To Protect Devotees from Evil
Lord Srinivasa of Tirumala is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He descended from Vaikuntam to Earth to protect his devotees from all sins and evils of Kaliyuga. The sevas and poojas are being performed as per the Vaikhanasa Agama Sastras.
Vaikhanasa Agama
The sacred Vaikhanasa texts prescribe the pavitrotsavams must be performed every year on a specified day.
Pavitrotsavams involve adorning Pavitrams” (the sacred garlands made with pure silk thread of different colors) to the idols of Malayappaswamy and other sacred vessels into which the immense power of the Lord is invoked and saved.
It also means “The sacred garlands which are equal to Vajrayudha (the weapon of Indra) in strength are capable of removing any mistakes, known or unknown, and are rectified by performing the Pavitrotsavams”.
These Utsavams form an important and necessary ritual in all Agama texts like Saiva, Pancharathra, Bodhayana including the much revered Sri Vaikhanasa Bhagavachhastram.
Reason for performing Pavitrotsavams
According to Vaikhanasa texts, the reason for performing Pavitrotsavams are stated as:
In a Vishnu temple, there is a possibility of expiations to occur in all the rituals performed (due to not reciting the prescribed Mantras, due to not performing the correct procedure, and non-availability of the articles (dravyams), throughout the year.
To ward off from these expiations one must perform Pavitrotsavams to Lord Vishnu. (As mentioned in Bhrigu’s Prakeernadhikara, a sacred Vaikhanasa textbook in Sanskrit) – “It is possible for expiations to occur when we perform several Rituals and worship throughout the year.
The reason is that even Lord Brahma is unable to perform Worship without mistakes says Bhrigu. Hence it is understandable that faults do occur when worship is performed by humans. And to remove all the doshas, which occurred knowingly or unknowingly, Pavitrotsavams must be performed.”
As per Bhrigu
According to Bhrigu, the results achieved by performing these Utsavams are:
- All the mistakes hence incurred are rectified,
- All desires of devotees, who participate in these Utsavams are fulfilled,
- They are blessed with health and long life, and
- All the denizens of the country are blessed with the same.
According to Bhrigu’s Kriyadhikaram,
- On the day of Bhadrapada month, Sravana Star and Dwadasi Tithi or
- On the day of Dwadasi (Krishna and Sukla), Sravanam Star in the 6 months of Dakshinayanam during the Vishnu Panchaka days
are ideal for performing the Pavitrotsavam Ritual.
