for the curious

 Saiva Agamas from Vijaya to Vathula come under the Rudra Bheda classification, said R. Narayanan in a discourse. Some of the Rudra Bheda Agamas are Santana, Sarvokta, Parameswara, Kirana and Vathula. The following are the Upa Agamas for these Rudra Bheda Agamas: Lingadhyaksha, Suradhyaksha, Sankara, Amaresvara, Asankhya, Anila and Dvandva for Santana; Sivadharmottara, Vayuprokta, Divyaprokta, Isana and Sarvodgita for Sarvokta; Maatanga, Yakshinipadma, Paarameswara, Pushkara (Paushkara), Suprayoga, Hamsa and Saamanya for Paarameswara; Gaaruda, Nairruta, Neela, Ruksha, Bhanuka, Dhenuka, Kaalakhya, Prabuddha and Buddha for Kirana; Vathula, Vathulottara, Kaalajnana, Prarohita, Sarva, Dharmatmaka, Nitya, Sreshta, Suddha, Mahanana, Visva and Visvaanmaka for Vathula.

Both Siva Bheda Agamas and Rudra Bheda Agamas were large in size. In the Siva Bheda classification Yogaja and Cintya have one lakh verses each; Kaarana has one crore; Amsuman has five lakhs and Suprabheda has three crore verses. Vijaya, Nisvasa, Agneya, Makuta, Vimala, Chandrajnana, Mukhabimba, Prodgita, Lalitha, Siddha, Santana, Sarvokta, Paarameswara, Kirana and Vathula are some of the Agamas in the Rudra Bheda classification.

Vijaya has three crore veres; Nisvasa has one crore; Swayambhuva has one and a half crore, Agneya has thirty thousand, Makuta has one lakh, Vimala has three lakh, Chandrajnana has three crore, Mukhabimba has one lakh, Prodgita has three lakh, Lalitha has eight thousand, Siddha has one and a half crore; Santana has six thousand, Sarvokta has two lakh, Paarameswara has twelve lakh, Kirana has five crore and Vathula has one lakh verses.In course of time, scholars condensed the vast Agamic literature and of that shortened version, only a small fraction is now available.

hierarchy

 Sage Vasistha’s son was Sakti, whose son was Parasara. Parasara was the author of the Vishnu Purana. His son was Badarayana, also known as Veda Vyasa, and Vyasa’s son was Suka. Just as Vyasa gave us the Mahabharata, his son Suka gave us the Bhagavata Purana. It emerged as his narration to Parikshit, who was awaiting death. Given but a few days to live, Parikshit decided to spend the little time left to him, in listening to Krishna’s deeds. Suka’s narration to Parikshit, of the story of Krishna, is called Bhagavata Purana. Srimad Bhagavatam can be considered a continuation of the Vishnu Purana. So, Suka, the grandson of sage Parasara, continued what his grandfather had begun. Since it is Lord Krishna who plays the major role in all the happenings in the Mahabharata and since Srimad Bhagavatam is also about His exploits, Suka may also be said to have continued his father Vyasa’s work.

Parikshit was the son of Abhimanyu and the grandson of Arjuna. So, the Vyasa-Pandava family connections continued in Suka’s time also, said Velukkudi Krishnan, in a discourse. Vishnu dharma was told by sage Saunaka to King Sataneeka. Saunaka was a student of Suta Pauranika. Suta Pauranika was the son of sage Romaharshana. Romaharshana was a disciple of Vyasa. So, the sage who advised King Sataneeka also had a Vyasa connection. As for king Sataneeka, he was the son of Janamejaya and the grandson of Parikshit. So here again we find the Vyasa-Pandava association continuing. Rishis were advisers to kings of yore, because the sages were learned men, who could guide kings in not just matters of religion and belief, but also in administration. They were also well versed in grammar, medicine, gandharva sastra, dharma sastra and many other s of learning.

different trees.

 The Mahabharata is likened to a tree, and the different parvas are like different parts of a tree, elaborated Kidambi Narayanan in a discourse. Thus the Sambhava parva is the base of the tree; Sabha parva is where birds nest; small branches are Aranya parva; Virata and Udyoga parvas constitute the sap of the tree; Bhishma parva is like the big branches; Drona parva is like the leaves; Karna parva is like white flowers on a tree; Shalya parva is the fragrance of flowers; Sthree parva is the shade given by a tree; Shanti parva is like the fruits of a tree; Ashvamedha parva is the juice of the fruits; Ashramavasika parva sustains in the way a tree sustains birds.

While trees protect birds, the latter too protect trees. If many birds have made their home in a tree, then a woodcutter will hesitate to cut the tree. Birds also disperse seeds of the tree and thus help in propagation. Those who want to read the Mahabharata are like these birds. It is because of such people, that the Mahabharata continues to be popular and widely read. The Mahabharata is the life force that nourishes people. All these attributes of the Mahabharata are ones listed by Brahma to Vyasa, who in turn told his son about the tree comparison. Vaisampayana, the disciple of Vyasa, communicated this to King Janamejaya, and it was at this time that the Suta Pauranika heard it.

The Kauravas too are like a tree — Duryodhana being the tree, Karna the base of the tree, Sakuni the branches; Dushasana being like the flowers and fruits and Dritharashtra being the root. The Pandavas too are like a tree. Yudhishtira is the tree, of which Arjuna is the base; Bhima is the branch; Nakula and Sahadeva are the flowers and fruits. The roots are Lord Krishna and the Vedas.

Fashion statement our lord.

 Thirunagai Azhagiyar Sri Soundararaja Perumal Thiruvadi Sevai.

A M P

 The advent of Goddess Padmavathi Devi, the consort of Lord Venkateswara, is narrated in many puranas. According to a legend, there was once a pious Brahmin called Pundarika. Though he performed all the duties prescribed in the shastras, he did not have a son. Finally at the age of 50, he got a son whom he named Madhava. He brought up the child carefully making him proficient in all branches of learning and got him married to a devout lady. After some time, Madhava deviated from the righteous path and followed another woman. After her death he wandered like a mad man. One day he followed a group of pilgrims going to Tirumala. When he bathed in the holy Sudarshana Lake and climbed the hills his sins were washed off. There he heard a voice from the sky, which asked him to bathe in the Swamy Pushkarini and seek the blessings of Lord Varaha Swamy. Later he was born to King Mitravarman of Thondamandalam and was named Akasharaja.

Akasharaja grew up to be a handsome and wise prince. He married Dharanidevi. The royal couple was sad because they had no children. On the advice of priest, Akasharaja decided to perform a yagna. When the sacrificial ground was ploughed, the couple found a lovely girl in a thousand petal lotus. A divine voice urged the king to bring up the child with love and care. The child was named Padamavathi as she was found in a lotus (Padma). When Padmavathi grew up, Lord Venkateshwara came in search of her. The celestial marriage of Lord Srinivasa and Goddess Padmavathi took place on a grand note.

The temple was constructed in the time of Tondaman Chakravarthi, who happens to be the elder brother of Goddess Padmavathi.

Another popular story which is prominently heard is that of Sage Bhrigu, who hit Lord Mahavishnu on His Chest which happens to be the residing place of His consort Goddess Maha Lakshmi. Angered with this gesture, Goddess left Vaikuntham and reached Patalalokahere is a small story behind this temple.In Vykuntam,a maharshi called Brugu has beaten the Lord`s heart with his feet. In return,Lord offered many services instead of getting anger. This  angred  Padmavathi and she went to Patalokam, where she heard a divine voice stating that a ‘Pushkarini’ was dug on the banks of the river ‘Swarnamukhi’. Goddess Maha Lakshmi immersed herself in penance for 12 years. In the 13th year she emerged as Sri Padmavati from a golden lotus located at the centre of pushkarini on the auspicious Panchami Day in the holy month of Karthika with the advent of Uttarashadha Nakshatra.

Goddess Padmavathi is the divine consort of Lord Shrinivasa, who is also known by many other names such as Venkateswara, Venkatachalapathy and Balaji. Padmavathi is none other than, an incarnation of goddesses Lakshmi and her consort Shrinivasa, is Vishnu . While Shrinivasa is enshrined in a grand temple atop the Tirumala hills, in Tirupathi, the temple dedicated exclusively to Goddess Padmavathi is there in Thiruchanur, not very far from Tirupathi. Padmavathi or Padmavathi Thayar is also called by the name Alamelu Mangai or Alamelu Mangai Thayar.

Significance of Goddess Padmavathi

‘Padma’ refers to lotus flower and ‘Vathi’ means resemblance. Padmavathi thus denotes the one, who resembles the lotus in her beauty. Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and fortune, and is also known as ‘Shri’, the embodiment of auspiciousness and prosperity. Padmavathi, as Lakshmi’s incarnation, has taken as her principal abode, the very heart of the Lord himself and this is the reason, the Lord himself has got the name Shrinivasa – Shri Nivasa – that is, the Nivasa, the place of residence of Shri, Goddess Padmavathi.

The divine couple once decided to descend on Earth for the good of the world and enacted a drama for this purpose. Sage Bhrigu, who visited their place of stay Vaikunta, then, got irritated over a petty issue and in a fit of rage, touched the Lord Vishnu’s chest with his foot. While the Lord himself took this on his stride,Lakshmi, who was residing in his heart, felt seriously offended by this grave disrespect shown to her. Aggrieved, she left her consort and the heavens and came down to earth. Unable to bear the separation of his dear spouse, Lord Vishnu descended on the Venkatadhri hills in Tirupathi region as Shrinivasa and started doing penance there.

When Akasha, the childless king of the area near the Tirupathi hills performed a ritual for getting a child, a lotus in full bloom emerged out of the earth, holding in it, a baby girl, shining in golden colour. Supremely pleased with the divine gift, the king named the lotus-born baby, as Padmavathi. And she was none other than Goddess Lakshmi herself. In due course, the girl grew into a remarkably beautiful maiden and her parents started looking for a suitable groom for her marriage.

However, princess Padmavathi, who ventured into the hilly forests one day, happened to meet Shrinivasa and the divine couple who had only a brief separation, fell promptly in deep love with each other. Though initially unwilling to marry his daughter to an unknown forest-dweller, the king relented later due to the divine will, and Lord Shrinivasa and Goddess Padmavathi got united in a marital bond, in the presence of all the Gods and other celestial beings, in a grand marriage ceremony.

While Shrinivasa took his abode on top of the seven hills, known commonly as Tirumala hills, as Lord Venkateswara, his consort began residing in her own temple in a nearby place called Alamelumanga Puram (Tiruchanur), named after her name, Alamelu Mangai.

Goddess Padmavathi worship

Goddess Padmavathi is seated majestically holding lotuses in her two upper hands, while her lower ones are in the protective Abhaya mudra and the boon-giving Varada mudra postures.

People in very large number visit the temple of Goddess Padmavathi right through the year, perform various rituals for propitiating her and offer sincere worship. The annual festival of Brahmotsavam is also celebrated with great enthusiasm in the month of Karthigai (November-December), when the processional deity of the Goddess is taken around the temple in various mounts amidst the prayers of thousands of people. The divine marriage of Lord Shrinivasa and Goddess Padmavathi is also celebrated daily in the temple, with all the rituals. A famous temple of Padmavathi Devi is also there in Hobuja, in the state of Karnataka. Devotees believe that the grace of the Goddess can protect them from various problems and bless them will all the goodness in life!

lords residence

 Azhwar's hymns are known as 'Arulicheyal,' meaning hymns directly inspired by God's grace. All of them acknowledge that they are the medium through which God sings His own glories. His Supremacy is limitless and beyond human grasp. He is all-pervading and His omniscience and omnipotence are incomparable. All these are captured as personal experiences in their hymns. They can see His presence as the inner soul and total ruler of the entire creation. This jagat, His manifestation comprising the sentient and non-sentient, forms His body. They show that God has chosen to live in the archa form in the Divya Desams so that he can grace His devotees and help them get out of samsara, pointed out Sri A. K. Sundarrajan in a discourse.

We can easily offer worship to the deity in temples and thereby cultivate bhakti towards Him by His grace. More special to the devotee is His Antaryami form, His choice to dwell in the hearts of His sincere devotees. This strengthens the bond between the Lord and the bhakta. Pey Azhwar asserts that the same God who resides in the Vedas also chooses to dwell in the hearts of those jnanis who are self controlled and are steeped in God alone. He entreats us to pray to God to enter our hearts for only with His help we can gain control over the senses that are our real enemy.

In a hymn, Azhwar conveys the qualities of exceptional God love through the eyes of a mother who is unable to console her daughter who is deeply in love with the Lord at Parkadal. The daughter says she would visit only Tiruvengadam, and bathe only in the divine waters of Parkadal. She refuses flowers and prefers only Tulsi leaves for adorning her tresses. It is clear that the Lord is present in her entire self, her thought, word and deed.

Paradox.