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Abodes of Vishnu

75. Arulmigu Padmavathi Thayar samedha Venkatachalapathi Koil (Thirupathi)

Mulavar   Govindaraja Perumal, Venkatachalapathi, Balaji
Utsavar   Srinivasan
Thayar   Pundareegavalli, Alamelu, Padmavathi
Kshethram    
Pose & Direction   Standing Pose facing East
Theertham   Akasa Ganga Theertham, Papvinaasa Theertham
Vimanam   Ananda Nilaya Vimanam
Sthala Vruksham    
Paadiyavar   Thirumangai Alwar, Andal, Periy Alwar, Namm Alwar, Pei Alwar, Boodath Alwar, Poigai Alwar, Kulasekara Alwar, Thiruppan Alwar, Thirumazhisai Alwar
Travel Base   Thirupathi
Nearest Railway Station   Thirupathi

Location

Tirupati is well connected by Air, Rail and Road. Tirupati is connected by rail with Hyderabad, Vijayawada, via Gudur and Madras via Renigunta and Coimbatore, Bangalore, Cochin via Arkonam, Tiruchi. Tirupati is connected by road to all major towns and cities in South India. Direct buses to Tirupati are available from almost all major towns of Andhra Pradesh. Indian Airlines and Vayudoot run daily flights from Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Madras and Bangalore.

History

This temple is one of the Navarathnam Temple representing Venkata Rathnam. Emperumaan, Sriman Narayanan is found as Lord of the Seven Hills known as "Eazhumalayaan" stands in this temple all alone in Nindra thirukkolam and is giving the seva to lots and lots of Bhaktas. After the world has been created, Trethayugham, Dwaparayugam and Krithayugam all went and in all these yugam, as stated by Sriman Narayanan in Mahabharatham, he took Avathaar in some form to establish Dharma and fought and destroyed "Adharma" or evil. After all these Yugams finished, Kali yugam started from then, all sorts of Evil things started to spread along throughout the world. Great Emporers lost their Empire and lots of Yogis and Rishis were killed and their wives were captured by Arakkas (Demon). At that Kaliyugam, a wild demon by named "kali" emerged in this yugam who made the earth loose its beauty and spread various evil aspects in the midst of the human minds. In Kaliyugam, person who has money and body strength are respected and all the good things like human relationship, guru and his students relation, cheating others for money and lots of sinful action were performed. Lord Brahma was so scared on seeing the Earth in this manner. Finally he thought, the right person to cure this is Sriman Narayanan and if his divine thiruvadi (feet) is touched on the lands of earth, it might regain its lost beauty and if at least a drop of his blood is shed on earth, the earth become pure and thereby all evil things might diminish. He said this to Narada Maharishi and he should take of this. All the Maharishis had a meeting that a very big Sacrifice known as Yaagam must be done and how much amount credit should be given to which god? Narada told that it should be given to one among the 3 moorthies who stands as the structure of Dharma and Sathyam and he should be capable of withstanding all sorts of Adharmams. Finally, he ends by saying that Brighu Maharishi is the right person who can do this in finding among the 3 Moorthies who is person with the said Characters. First, he went straight to Siva logam where Lord Shiva and Parasakthi are found closed to each other. It is one of the Universal truth that the union of Shivan and Sakthi is said to be the way made for the Dharma to come all its way. But, since Brighu Maharishi was so angry that his presence was not being noticed, and gave him the Curse that on the earth, Lord Shiva would be done pooja only in the form of Lingam but not in the form of Statues (or) Vigrahams (Idols). This is the reason that Shiva Lingams are found in all Shiva temples but not Idols, After this, Brighu Maharishi went to Brahma devan's Sathya logam. There also he was not greeted properly, he was not noticed. It was him, Brahma devan who asked Narada Maharishi for this to happen but it is fate that all this should happen. After being un-noticed by Brahma and Saraswathi, Brighu Maharishi got angry on him and like the same way, as he cursed Shiva, he gave Brahma devan a sabham that there should be no temple for Brahma in the Bhoologam and after this he went straight to Vaikundam. After entering into Vaikundam, he saw Sriman Narayanan sleeping in Aadhiseshan. He could not be so calm since he was not greeted and taken care properly by Brahma devan and as a result he had given them the Sabham. As a result, he burst out like Volcano and went straight towards Sriman Narayanan and kicked him on his Thirumaarbhu (divine chest). After being kicked, Sriman Narayanan woke up and asked Brighu Maharishi to sit and did Padha pooja for him. Brighu Maharishi is a person who has an eye on his feet. Because of this he was so angry and the perumal plucked the eye from his feet and as a result he lost all of his anger and finally thought that all of the Yoga credit must be given to Sriman Narayanan and came to the Yoga place. As we can notice, it was Brahma devan that who started the process of finding to whom the yaga credit should be given but finally he got cursed that he should not be worshiped in the earth. Its all a pre-written one and it is left to destiny that these are the things that should happen. But, as Brighu Maharishi kicked the thirumaarbhu (divine chest) of Sriman Narayanan, Lakshmi piratti left him from Sri Vaikundam and came towards the earth. Because of this, Sri Vaikundam, the Moksham lost its grace and brightness and all of these are said to be only because of Kaliyugam. After being alone in Vaikundam, Sri Vishnu could not be in Vaikundam and came towards the Bhoologam in search of Sri Mahalakshmi. Aadhiseshan turned as the mountain of Tirumala and the perumal roamed all along the earth without knowing what to do. He forgot all of his duties and he lost his conscious and sat like a person without having food, water and anything else. On seeing this, Brahma devan and Shiva came down towards the Earth known as Bhoologam as a cow and calf and were finally handed over towards the Chozha king. Once a cow-boy person took the cow and the calf for making them to eat. But in the land, the cow (Brahma devan) and the calf (Shiva) went towards the putru (ant-hill), where Sri Vishnu was found. The cow and the calf went towards the Ant-hill and gave Sriman Narayanan the milk. This happened daily. But the cow-boy could not understand why this particular cow is not giving milk while the other do. so, finally he made up in his mind that he should follow the cow and the calf and find the reason for not giving milk. The next day he took all the cows for the gracing to the plains but his eyes was watching only the cow (Brahma) that's not giving milk daily. As a daily practice, the spiritual cow went towards the Ant-hill and poured all of the milk inside the ant-hill, where Sriman Narayanan is found. On seeing this, the cow-boy went to the Chozha King and told the reason why the cow is not yielding milk but dropping the milk only at a specific ant-hill. Then, the king sent some of his soldiers and asked them to destroy the ant-hill. On that time, the cow as usual went towards the ant hill and gave milk. During the same time, the cowboy tried to hit the cow with his axe, he threw the axe towards the cow. But, to help and save the cow, the perumal came out from the anthill and held the axe in his head. The axe directly struck the forehead of the perumal and made a deep cut and as a result, the blood came out and finally it fell on the earth thus, finally the earth was freed from all sorts of evil activities that's being done by Kali. As the Emperumaan divine feet was stamped on the Bhoologam, it got its purity and the perumal gave his seva first to the cowboy in spite of causing wound by throwing the axe on him. But, as said by the Lord in Bagavath Gita, "Do your duties, without expecting the return". As said by the perumal, the cowboy did the right duty of stopping the cow which gave the milk to the perumal. He didn't expected anything. Its his duty to take the cow out and get the milk from them. As a result, he was the first person to get the dharshan of the perumal.

Architecture

The Moolavar of this divyadesam is said to be Swayambhu. The Moolavar, Sri Venkatachalapathy is in standing posture (Nindra thirukkolam) on the petals of the Lotus. One can see and admire the beauty the Diamond Crown known as Kreetam on the head of the Lord Sri Venkateswara perumal. On taking a closer look, we can see the smiling face of the perumal. His chin is covered with the smelly benzoine known as Pachchai Karpooram and for the Lord is with 4 hands The upper two arms holds the Conch (Sangu) and the Divine Wheel known as Chakkaram. The lower right hand is in Varadha hasta pose which is said to the pose where the perumal holds his hand with his palm facing the bhaktas and all of the fingers are pointed towards downwards (towards his divine feet). And his lower left hand is said to be in "Katya Valambitha" pose where the fingers of the hand rest on the left thigh of the perumal. Sri Lakshmi piratti is on the right side of the Moolavar's chest in sitting position. And on his left chest Sri Padmavathi thaayar is adorning. The perumal is with lots of precious ornaments on his arms, he is worn with a kind of ornament which is like the Aadhiseshan on his both the hands. He is also worn the Garland of Salagramam and His divine thiruvadi (Feet) is found on the Lotus flower. Next to Moolavar is Bhoga Srinivasa Murthi is, who is similar as the Moolavar but the difference is the Sangu and the Chakkaram cant be removed (its fixed) and gives his seva as "Sangu Chakkra thaari". It is said that he is the Lord Balaji who accepts all the dedications made His devotees and gives the varam. In front of Moolavar is Ugraha Srinivasar is a Statue and is named as "Venkata Thuraivar" and the Vigraham represents that he is in the angry mood. Due to a fire accident, He is used only on 3 occasions (i.e.) during Uttanna Ekadasi, Mukkoti Dwadasi and Dwadasa Aradhana. It is said that the rays of the sun should not fall the idol as it might bring harm to the world. For this reason the Idol is brought back to the Sanctum Sanatorium known as Garbagriham. Next to him is Sri Navaneedha Krishnan. He is in dancing position along with Rukmani Devi. During month of 15th December and 14th January in every year, which is known as Dhanur month Sanskrit and in Tamil Maargazhi, elaborative function known as Utsavam is done for this Lord Navaneetha Krishna.