Kaisika Dwadasi Archives - Tirumala Tirupati Yatra

Kaisika dwadasi Asthanam

In Tirumala on Kaisika dwadasi day, Asthanam in the name of ‘Kaisika dwadasi Asthanam’ is done. In that asthanam, Nampaduvan story in Kaisikapuranam will be recited.

The Month of Karthika has got a lot of significance in the field of Devotion and Spirituality. During this month, Karthika Brahmotsavam of Sri Padmavati devi of Tiruchanur is celebrated with pomp and pleasure.

Most importantly, Kaisika Dwadasi, a great ritual is celebrated on the twelfth day of Sukla Paksha, i.e., waxing moon. We shall go through the importance of Kaisika Dwadasi, with particular reference to Tirumala.

In Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Swami temple, Kaisika Dwadasi Utsavam is being performed on Karthika dwadasi day every year. In Tirumala, Lord is being enjoying all the sevas in five forms – as Main deity, Bhoga Srinivasa Murthi, Koluvu Srinivasa Murthy, Sri Malayappa Swami and Ugra Srinivasa Murthy.

Let us have a glimpse at them

Moola Murthy – Main Deity

Sri Venkateswara swami, exhibiting His splendour attracts huge devotees who throng Tirumala in lakhs, in long queues to get all their wishes granted. In Kaliyuga, He is considered as the Supreme Deity.

Bhoga Srinivasa Murthy

This Silver Idol was presented by Pallava Queen ‘SaamaVaayi’ “(Perundevi) in 614 A.D. During Ekantha Seva, it is the privilege of Bhoga Srinivasa Murthy to recline on a very smooth silk mattress, denoting that the temple is being closed for the night.

The next day, During Suprabhata Seva, this idol is taken out of the mattress and placed under the holy feet of the Main deity after completing the ablutions.

Koluvu Srinivasa Murthy

Swami will be seated on the golden throne in a great way. Panchanga sravanam, temple income and expenditure details are presented to Him daily.

Sri Malayappa swami (Processional deity)

He enjoys all the sevas of Tirumala utsavams like Kalyana utsavam, unjal utsavam, vasantha utsavam, etc., which are performed as Arjita sevas, daily, weekly, monthly, annually.

Ugra Srinivasa murthi

Ugra Srinivasa Murthi is one among the Panchaberas. Ugrasrinivasa murthi with His Consorts will come out of the temple only on the occasion of Kaisika Dwadasi day leaving the sanctum sanctorum before dawn in a procession around Mada streets appropriately at about 4.30 a.m. After the procession, swami will be offered Naivedyam followed by Kaisika dwadasi Asthanam.

This Deity enjoys the Kaisika Dwadasi celebrations in a great way blessing the devotees.

It is said that

In the olden days the procession of Ugra Srinivasa Murthy was used to be taken out to go around the temple in all festivals. Once, when this sacred idol of Ugra Srinivasa Murthi was in procession during a festival, strange, unusual and alarming incidents took place in Tirumala, to the shock of thousands of devotees gathered to witness the same.

Under the strong advice of religious scholars, the regular procession of Ugra Srinivasa murthi was discontinued. From that time onwards, only Malayappa swami is taken on procession regularly in all festivals.

However, after long deliberations, it was decided to take Ugra Srinivasa murthi in a procession around the temple during Kaisika Dwadasi that too before the Sun-rise. Even today the procession starts early in the morning and concludes before the Sun-rise, to avoid the falling rays of the sun on the sacred idol.

Things are going on smoothly without any untoward incident. Ugra means fierce- fierce in protecting his staunch devotees from their outer enemies and inner enemies like different sense organs which try to take ones’ attention far away from the Lord.

Sri Venkatesaya namaha

Click here for the Significance of Kaisika dwadasi

What is so special about Kaisika Dwadasi?

Well, Lord Varaha Himself has said that the person who sings the glory of the Lord on this day, as told by Him, will definitely attain moksha and will also get the power to save the people who seek his refuge. As per Varaha Purana, the story goes that after saving Bhoomi Piratti, the Lord was consoling the crying Devi.

The Devi said, “ My Lord, as I’m Your wife, You immediately came to My rescue. But what about My children, the Bhooloka vasis (beings on Earth)? Will You also save them from this ocean of samsara?

The Lord narrates the story of Nampaaduvaan

The Lord, consoling the Devi said that, by singing My Glory, one is sure to get salvation and thus stressing the point, He narrated to the Devi, the story of Nampaaduvaan.

In the town of Thirukkurungudi, in the Tirunelveli district, lived an ardent devotee by the name “Nampaaduvaan”. Though he was not allowed to enter the temple for his birth in a low sect, he always sang of the glories of the Lord standing outside the temple.

Thus, on one Kaisika Ekadashi day in Sukla Paksha of Karthika (November – December) he observed the fast, and by night had begun to travel to the temple, which was far away from his home so that the next day morning, he, as usual, could stand outside the temple to sing about the glory of the Lord.

Promises

En route, he had to pass through a forest. Thus singing about the Lord, as he was walking through it, suddenly, a Brahmarakshasa (demon) came and stopped him to feed on him. Nampaaduvaan, who was afraid, not for his life, but because he would not be able to complete his fast by singing in front of the Lord, pleaded to the Brahmarakshasa, to let him go, promising to him that he’d come back after singing in front of the Lord.

But the Brahmarakshasa didn’t believe him. Nampaaduvaan had to make eighteen promises to him to get released.

Hurriedly he went to the temple, completed his singing, and was on his way back when, the Lord, to test him, came in the form of a human, enquired about him, and tried to somehow dissuade him from going back to the Brahmarakshasa. But Nampaaduvaan was adamant in his promise and went forward.

An astonished Brahmarakshasa gave him an offer, “If you would give me the fruits (essence) of his offerings that you had sung today, I’ll let you go”. But Nampaaduvaan said, “I would happily die than giving the essence to you”. The Brahmarakshasa now started pleading to Nampaaduvaan that, “ in my previous birth, I was a Brahmin named ‘Soma Sarma’.

While performing a yagna, as I had wrongly uttered the mantras, I was cursed to be a Brahmarakshasa”. He thus begged to Nampaaduvaan to give him the fruit of at least one pann (raga) sung by him.

Compassionate Nampaaduvaan said, “ I had sung a raga named ‘Kaisika’. I give its fruits to you”. Immediately, the Brahmarakshasa was liberated and reached heaven.

The path to liberation

Lord Varaha said to Bhoomi Piratti, “Like Nampaaduvaan, whoever reads or listens to ‘Kaisika Mahaathyam’ on Dwadasi day in the month of Karthika, will be liberated and will also get the power to save the people who seek his refuge”.

Kaisika Dwadasi celebration in Tirumala

In Tirumala temple, the Kaisika Dwadasi festival is celebrated grandly. Kaisika Purana is recited. Also, Lord Ugra Srinivasamurthy (one among the Panchaberas; five forms of the Lord) along with His Consorts will be taken in procession around the temple in the wee hours and will be brought back inside the temple before sunrise, on this special day.

Only on this day, Sri Ugra Srinivasa Murthy is taken out from the temple in a procession. So, let us all read and listen to the ‘Kaisika Mahaathmyam’ on this Kaisika Dwadasi day in the temple of the Lord and thus attain His Lotus feet.

Kaisika Dwadasi 2024

Tag: Kaisika Dwadasi

Kaisika Dwadasi Asthanam at Tirumala