This was the first Ramayanam adiyean had seen on TV years back when it was telecast on Sun TV. Now the same Ramayanam is being telecast on Jaya TV, Monday – Friday on 7pm. All the episodes are on YouTube as well. Please do watch on TV or YouTube, it encourages the broadcaster.
All episodes can be seen in this playlist – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-lJP86ofiM&list=PLljM0HW-Kjfrgp27zzi0fo7xQHDnZduCS&index=45&spfreload=10
Apologies for the length delay in post.
Adiyean had always liked to visit Divyadesams that are less crowded and where we can have a darshan of Perumal whenever we felt like. Needless to say, Alwarthirunagari & Thirukurungudi come first. Tirumala Tirupathi, though being crowded is an exception as visiting the divine hill itself is an wonderful experience. Srirangam generally hadn’t been my first choice for a divyadesam trip owing to the heavy crowd and humid climate. How would Sriman Narayana let me not like His bhooloka vaiukndam? Of course He did make me understand why Srirangam is so endearing to Sri Vaishnavas. Recently adiyean had the opportunity to visit Srirangam and having visited Srirangam many times adiyean hadn’t expected any surprises, but it was not to be. Adiyean went through the Vellai Gopuram and took left to go to Thayar sannithi. Just near the mandapam, out of nowhere, there was a small and beautiful temple of Lord Sri Rama. Adiyean had visited Srirangam so many times but in all earlier visits adiyean hadn’t ever seen it. Seeing Lord Sri Rama always brings boundless joys, but an unexpected darshan brings even more joy. Adiyean’s Srirangam visit had begun well! Next adiyean had a darshan of Thayar and then proceeded to have a darshan of Lord Sri Ranganatha.
As usual there were lengthy queues for Ranganatha darshan, but somehow adiyean’s mother chanced upon to meet a local who took us inside the mandapam and once inside the mandapam there was another known person who got us a darshan of Sri Ranganatha Swamy for a good 2 -4 minutes. One thing adiyean had always felt when visiting temples is that, if we earn for a good darshan, the Lord always grants us with a wonderful darshan someway or the other. Having blessed with a good darshan adiyean had an entire evening to spend in Srirangam. After staying for sometime at the room, adiyean left to the temple at about 6. This time adiyean went through the main entrance. And to my sheer disbelief and joy, just after walking a few meters there was another temple of Lord Sri Rama to the left. All these days adiyean had known of the Pattabhisheka Ramaswamy temple with the beautiful and large deity of Sri Rama and another temple of Sri Rama just nearby, but nothing more. Adiyean was happy to see so many temples for Lord Sri Rama. Adiyean continued and visited all small sannathis that adiyean could find. Finally after visiting Ramanujar sannathi & Chakarathalwar sannathi adiyean sat for sometime in the large pathway between the two sannathis. The atmosphere was magical. A lot of devotees were moving around, children were playing and there was mild breeze. It was only then adiyean realised why Srirangam is so endearing. Srirangam can be enjoyed anyway we like. If we like to see utsavams, there is always something happening for most part of the year. If we like Divyaprabhandam recitals, it happens daily at the Ramanujar sannathi and of course the Pagal Pathu & Raa Pathu during Marghazhi month. If we like to enjoy Him with thousands of devotees we can do it too. And if we like to enjoy Him in serenity, there are lot of sannathis which not many devotees do not even know exist. Or we can just sit and be immersed in the atmosphere of the divyadesam. Our acharyas have written a lot about the greatness of Sri Rangam, but at a basic level for a not so enlightened soul like adiyean, this unique trait makes Srirangam so endearing.
Please share your Divyadesam experiences in Comments…
A bagavatha enquired about the Kalyana Gunas of Perumal in a comment and adiyean stumbled upon this wonderful series of articles explaining them in a very beautiful & clear manner. Please do take time to read each of them.
A short post where adiyean is just sharing my thoughts… Every person has some God special to him or her. But devotees of Lord Sri Rama are a little more special. There’s a story about an artist who painted nothing else but only Lord Sri Rama’s Pattabhishekam. Adiyean has seen an old lady who used to only teach Ramayana Katha in Alwarthirunagari. As soon as Kulasekara Alwar heard that Lord Sri Rama was fighting alone with 14,000 rakshasas, he immediately prepared his army to help Sri Rama. There’s nothing that can control our Anjananeya swami, except for Sri Rama Nama Kirthanam. Wherever a Ramayana upanyasam happens, Anjaneya Swami is there with folded hands and tearful eyes. When Valmiki enquired Sage Narada about a person having 16 Kalyana Gunas, Narada couldn’t speak for few moments thinking about Lord Sri Rama and his Kalyana Gunas.
Indeed, Lord Sri Rama endears Himself to his devotees unlike anybody.
Apologies for the lengthy absence from new posts. Sometimes we forget that the harder we try to win in this Samsaram (materialistic world), the deeper we get caught in it.
Now coming to the topic, recently adiyean had the privilege of talking to a very devout bagavatha. Of the 10 Avatarams, Adiyean always had a special liking for Lord Sri Rama. Everything about Lord Rama, starting from the Divine Name to the myriad gunas of Lord Sri Rama were special for me. Sometimes regardless of which Perumal or Divyadesam it was, adiyean used see the Deity as Sri Rama. Typically, adiyean hadn’t spoken (we all can converse with the Lord) much with Narasimha Perumal. Maybe fear of my own misdoings and ferocity of Narasimha Perumal never allowed me to converse as blissfully I would with the ever charming Sri Rama or Sri Krishna or the most beautiful Thirukurungudi Nambhi. But this wonderful bagavatha, calmly said something about Narasimha avataram that adiyean was wondering why it never came to my mind all these days. The Bagavatha simply said Narasimha Perumal was the only avatar where the Lord Himself came down for a single bhaktha. For a moment adiyean felt it was not right, but when adiyean thought about it, the bagavatha was indeed very true. Even after killing Hiranyakashipu, the Lord’s anger wasn’t satisfied. Only after Bhaktha Prahalada requested the Lord to calm down, was Sriman Narayana pacified. Sri Rama & Sri Krishna avatars had a bigger purpose than just killing asuras. They were meant to teach us about Lord’s various Kalyana Gunas, how to live righteously in this materialistic world and finally attain Sriman Narayana. The other avatars were mostly upon request of other Gods or to fulfill boons granted. It’s only Narasimha avatar wherein the Lord Himself came down for a single Bhaktha and only that. A simple fact, but very easily forgotten. Ever since this conversation with the Bagavatha, adiyean realised Narasimha Perumal had always been smiling… as beautifully as Sri Rama & Sri Krishna! It was adiyean who had failed to see it.
Please feel free to correct adiyean if wrong and share your thoughts in comments.
Thank you readers for the kind comments for Thirukachi Nambhigal Vaibhavam e-book. Adiyean had been thinking of the next book to be done, and came across an very old Grantham “Thiru Vaasiriram Vyakhanam” written by Vyakhana Chakravathy Sri Periya Vachaan Pillai. Adiyean searched the internet to see if any such book exists, but unfortunately the book doesn’t seem to be available. Thiru Vaasiriram by Nammalwar has just 7 Paasurams. But this Grantham has wonderful vyakahyanam with explanation every single word followed by explanation of the complete Paasuram. Adiyean has attached few pages (click thumbnails for larger view) of the book. Adiyean would like to know about readers views regarding feasibility of Translating the book in English as well as typing the book as it is in Tamil. Baagavathas willing to contribute, please leave a message via Sri Vaishanava Digital Fund page.
Today is Swami Thirukachi Nambhigal’s Thirumnakshatram. And as promised here is the Thirukachi Nambhigal Vaibhavam e-book, the second e-book of Sri Vaishnava Digital Fund.
Thirukachi Nambhigal Vaibhavam
Sri Vaishnavam 