The 1st Naamam of SrI VenkatEsa AshtOttharam :
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"SRI VENKATESAAYA NAMA:"= SALUTATIONS TO THE LORD OF
AUSPICOUS VENKATAM HILLS !
The names of Tiruvenkatam-udayAn,ThiruvenkatatthAn , Venktapathi,
Venkataachala-pathi , VenkataramaNan, Venkata Raaghavan , Venkata Varaahan
, Venkata KrishNan arise from the links of the Lord to Thiruvenkatam
( VenkatAdhri) hills . Venkatam hills have the power to burn away all our
sins and bless us with the bliss of darsana souubhAgyam of the Lord standing
on top of it.
PurANic Significance of this Naama :
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The sacred temple of Lord SrinivAsa is located on the top most
(Seventh ) peak of a group of hills in today's Andhra PradEsh , which is
revered as VenkatAdhri or Venkata hills . It is considered as the hill
resting on top of the hoods of AdhisEshA . The sacred feet of
the Lord (VishNu Paadham ) are resting on VenkatAdhri Sikharam (crest/peak
) and that is why He is recognized as VenkatAdhri SikharAlaya KaaLamEgham (
the dark rainy cloud hued Lord on top of the Venkatam hills).
Once upon a time , in a fierce competition involving the testing of
the strength of Vaayu and AdhisEshan , latter tied himself around the
Ananda hills and Vaayu tried to blow that mountain away . Lord intervened
in that powerful contest and suggested that AdhisEshan to let go of that
mountain so that Vaayu can place it in the southern part of the country for
the benefit of the BhakthAs to come and worship Him there. He also blessed
AdhisEsha to carry that hill on his thousand hoods forever . Hence the
hills below VenkatAdhri are known as
SeshAdhri.
Spiritual and Philosophic significance of Venkatesa Naamam
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The first naama has deep philosophical and spiritual significance.
The name Venkatam has been intrepreted as
akshaya Isvaryam ( Eternal, imperishable Wealth ). All AzhwArs except
the RanganAtha pathivrathai
(ThoNDaradippodi AzhwAr) have performed their MangaLAsAsanams
(eulogies ) of this Eternal Isvaryam with a total of 202 Paasurams. His
unique Isvaryam is that of being SarvalOka SaraNyan( Refuge for the entire
world ).
SrI Venkatesa Naamam /manthram in His SuprabhAtham
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Among the 29 slOkams Of Thirumalai SuprabhAtham , Lord of Thirumalai
is addressed 14 times as
Venkatachala-pathi (SrI VenkatAchalapathE ! Tava SuprabhAtham ).
SrI Venkatesa Naamam/Manthram in Venkatesa SthOthram
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After wishing the Lord of Venkatam an auspicious dawn, SrI VenkatEsa
SthOthram salutes the Akshaya Nidhi ( undepletable treasure) standing on
top of the Venkatam hills through a moving slOkam :
VinA VenkatEsam na NaaTO na NaaTa:
SadhA VenkatEsam SmarAmi SmarAmi
HarE! Venkatesa! praseedha praseedha
Priyam Venkatesa ! prayaccha prayaccha
--Sri VenkatEsa SthOthram: 9th SlOkam
(Meaning): There is no Lord for me other than VenkatEsa . I will
always remember and reflect on Him . Oh Hari! Oh VenkatEsA ! May Thou be
pleased (with my imperfect aarAdhanam).May Thou shower me with the
undecaying Isvaryam of Moksha Sukham (bliss of freedom from the cycles of
births and deaths) and Nithya Kaimkaryam ( eternal service to You as the
Lord of SrI Vaikuntam)!
SrI VenkatEsa Naamam/Manthram in VenkatEsa Prapatthi
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Fourteen of the Sixteen SrI VenkatEsa Prapathti slOkams conclude with
a moving surrender at the holy feet of Sri VenkatEsan : " Sri
VenkatEsa Charanou SaraNam PrapadhyE " . One of the Prapatthi slOkam
refers to the sacred feet of the Lord being hailed in Rg Vedam as the
most exalted (VishNO: ParamE padhE )and as the fountain of honey ( Yau
Madhva uthsa ) and as the most enjoyable.
Those Thiruvadis of Lord VenkatEsa are the objects of moving
surrender ( Prapatthi) as revealed in another VenktEsa Prapatthi SlOkam :
SrIman ! KrupA-jalanidhE! Kritha-sarvalOka!
Sarvaj~na! Saktha! Nathavathsala! Sarvaseshin!
SwAmin! Suseela-Sulabha Asritha-PaarijAtha!
SRIVENKATESA CHARANOU SaraNam prapadhyE
(Meaning): Oh the consort of the most auspicious SrI Devi! Oh Ocean
of Compassion! Oh the Creator of all the worlds and their beings ! Oh
Omniscient One! Oh the Omnipotent One! Oh the Lord filled with DayA for
those , who prostrate before You! Oh the Lord of the chEthanAms and
achEthnams! Oh the easy object of attainment by people of righteous conduct
! Oh boon granting KalpakA tree for those , who seek Your refuge ! Oh
VenkatesA ! I perform Prapatthi at Your holy feet.
SrI VenkatEsa Naamam/Manthram in VenkatEsa Managalam
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There are 14 slOkams in SrI VenkatEsa MangaLam. Ten out of the 14
slOkams celebrate the VenkatEsa
Naama Maahthmyam . Here are selected examples :
ChakshushE sarva-lOkAnAm VenkatEsAya MangaLam (MangaLam to Lord
VenkatEsa , who is the eye of
all the worlds)...SlOkam 2
SarvAntarAthmanE Srimath VenkatEsAya MangaLam (MangaLam to Sri
VenkatEsa , who is the indweller
of All )..SlOkam 5
SulabhAya SushIlAya VenkatesAya mangaLam ( MangaLam to Sri VenkatEsa
, who is easily
accessible to His devotees and is known for His noble GuNAs)..SlOkam
6
prayunjE ParatatthvAya VenkatEsAya MangaLam ( Mangalam to VenkatEsa ,
who is the Supreme
principle with no equals or superiors)..SlOkam 7
atrupthyamrutha-roopAya VenkatEsAya MangaLam ( Auspiciousness to
VenkatEsa , whose enchanting form
is like the insatiable nectar to the ChEthanams)..SlOkam 8
prAya: sva-charanou pumsAm saraNyathvEna
paaNinA KrupayA disathE SrImadh-VenkatEsAya MangaLam
( May MangaLam be to Sri VenkatEsa , who with His right hand
indicates His Feet , as the sole refuge to
all human beings)...SlOkam 9
apAngai: sinjathE visvam VenkatEsAya MangaLam ( MangaLam to VenkatEsa
, who moistens/nourishes
the universe with His rejuvenating glances)..SlOkam 10.
SarvArthi-samanAyAsthu VenkatEsAya MangaLam ( May auspiciousness be
to VenkatEsa , who subdues
all the three kinds of afflictions /taapa thrayam )... SlOkam 11
SrI Vaikunta VirakthAya Swami pushkariNee-taDE
RamayA RamamAnAya VenkatesAya MangaLam
( MangaLam to SrI VenkatEsA , who gave up His fondness for SrI
Vaikuntam in favor of sporting
with LakshmI on the banks of Swami PushkariNi at Thirumala) !......SlOkam
12
The celebration of VenkatEsa Naamam by the AzhwArs
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AzhwArs celebrate SrI VenkatEsa Tatthvam , His Soundharyam and
GuNAdhisayams through 200 plus Paasurams and lose themselves in those
delectable anubhavams. For the sake of brevity , we will quote selected
examples from their divine Paasurams:
PeriyAzhwAr salutes Him as " Vitthahan VenkatavANan (all
powerful Magician , the Lord of ThiruvEnkatam), Minnu MudiyAn ,
MinnalankAran ( One with resplendent crown), Veda PoruL ( the inner
meanings of the VedAs) , Ulahu tannai Vaazha ninRa Nambi ( The great One ,
who is the cause for the existence and thriving of the world ) .
AndaL , the daughter of PeriyAzhwAr loses Herself in the beauty and
majesty of the agni-spitting chakram that rotates in the right hand of the
Lord ( VeyyathOr Tazhal umizhum Chakkarakkai Venkatavan) and the Pure white
Conch on the left hand ( VeLLai ViLi Sankidankayyir KoNDa Vimalan).
She loses Herself also in the beauty of His seven hills (TeNNeer Paay Venkatatthen
ThirumAl) and says that She will wait for Him to come before Her and keep
Her soul together with Her body through reciting His Govindha Naamam (
KuLir aruvi Venkatatthen Govindhan GuNam Paadi --aavi KaatthiruppEnE).
She loses Herself over the beauy of the Lord and with great affection and
describes Him as "AzhagappirAnAr" and salutes MahA Lakshmi residing
on His chest and giving Him the name of SrInivAsan (
Venkatatthut-tannAhat-Thirumangai tangiya seer mArvan ).
KulasEkhara AzhwAr wants to be near Him by taking the form of any
thing appropriate to enjoy Him on His golden hills ( SempavaLa VaayAn
ThiruvEnkadamennum EmperumAn ponn malai mEl yEthEnum aavEnE ). This AzhwAr
locks in to the VenkatEsa Tatthvam through the Paasura Vaakyam : "
chediyAya Vall vinaikaL theerkkum ThirumAlE ! NediyAnE VenkatavA ).
KulasEkharar reminds us that this Lord towering over the seven hills is the
One , who destroys utterly even the most heinous of sins.
Thirumazhisai AzhwAr states that the Venkatam hills are those , which
burn away all the sins and recommends us to go to Venkatam hills and
worship the Lord to recieve that anugraham ( senRu VaNaguminO sENyuar
Venaktatthai , ninRu Vinai kedukkum Neermayaal) .This AzhwAr points out
that the Venkatam Hills is the abode of the Lord , who comes to the rescue
of the worshipping DevAs by destroying the asurAs with His fierce
ChakrAyudham and banishes totally all the sins of those , who
prostrate before Him ( VenkatamE mey vinai nOy theerpathuvum).
Thirumnagai AzhwAr introduces Him to us as " PiRappaRukkum PirAn"
or the One who destroys the cycles of births and deaths and grants us
Moksham. Elsewhere , Thirumangai says: " Immamnisap-piRaviyai nOkki,
TannAkki TanninaruL seyyum Talaivan" ( He takes pity on our human
births full of sufferings and grants us MOksham and grants all His kalyANa
guNams to us as the Supreme Master).
The three Mudhal AzhwArs attest to the Lord of ThiruvEnkatam residing
permanently in their heart cavities ( ManatthuLLAn VenkatatthAn, VeLLattharuvi
ViLangoli neer VenkatatthAn uLLatthinuLLEuLan) .
Swamy NammAzhwAr pays moving tribute to ThiruvEnkatatthAn in Thiruviruttham
, ThiruvAimozhi and Periya ThiruvandhAthi . AzhwAr identifies with SrI
VenkatEsan as his Mother, Father and his life itself and submits
that he can not ever leave Him now that he has gained Him ( Thiruvaimozhi
2.6.10): ( Thaay Tanthai uyir aahinRAy Unnai naan adainthEn viduvEnO?).
In ThiruvAimozhi (3.3.1), Swamy NammAzhwAr states that the greatest goal
of life should be to stay close to the Lord of ThiruvEnkatam and serve Him
at all times , without any gap or flaw and with no thought of other things in
mind ( Ozhivil Kaalam yellAm udanAi manni vazhuvilA adimaiseyya VeNDum
nAmm ).We should perform Kaimkaryams for the Lord for the Kaimkaryam's sake
alone.We should perform that Kaimkaryam and establish our Seshathvam since
we are subservient to Him at all times. In this decad on
ThiruvenkatamudayAn, Swamy NammAzhwAr avers that ThiruvEnkatam temple is
equivalent to SrI Vaikuntam since the Nithyasooris led by VishvaksEna
come to Thiruvenkatam to serve Him there . Next , AzhwAr saultes the
Lord's ease of access by all(Soulabhyam) be they a great Devotee or a
nomadic tribal . His magnanimous Dayaa towards
those who seek His protection is praised by the AzhwAr this way
: He stands there permanently even today, waiting for protection
of seekers unmindful of the merits of the person , not
satisfied even when hosts of souls reach Him and are to be
redeemed . His simplicity and magnanimous guNams are
His greatest virtues that really mark Him out ."
ThiruvAimozhi 3.3.6 Paasuram on the Lord of Seven hills reveals the significance
of reciting Sri VenkatEsa Manthram :
VenkatangaL MeymEl Vinai MuRRavum
AngaL Tangatkku nallanavE seyvAr
Venkatatthu uRaivArkku NAMAVENNAL
AANGKADAMAI ATHU SUMANTHAARKATKKE
When we utter " NamO VenkatEsAya", all the sins are burnt like cotton
thrown in the fire. This is due to the power of UpAya anushtAnam . The
subsequent Paapams wont get attached to him. This fact is emphasized by
Brahma Soothram ( IV.1.13): Tadhadhigama utthara-poorvAgayO: aslEsha
vinAsou--"
Here the Soothram is referring to the fruits of meditation on
Brahman The result is that all previous sins are destroyed and the
subsequent Sins do not cling to the Jeevan.The meditation on the
Supreme Brahman with His manthram ( NamO VenkatEsAya) destroys the
displeasure of the Lord produced by the sins accumulated by the Jeevan
before meditation and that paves the way for His limitless grace and
removal of all sins .Through the just utterance of His Manthram( Ukthi
Maathram) , He takes care of the rest . Past sins are burnt and future sins
do not cling . The Lord of ThiruvEnakatam sees to that .With devoted
service to him and recitation of His Manthram with svaroopa Jn~Anam ,
we are assured of Moksham by the Lord of Venkatam hills.
AzhwAr instructs us to get to the ThiruvEnaktam hills before old age or disease
disables us (yeythu iLaippathin munnam adaiminE). Even if we get to the
bottom of His sacred hills and are unable to proceed higher, the Lord
will fell the cycles of births and deaths along with old age and disability
as long as we meditate on Him and His lotus feet through the utterance of
His manthram and meditation on Him:
Ooya moopup-piRap-piRappup-piNi
veeyumARu seyvAn ThiruvenkatatthAyan
NaaNNmalarAm aditthAmarai
vAyuLLUm manatthuLLUm vaippArhatkkE
The individual salutations of Swamy NammAzhwAr to SrI VenkatEsa are
nectarine anubhavams of a great soul steeped in Bahgavath Bhakthi. Here are
some examples:
" anthamil Puhazh kaar yezhil ANNal" ( The most beautiful Lord
with limitless glory ).
" Aadhi Moorthy " ( the primordial Lord)
" Paran senRu sEr ThiruvEnkata Maamalai
onRumE thozha namm vinai OoyumE"
( If we worship the ThiruvEnkatam hills reached by the Supreme
Lord , all of our sins would disappear).
" PaNN pudai Vedam payantha Paran" ( The Supreme One who
blessed BrahmA with the Vedams as Lord HayagrIvan) .
" TilathamulahukkAi ninRa ThiruvEnkatatthemperumAnE "
( The Lord of ThiruvEnkatam , who shines as the Tilakam
for the world ).
"Naal ThOLamudhE YenathAruyirE " ( Oh Lord with four beautiful
shoulders and my life itself ).
" ThirumAmahaL kELvA ( Oh SrInivAsa , Lord of MahA Lakshmi )
" YeNNam Puhunthu titthikkum amudhE ImayOr adhipathiyE"
( Oh Lord of DevAs who enters my thoughts and delight me
like the nectar ).
" Sanku Vill VaaL TaNDu ChakkarakkaiyA " ( Oh Lord with the
weapons of Conch, Bow, Sword , Mace and Disc in Your
hands ).
" ThirunEmi ValavA DeivakkOmAnE" ( Oh Divine Lord with the
Chakram on Your upper right hand).
" SediyAr VinaikaL theer marunnthE ThiruvEnakatatthemperumAnE "
( Oh Lord of ThiruvEnkatam , who is the oushadham /medicine
for the cruel VinaikaL).
Why such a celebration of VenkatEsa Naamam ?
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The First AshtOttharam is " (PraNavam) VenkatEsAya Nama:".
One may wonder why there is such a celebration of this VenkatEsa Naamam in
His SuprabhAtham , SthOthram , Prapatthi , MangaLam PurANam and
dhivya Prabhandhams . The reason is because this first nAmam is
the most powerful SrI VenkatEsa manthram: " (PraNavam) namO
VenkatEsAya ". This First AshtOttharam is thus the most appropriate
and auspicious start and confers MangaLams on all the reciters .
VenkatEsan is the Lord of VenkatAdhri or Venkata Giri. The
significance of that Giri (Hill ) has been revealed
to us by Sawmy Desikan in the very first slOkam of his
famous SrI DayA Sathakam:
PrapadhyE thamm GIRIM prAya: SrInivAsaanukampayA
IkshusArasravanthyEva yannmUrthyA sarkarAyitham
(Meaning): AdiyEn performs Prapatthi at the Sacred hills of
VenkatAdhri , which is the crystalized version of the flood of cane sugar
juice representing the Dayaa guNam of Lord SrinivAsan . The limitless
compassion of Lord SrInivAsan flows swiftly as a flood to reach His
devotees.That compassion of the Lord is most enjoyable.That compassion is
like a river of cane juice. That cane juice has transformed
ultimately in to the sweetest rock candy to be enjoyed by His BhakthAs .
That rock candy takes the form of VenkatAdhri , which bears the trespasses
of the chEthanams and grants all the desired boons sought by the BhakthAs.
Such is the MahAthmyam of the First AshtOtthara nAmam
of SrI VenkatEsa !
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