This article is dedicated to one of the 4 parts of Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatam, Mangalasasanam (or Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam)
Introduction
Sri Venkateswara or Balaji is the Saviour of Kaliyuga. The devotees have immense belief in Lord Venkateswara. God in return is showering boons on His devotees, as per their desires. The devotees Praise the Lord’s excellence, His pranks and other interesting stories in various ways.
This article ‘A Commentary on Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatam (or Balaji Suprabhatam), Stotram, Prapatti and Mangalasasanam’ written by the Late Sri V.S. Venkata Narayana is an appreciable work.
The Sanskrit slokas are translated into English in a detailed prose form. The prosiness style is easy for any reader to understand.
Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatam comprises of four parts Suprabhatam, Stotram, Prapatti and Mangalasasanam.
- Suprabhatam is the awakening of Lord Venkateswara who was put to bed (Ekanta Seva) the previous night. In this part, devotees praise Lord Srinivasa and submissively request Him to wake up and bless the devotees eagerly waiting to seek His blessings.
- The next stage is presenting Stotra in praise of Swami. Here, the devotees describe the pious qualities and Glory of God’s Chaitanya (kinetic) form.
- After praising the Glory, the devotee surrenders himself in Prapatti (Total Surrender) to Sripati. The believers feel that Srinivasa is the only God who will protect them from the evil aspects of this mundane world.
- The final part is Mangalasasanam in which the devotee puts forth his respect and divine feeling for Balaji.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam
The auspicious well-being of the Lord is the blessed well-being of the Universe. We wish well for the Lord for His Chaitanya to be always in us, of us, with us, through us and by us, for us to be safe and sound in His blessed service all through.
The devotee therefore prays now for the Mangalam or well-being and auspiciousness of the Lord after invoking the Lord’s person by worshipping His Feet to which he has surrendered ‘in toto’, without any reservation.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 1
Sriyahkaantaaya Kalyaana nidhaye Nidhayerthinaam!
Sree Venkatanivaasaaya Sreenivaasaaya Mangalam!!
“May all auspiciousness and blessedness be fall on the Lord Srinivasa, the Husband of Goddess Sree, the mine of all blessedness, the sole resource of those in need that lie to Him, the Lord of the Venkata Hill!”
The devotee now prays to the Lord as the Lord of Goddess Sree. For, auspiciousness and blessedness come when the Goddess of all auspiciousness and blessedness Mother Lakshmi is with Him. In conjunction with Her and being of Her the Lord is a veritable mine of all qualities that bring happiness and blessed existence to all devotees.
He can vouchsafe all these blessed qualities to the devotees as the Mother who forms the eternal resource of such things has residence in Him and intercedes for their bestowal on the real devotee.
Any prayer or mantra invoking the Lord must have mentioned Her in conjunction with the Lord. Narayana Hridayam can be obtained only by the utterance of Lakshmi Hridayam.
That is why it is said :
Naaraayanasya hridayam Sarvaabheeshta phalapradam
Lakshmee Hridayakam Stotram Yadichaitadvinaakrutam
Tatsarvam nishphalam proktam Lakshmeeh krudyati sarvadaa
Etat samkalitam Stotram Sarvaabheeshta phalapradam
Japetsankalitam Krutvaa Sarvaabheeshta Mavaapnuyaat
Naaraayanasya Hridayamaadou japtvaa tatahparam
Lakshmeehridayakam Stotram Japennaraayanam punah
Punarnaaraayanam Japtvaa Punarlakshmeehrudayam japet!
If all wish-fulfilling Narayana Hriyada Stotra is uttered without the prayer of Lakshmi Hridayam, its utterance will be a futile exercise and will have no effect at all. As a result, we will attract the ire of the Mother. The utterance of Lakshmi Hridayam with Narayana Hridayam can alone grant all our desires and bring us all auspiciousness and blessedness.
First, we should utter Narayana Hridayam and then Lakshmi Hridayam. Once again we have to give utterance to Narayana Hridayam to be accompanied by Lakshmi Hridayam. Thus it is incumbent on one to utter the Hridayam Stotras twice.
This Mangalasasanam is therefore keeping with this tradition. Without thinking of the Lord first as one with ‘Sree’, no one can get any blessedness. The way to gain the affection of the Lord is only through ‘Sree’. She is the repository of all auspiciousness and blessedness and with the Lord in inalienable contact with Her, there is no dearth of Mangalam or blissful existence and well-being to any devotee who surrenders to the Lord visualising Him as “Sree Kaanta”.
To cite an example, the 38th Adhyaya of Varahapurana gives the history of ‘Atmaram’, a devotee of the Lord who lost everything after the death of his father and became penniless. He thereupon thought of going to Venkatadri and did so after bathing in the Kapilatirtham. He saw the great sage Sanat Kumara in a cave and prayed to him for help and guidance to get redemption from his sins.
The sage said, “You had committed a lot of sins in your previous births. You are undergoing the consequences now. You have not worshipped Lord Vishnu properly. I shall give you a guiding hand. The Mother of the Universe, Goddess Mahalakshmi, has to be worshipped alongside of the Lord who is Lakshmi Vallabha. I will initiate you in Her Vyuhamantra. By concentrating on Her through it, you shall attain your cherished desires”. Atmaram did so and bathed in Swami Pushkarini.
As he did so, the Lord appeared in a vision with the divine Mothers Sree and Bhoo and said, “Do not be afraid. You are excused. Hereafter you shall not have any difficulties. I give you long life and untold riches”.
Atmaram was glad. He got down the hill and made residence near Venkatadri lived happily thereafter. This incident shows how the Lord would be propitiated if the Mother is propitiated along with Him. He is the gratifying mine of Desires and one who seeks His help as Sreemath Venkateswara will have no cherished desire unfulfilled.
The epithets (Sreenivasa) and (Sriyah Kanta) are therefore very potent and vouchsafe illimitable riches. He is not only ‘Srinivasa’ but also (Sree Venkata Nivasa). “Venkata” has the power of bestowing eternal bliss cutting as under all sins of persons that come near it. It is because it is the residence of Srinivasa, Sriyahpati.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 2
Lakshmee Savibhramaaloka sabhroovibhrama Chakshushe!
Chakshushe Sarvalokaanaam Venkatesaaya Mangalam!!
“Let all auspiciousness and blessedness be for Lord Venkateswara who looks at Goddess Lakshmi with wonder, Himself being the eyes of all the Universe with delightful and beautiful eyebrows!”
Lord Venkateswara is contemplated upon here as espying His Divine Consort with eyes of wonder at Her beauty and charm. The beauty of the Mother is indescribable. She is (Hiranya varnaa – golden hued). Her charm is such as to bewitch even the Lord. The scene presented is very blissful. Mother Lakshmi is pictured in Lakshmi Hridayam thus:
Dhyayellakshmeem Prahasita mukheem Kotibaalaarka Bhaasaam
Vidyudvarnaambara varadharaam Bhooshanaadhyaam Susobhaam
Beejaapuram Sarasija yugam bibhrateem Swarnapaatram
Bhartraayuktaam Muhurabhayadaam Mahya mapyachyuta Sreem!
The devotee has to visualise before him the Divine Mother who is intensely smiling in the face, having the effulgence of a crore of rising suns shining resplendently yellow and mild without heat, garbed in a dress if lightning radiance, dazzling to the eyes, perfectly decked in All Ornaments, in excellent brilliance, with earrings of the shape of the ear of corn, holding Lotuses and a Golden Vessel in Her hands, in conjunction with the Lord, Her Husband, vouchsafing Her protection and shelter to Him and being a veritable mine of Beauty, Glamour and Riches.
The beauty of the Divine Mother makes the Lord look at Her with wonder. It is indescribable. Her eyes when light on one given untold mangalam.
Yathaa Rasasparsana Toyasepi
Suvarna taasyaatkamale Tathaate
Kataaksha Samsparsanato Janaanaam
Amangalaanaamapi Mangalatvam!
Prayer is made to Her thus: “O Mother Lakshmi! Just as the dull iron becomes golden by contact with Mercury, in the same way, Your looks when they light on persons wipes out the inauspiciousness of their state and bestow all auspiciousness and blessedness on them!”
The Lord is espying with wonder at the excellence and effectiveness of the Mother’s looks which bring well-being and auspiciousness to everybody. Naturally, He is Himself influenced by Her looks, He is the primary cause for them.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 3
Sree Venkataadri Srungaagra Mangalaabharanaanghraye!
Mangalaanaam Nivaasaaya Sreenivaasaaya mangalam !!
“Let all blessedness and auspiciousness be for Lord Srinivasa (the Abode of Sree) whose blessed Feet form the ornament crowning the peak of Sri Venkatadri!”
Sri Venkatadri has become the source of all blessedness as a result of its being trodden upon by Lord Srinivasa. The Lord’s Feet make the Hill very Holy and auspicious. For He is the repository of all auspiciousness being the Abode of Mother Sree. She is (Sarva Mangala Sampoorna, (Sarvaiswarya Samanvita), (Sarva Sowkhyaprada) – full of auspiciousness, riches and happiness bestowing them on all those who surrender unto Her and Her Lord. Having Her in His Chest, the Lord is (Sarvamangala Kaaraka) the causative force of all auspiciousness.
The devotee prays for the Lord’s existence in this manner eternally for the benefit of the supplicants. Sri Venkatadri did not have any prominence before Lord Sreenivasa had set Foot on it and made it His Sacred Abode. There is no peer to it in the Whole Universe as there is no peer to Lord Sri Venkateswara as the Universal God.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 4
Sarvaavayava Soundarya sampadaa Sarvachetasaam!
Sadaa sammohanaayaastu Venkatesaaya Mangalam!!
“Let there be all auspiciousness to the Lord Sri Venkateswara who bewitches all by the extraordinarily rich beauty of all the shapely organs of His Body!”
The Lord is very charming in shape and all fall in love with Him and come under His spell. Even Lord Shiva is no exception. Perfectly formed, He is the cynosure of all eyes. One who has the immense good fortune of looking at the Lord’s Archa Moorti (idol which is worshipped) will fall attracted to it by its perfect anon enticing beauty. He or She cannot take the eyes of it even for a fraction of a second. It beckons to everybody and enthrals one.
One will have no desire to leave the presence of this Spiritual Mine and has to be forcibly moved out to make way for the other devotees to have their look at it. Every moment the beauty of the Moorthy changes and seems filled up with new shades of brilliance and charm.
That is why the saint Thyagaraja sang : (Venkatesa! Ninuchooda Veyi kannulu kaavale raa) – Thousand eyes are required to see You! While so that need be said about His exact moorthy; the (Divyamangala Vigraha)? We cannot even look at it. For it, we require Occult and Divine eye. That is why the Lord said to Arjuna, (Divyam Dadaamite chakshuh). Arjuna prayed for the Divine Vision of His charming shape after he saw the Viswarupa which awed Him. He said :
Adrushtapoorvam Hrishitosmi drushtvaa
Bhayenacha pravyathitam Manome
Tadevame darsaya devaroopa
Praseeda Devesa Jagannivaasa
Kireetinam Gadinam Chakrahasta
Micchaami Tvaam drashtu Mahamtathaiva
Tenaiva Roopena Chaturbhujena
Sahasrabaahu Bhava Viswamoorte!
Arjuna said: “I have got all bliss by seeing the cosmic form of Yours not seen by me or anybody before. My mind is affected with fear. O Lord of Lords! Omnipresent in the Universe! Please show me Your former form! Be pleased! O Thousand Armed Lord, I would like to see You, as decorated with the Crown Holding the Discus and the Mace with Four Arms!”
So to have a glance at the beautiful shape of the Lord too, the occult eyes are necessary. Otherwise, they cannot bear the impact of the blinding beauty of the Lord’s form. Being the personification of beauty the Lord’s handsomeness goes without saying. For He is Satyam, Sivam, Sundaram – Truth, Blessedness and Beauty.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 5
Nityaaya Niravadyaaya Satyaananda Chidaatmane!
Sarvaantaraatmane Sreemad Venkatesaaya Mangalam!!
“Let all auspiciousness be for Lord Sri Venkateswara, Who is not affected by Time, Who is free from any blemish, Who is the Truth, Bliss and Consciousness, Who is Resident in All Creatures as the Atman and Who is Conjunction with Sree!”
The devotee makes mention here of the Supreme character of the Lord, namely, His being beyond the influence of the time spirit. He is Himself the Lord of Time which is His creation. He has said in the Geeta (Kaalosmi). He is Sat, Chit and Ananda, as He is prayed to be Deva Sarma in the third Adhyaya of Venkataachala Maahaatmyam as:
Satyesam Satyasankalpam Satyam Satyavratam Harim!
Satyacharyam Satya yonim Satya seershamaham Bhaje!!
He is the Lord of Satya (Truth), of the volition of Satya, Satya in person, of the conduct of Satya, the source and womb of Satya as well as its crown and head. He is in the Hearts of all – Sarvantaryamin. He has Himself said in the Gita:
Ahamaatmaa Gudaakesa, Sarva Bhootaasaya Sthitah!
meaning – I am the Atman residing in all creatures. Also,
Samam Sarva bhooteshu tishtantam parameswaram
meaning – ‘I am in all creatures to the same degree in the same way, equally without partiality.’ Again,
Easwarah Sarvabhootaanaam Hruddeserjuna Tishtati!
Bhraamayan Sarvabhootaani yantraa roodhaani maayayaa!!
Lord Narayana is resident in the hearts of all beings. He is regulating them while they move on the wheels of Samsara under the influence of the Lord’s illusion like the dolls on the revolving machine. These words coming as they do directly from the mouth of the Lord are indisputable.
The Upanishads have recorded these attributes of the Lord, namely, satyatva, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, being without beginning, middle or end and everlasting blessedness. Verily, Lord Sri Venkateswara, is the Supreme Brahman with all these qualities being Lord Vishnu come down to Sri Venkatadri in full blast for the welfare of humanity at large in this age of Kali.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 6
Swatassarva vide Sarvasaktaye Sarvaseshine!
Sulabhaaya Suseelaaya Venkatesaaya Mangalam!!
“All auspiciousness is for Lord Venkateswara who knows everything by Himself, who comprehends the way and wherefore of everything, who is all-powerful, Prime among all, Supreme and easily attainable, with Spotless character!”
Here, the Lord’s blissful characteristics are amplified. He is easily accessible to and attainable by His devotees. In the Gita, He said “Let your mind be firmly in Me. Place the intellect in My thought. Contemplate intellect in My thought. Contemplate only on Me. Then your progress is certained. If you have no willpower to fix your mind firmly on Me, then try to reach Me by practice following Yoga.
If you cannot even do this, dedicate yourself to the performance of all My actions and serve Me wholeheartedly.
Even by doing actions consecrating them to Me, you can reach perfection. If you are unable to do even this much, seek shelter by surrendering to Me, taking refuge in Me by renouncing the fruit of all actions”. He finally gave the sovereign remedy to attain Him for the weak and wavering.
Sarvadharmaan parityajya maamekam Saranam vraja!
Ahamtvaa Sarva paapebhyomokshayishyaami Maasuchah!
“If you completely surrender unto Me, the Supreme one, leaving away everything and all Dharmas, I shall free you from all sins. Don’t feel sorry or depressed. I shall give you salvation!”
Can There be any easier way? Is not the Lord compassionate and well within the reach of the devout? He is (Sulabha prasanna) – easily pleased. He is easily propitiated. He is character personified. As revealed in the Vibhuti yoga of the Bhagavad Gita, He is the Prime and the Best of every manifestation of life. He is the Highest of the Highest.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 7
Parasmai Brahmane poornakaamaaya Paramaatmane!
Prayunje Paratatvaaya Venkatesaaya Mangalam!!
“Lord Sri Venkateswara, who is the embodiment of the Supreme and the Ultimate, having attained fulfilment of all the desires and had nothing else to desire, He is the one who symbolises within Himself as the Supreme of All Deities. He is the one who represents the final truth. Let this be the reverential or humble salutation and facilitation to Him!”
Various arguments advanced to convince people about Lord Venkateswara being this or that Deity. He is regarded as Balaji or Bala Tripura Sundari or Shakti Swarupi. The very Brahmotsavam of Him takes place during Durga Puja or Dasara days.
The Alwars had sung of Him as Hari Hara Rupa – a combination of the Preserver and the Destroyer aspect. He is regarded as Durga or Narayani. It is the yoga-maya aspect. Be it as it may, but even the saptharishis regarded Lord Venkateswara, each in his thought. It is true that ‘Ekam Sat: Vipra bahuda Vadanti’ – The substance is one.
The sages call it by devious names. God is One and He is Ultimate. He is Complete and ‘The Supreme’. He is none other than Lord Venkateswara. So the devotee rightly salutes the Lord in these lines, bringing out the Supremacy of the Lord.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 8
Aakaalatatvamashraanta maatmanaamanupasyataam!
Atruptyaamruta roopaaya Venkatesaaya Mangalam!!
“Let all the auspiciousness be for Lord Venkateswara, who is like Ambrosia with never satiating sweetness to all those who look at Thy Divine and the Beautiful Form forever, forgetting the passage of time!”
The devotee points out the real sweetness in uttering the Bhagavannama. A person who dedicates himself with devotion to God or surrender to God will realise how sweet is the name of the Lord. Be it ‘Rama nama’ or ‘Sri Krishna nama’. Saint Thyagaraja and Bhakta Ramdas had showed it. Annamayya showed it as well. They had tasted the nama and shared their joy and experiences with others through their kirtanas.
The more you utter and surrender to God, the more is the sweetness, surpassing the sweetness of the earthy Sugarcane juice. While juice gives a temporal sweetness and happiness, Nama Sankirtana gives us a permanent sweetness bounded with the Love of God. This is the nector which paves the way to reach Him and if one worships Him with utmost devotion, He will be with the devotee. Bhagavan in His Celestial Gita clearly mentioned to Arjuna about this.
Manmanaabhava madbhakto madhyaajeemaam namaskuru
Maame vaishyasi satyante pratijaan priyosme!
Bhagavan Sri Krishna said to Arjuna “Put your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me and bow to Me. By doing so, you will come to Me alone. I promise you, for you are exceptionally dear to Me!”
The fact that Bhagavan Nama Sankirtana is the Ultimate Weapon for a devotee to attain Him is very clearly explained by Bhagavan Sri Krishna. With that weapon alone one can attain the Grace of Lord. The devotee aptly praises Lord Sri Venkateswara as the Ultimate God, again and again as His name is the Ambrosia with ever-growing sweetness and hails Him.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 9
Praayah swacharanou pumsaam Saranyatvena paaninaa!
Kripayaa disate Sreemad Venkatesaaya mangalam!!
“My reverential salutations and felicitations to Lord Venkateswara who point out with Hands to His Two Feet showing that those are the Ultimate Refuge for all the human race!”
Those who believe and trust Me are Mine, that’s what Bhagavan said in Gita :
Ananyaaschintayantomaam yejanaah paryupaasate!
Teshaam nityaabhiyuktaanaamYogakshemam vahaamyaham!!
Sri Krishna said to Arjuna that “the devotees who love Me and think of Me constantly and worship Me in a disinterested spirit and who get even united with Me in their thoughts, will be fully secured and I attend to them and their needs!”
Reaffirming His own words Bhagavan in the form of Lord Venkateswara further simplified these words by pointing out that if the devotee surrenders to Him, He would take care of everything. (Nannu talachinavadu naavaadu – in Telugu, meaning one who thinks of Me is Mine) is all about Lord Venkateswara’s Sharanagati Mahima, Fulfilment of one’s purpose in life can be obtained only by describing the Glory of the Lord and chanting His name.
One should contemplate upon the divine sport of the Lord and His illuminating stories. As Narada told to Veda Vyasa, “To win the Grace of the Lord you should be washed of your impurities of the mind by incessant singing or praising of the Lord”. Bhagavannama Sankirtana enables us to conquer sin and the world.
If we bow to the Lotus Feet of Lord Venkateswara seeking refuge, as promised by Him we will be graced by Him. There is no doubt about it. Because once Lord Himself told Narada muni as follows.
Naaham vasaami Vaikunte na Yogi hridaye ravaou!
Madbhaktaa yatra gaayanti, tatra tistaami Naarada!!
Once, Lord told Narada, “I am not in Vaikunta, not in the hearts of the yogis who are all on penance all the time. I will be in the hearts of my Bhaktas who always sing My Name!”
So, it is no wonder that if one surrenders to the Lotus Feet of Lord Venkateswara and utters His name all the time will certainly win the Grace of Lord Venkateswara and He will look after him. The posture of the Deity, Lord Venkateswara conveys this inner message to the devotee. So there is no hesitation or personification in the saying of this salutation to Lord Sri Venkateswara.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 10
Dayaamrita taranginyaa starangairiva seetalaih!
Apaangaissinchate Viswam Venkatesaaya Mangalam!!
“All the auspiciousness is for Lord Sri Venkateswara, who can restore peace and tranquillity to this whole Universe by His warm looks of Kindliness and compassion flowing of the tide of the nectar like river!”
Sri Venkateswara is the Lord, the Creator of this Universe, its bearer and animator as Jamadagni, one of the Sapta rishis pointed out in his Saranagati stotra. God makes no distinction among the devotees. He shows One hand to the devotee with an inherent indication, telling “Come and surrender to Me. I am like a tide of the nectar like river. I am the only one who can give you the salvation. Come, swim in the nectar tide, find Me and enjoy.”
So, it is no wonder that the devotee views Lord Venkateswara as the tide of the nectar-like river. His looks are full of kindness. He is the saviour of the Universe. On total surrender, the devotee is assured of complete protection by Him in this age of Kali.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 11
Pragbhooshaambara Heteenaam sushamaavahamoortaye!
Sarvaarti Samanaayaastu Venkatesaaya Mangalam!!
“Lord Venkateswara is Divine and the blessed form in keeping with the splendour of Thy glittering ornaments, garlands, yellow silk robes, armour and weapons. He only can dispel and alleviate all our sufferings and distress. These are the humble salutations to Him!”
God is formless and takes all the forms, as we think of Him. Each of the Saptarishis viewed Him in their forms. For Bharadwaja Maharshi, Vishnu and Venkateswara are one. To Viswamitra Sri Venkateswara is the Vishnu and Lord Sri Raama. To Gautama Maharshi, Sri Venkateswara is the Govinda, the cow protector (in Dwapara yuga).
For Jamadagni Maharshi Lord Venkateswara is the Jivesa, while Vasishta Maharshi found Parabrahman in Sri Venkateswara. Lord Venkateswara is not this or that Diety, for Vasishta Maharshi. He is of Him, by Him, through Him.
Lord Venkateswara is the Supreme Being from whom everything has come out. He is the (Sarvaantaryaami). He is none other than Sri Venkateswara, who is covered with glittering ornaments, garlands, armour and weapons, dressed in yellow silk robes and is ready to destroy all of our sufferings and distress.
The devotee praises Lord again and again and pays his humble salutations and felicitations to Him.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 12
Sree Vaikunta viraktaaya swami pushkarinee tate!
Ramayaa Ramamaanaaya Venkatesaaya Mangalam!!
“Let all the salutations and felicitations be for Lord Sri Venkateswara, who gracefully sports with His Consort Divine Sree in a happy alliance, on the banks of the sacred tank or Pushkarini, unable to prolong His stay alone in Vaikunta!”
Males and females make a form complete. Sree and Venkateswara mean Goddess Maha Lakshmi and Lord Maha Vishnu (or Sri Venkateswara) together make the ‘God’ complete. Once, Goddess Lakshmi got annoyed with what Bhrigu Maharshi did towards Her, the Best Half of Lord Maha Vishnu. Maha Vishnu did not take any measure to soothe Her, though Lord’s intentions were kept secret.
So, She left the Lord alone at Vaikunta and started staying on the Tirumala Hills, on the banks of the sacred tank – Pushkarini. Unable to bear the loneliness, Lord Maha Vishnu left Vaikunta and reached Ramaa and started staying on the very banks of the Pushkarini. Ramaa is none other than Goddess Maha Lakshmi. Both started staying on the banks of the pushkarini.
Hence, Tirumala is aptly called as ‘Kaliyuga Vaikunta’.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 13
Sreematsundarajaamaatrumuni maanasavaasine!
Sarvaloka nivaasaaya Sreenivaasaaya Mangalam!!
“Let all the auspicious salutations be to the Lord Srinivasa, who made the heart of the Manavala Maha muni as His Abode and who stays in this entire Universe!”
The devotee offers all of his salutations and felicitations to Lord Srinivasa. The devotee believes that Lord Srinivasa who is in the entire Universe, made the heart of his Ramya jamatru muni (Manavaala Mahamuni) as His Abode. So the devotee makes it to mention here, at the end of his Mangalasasanam to Sri Venkateswara. Again to make us remain in the thoughts that God is only one.
One should have single-minded devotion to attain God, and call Him by whatever Name. He is the Ultimate. He is Everywhere. He is the same. He is very much in the hearts of His devotees, who surrender to Him, pray Him, praise Him. Afterall, He is the creator, Lord, bearer and the Animator of this Entire Universe.
Realising this very well, Manavala Maha Muni won the Grace of Lord Venkateswara. So the devotee makes a special mention about this and offers salutations to Lord Venkateswara.
Sri Venkateswara Mangalasasanam – Sloka 14
Mangalaa saasana parairmadaachaarya purogamaih!
Sarvaischa Poorvairaachaaryaih Satkrutaayaastu mangalam!!
“Let all the auspiciousness be for Lord Venkateswara, whom my entire predecessors have worshipped including those who offer the present felicitations, adore and worship!”
The devotee having paid the salutations in all four parts namely Suprabhatam, Stotram, Prapatti and Mangalasasanam concludes his hymn to Lord Sri Venkateswara by conferring all the auspiciousness to Him – the Lord Srinivasa, whom his predecessors also worshipped.
It is just like a pravara that any Brahmin used to utter while introducing Himself to others, the devotee humbly concludes his salutations to Lord, mentioning that he is just continuing what his predecessors carried out – that is worshipping Lord Sree Srinivasa.
This has an inbuilt message to the common person who prays to Lord Sri Venkateswara that the tradition should continue, as it was carried out by the ancestors in their days of Lord’s Worship.
Here ends the Mangalasasanam.
Concluding remarks
The Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatam, Stotram, Prapatti and Mangalasasanam as written by the devotee is indeed a great weapon to an ordinary human being to invoke the inmate God and the stotra has great power and all the devotees will do well to recite it every day and enjoy the fruits of it.
Let all the distress, unhappiness and the earthily miseries vanish. Let Lord Sri Venkateswara, the Ultimate God of this Kali age bless the needy and devoted.
