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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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