NEW MALAYALAM BOOK ON ANCIENT VISHNU TEMPLES

[ravikerala]

A New Book on 108 Ancient Mahavishnu Termples in India (over 1500 years old) in malayalam named "108 THIRUPATHIKAL" released by Dr. K.S.Radhakrishnan, Vice Chancellor, SreeSankaracharya Sanskrit University, Kalady by handing over the first copy to Sri. K N Satheesh, Addl. Director, Kerala Tourism Department.

Author : Raveendran Muvattupuzha, Seccretary, Samskrithi Kerala Padana Kendram
Forward : Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, Retired Judge, Supreme Court
On Mahavishnu : Tanthry Puthillom Narayanan Namboothiri
Bhagavathashtotharasatham : Bahmashri D. Sreeman Namboothiri

Publisher : H&C Publishing House, Thrissur
Price : Rs.180/-

[ravikerala]

This book can be purchased online by clicking the link below.

http://www.a1books.co.in/searchresult.do?keyword=A100002101

Ravi

[Jimano]

While we are on this subject, any Vishnu temple that the alvars have sang about (mangalasasanam) is refered to as a divya desam (THIRUPATHIKAL). Out of the 108, 106 are on this earth. Kerala has 11, Andra Pradesh and Northern India has 11 and the rest are in Tamilnadu.

[Sudhaama]

.

A New Book on 108 Ancient Mahavishnu Termples in India (over 1500 years old) in malayalam named "108 THIRUPATHIKAL"....

Glad.! I want to know one point.

Does this list of 108 Thirupathi includes GURUVAYOOR... one of the Most important Temples for all the Vedic followers... so called Hindus...

...especially Vaishnavites... as Sankaracharya or Ramanujacharya or Madhwacharya disciples.

Alwars list of 108 Thirupathis.. does not Cover Guruvayoor.

...Why.? Any Idea?
.

[ravikerala]

The ancient vishnu/sreekrishna temples in kerala like ananthapuram lake temple kasargod, guruvayoor sreekrishna temple, thrikulasekharapuram temple (near kodungallor), thiruvarppu sreekrishna temple (near kottayam) etc are not included in 108 divyadesams.

They are not included in 108 thirupathikal, because 108 thirupathikal are temples praised by alwars in naalayiram divya prabandham only. But it does not mean than they are not ancient and important.

Though alwars are not mentioned these temples, they can also be considered as divyadesams by keralites and vaishnavas..

I think it is remarked as such in the above book.

[Sudhaama]

.

. What is meant by Alwars 108 DIVYA-DESAS.?

. Why Not Guruvayoor included.?


Vishnu-Devotees do worship in one and all the Vishnu-Temples... wherever they are situated...

...under whatever Name and Nomenclature... they may be categorised.

So to say, such temples... which do not come under the list of Alwars' 108 Divya-desams.!..

..whether it be in a Foreign Land... or even be a newly constructed Vishnu-Temple anywhere.

Then what is UNIQUE in Alwars 108 Divya-desas.?... given HIGHEST IMPORTANCE.?...of

...Greatest Devotional Values.!.?... more than other Vishnu-temples.?

When Alwars sang on these Temples... most of them were situated at unknown far-off places...

....some even in interior forests and high mountains and inaccessible locations

..such as Badri (On Himalayas), Ahobilam (Andhra), Thirunaavaay (Kerala).

God wanted to get the Temples constructed and popularise and..

... so invited the Alwars in dreams... one after another...

...showing them the route and location...

...some even buried beneath the Earth or Snowy-mountains, or Forest-Bushes

Honouring the God's call... when the Alwar visited... facing all the sorts of ordeals to search locate and reach...

...God came out of the Vigraha (Idol) and gave a personal Darsanam to the respective Alwars...

..showered the grace of Gjnaana on them... entered their Souls... and made them sing the Pasurams on that Deity...

..which service is called Mangalaa-saasanam.

Then the Alwars informed the relevant Kings and got the Temples constructed followed by the Rituals, Routes and publicity.

Such Divya-desas are 106 located on Earth.... 11 are in Kerala, all under the custody of Sankaracharya's disciples... although sung by Alwars.

Another such Temple is Badri which is also under the custody of Keralites Poathis and Namboodris.

Since at these Unique Kshethras.. God came out of the Idols and gave Prathyaksha-Darsanam to Alwars...

...and created Prabhanda-Pasurams in praise of such deities...

..they have Unique status of highest Divinity and Greatest Grace-power of God.

So every Vishnu-bhaktha has been ordained to visit all these 106 Temples... within ones Life-time...

..as also visit at least one such Temple.. every year.

Apart from these Divya-Kshethras there are Abhimana-Sthalas too...

...which sort of Vishnu Temples too are important and GRACEFUL... although not covered under 108 Divya-desas...

...for example... Guruvayoor in Kerala... Mannarkoil in Tamilnadu... Melkote Thirunaarayanapuram in Karnataka.... Poori in Orissa and Gada-dhara at Gaya in Bihar.

Why Not the GLOBALLY FAMOUS Guruvayoor amongst the Alwars Divya-desas.?

Guruvayoor Krishna is Unique in many ways... He is the emphatic form of Narayana-Krishna...

...Adi-Naryana who saved Gajendra the Elephant (the Lotus-flower in Guruvayoorappan's Hand to be noted...)

...and He is the Kuchela-Krishna worshipped by Kuchela (Sudhaama)...

Guruvayoorappan's most important Adiyar is Narayana-Bhattadri...

...much patronised and popularised by Aadhi Sankaracharya.

Perhaps Guruvayoorappan did not want to change such a rare and Unique image...

....of Vishnu-devotion... by the Great Sankaracharya...

... the Incarnation of Lord Siva... ( Vadakkunathar at Thrissur.).

So as to convey the Concept of the Rudimentary Great Vedic-Gospel that...

...the Vishnu-bhakthi and Worship is NOT CONFINED to Ramanuja's and Madhwa's disciples only...

...but even far and far beyond... applicable and relevant to all the Hindus...

... so called. Vedic followers in general too.!

So all the 108 Divya-Kshethra Vishnu-Idols are...

... the Common Gods for all the Vedics (Hindus).!!!
.

[Badri]

What are the 11 divya desams in Kerala that have had the Mangalasasanam?

Could someone provide that list here with some information about each?

[Sudhaama]

What are the 11 divya desams in Kerala that have had the Mangalasasanam?

Could someone provide that list here with some information about each?

They are called Malai-naattu Thiruppathigalh... totally 13...

...11 in Kerala plus Two in Kanyakumari District... as listed herebelow.

(1) Thiru-Naavaay.
(2) Thiru-Viththuvakkodu
(3) Thiru-Kaatkarai.
(4) Thiru-Moozhi kalham
(5) Thiru-Vallavaazh.
(6) Thiru-Kadiththaanam.
(7) Thiru-Chengunnur (Thiru-Chitraaru)
(8) Thiru-Puliyur. (Kutta-nadu)
(9) Thiru-Vaaran-vilhai. (Aaran-mulha)
(10) Thiru-Vanh-vandur
(11) Thiruvanathapuram
(12) Thiruvattaru
(13} Thiru-Vanh-parisaaram
.
More Informations will follow.
.

[padmanabha]

of these, Five temples were believed to be consecrated by Pancha Pandavas
The temple at chengannur -Dharmaputrar,
Trupuliyur by Bhiman, Aaranmoola by Arjunan, Thriuvanvandur by Nakulan, and trukkodithanam by Sahadevan
the idol at Thriumoozhikkulam is that of Lakshmana and considered as Vishnu.
Thiruvattar and Tiruppathisaaram after political reorganization became part of Tamil Nadu

What i think the criteria for chosing these temples as Divydesams by the Alwars could be that
these were the temples ancient and popular during their periods and hence considered divykshetrams.
i may be wrong

[Sudhaama]

.
. What caused DIVYA-KSHETHRAS by Alwars.?



........ What i think the criteria for chosing these temples as Divydesams by the Alwars could be that...

... these were the temples ancient and popular during their periods and hence considered divykshetrams.
i may be wrong

I have already clarified in my earlier posting.. I reiterate.

Alwars did not choose of their own accord... nor liking, nor preference..

..on which Deity to be visted and worshipped.

Because all the 11 Alwars are the Awatharas of the Divya-Ayudhas and Abharanas of Sri-Vaikuntanatha Vishnu...

...such as Chakra, Sanku, Sword, Vanamala and so on...

....God Himself had set their task time to time...

..by ordering one after another to visit the particular hidden or unknown Kshethra...

...showing the route and location in their dreams...

The Alwars used to implement the spefic deity's commands by visiting and worshipping.

Then the God used to come out of the Idol... rendering Prathyakasha-Darsanam...

..and grace them the Gjnaana... as also entered their souls... and made them sing the Paasurams on that deity...

...which process is called...MANGALAA-SAASANAM.

Thus these Kshethras have become... 108 DIVYA-DESAS... Divine-Centres.!!!

For example...

Thirumangai Alwar residing at Srirangam, a far place... was asked to visit Badri... by Badri-Narayana... at Himalayas...

...hidden beneath the Icy mountains.. for several centuries unknown to the posterity.

Following the guidance of that Kshethra-deity... regarding the route and site... he proceded and located the hidden Narayana Idol...

..he got Prathyaksha- Darsanam too... and sang one Pathikam of 11 Pasurams extempore by the Grace of Badri- Narayana.

Then he got the Badri Temple constructed... followed by arrangements for Poojas etc.

After the Lifetime of Thirumangai Alwar... such services were discontinued due to negligence of the Organisers... and the world did not know.

Then after about one century... in the Sankaracharya's dream... Badri-Narayana ordered him to visit.

Accordingly he visited and brought out the Temple once again and took over the Temple to his custody.

...and restored the Poojas and worship.. by bringing Namboodris and Pothis from Kerala ...

...which order continues now.
.

[Jimano]

Thiruppullam Boothankudi - Sri Valvil Ramar Perumal Temple, Kumbakonam

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=yqWpgLmHdbs


This divyadesam is situated in Tanjore district Tamil Nadu. 3 miles away from Swami Malai (where another famous temple for Lord Muruga is found).

This is where Sri Rama performed the final funeral rites for Jadaayu (the Eagle bird).

1 1/2 Km. from here, is a small village, Mandanggudi which is the birth place of Thondar Adi Podi Alwar.

Mangalasasanam:

Thirumangai Alwar - 10 Paasurams.
Total - 10 Paasurams.
Vimanam: Sobhana Vimaanam.

More information on this Divya Desam refer

http://www.divyadesamonline.com/hindu/temples/kumbakonam/boothagudi-temple.asp

[NOV]

Jimano, shouldnt this be in the other thread? I've been twice to Uppiliappan temple in Kumbakonam. Lovely temple. :)