Thiru SrI vara mangai divya dEsam (nAngunEri)

SrI nammAzhwAr refers to this Divya dEsam as SrI vara mangala nagar. This is one of the 8 swayam vyaktha kshEthrams (where the idol of the Lord appeared by itself). This divya dEsam is also referred to as “vAnamAmalai” and “thOthAdri kshEthram”.

Click here for more photos of this Divya dEsam. 

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Location and Access:

This divya dEsam is located about 25 km from TirunelvEli in south Tamil nAdu, on the way to nAgarkoil from TirunelvEli. A visit to this Divya dEsam may be combined with nearby Divya dEsams like Tirukkurungudi and the AzhwAr nava thirupathi-s near TirunelvEli. This divya dEsam is the headquarters of the vAnamAmalai Mutt. The pontiff of this Mutt is part of a direct lineage of AchAryAs that was established by Sri MaNavALa mAmunigaL.

nAngunEri by itself is a very small town with not much by way of lodging facilities. Pilgrims may, however stay at the vAnamAmalai mutt after making arrangements in advance. TirunelvEli, is a big town with ample lodging facilities. Buses and auto-rickshaws are available from TirunelvEli to nAngunEri.

As the name nAngunEri indicates, this place is home to a huge lake (Eri in Tamil). It is possible that, once upon a time, there were four lakes in this area (nangu = four in Tamil).

The Temple:

The temple is a fairly big one, and a leisurely walk through the temple covering all sannidhis will take about 1-2 hours. Personally, I feel you can spend half a day at this temple  exploring the rich architecture and the numerous sannidhis.

The front of the temple is crowned with a 9-tiered rAja gOpuram, with a pandal mandapam in front of it. The temple corridors (prakArAs) are liberally adorned with beautiful sculptures. In one corner of the temple is a stone tank about 25 ft by 15 ft. This tank is used to store the oil with which abhishEkam for Sri PerumAL is done. This oil is believed to have wonderful curative properties.

The main sanctum sanctorum of the temple has Sri Perumal seated under the hood of Adi sEshan, flanked by Sri dEvi and bhU dEvi. The main deity (mUlavar) is goes by the name of thOthAdrinAthan, from which the Divya dEsam derives the name thOthAdri. The celestial damsels Urvasi and tilOttamA are seen fanning the Lord from either side. The uthsavar is Sri DeivanAyakan. The thAyAr here is SrI vara mangai thAyAr, from whom the divya dEsam derives its official name.

There are separate sannidhis for two thAyArs. There are also separate sannidhis for SrI Rama-sIta-Lakshmana, SrI chakrathAzhwAr, SrI lakshmi varAhar and SrI vishvaksEnar.

Legends and History:

- This temple has been glorified by SrI nammAzhwAr. There is no separate idol of nammAzhwAr anywhere in the temple, since the satAri of SrI perumAL has an image of nammAzhwAr engraved on it.

- Legend has it that the sages - SrI mArkandEya and SrI bhrigu, in addition to Brahma and indrA were blessed by the Lord at this divya dEsam.

- The king of Sindh was cursed by SrI kushAsana rishi and attained the form of a dog. Legend has it that he was relieved of the curse by bathing in the temple tank here.

- The pontiff of the vAnamAmalai mutt here belongs to a lineage of AchAryAs that was established by SrI maNavALa mAmuni. Once a year, the pontiff wears a ring that was once worn by the latter.

- According to this sthala purANam, when Lord SrI Vishnu killed the demons madhu and kaitabhA, Mother Earth got polluted, and sought purification from the Lord by worshipping Him here. She was blessed by Him and attained purification. Mother Earth also came to be known as mEdinI thenceforth.

AzhwAr mangaLAsAsanams:

nammAzhwAr 3183-93

[Note: The numbering convention for the pAsurams seems to differ in various Divya Prabandham books. In some Divya Prabandham books, the same pAsurams by nammAzhwAr are found between numbers 2590-2600]

A sample pAsuram:

நோற்ற  நோன்பிலேன் நுண்ணறி விலேன்  

ஆகிலும் இனி யுன்னைவிட்டு ஒன்றும்

ஆற்றகிற் கின்றிலேன் அரவினணை யம்மானே

சேற்றுத் தாமரை செந்நெ லூடுமலர் சிரீவரமங்கல நகர்

வீற்றிருந்த எந்தாய்! உனக்கு மிகையல்லேன் அங்கே

In this pAsuram, SrI nammAzhwAr calls out to the Lord as - O Lord reclining on the serpent! O Lord, O my mother, who is seated in SrI vara mangala nagar (replete with lotus ponds and paddy fields) ! AzhwAr  humbly concedes to the Lord that he has not done any penance, and that he is of meagre intelligence. Yet, he cannot bear separation from Him.

External references:

http://indiancolumbus.blogspot.com/2012/05/nanguneri-thothadrinathar-temple.html

 SrI vara mangai thAyAr samEtha SrI thOthAdrinAthan thiruvadigaLae saraNam

ThiruvanjikkaLam (avathAra sthalam of Sri kulasEkara AzhwAr)

ThiruvanjikkaLam is the birthplace of Sri kulasEkara AzhwAr. There is a small, beautiful temple here (not a divya dEsam). Sri vElukkudi Krishnan has done a lot of work towards the development and upkeep of this temple.

A video of this Divya Desam including theerthavAri for SrI kulasEkara AzhwAr:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GcJc6q9FYM

History of Sri kulasEkara AzhwAr:

Sri KulasEkara AzhwAr was a very powerful monarch in his time. Unlike many other saint-kings, he was not a weakling. In fact, he was the founder of the Later Chera Dynasty. He was also known as Kulasekara varman and rAmarAjasEkaran. He ruled between 800-820 AD. His daughter iLai was also a staunch devotee of the Lord. Like SrI ANDAL, iLai merged with Lord Sri Ranganatha at SriRangam. She is celebrated as ChErakulavaLLi thAyAr. Once a year, the sErthi sEvai of this ThAyAr with Sri namperumAL (uthsavar at SriRangam) is celebrated.

Click here for information on the regnal history of Sri kulasEkara AzhwAr and the Later ChEra dynasty.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kulasekhara_dynasty_(Second_Cheras)

Sri kulasEkara spent his final years in the town of mannAr koil in Tamil nadu.

Sri kulasEkara AzhwAr’s pAsurams:

In the 4000 verses that constitute the Divya Prabandham, the pAsurams of Sri kulasEkara AzhwAr stand out for their sweetness – like the icing on a cake. In fact, his pAsurams are hailed as perumAL thirumozhi (Word of God). As a poet, Sri kulasEkara AzhwAr is outstanding; as a devotee, he has no parallel. Some of the similes and analogies that he employs are peerless. Here is a sample pAsuram:

வெண்கண்திண் களிறடர்த்தாய்! விற்றுவக்கோட்டம்மானே!

என்கு போய் உய்கேன் ? உன் இணையடியே யடையலல்லால்

என்கும்போய்க் கரைகாணா தெரிகடல்வாய் மீண்டேயும்

வங்கத்தின் கூம்பேறும் மாப்பறவை போன்றேனே

In this pAsuram, AzhwAr says he has no refuge other than the Lord's feet. To illustrate this, AzhwAr employs a fantastic simile. A ship loaded with foodgrains was anchored in a harbour. A bird used to pass its time eating the grains from the ship. In course of time, the ship set sail. The bird, without realizing that the ship was sailing, continued to pass its time feeding on the grains. Gradually, the ship reached mid-sea. One day, the bird got bored and decided to leave the ship. So it flew off. But alas! Land was nowhere in sight. The bird had no choice but to return to the ship. The next day the bird tried to fly in search of land in a different direction. Again, finding no land, the bird had to return to the ship. In the same manner, AzhwAr says, even he were to try to find some other refuge, he would ultimately have to return to the feet of the Lord.

Sri kulasEkara AzhwAr’s devotion:

There are a couple of events that bear testimony to the depth of Sri kulasEkara AzhwAr’s devotion.

Once, AzhwAr was listening to a discourse on the rAmayaNa. When the narration came to the point where rAmA sets off with the vAnarA army to rescue sIta from rAvanA, Sri kulasEkara immediately ordered to his generals to get his army to rush to rAmA’s support. Such was his involvement with the Lord. It was only after the narrator explained that rAmA had already killed rAvaNa and re-united with sIta that AzhwAr was pacified.

On another occasion, the ministers of Sri kulasEkara AzhwAr were concerned that the king was neglecting his royal administrative duties in favour of his spiritual activites. They wanted to wean the king away from his spiritual pursuits. To this end, they decided on a stratagem to alienate the king from Sri Vaishnava devotees, with whom he was spending a lot of his time. The ministers hid one of the royal jewels and imputed the “theft” to the Sri Vaishnavas. However, their conspiracy backfired in a spec tacular fashion. AzhwAr was completely convinced of the innocence of the Sri Vaishnavas. To prove his point, he inserted his hand into a vessel filled with venomous snakes, saying, “If it is indeed true that the Sri Vaishnavas are blemishless, may the snakes refrain from biting me.” Needless to say, the AzhwAr emerged unscathed from the ordeal, and the innocence of the Sri Vaishnavas was established.

SrI kulasEkara AzhwAr thiruvadigaLae saraNam

ThirumOkUr Divya Desam

A very beautiful and compact Divya Desam located near the city of Madurai in Tamilnadu, ThirumOkUr is famous for its ChakrathAzhwAr sannidhi. In fact, this is one Divya Desam where Sri Sudarsana AzhwAr is more famous than PerumAL himself.

Location and Access:

ThirumOkUr is located 12 km from Madurai city. There are plenty of buses from Madurai. There are two other Divya Desams within/close to Madurai city – ThirumAlirumchOlai (kaLLazhagar koil) and ThirukkUdal (kUdal azhagar sannidhi). ThirumOkUr itself is not a big town. The best option would be to stay in Madurai. Madurai has an airport (code IXM) which is connected to Chennai and Hyderabad in South India.

The Temple:

The ThirumOkUr temple is not very big and all sannidhis can be covered comfortably in under an hour. Outside the temple, there is a beautiful lotus filled temple tank (pushkariNi) which is known as the ksheerAbdhi thIrtham. As we enter the temple, there is a stone mandapam with the dhwaja sthambam. On the right, there is a beautiful sannidhi for Ranganatha. There is also a separate sannidhi for the thAyAr – Sri mOhanavaLLi (aka mokUr vaLLi). There are no uthsavams (festivities) for the thAyAr, since it is believed that Sri PerumAL incarnated in a feminine form as Mohini. The thAyAr is a "padi thAndA pathini" i.e. she does not leave the precincts of the sannidhi. Once a year, on panguni uthiram day, Sri PerumAL visits thAyAr sannidhi.

The main perumAL sannidhi has the mUlavar Sri kALamEgha perumAL in standing posture. The utsavar goes by the name of ThirumOkUr Apthan (Apthan literally means “friend”) and has five weapons. The uthsavar is flanked by two thAyArs who are seated.

There is a separate sannidhi for Sri ChakrathAzhwAr with a mUlavar and uthsavar. This sannidhi is very famous and the uthsavar here is of resplendent beauty and majesty – as befits the principal weapon of the Lord.

  

Legends and History:

According to Wikipedia, the temple is more than 2000 years old and has been referred to in akanaṉūṟu, Padhitrupathu, maduraikanchi and also in one of the five great epics of Tamil literature, silappatikaram. Legend has it that, when the devAs and asurAs were churning the milky ocean, a drop of amrutam dropped into this temple tank.

AzhwAr mangaLAsAsanams:

Tirumangai AzhwAr 2673 (74)

nammAzhwAr 3667-77

[Note: The numbering convention for the pAsurams seems to differ in various Divya Prabandham books. In some Divya Prabandham books, the pAsurams by nammAzhwAr are found between numbers 3074-84]

A sample pAsuram:

மற்றிலம் அரண் வான்பெரும் பாழ் தனி முதலா
சுற்றும் நீர்படைத் ததன்வழித் தொல்முனி முதலா
முற்றும் தேவரோ டுலகுசெய் வாந்திரு மோகூர்
சுற்றி நாம்வலஞ் செய்ய நம் துயர்கெடும் கடிதே

In this pAsuram, nammAzhwAr, avers that if we circumambulate around the temple of ThirumOkUr, all our sorrows will be eliminated.

External references:

http://anudinam.org/2011/11/30/thirumogur-kaalamegha-perumal-divya-desam/

Sri mOhanavaLLi thAyAr samEtha Sri kALamEgha perumAL thiruvadigaLE saraNam

The Raja gOpuram at Sri Rangam

[Images from www.srirangaminfo.com. The completed gopuram, above and the unfinished gopuram from an old picture, below]

Click here for a couple of wonderful Youtube videos [courtesy of Sri vAsudEvan] of the samprOkshanam of the rAjagOpuram in 1987. Sri mukkUr Azhagiya singar is seen in the second video.

Video part 1: Click here
Video part 2: Click here

The glories of the temple of Sri Ranganatha at SriRangam are endless. It would be apt to describe this temple (town) as the global headquarters of Sri SampradAyA. It is impossible to fathom the antiquity of the of idol of Sri Ranganatha and the PraNavAkAra vimAnam, which are supposedly from Brahma lOkam. SriRangam is the only Divya Desam that has been glorified by all eleven of the twelve AzhwArs (the remaining AzhwAr – Sri Madhurakavi – has only sung about his guru Sri nammAzhwAr – and not about any Divya Desam). In total , AzhwArs have showered 247 pAsurams on this super-sacred shrine. Part of the temple was built under the supervision of no less than Sri Tirumangai AzhwAr himself. Among other notable attributes, the temple includes a hall of one thousand stone pillars. Easily the biggest temple complex in India, the temple encompasses a whole town. Several Sri Vaishnava AcharyAs including Sri Ramanuja and Sri Desika have spent several decades of their lives in this Divya Desam. We could go on and on about the glories of this Divya Desam, but instead it is easier to quote Swami Desikan's verse from the AdhikAra sangraham (verse #42):

ஆராத அருளமுதம் பொதிந்த கோயில்
அம்புயத்தோன் அயொத்தி மன்னர்க்கு அளித்த கோயில்
தோலாத தனிவீரன் தொழுத கோயில்
துணையான வீடணற்க்கு துணையாம் கோயில்
சேராத பயனெல்லாம் சேர்க்கும் கோயில்
செழு மறையின் முதலெழுத்து சேர்ந்த கோயில்
தீராத வினையனைத்தும் தீர்க்குங்கோயில்
திருவரங்கம் எனத்திகழும் கோயில் தானே

To paraphrase this verse, the temple at SriRangam has the following attributes:
-It is filled with the uncloyingly sweet grace of the Lord
-It was gifted to the Emperors of AyodhyA by Brahma
-It was worshipped by that invincible warrior (Rama)
-It offers protection to Vibeeshana
-It can help attain even the most unattainable of blessings
-It is the embodiment of the primordial sound (praNavam) of the vEdAs
-It is capable of eliminating the vilest of sins

For a long time, this Divya Desam had a rather strange and glaringly obvious shortcoming. The main gopuram (temple tower) crowning the outermost wall of the temple was a mottai (unfinished) gopuram . It was extremely bizarre and also inappropriate that the grandest and holiest of shrines should have an awkward unfinished tower. The construction of the tower had been started during the reign of the King Achyuta Deva RayA over 400 years back. Over the centuries, many emperors and men of power and influence had contributed handsomely to the maintenance and upkeep of the temple. However, for whatever reason, none of them had the inclination to complete the project. Perhaps, they were turned off by the sheer enormity of the endeavour. The tower’s base was huge, and whoever had conceived the design obviously had dreamt of a tower of epic proportions. Constructing a tower to match the mammoth base was no ordinary task. And so the tower remained incomplete – an unfulfilled tribute by mankind to the Lord of the Gods. Pilgrims could only sigh at the incomplete structure and wonder how grand it might have been if only someone had had the resourcefulness to finish it.

The sight of the mottai gopuram was a major eyesore for the head of the Ahobila Mutt – His Holiness the 44th Pontiff Sri Mukkur Azhagiya Singar. To him, it was simply unacceptable that the Supreme power in the Universe enshrined at SriRangam and venerated by the AzhwArs should have a flawed temple tower. And unlike those before him, he decided to do something about it instead of merely sighing wistfully. Yes, he would take upon himself the task that had daunted kings and emperors. He would complete the Rajagopuram of Srirangam.

When His Holiness told others of his intent, there was probably incredulity mixed with amusement in the minds of the listeners. After all, the Swami himself was approaching 90 years of age. The hurdles that lay in the way were humongous. There were political problems (the Ahobila Mutt did not have direct control over the temple), religious issues, architectural challenges and above all, financial constraints. How would the money for this gargantuan undertaking be obtained ? At that time, the Ahobila Mutt itself was not exactly a very prosperous institution. Money for even the day-to-day upkeep of the Mutt was hard to come by. Who would finance this project ? And even if someone did, would they trust a 90-year-old person at the helm of affairs ? It is impossible for a 90-year old to convince a bank to advance a loan for constructing an ordinary house. Who would trust a nonagenarian with a vision of completing a project that had been beyond the dreams of megalomaniacs for centuries ?

It was perfectly reasonable to dismiss the project as a doomed one. However, the naysayers had not factored in the ironclad willpower of Sri Mukkur Azhagiya Singar. When Swami decided to do something, it would be done, and that was it. After all, he derived his directions not from the blinkered vision of mankind, but from the Supreme Force that controls the universe. He knew (as only he could) that the temple tower would be completed.

And so the project started. And much to the astonishment of the doubters, it took a (literally) concrete form. Money started pouring in from all quarters. Displaying project management skills that would put a Harvard management graduate to shame, Sri Mukkur Azhagiya Singar transformed the mottai gopuram into a complete, handsome edifice. Often he would himself go atop the structure using crude makeshift elevators to personally supervise the construction, at an age when most people need help to get seated on a chair (if they make it to that age in the first place!). Confounding his critics and making his admirers marvel, Sri Azhagiya Singar completed the gopuram and personally supervised its inauguration. Not only that, he also went on to complete a hundred years of age and passed away after seamlessly transitioning his duties to the next pontiff.

The Raja gopuram at SriRangam stands today, tall and resplendent, invoking awe in the minds of all and reminding everyone of the Holy Willpower of Sri Mukkur Azhagiya Singar.

Thiru thaNkA Divya Desam (thUppul)

Popularly known as Thooppul, Thiru thanka is one of the 15 Divya Desams in and around Kanchipuram. This Divya Desam was the hallowed birthplace of the great Sri Vaishnava AchArya, Swami Vedantha Desikar (1268-1369 AD).

[Click here for a video clip from this Divya Desam]

The first picture above shows Swami Desikan at thUppul and the second shows the utsavar at this Divya Desam.

[Photos & video courtesy of Sri Periyamarai Setlur Srikanth]

Location and Access:

Thoopul is located in the temple town of Kanchipuram, which is approximately 70 kilometres from the South Indian metropolis of Chennai. Kanchipuram is a bustling town with plenty of options for stay and food. Covering all 15 Divya Desams in Kanchipuram can take between 1-3 days.

The Temple:

The temple campus is not very big, and all sannidhis can be covered easily in about 30 minutes. Immediately near the temple is a separate sannidhi for Swami Desikan. Also, this sannidhi houses the idol of Sri Lakshmi HayagrIvar that was worshipped by Swami Desikan himself in his lifetime.

The mUlavar in this temple has a very unique and auspicious name – Sri Deepa PrakAsar [viLakkoLi perumAL in Tamil]. The mUlavar is in a standing posture facing west. The thAyAr here is Sri MaragathavaLLi. There are also sannidhis for Lakshmi HayagrIva, ANDAL, and the AzhwArs. The walls of the temple have paintings describing events in the life of Swami Desikan.

Legends and History:

According to legend, asurAs (dark forces) tried to render the world dark in order to hinder a yagna conducted by Lord Brahma. To facilitate the conduct of the yagna, Lord Sri Vishnu himself manifested as bright light. This explains the name Deepa PrakAsar.

AzhwAr mangaLAsAsanams:

Tirumangai AzhwAr 1849, 2065
(pAsuram numbers as found in any standard Divya prabandham book)

A sample pAsuram:

பொன்னை, மாமணியை அணி ஆர்ந்தது ஓர்
மின்னை வேங்கடத்து உச்சியில் கன்டு போய்
என்னை ஆளுடை ஈசனை, எம் பிரான்
தன்னை யாம் சென்று காண்டும் தண்காவிலே

This pAsuram is part of a decad in which Tirumangai AzhwAr references many Divya Desams.

AzhwAr describes perumAL as his gold, his precious gem, his lovely streak of lightning, his Lord and Master. AzhwAr says – we have had the darshan of the Lord at the summit of TirumalA. Now let’s go and behold him at ThankA.

Sri MaragathavaLLi thAyAr samEtha Sri viLakkoLi perumAL thiruvadigaLAe saraNam
Sri vEdAntha dEsikar thiruvadigaLAe saraNam

Thiru sALagrAmam Divya Desam (Sri Mukthinath in Nepal)

This is the only Divya Desam outside India. Tucked away in the midst of the mighty peaks of the HimalayAs in Nepal, this Divya Desam is the hardest to access, but the beauty surrounding it makes it worth the effort. Also, this the Divya Desam associated with the sacred Saligramam stones that are considered a manifestation of Lord Sri Vishnu and which are worshipped everyday in many Sri Vaishnava households all over the world.

Location and Access:

[Click here for a description of our trip to Mukthinath]

Mukthinath is a small mountain village nestled in the Himalayas near the settlement of Jomsom in Nepal. Mukthinath is located at an altitude of 3800 m above sea level.

Pilgrims who are travelling from outside Nepal need to first reach Katmandu, the capital of Nepal. Katmandu has a fairly big international airport and is well-connected from several major cities in the world. From there, visitors need to take a flight to the town of Pokhara. The journey from Katmandu to Pokhara can also be made by land. By flight it is about 30 minutes, and by land it is about six hours.

From Pokhara, pilgrims have to travel to the settlement of Jomsom (2800 m above sea level). This journey is best made by flight, although snowfall can sometimes cause flight cancellations. In case of flight cancellations, pilgrims can travel by land – this can take about 12 hours through tricky mountain paths.

From Jomsom, Mukthinath can be reached by land. The uphill journey takes about 1.5 hours by car/jeep and takes us along the River Gandaki . Alternately, this journey can be made by pony or by foot. By foot, it can take several hours and can be very tedious.

Mukthinath is a small mountain village and there are small lodges (no heating of rooms). Pilgrims should not expect the comfort of a proper hotel. From these lodges, the Mukthinath temple is about 15-30 minutes by walk uphill. There are also motorbike services that can take pilgrims from the lodges to the temple.

There is also a helicopter service that takes pilgrims directly from Pokhara to Mukthinath. However, this service can often get cancelled due to adverse weather and non-availability of aircraft.

Pilgrims who travel to Mukthinath should be mentally and physically prepared for very cold weather (up to even -10 degrees C) and the possibility of mountain sickness caused by reduced availability of oxygen at higher altitudes. Travel to Mukthinath calls for meticulous preparation. But it is a rewarding experience. Visitors may also consider the possibility of staying overnight at Jomsom instead of Mukthinath, since staying overnight at Mukthinath might be physically challenging.

The best time of the year to visit Mukthinath is mid to late March. It is advisable to make your hotel , flight and land transport bookings in advance with a travel agent (especially for flights within Nepal) or travel as part of a package tour.

The Temple:

The Mukthinath temple is not very big at all. Once you reach the temple compound, it can be covered at a leisurely pace in about 45 minutes. A hurried visit can be completed in as little as 15-20 minutes. There are only two main sannidhis – (1) The main sannidhi of Sri Mukthinath occupied by the Lord and His Consorts – Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi and (2) A smaller, recently-built sannidhi in the open corridor (prakaaram) that houses the vigrahams of Sri Ramanuja and Sri Andal.

The inside of the main sannidhi is about 8 feet by 8 feet. Sri Mukthinath is seated under Adi Seshan and is flanked by thaayars who are standing. The thirumeni of Sri PerumAl and thayaars is of metal (probably bronze or other copper alloy). The mUlavar here is also known as SrI mUrthy and the thAyars are SrI devi and bhU devi. There is no separate uthsavar. There are small idols of Sri GarudAzhwar and Sri Ramanuja in the main sannidhi beside Sri PerumAl. The worship is carried out by Buddhist nuns. The style of worship and alankaaram is very different from the Divya Desams of South India.

Around the main sannidhi, in the second open corridor, there are 108 water spouts that represent the theerthams of the 108 Divya Desams. Some pilgrims take a bath in the waters here, but it can be really cold. Personally I would not recommend this for people who are old or sick. Also, while you are visiting Mukthinath, it is not a good idea to get your clothing wet – because the weather is already cold.

Also in the second corridor, directly in front of the temple, there are two small square water tanks (pushkarinis) that represent Sri Bhoo Devi and Sri Nila Devi.

Legends and History:

According to one version, the Salagramam Divya Desam is just the bank/bed of River Gandaki and not the Mukthinath temple. According to another version, the Mukthinath temple is very much the Divya Desam of Salagramam. It is difficult to establish which of the two versions is right. Either way, there is no question that Sri Thirumangai Azhwar visited atleast the banks of the Gandaki River, as did Sri Ramanuja. And no matter which version is accurate, there is no taking away from the beauty of this Divya Desam and its surroundings.

Saligramam murthys:

Saligrama (ammonite) stones with special markings are considered manifestations of Lord Sri Vishnu Himself. Such stones are unique to this part of Nepal. There are several roadside shops in Mukthinath (and also several ones in Pokhara) from which Salagramam murthys can be obtained.

AzhwAr mangaLAsAsanams:

SrI Tirumangai AzhwAr 988-997
SrI periAzhwAr 206,399

(pAsuram numbers as found in any standard Divya prabandham book)

A sample pAsuram:

கலையும் கரியும் பரிமாவும் திரியும்கானம் கடந்து போய்
சிலையும் கணையும் துணையாகச்சென்றான் வென்றிச் செறுக்களத்து
மலைகொன்டு அலை நீரணைகட்டி மதிள் நீரிலங்கை வாளரக்கர் தலைவன்
தலைபத்து அறுத்துகந்தான் சாளக்கிராமம் அடை நெஞ்சே

In this pAsuram, Tirumangai AzhwAr exhorts his mind to attain the Lord of Salagrama. It was this Lord who, armed with bow and arrow, crossed forests inhabited by wild deer, elephants and horses, and then built a bridge of boulders to reach the high-walled fortress of Lanka and severed the ten heads of Ravana- the king of the RakshasAs.

SrI bhU devi SrI dEvi samEtha Sri mUrthy thiruvadigaLae saraNam

The Sacred Book

This is the title of a book by Sri SriRama Bharati.

This book contains the 4000 Divya Prabandham in Tamil script, with paraphrased meaning in English. The English summary of each prabandham is absolutely wonderful, and enables everyone to understand the meaning and spirit of the outpourings of the AzhwArs.

In most translations, while it may be possible to capture the meanings of the original work, it is very difficult to capture the emotion and spirit. This is especially true for a work like the Divya Prabandham, which is a collection of outpourings straight from the heart of the AzhwArs. Sri SriRama Bharati has done a great job of capturing the emotional content in addition to the literal meaning.

Usually, Divya Prabandham books are big-sized. This book manages to fit in the entire Divya Prabandham in a very compact volume. The paper is thin, but that is unavoidable in order to get a book of this size. While some might find the Tamil script a little small, the English content is very readable.

This is a great book for those whose command over Tamil is not strong enough to let them understand and appreciate the beauty in the Divya Prabandham. This book is a great service to the Sri Vaishnava community by Sri SriRama Bharathi.
For copies, you may contact Smt.Sowbhagyalakshmi SriRama Bharati by email at aravamudhu@gmail.com.