PeriyAzhwAr Thirunakshthram ( Birth Day) Celebration at Sri RanganAthA Temple, Pomona , NY: June 30, 2001 , Part II: Summary of Paasurams from 223-473 by decads

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs :

 

Yesterday was a glorious day . In the middle of

the MandalAbhishEkam ( 45 days of special abhishEkams

/sacred baths for Lord RanganAthA and Moorthys )at

the 8 Sannidhis ( Sri RanganAthan ,Sri RanganAyaki,

Andaal , VeNugOpAlan, Lakshmi Narasimhan , SitA LakshmaNa

samEtha Raamachandran , SrinivAsan and Garudan )of

the Temple , PeriyAzhwAr's birhtday was celebrated

in the most traditional manner.

 

All the eight ArchakAs , experts in the different

aspects PaancharAthrA aagamic worship were there .

Five of them will be returning to India at the end

of the MandalAbhishEkam . Since Lord RanganAthA

and the PerumALs at the other Sannidhis are the prime

focus of worship during the 45 days following

the grand consecration of this new temple, we did

not recite the individual pasurams of PeriyAzhwAr

except ThiruppalllANDu . We had traditonal AarAdhanam

followed by Koil Thirumozhi and grand SaathupuRai.

It took nearly three hours.

 

PeriyAzhwAr received special honors from his

son-in-law , Lord RanganAthan . Nearly 200 BhakthAs

took part in the different stages of the function and

received MahA PrasAdham .

 

The Temple is making progress in coping with

the special expenses relating to the May 23-27

MahA SamprOkshaNam and the PrumALs and ThAyArs

are reciving thrikAla AarAdhanam every day.

 

We need the help of lot of BhakthAs from near

and far to perform Tulasi , Flowers , anna dhAnam

PoojA SaamagriyA ( Material for Daily worship )

kaimkaryams (services). Sponsorships of $108

per family would help us a grat deal to plan

and excute the traditonal activities with rigor

in the same manner as at Srirangam , Kaanchi and

Thirumalai Temples.

 

The sponsors name will be recognized through

special archanais on the day of their choice

(birth days, wedding anniversaries , other

commemorative days ). You are most elcome to donate

more, since the temple will need maximum support form

all aasthikAs especially in the first year of operation.

 

The grand Ranga Mantapam is there for you to use for

special meetings and celebrations at the temple.

Highly qualified Priests are available for performing

Vaidhika Kaaryams( Upanayanam , KalyANam , Sathya

NaarAYaNa Pooja , Sudarsana Homam et al ). Please make

use of their presence in the country .

 

I will write about two specific items next:

 

1. Remaing PeriyAzhwAr Paasurams Summary

 

2. MahA samprOkshaNam rites that took place.

Many of you, who attended the celebrations

saw a lot of very special ceremonies :

 

2.1: First day:

Sankalpam , anugani , VishvasEna AarAdhanam ,

MruthsangrahaNam , AnkurArpaNam , Paalikaa PoojA,

Soma Kumbha PoojA , Agni PrathishtA on the first day .

 

2.2: Second Day Morning:

YaagsAlA DhvAra PoojA , ManOnmana Saanthi Homam ,

Panchakavya SammELanam , Aalaya Suddhi , Vaasthu

Saanthi , Raksha Bhandanam , JalAdhivAsam ,

SayanAdhi Vaasam , MahA Kumbha Mandala Poojai

 

2.3: Second day Evening:

Jatee Bhandham , Bhagavadh BhimbhAradhanam,

Nithya Homam , PoorNAhUthi , Saptha Kalasa

SthApanam .

 

2.4: Third day:

ChathusthAana archana , Homam , VimAna Kaaryam

PoorNAhUthi

 

2.5: Fourth day:

YaagasAlai PoojA , MahA SamprOkshaNam ,

 

I have sat with one of the authorities of

Paancha Raathra Aagma from Kanchipuram

Sri VaradarAjA temple and tried to understand

the complex rites relating to MahA SamprOkshaNam.

He has been very kind to share with me what took him

many years of study and practise performing such rites.

He is quite eager fo all the BhakthAs to understand

these ancient traditions that are PerumAL's own

instructions over five nights ( Paancha Raathra Aagama).

 

All the mistakes in summarizing these ancient and

complex rites defended by AchArya RaamAnujA ,

Swamy Desikan in the context of Temple worship

will be mine and all the credits should go to

my Teacher , Sri Kanchi VaradarAja Bhattar.

 

I will cover the different features you saw

at the outdoor YaagasAlAs ( Square , Circular

and the ardha Chandhra agni Kuntams , where

the Homams were performed , the raised platform

serving as the seat of Nava Padhma MaNtapam as

sanctioned by Paadhma samhithai )and explain

their significance . BhagavAn is manthra Roopi

and He is approachable through Veda manthrAs

and Aagamic rites . Instead of making ourselves

experts in conducting these ancient MahA SamprOkshaNam

rites , I will attempt to give the high lights

of this grand ceremony . It has been siad that

particpating in one MahA samprOkshaNam is

Janma Saapalyam ( the fulfilment of One's birth).

 

I need your support for all these kaimkaryams

at the temple to keep this temple as an unique

and authentic center of worship for all bhakthAs

to visit,use and support .

 

Please become abhimAnis/Benefactors/Life Members

of the Lord RanganAthA Temple .

 

May Sriman NaarAyaNA"s blessings be with you all always,

Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan

 

P.S : I will continue with the Paasdurams of PeriyAzhwAr

in a subsequent postings .