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Sri Venkateswara Ashtotthram |
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84) Maadhaveeya agha haarine SrI
VenkatEsaaya nama:
Salutations to Sri Venkatesa, who
destroyed the sins of a brahmin named Madhava
This is an extremely important
tirunaama, which indicates the reason for the Venkatam Hills acquiring the
name. This is considered so important that the episode is recounted both in
the Brahmaanda Purana and the Bhavishyottara Purana.
By birth and upbringing a pious
and devoted brahmin well versed in the scriptures, Madhava was attracted to a
chandaala woman due to her seemly looks. This unbecoming attraction proved the
end of Madhava's good conduct, for he fell headlong for her and started living
with her in her slum, adopting all sorts of unbecoming behaviour like
consumption of forbidden items etc. He was so attached to her that when she
died, he became half-mad and roamed all over, unable to get over the pangs of
separation. Accidentally, he encountered some devotees going to Tirumala and
listlessly accompanied them, for want of anything better to do. The moment the
bedevilled Madhava set foot on the hills and commenced his climb, a huge fire
emanated from his body, with an unbearable smell and noise. When the fire
subsided on its own, Madhava found himself to have regained all his earlier
radiance that comes from a study of the scriptures and conduct behoving such
studies--Gnanam and anushttaanam. It was as if the fire had destroyed all his
sins and restored his earlier purity of thought and deed. It was from
this episode that the Venkatachalam got its name, for "Vem" refers
to chronic sins and "katam" to the act of burning them up.
It is perhaps with this in mind
that Sri Andal talks about sins being burned away, when we utter the Lord's
names--" poya pizhayum pugu taruvaan nindranavum teeyinil doosaagum"
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