Recitation of Vedas and Divya Prabandham in Tirumala Temple
According to Hindu Theology, there are fourteen worlds. All these fourteen worlds are one empire. For this empire, there is one emperor. All the living beings are His subjects. The empire is eternal and the emperor is also eternal. If there is an empire, an emperor and his subjects, there is to be a code of laws to run the empire by the emperor.
If the empire, emperor and laws are eternal then the ruler is the supreme being. The law He made is otherwise called as ‘Vedam’.
Akhila Bhuvana janmasthema Bhangadi Leele |
Vinata Vivdha Bhoota Vrata Rakshaika Deekshe |
Sruti Sirasi Videepte Brahmani Srinivase |
Bhavatu Mama Parasmin Semushee Bhakti Roopa ||
That supreme being is none other than Lord Srinivasa or Lord Venkateswara or Mahavishnu or Srimannarayana who has descended to this world of ours (Bhooloka) to bless us and save us from the clutches of Kalipurusha. The Vedas are the repositories of Lord Srimannarayana.
The Vedas consist of mantras that are in space at all times in the form of sound. The Tamil lexicons Pingalam, Chudamani etc. refer to God as the creator of Vedas (Veda mudalalwan).
Chaturvedam – In Sri Vari Temple
In Srivari Temple all the Chaturvedam (Four Vedas and their branches) are recited every day. Vedam starts first during Suprabhatam when the archakas invoke the Lord at the locked golden entrance door (Bangaru Vakili).
Hari Om
They start by saying the popular mantra “Hari Om”. ‘Hari’ means Lord Vishnu and ‘Om’ is Pranava. To start any vedic recitation first the word “Hari Om” will be recited.
Om is a primordial sacred syllable, combined with Lord Hari produces a powerful sound vibration. It is a request call to Sri Hari that they are ready to enter the sanctum sanctorum. To recite Vedas also Hari Om is a must as it seeks permission from the Lord to recite. So first of all it is “Hari Om” the Vedic mantra is recited in the Srivari temple.
Then during Abhishekam to Sri Bhoga Srinivasa Murthy daily during Thomalaseva with Hari Om, Purusha suktam will be recited. The Purusha in the title of the Purushasukta refers to Paramapurusha or Purushothama or Srimannarayana in His Virat Swaroopam. The Purushasukta praises the Lord of the universe with all the Kalyanagunas (Auspicious qualities).
As the Vedas are the sound waves and breath of the Lord, it is followed in Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple also.
The four Vedas namely
- (1) Krishna Yajurveda
- (2) Rig Veda
- (3) Samaveda
- (4) Atharvana Veda
and other branches of the Vedas are recited throughout the day in Tirumala Srivari Temple.
The specialised branches in each veda especially in Krishna Yajurveda – Kramanu, Ghanam and Jata are grandly recited by the Vedic pundits. The Vedic pundits or Vedaparayanadars of TTD are well qualified to recite any of the above during parayanam inside the temple daily, during the processions of the Lord around Mada streets, during Adhyayanotsavam, during Abhishekam to Moolavar on Fridays and other days of importance like daily sahasra deepalankarana seva etc.
The Vedic recitation in Srivari Temple surely influences the Bhaktas, that the Vedas as waves of sound can always remain in the ether around them. It can therefore be gain said that the Vedas are timeless and eternal and occupy an important position as the Lord of Seven Hills is called as veda priya.
Nigamanta Maha Desika considers Vengadam Hill as Vedic Hill. The TTD is giving special attention to Vedic Heritage by establishing Veda patasalas and a Vedic university is also maintained for the spread of Vedic culture and Sanatana Dharma.
Alwars / Alvars
Lord Venkateswara is eulogised by the Tamil Alwars also. The Alwars were mystic saints who dived deep into the ocean of mysticism. They are twelve in number.
Archavatara or divine incarnations in the consecrated images and idols in temples is an important doctrine accepted by the Sri Vaishnavas or sects of Sri Vaishnavas of South India. Lord Vishnu has revealed Himself to five great rishis in the same way as he imported the Vedas to Lord Brahma.
The Agamas envisaged by the Lord describe the existence in five forms or statuses as follows
- (1) Para
- (2) Vyuha
- (3) Antaryamin
- (4) Vibhava
- (5) Archa.
The others, namely para, vyuha Antaryamin Vibhava are not readily accessible compared to the Archavatara. The worship of God in archavatara sanctioned in the Agamas was greatly strengthened and popularised by the Alwars who were exemplars of Bhaktiyoga. They meditated on God in all His five forms as can be seen from the four thousand sacred verses or poems.
In Archa Roopa, the Alwars could see divinity face to face and go into rapture over the beauty of God in that form. The sacred verses contain references to 108 Vishnu shrines which the Alwars had visited in the course of the pilgrimage except Nammalwar, other Alwars had visited most of the places.
The great Alwars 12 in number are:
- (1) Poigai Alwar
- (2) Bhutattalwar
- (3) Peyalwar
- (4) Tirumazhisai Alwar
- (5) Nammalwar
- (6) Tirumangai Alwar
- (7) Periyalwar
- (8) Andal
- (9) Madurakavi Alwar
- (10) Tondaradipodi Alwar
- (11) Kulasekhara Alwar
- (12) Tiruppanalwar.
The above 12 Alwars have sung in praise of the Lord of the 108 Divyadesams (Sacred places) except Madhurakavi Alwar and Tondaradippodi Alwar. The other Ten alwars have sung in praise of Lord Srinivasa of Tirumala. There are 207 pasurams or verses or poems exclusively for Lord Srinivasa of Tirumala.
The Arulicheyal (The songs of the Mystics or pasurams) of Alwars are recited in Srivari Temple daily during morning Tomala Seva and evening Tomala Seva. During processions like Brahmotsavam and the procession during monthly birth star days, immediately after Abhishekam on Fridays except Dhanurmasam and other days of Snapana Tirumanjanam Neerattam will be recited for 24 days.
Prabandham or Alwar Divyaprabandham is otherwise called as equal to vedam. “Vedam Tamiz seyda Maran Sadagopan”. Sadagopan or Nammalwar has translated the four vedams into Tamil. To Lord Srinivasa, both Vedam and Dravida Prabandham are like two eyes to Him.
Scheme Parayana
The TTD is giving a lot of encouragement for the preservation of vedams and has recorded all the vedams in its studios and through the Vedic university it is widening its wings. Moreover, they appoint Vedic pundits almost all over India on “Scheme Parayana” giving them financial assistance and calling all of them once a year to have darshan and recite.
Project on Nalayira Divya Prabandham
The TTD again has made a project for the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. Under the Divya Prabandham Project, a special officer looks after the spread of Alwar’s Sri Sukti by calling Lecturers. During Dhanurmasam, hundreds of Pundits are appointed to give Lecture or Discourse on Andal’s Tiruppavai.
The SVBC also telecasts Alwar Sri Sukti Every day.
“Ozhivil Kalamellam udanaimanni”,
Vazhuvila Adimai seyyavendum naam
Thehzikuralaruvi Tiruvengaddathu
Ezilkoljyoti Enthaithandai, Thandai Thandaikke
– (Nammalwar Tiruvaimoli)
“We should render constant unremitting service at all times, places and circumstances to the Lord of Thiruvengadam noted for roaring streams and is the God of my ancestor and other ancestors and many more ancestors.
‘Arayikane vikate girum gaccha’ – Go to Venkatagiri to get prosperity” (Rigveda).
