Sri Srinivasa Vaibhavam- theerthas at Tirumala

[Guest guest]

Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha

Sri Vara Vara MunayE namaha

 

Dear Sri Madhavakkannan,

 

I would just like to add a few points to your post

about the various teerthams at tirumala.

 

regarding tumburu kona, tradition says that when the

idol of sri ranganathha was being conveyed to tirumala

to avoid desecration by the muslim invaders, the idol

is said to have been dropped down a deep ravine along

with the bearer and to have been worshipped there for

some time. There is a small manatapam in the middle of

the water course which may be the place referred to

that in the tradition.

 

Papanasam is a waterfall about 3 miles from the

temple. Tradition has it that sriman tirumala nambi

used to collect water from this place for the

thirumanjanam of the lord.One day god appeared before

him as a hunter and asked him for some water. When

refused, the hunter thrust an arrow and drank the

water.The unsuspecting nambi found the pot empty on

reaching the temple but found that the water had

already been accepted by God.When he went the next

day, the hunter told him that there was an equally

pure source of water much nearer to the temple and

shot an arrow indicating akasa ganga. Since then water

is brought from akasa ganga.

 

The name kapila theertham is a recent term and

doesnt find any mention in either the inscriptions of

the temple(the main tirumala temple or the kapileswara

temple at the teertham. The name by which it is

referred to the sri vaishnavas living at tirupati is

alvar teertham. The first refernce to the term kapila

theerthhm is made in the year 1865 AD when the mahant

Dharmadasji introduced it.In an inscription dated 1563

AD the god there is referred to as 'Kapileswara

Nayinar'. All the inscriptions refer to it as alwar

theertham and 1 inscription says that according to

rites prescribed by sri ramanuja the waters were

sanctified by the advent of sri govindarajaswami along

with sri and bhu devi and sri sudarshana alwar. As

such alwar theertahm refers to either sudarshana

(chakratalvar) or to nammalvar whose shrine is present

there and which was renovated by a pandyan king around

1287 AD. There is also a temple to LakshmiNarayan

perumal there. An inscription also mentions an image

of tiruvengadamudayan image in the 4th cave above

alwar theertham.However on 10-2-1865 Dharmadasji

procliamed that it was kapila theertham not alvar

theertham.

This teertham is considered a divya theertham of

tiruvengadamudayan but flowing to tirupati from the

toe of tiruvengadamudayan.

 

p.s : More information can be obtained from 'Tirumala

Tirupathi Devasthanam Incriptions'-- Volumes 1 to

6,History of Tirupati -Dr S Krishnaswami Iyengar,

History of Tirupati(The thiruvengadam temples) -

T.K.T.Viraraghava Charya.

 

BrahmaNi SrInivAse.

 

Regards,

Gokul Krishna Paravasthu.

 

 

 

--- Madhavakkannan V <srivaishnavan wrote:

 

>

>

> SrI:

> SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

>

> Dearest Srivaishnavas,

>

> Continuing on the glory of Tirumala Sri Srinivasa

> perumAL:

>

> Tirumala hill is a vast area dotted with peaks from

> which rise lakes and waterfalls. Of these 108 are

> believed to be sacred and associated with various

> epic

> characters and leelas of Sri Srinivasa.

> [Reference material: Book- Balaji- Venkateswara-

> Lord

> of Tirumala- Tirpuati- An introduction written by

> Nanditha Krishna]

>

> Swami Pushkarini- The Swami Pushkarini- was Vishnu’s

> tank in Srivaikuntha, and was brought to the earth

> by

> Garuda. It is the sacred tank in front of the temple

> of Tirumala, even regarded as equivalent to the

> Ganges

> and other sacred rivers. A dip in the tank cleanses

> the bather of all sins. The performance of the daily

> rites or even occasional rites on the banks of the

> Swamy pushkarini is said to cure deformities of the

> body and ensure the avoidance of all types of

> narakam.

> It grants the wishes of those bathe in it. Like the

> hill, all the tanks and lakes of Tirumala are sacred

> and known as theerthas.

>

> There are seventeen teerthas (holy waters) whose

> waters are believed to combine in the Swami

> Pushkarini.

>

> Swamy Pushkarni rewards those who bathe in its

> waters

> [due to the most merciful kataaksham of Sri

> Srinivasan] by granting their heart’s desires.

> Bathing

> in this pushkarini is equivalent to bathing in all

> sacred rivers.

>

> There are seveneteen sacred lakes which mingle with

> this Swami Pushkarini.

>

> Kapila theertha- a sacred pool in front of which

> Sage

> Kapila worshipped.

> Shakra or Vajra theertha- situated on the hill above

> Kapila theertha- where Indra [Devendra], Shakara was

> released from the curse of Sage Gautama.

>

> Vishvaksena saras- where Vishvaksena, meditated.

> Agni kuNda theertha- siyuated above the Panchayudha

> theerthas- which is inaccessible

> Brahma theertha, that which is believed to cleanse

> great and grave sins;

> Panchaayudha theertha- five pools named after the

> five

> divine weapons of Lord Sriman Narayana

> Saptharishi theertha- seven water names after seven

> rishis – namely Kashyapa, Atri, Bharadwaja,

> Viswamithra, Gauthama, Vasishta, and Jamadhagni.

>

> Like these there are other theerthas, namely:

> Akaashaganga theertha- situated in the north of

> temple, this is the site where Anjanadevi performed

> penance for 12 years and Hanumaan was born. Every

> day

> silver potful of water from this theertha are

> brought

> by one of the seven families of Acharyans, for the

> daily Thirumanjanam [divine bathing] of the Lord

> Srinivasa

>

> Vaikuntha theertha- Situated in a cave to the north

> east of the temple, a few members of Rama’s monkey

> army saw Vishnu’s Vaikuntha inside the cave – and

> hence the name.

>

> Sanaka Sanaadhana theertha – Once the home of saints

> and yogis, it is believed that a dip here would

> confer

> yogic powers. A bath in the month of maargazhi would

> be divine and benefit spiritually.

>

> Jaabaali theertha – This was the site of the

> hermitage

> first of Jaabali rishi and his disciplies and later,

> of Agasthya and his sishyas, and is located two

> miles

> of north of the temple. It is believed to have

> miraculous powers to relieve bodies possessed with

> spirits / ghosts.

>

> Paandava theertha- situated a mile away from the

> temple, to the North east, it is named after the

> five

> Paandava brothers, who lived on the Hill for a year.

> At the end of the year, Yudhishtra dreamt that as

> they

> had lived here for a year, they were absolved of

> their

> sins, and would be victorious in the war. Theertha

> was

> named after them.

>

> Paapavinaasa theertha – A low waterfall three miles

> from the temple, a bath on its holy water opn the

> seventh day or the 12th day of the waxing moon in

> the

> month of Ashada (July- Aug) will wipe out the sins

> of

> earlier births, it is believed.

>

> Chakra theertha- to rid of demons, who were a menace

> to life, a devotee names Padmanabha meditated on

> Lord

> Sri Srinivasan for 12 long years at this theertha,

> till the Lord sent His charka to destroy the demons.

> Images of Sri Mahalakshmi – Narasimha and Sudharsana

> are consecrated here. On the 12th day of the waning

> moon in the month Kaarthika an offering of

> ThirukkaNNamudhu [Paayasam] – sweetened milk and

> rice]

> is offered and prasadham is distributed to thos who

> bathed in this theertha.

>

> Kumara theertha- An elderly Brahmin lived alone on

> the

> Hill meditating on Lord Venkatesa. One day, when he

> had lost his way, a young boy appeared and led him

> to

> a lake and asked him to take a dip there. The old

> man

> followed his instructions and was transformed into a

> 16 year old youth. The young boy revealed himself to

> be Lord Srinivasan and blessed the old man and

> disapeeared. From then on the lake was known as

> Kumara

> theertha.

>

> Kumaradhara theertha- In order to absolve himself

> from

> the sin of Brahmaharthi [killing of a Brahmin] when

> he

> killed the wicked Tarakasaura, Kumara or Kaarthikeya

> performed penance at this theertha which was named

> after him.

>

> Rasayana, Valighna and Jarahara theerthas – are

> three

> theerthas not visible to the human eye.

>

> Thotti theertha – situated in the sanctum sanctorum,

> the sandal and saffron mixed thirumanjanam waters

> used

> for the ritual ceremonial bath of The Lord are

> collected on Fridays in this theertha. Drinking this

> water will destroy all sins.

>

> Kayarasayana theertha- Also hidden from the view,

> the

> waters of this theertha if drunk, will purify the

> body. Thondaimaan had been entrusted by a Brahmin

> with

> the care of his pregnant wife when the latter went

> on

> a pilgrimage. Unfortunately the woman died.

> Venkteshwara instructed Thondaimaan to dip her

> corpse

> in this water. He did so, and she came back to life.

>

>

> Ramakrishna theertha- Six miles to the north of the

> Venkatesa temple, a person named Krishna excavated

> this pool. Later a rishi named Ramakrishna meditated

> here for centuries till an ant hill grew around him.

> To test his concentration, Indra sent down thunder,

> lightning, and torrential downpour; but Ramakrishna

> did not budge. But the crest of the anthill broke,

> Lord Sri Srinivasa appeared before him, with the

> promise, that whoever bathes in that theertha on

> full

> moon would be released of all sins.

>

> Thumba, Thumburu kona- Gandharva, Tumburu cursed his

> lazy qwife to become a toad and live in this lake

> till

> Sage Agasthya arrived at this theertha and descrbed

> the merit of the theertha to his sishyas. On hearing

> his words, she regained her form. It happened this

> and

> she became a gaandharva again. Hence the name.

>

>

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