SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Q and A video responses
Q. Greatness of SrIrangam panguni uthsavam/uthram
Q. In our sampradhAyam why SrIrangam,thirumala,kAnchi,thirunArAyaNapuram considered most important?
Q. Where should one spend the last days of their life?
https://youtu.be/1dV-A3LbIqA?list=PLcJLpGJlP9mq1ujSPoQLn5ayAi6Jl6Www
Q. Apart from visiting dhivya dhESams which other pilgrim places should a SrIvaishNava visit?
https://youtu.be/UbFqnc6OVSo?list=PLcJLpGJlP9mq1ujSPoQLn5ayAi6Jl6Www
Q. Where is bhavishyadhAchArya vigraham which was given by nammAzhwAr to SrIman nAthamunigaL?
https://youtu.be/HSiyvjYKq3g?feature=shared
Q. How to avoid entering into other dhEvathA sannidhIs in some dhivyadhESams?
https://youtu.be/roJfuwj2WGk?feature=shared
Q. Is it possible to see all 106 dhivyadhESams of this world in one life time?
https://youtu.be/0nC366ND4nI?feature=shared
Q. Like nammAzhwAr paramapadha uthsavam, do we celebrate for thirumangai AzhwAr’s also?
https://youtu.be/s6e3AjfHBds?si=iF9_sjO64s2_7zhe
Q. Please explain the story behind perumAL having moustache in thiruvallikkENi dhivya dhESam.
https://youtu.be/uW44WQOb_Fg?si=GtmiZSCqzFMOzz3L
Q. What is the significance of theppOthsavam (boat festival) which happens in dhivyadhESams?
https://youtu.be/sqlzLPUrSgc?si=_dI7cHVkEABPcZns
Q. Surrendering to thirumalA is greater than surrendering to thiruvEndagamudaiyAn. Explain.
https://youtu.be/f82opTu5o-I?si=SBOyv4p72VyvXfM2
Q. Why perumAL is more attached to people who live in dhivya dhESams?
https://youtu.be/7oh5omZ7Ae0?si=Qi5fMaD5yKtQZFqB
Q. Why many of the dhivya dhESams are in Kerala and Tamil nadu only?
https://youtu.be/DsBgOsRBiFA?si=UVqkQ6CeMrjlHq4p
Q. badhrinAth is birth place of thirumanthram. Explain about nara/nArAyaNa rishis.AchArya/Sishya
https://youtu.be/Eavs_d12N2s?si=z8nob-6b30f0ciYF
Q. Kindly explain about of gandhappodi uthsavam during emperumAnAr’s puRappAdu.
https://youtu.be/8Ui-beq2S9Y?si=CLu0P5aprpRPU1Yc
Q. In SrIrangam, what is the reason behind every AzhwAr sannidhi having perumAL inside?
https://youtu.be/cYbX1qU4eQY?si=on46BaOJKgL5hDTR
Q. What is the significance of dhavanOthsavam?
https://youtube.com/shorts/V5GYgdOhbzQ?si=Y-nYO6NLTtQKzsvt
Q and A Text responses
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Q. What is the significance of uRaiyUr kamalavalli thAyAr’s paramapadha vAsal opening in mAsi month?
uthsavams in uRaiyUr dhivyadhESam is organised after the same uthsavam is completed in SrIrangam. Because same kainkaryaparas, adhyApakas come for such uthsavams from SrIrangam to uRaiyUr. No other specific reason.
Q. In SrIvilliputhUr, are both ANdAL and rangamannAr in standing thirukOlam?
Yes.
Q. Is AzhwAr thIrtham and kapila thIrtham same? Where is AzhwAr thIrtham located?
They are located close to each other. They are different though. We can find the location in google maps.
Q. In AzhwArthirunagari temple, why men are segregated from women during sARRumuRai and thIrtha gOsthi and no one can advance to actually take darshan of perumAL till last woman coming takes SatAri?
Not much choice – that is the standard practice. There, SrI SatAri is given only during sARRumuRai, and everyone is eager to get it. In any case, most of these crowded/festive days, too many issues are faced like this by devotees. In fact, we should try to avoid crowded temples during festive days and be in other dhivyadhESams which are quieter and less crowded.
Q. During mArgazhi, why namperumAL is seen with a mesh type of vasthram completely covered?
Not just namperumAL, this kind of cloth is used for decoration, for many dhivyadhESa emperumAns. This is known as “gaas” (there may be other names). Usually, it is used as a shawl to cover him during late night puRappAdu, when the atmosphere is cold.
Q. During what part of the day does the adhyayana uthsavam take place in SrIrangam?
Mostly throughout the day. In pagal paththu, uthsavam starts early in the morning. In rAppaththu, uthsavam starts around noon time.
Q. During adhyayana kAlam, what can we recite for iyal gOshti?
Usually 4000 dhivyaprabandha thaniyans, upadhESam raththina mAlai and thiruvAimozhi nURRandhAdhi are recited.
Q. In temples during nammAzhwAr mOksham, after nammAzhwAr is kept at perumAL’s thiruvadi, the archaka swAmy says “AzhwarE thirumbi tharom”. Why do they say that?
nammAzhwAr ascends to paramapadham. One of the main part of this uthsavam is to enact how nammAzhwAr goes paramapadham. But, if AzhwAr leaves this world, it will be difficult for noble SrIvaishNavas to sustain themselves. Hence we pray to bhagavAn to return AzhwAr to us, to keep him in this world. bhagavAn gives AzhwAr’s divine vigraham for that purpose.
Q. Is there any specific order of dharSan that one should follow in perumAL temple?
Yes – generally, AzhwArs/AchAryas, thAyAr, perumAL in sequence and based on the location in the temple. SrIrangam kramam is shown here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMQQ7omi6Dw.
Q. In thiruvallikEni, during puRappAdu why are the gOshti people throwing their uththariyam? What is the reason?
In the olden days, when something joyful happens, people will throw their uththarIyam (upper garment) up in the air and celebrate. That is being enacted here by the gOshti – this picture is from thiruvallikkENi dhivyadhESam, puRappAdu (procession) for rAmAnujar. This happens during rAmAnujar’s thiruvavathAra uthsavam on chithrai thiruvAdhirai.
Q. What is the thAthparyam behind the yeasal of garuda vAhanam in thiruvallikEni?
Though vaiyALi (oyyAli) is very famous in SrIrangam on horse vAhanam, there are quite a few pAsurams where perumAL having joy-ride on garudAzhwAr is shown – https://divyaprabandham.koyil.org/index.php/2015/07/thiruvaimozhi-1-4-6-arulatha-nir/ and https://divyaprabandham.koyil.org/index.php/2018/08/thiruvaimozhi-7-3-1-vellaich-churiu-sangu/
Q. Is the significance of SrIrangam and other dhivya dhESams sthala puranam present in any of purANAs?
There are separate sthala purANams as well as sections from brahmANda purANam, skandha purANam etc.
Q. Were the uthsavams in SrIrangam present before bhagavath rAmAnujAchArya, or during his time, he arranged them to happen properly?
uthsavams evolved over time. We will be surprised to hear that many changes have happened over time on what uthsavams and how the uthsavams have been celebrated.
Q. In thirumalA, people perform angapradhakshiNam in the morning while the suprabhAtha sEvai occurs. What is the significance of doing angapradhakshiNam?
Some people do prArthanA (pray for result/goal) and do angapradhakshiNam for that goal. But such practices are not for SrIvaishNavas who neither pursue any means other than bhagavAn nor expect any materialistic results.
Q. Is thiru anbil dhivya dhEsam considered at par with gayA for ancestral offerings?
Not heard of such information. No need to worry about these comparisons. for us dhivyadhESams are desirable because AzhwArs have performed mangaLASAsanams. gayA SrAdhdham is something which can be done by whoever possible. In the past, it was not possible for everyone to go. So, it is not compulsory – only optional. If we do our annual thithi/thiruvadhyayanam and other vaidhika nithyakarmas and naimiththika karmas properly, that is sufficient. More time should be spent on kAlakshEpams and kainkaryams matching our svarUpam.
Q. Is it true that in ahObilam narasimhar temple they offer animal sacrifices?
I believe it is pAvana narasimha temple where animal sacrifices happen. Because here, perumAL is treated as the son-in-law of the tribal people who come and offer meat to him.
Q. Why is nammAzhwAr given a sthrI vEsham in the mArgazhi uthsavam in SrI rangam?
Because AzhwAr manifested feminine mood in many pAsurams in his prabandhams, to fulfil his desire, devotees are decorating him in that form.
Q. In SrIrangam is ANdAL dressed like perumAL azhagar? Similar to perumAL has thAyAr thirukOlam?
Yes – in SrIrangam veLi (outside) ANdAL sannidhi, everyday, ANdAL mUlavar is dressed in different thirukkOlam (forms).
Q. Why is ANdAL dressed in different forms of perumAL?
anukAram is an act of enacting someone else’s posture/mood. In thiruppAvai, ANdAL nAchchiyAr enacted the form/mood of gOpikAs. Hence as a leelA, devotees decorate ANdAL as perumAL. This is similar to perumAL being decorated as thAyAr in some occasions.
Q. Where is the ANdAL located where they recreate thiruppAvai and other scenes, in SrIrangam?
In paramapadhanAthan sannidhi – this is near chandhra pushkariNI in SrIrangam temple.
Q. In thirumalA before brahmOthsavam, pushkariNIs is completely made dry and they do repairs? Is it correct? Almost for a month no one are allowed to take bath there.
Such things should not be done. Many pushkariNIs are modified these days to have concrete floor, like a swimming pool. That is not good at all. The natural floor should be maintained for the water to naturally come out from underground and refresh itself regularly.
Q. During thiruvAdipUram uthsavams in SrIvilliputhUr there they have been using nARkAli (chair) as vAhanam. Is there any significance for this?
Not specifically, it is a traditional vAhanam in south dhivyadhESams. Sometimes it is said as “parangi nARkAli”.
Q. What is uriyadi uthsavam?
On the next day of krishNa’s birth, SrI gOkulam erupted in celebration. Playing with oil and coloured water, playing a game where one person will break a pot to get a prize (this is played as uriyadi, dhahi handi etc) were common celebrations.
Q. In thOdhAdhri math, since bhagavAn is protecting daskh yAgam having chakra in his hand, how can rudhra destroy that in presence of bhagavAn? Also, for whom bhagavAn is holding the prayOjana chakram?
leelAs happen in different ways – bhagavAn will allow that to happen as leelA. He holds the chakra always for the sake of protecting the devotees. But what is the correct protection for an AthmA is known by bhagavAn only.
Q. Is it true that a drop of blood from goat is offered to perumAL, in ranganAtha temple?
It is not in ranganAtha temple. It is in thOthAdhri. It is only acting, and no harm is caused for the goat. As part of bhagavAn going for hunting on vijayadhaSami, catching of an animal is enacted in some dhivyadhESams. In some places they bring a goat and other places they bring a rabbit for this enactment. No harm caused to the animal.
Q. Why does bhagavAn go on hunting, which can cause pain to jIvan whereas his nature is contradictory to it?
These are leelAs of bhagavAn. Even if he kills someone, that will be good for that person/animal. They will get better life only.
Q. Is there a specific reason for narasimha bhagavAn not having narasihmar as uthsavar in dhivya dhESams such as thiruvallikEni and thiruvELukkai?
bhagavAn’s divine forms are based on a) his own divine will, b) request of rishis, dhEvas, kings or devotees. In each dhivyadhESam, due to any of these reasons, the uthsavar thirumEni would have arrived.
Q. In temples, why in thAyAr sannidhis thAyAr uthsava mUrthi is seen without perumAL?
As per sthala purANams, in most dhivyadhESams, thAyAr would have arrived separately either before or after. So, that is maintained. Anyway, they are together in heart only.
Q. In thirumalai, why are varAha perumAL and SrInIvAsa perumAL present as they both are the avathAram of SrIman nArAyaNa? Why did varAha perumAL stay there instead of returning after the completion of the avathAram? Is there a reason for the two avathArams to be present in the same dhivyadhESam?
varAha bhagavAn is in archA form only. Now, SrInivAsa bhagavAn also is present in archA form only. In many dhivyadhESams, more than one form of bhagavAn is seen. This is because different devotees may have desired to see bhagavAn in different forms, in the same abode.
Even during vibhavAvathArams, multiple forms of bhagavAn were present at the same time. krishNa, balarAma, vyAsa during mahAbhAratham. paraSurAma, SrI rAma during SrI rAmAyaNam.
Q. It is said that dhAmodhara kuNda near mukthinAtha is the origin of the gandaki river. In other places dhAmodhar kuNda is being claimed as the SAlagrAma dhivyadhESam. Please guide.
Yes – dhAmOdhara kuNda is said to be the origin. The whole region may be considered as mukthinAtha/SAlagrAma kshEthram.
Q. Why isn’t brindhAvan considered as a dhivya dhEsam even though in the last dhaSakam of nAchiyAr thirumozhi, ANdAL has mentioned brindhAvan?
brindhAvanam is the area – thiruvAyppAdi, mathura are the towns – so those two have been identified as dhivyadhESams.
Q. Is pirAtti’s vAhanam garuda or owl?
We do have ALavandhAr’s chathu:SlOki 1st slokam, where it is explained that garuda is vAhana for thAyAr also, just like he is vAhana for perumAL – https://divyaprabandham.koyil.org/index.php/2015/12/chathu-sloki-slokams/
Q. It is considered that SrIrangam is the flagship temple for SrIvaishNavas and it has so many small shrines/sannidhi’s. Can SrIvaishNavas offer worship in all those sannidhis?. For example, beebi nAchiyAr sannidhi, saraswathi dhEvi sannidhi, etc or should we skip certain sannidhis?
We need not go to every sannidhi. Different sannidhis came about during different times. Sometimes, based on the order/pressure from king or some wealthy person, new sannidhis could have been established. It is difficult to trace the exact history of every sannidhi. Better to stick to AzhwArs and AchAryas sannidhi, and sannidhis which are well-known to be part of our sampradhAyam.
Q. Why is padhmAvathi thAyAr in kArthika brahmOthsavam seen in the form of para vAsudhEvan, paramapadhanAthan, yOga narasimha etc during vahana sEva?
This is known as anukAra (enactment). Similar to how in separation from krishNa, gOpikAs played krishNa leelAs as drama, where one gOpikA will act like krishNa and another will act like kALiya, here thAyAr dresses up like perumAL. This mood is explained in thiruppAvai introduction section in detail.
Q. Even though the mUlavar and uthsavar of SrIrangam are of the same deity, why is it said that periya perumAL represents krishNa and namperumAL represents SrI rAmA?
All of these are based on different anubhavams shown by bhagavAn to AzhwArs and AchAryas. When they go through such experience, they document that in their pAsurams/sthOthrams for the benefit of future generations.
Q. A nava mOhana temple in gOkul is listed as dhivya dhESam. But it is said that nandha bhavan is dhivya dhEsam and not nava mOhana temple. Why are temples that are not dhivya dhESa temple considered as such in north?
In the north, the abodes themselves are dhivyadhESams, not any individual temples.
Q. Is there any reason why in the North the place is the dhivya dhEsam and not the individual temple?
Since most of the dhivyadhESams had direct presence of bhagavAn and fully roamed around, every place of the town is dhivyadhESam.
Q. In which particular temple did AzhwArs do the mangaLASAsanam in North specifically mathurA, gOkul and vrindhAvan?
No specific temple – They performed mangaLASAsanam to the dhivyadhESams.
Q. Did periya perumAL express to vibhIshaNa that his wish to stay in SrIrangam? Or did vibhIshaNa accept the request of dharma varma chozhan and leave periya perumAL or did vibhIshaNa accept the rule laid by a little boy who insisted that the deity had to stay in SrIrangam because vibhIshaNa did not return even after three calls from his sandhyAvandhanam on the banks of kAvEri?
There is no little boy involved – it was fictional. Decision to reside in SrIrangam was as per periya perumAL’s divine will – the situations happened due to that.