deity in India 2 million years old.

[Govindaram 1]

Hare Krishna

 

Not sure who the diety is of, something to do with the pastimes of Lord Ramachandra, somewhere in South India?

 

does anybody have any info?? Please!

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

I think you are speaking of the Ranganatha deity in Sri Rangam.

 

The deity is supposed to be facing South to give blessings to Lanka. Years ago the main gopuram (tower) was remade. An astrologer told to the Sri Lankan president that it disturbed the spiritual blessings being sent to Lanka, and as a result that country has faced problems since. Now the Sri Lankan (buddhist) government has began construction on a multimillion dollar Ranganatha temple in Sri Lanka to regain the lost spiritual blessings. Strange but true.

 

Here is the story of the temple:

 

 

According to tradition, the shrine of Sri Ranganatha, which was the original small temple was under worship by Ikshvaku, a king of Ayodhya and the progenitor of the dynasty to which Sri Rama belonged. Sri Rama inherited it in course of time. After His coronation following the recovery of Sita, 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 be the in the Kaveri. When, on his return, he attempted to remove it, he found that it had become fixed to the ground. He was stricken with grief. But the Chola king, Dharmavarman, consoled him. Sri Ranganatha Himself said that He desired to dwell on the banks of the Kaveri. To console Vibhishana 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 Dharmavaram built a temple around the shrine.

 

 

The deity is even older than two million years, as it had been worshipped elsewhere prior to coming to Tamil Nadu.

[ShegavichaRana 0]

In one of your earlier posts, (I think, it was about the ancient bridge between India and SriLanka), you had very clearly written that, the present SriLanka was not the one, where Sita was kept under captivity, but it was some other place, as the distance of SriLanka and India has been described to be 800 Yojanas and not merely 30 km. I am confused. The time period mentioned in your post also invalidates the time frame given for each Yuga, as it would appear that Lord Ramachandra was physically present about 2 million years back.

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

The present Sri Lanka is not the Lanka of ancient times. The story about the astrologer was stated simply as information, and it is his belief that the present Sri Lanka was the same as the ancient Sri Lanka.

 

It is also his belief that the Lord's blessings get affected by material constructions made from bricks and cement. I don't agree with such theories. The Lord's blessings cannot be blocked from his devotees by bricks nor buildings (i.e. the changing of the gopuram in Sri Rangam).

 

Regarding the age of the deity, it was previously worshipped by Brahma in ancient times, making it much older than 2 million years. But two million years ago it was handed over to Vibhishana for worship.

 

[Tarun 6]

To this day no large ship can/may pass between Ramesvaram & SrI Lanka/Ceylon. Never. Manhattan's illustrious university professor SrI BhaktivijnAna Swami 212-665-5074 originally from Belgaon, Karnataka has compiled a superbly researched slide show exactly explaining RAma-lila's hard archaelogical evidence featuring this very same bridge centerstage. Not even Indian Naval ships have ever passed between. Nor shall they or any other ever b able to.

[Govindaram 1]

 

Hare Krishna

 

It amazes me how much service devotees do for Krishna diety, so much dedication, very inspiring to me, any pictures of the diety would be great to look at, though I doubt there are any, jai sri krishna.

[lover_soul 0]

well it seems that I cannot post mine here, but you can see it on this website. It is not a Srirangam Ranganatha temple website, but of a Ranganatha temple we have in New York.

http://www.ranganatha.org

 

The top left hand corner Sleeping Vishnu is Swami Ranganatha- it is the real 2 million year old deity. I apologize, it is not a very clear pic of the deity. I went to the temple when I was young, at that time it was extremely huge by my perspective.

 

The people there also worship Andal devi. Andal devi is actually a devotee of the lord who fell in love with the deity and wanted to marry God. She used to decorate the deity each day and used to decorate herself with the things that are put on the deity, she used to talk to him etc. and finally when her father wanted to marry her to some one, Vishnu himself came to her and married her- She is also an incarnation of Sri Laxmi and is said to be an example that Sri Ranganatha is truly a bhaktavatsala.

 

 

 

[ancient_paztriot 0]

There's a photo album on the site too.

[lover_soul 0]

http://www.geocities.com/irscd/108.htm

 

This website has a good picture of Sri Ranganathaswamy.

[ancient_paztriot 0]

I see what you mean… Very intense.

[Govindaram 1]

<font color="red"> Srirangam Ranganatha temple &

Sleeping Vishnu Swami Ranganatha.. </font color>

 

 

Hare Krsna

[lover_soul 0]

That place is an attraction to all. For the tourists/scientists, it is a wonderful presentation of the Ancient Indian art, but for devotees it is a place where their every wish is fulfilled. It is very amazing.

 

[Guest guest]

This coming Friday-Sunday, the Venkateshwara temple here in Sydney (founded by the Tirupati Devasthanams) will be doing the yagnas and other procedures to complete the temple building project, begun about 20 years ago.

 

Lord Ranganatha is installed in the temple, as well as Sri Venkateshwara, Lakshmi Devi and Sri Andal; many other shrines are established in the temple as well. About 5000 people will attend the opening. Should be wonderful. I will be there with all our friends and my family.

 

-- Muralidhar

[lover_soul 0]

Thats very nice, I hope you enjoy prabhu.