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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00156 Jan 2003

 
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srishailEsha dhayApAthram DhibhaktyAdi guNArNavam |
yathIndhrapravaNam vandhE ramyajAmAtharam munim ||

Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya nama:

Temple Legends:
The SriRangam temple has a glorious and long history dating 
back to proto-historic times. According to tradition, the idol of Sri 
Ranganatha was worshipped by Brahma in brahma/sathya lOka, and was 
brought to bhUlOka/earth in thrEtha yuga and being worshipped by 
Ikshvaku, a king of Ayodhya and the progenitor of the dynasty to 
which SriRama belonged. In course of time,SriRama inherited it. 
After His coronation/pattAbhishEka, He presented it to VibhIShaNa on 
his return to Sri Lanka. On his way back, Vibhishana laid it down at 
the place where SriRangam now is, so that he could refresh in the 
Kaveri. When VibhIShaNa,on his return, attempted to remove it, he 
found that it had become fixed to the ground. He was heart-broken 
but the Chola king, Dharmavarman, consoled him. Sri Ranganatha 
Himself told vibhIShaNa that He desired to dwell on the banks of 
KAveri(which originates in Kudagu) and for Vibhishana's sake He would 
lie down facing south, in the direction of Sri Lanka. The sanctum in 
the temple faces south, and the main entrance is also from the south. 
King Dharmavarman built a temple around the shrine. 

ThoNdaradippodi AzhvAr says in his ThirumAlai:19

kudadhisai mudiyaivaiththu kuNadhisai pAdhamnItti*
vadadhisai pinbukAtti thendhisai ilangainOkki*
kadalniRak kadavuLendhai aravaNaith thuyilumAkaNdu*
udalenakku urugulAlO! enseikEn! ulagaththIrE!

Also vAlmIki in his rAmAyana(VI:128:90) mentions the fact that 
vibhIShaNa, alongwith the idol of SriRanganATha(as a gift from 
SriRama) returned to SriLanka

vibhIShaNOpi DharmAthmA saha thEnair-puthraSharbhai |
labdhvA kuladhanam rAjA lankAm prAyAn mahAyasa ||

This temple was flooded by the Kaveri and got buried under the sand. 
Dense forest obscured it from sight, and its existence became 
unknown. At last, a descendent of Dharmavarman's KiLi by name, who 
happened to be resting under a tree in the forest, heard a parrot, 
or "kiLi" in Tamil, repeating a verse that this was the site of the 
Srirangam temple and that it could be perceived. But the king was 
unable to locate the temple. He began building another to the west of 
the tree under which he had rested. Lord Vishnu appeared in his dream 
and pointed out where the old temple was. The king was happy to 
recover the site, clearing the forest. He built a temple and a town 
around the rediscovered temple. 

AzhvAr EmperumAnAr Jeeyar TiruvadigaLE sharaNam
NC Nappinnai




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