, counting among his devotees a Muslim princess (tulukka-nācchiār) who is enshrined on a panel in the second enclosure, and herself receives regular worship in this citadel of vaishṇava orthodoxy. namperumāḷ himself savours an occasional dish of wheat pancake (‘rōṭi’) spread with butter to acknowledge this connection! The idea of national integration is therefore a way of life with the devotees of shrīranganātha.

In the shrīvaishṇava tradition, shrīranganātha is God Absolute in communication with man, and just to gaze at him fervently (“sadā pashyanti sūrayah”) is fulfilment itself. The Transcendent in proximity of human possibilities, the Deity in person who leads men through life’s mysteries and the duality of distress and delight.

Srirangam

Visravas--ravana.