Sri Venkateswara Swamy

Sri Venkateswara Swamy Miracles

Tirumala Shrine is full of wonders and miracles at each and every step. The miracles of the lord of Ananda Nilaya are unlimited. Annamayya is sure that there is no such an accessible god in the entire universe.

Tirumalesha shines on this shrine as a tripe combination of Kalpavriksha, Kaamadhenu and Chintamani on our palm fulfilling all our wishes. They are, as you know, wish-fulfilling divine tree, cow and diamond of the heaven respectively.

  • If you worship the lord without forgetting, he gives you eyes, legs and hands to work with.
  • If you worship him with affection, he gives you the ability to talk.
  • If you worship him stubbornly with out any let up, he is ready to give you even life and youth.

SRI NIVASA

Some call him "Srinivasa" endearingly. This appears to be a strange name, because he is referred to with the name of his consort, as if he has no name of his own. "What a great lord he is!"

Sri means Lakshmi Devi, Lord venkateshwara has Lakshmi on his chest. He is known as Srinivasa after his consort's name.

Sri Maha Lakshmi is stationed there on a lot lotus holding in her two hands to other lotuses. Mother goddess cleanses the devotees of their sins and lapses and grants them the boons through her Lord !

Five Forms of Vishnu

According to VaicGava theology, VicGu has five forms of manifestation, namely – para, vyuha, vibhava, antaryamin and archa. The para (transcendent) form is Vasudeva, the Supreme Being, beyond the reach of human experience. The vyuha (emanative) form is his functional manifestation as the creator, protector and destroyer of the universe.

The vibhava (incarnate) is the physical form in which he descends into the world. The antaryamin (immanent) is the indweller of the jiva. Finally, the archa form is His manifestation in the iconic form receiving ritualistic worship from them in temples and their homes.

The Archa Form

Lord Venkateswara is in the archa form on Tirumala in the standing (sthanaka) posture on a lotus pedestal. His eyes have samadrishti, looking straight at the devotees. One can find a slight cheer on His face. Goddess Lakshmi is on His bosom. He holds the weapons chakra (discus) and shankha (conch) in his two upper arms, while the lower right arm is in the varada/abhaya (boon-giving) gesture, and the left arm rests a little above the knee pointing to his feet suggesting saranagati.

At first, there used to be some controversy about the identity of this archa form which has nagabharanas on the arms. While Vaishnavas regarded Him as a form of Vishnu, Shaivites considered Him Shiva or Subrahmanya Swami. Shakteyas worshipped Him as Adi Shakti.

The credit for resolving this controversy goes to Sri Ramanuja. He established irrevocably that the archa form is of Lord Venkateswara quoting Vedic pramanas and it was universally accepted. A legend says that Sri Ramanuja assumed his serpentine form, slid into the sanctum sanctorum through soma sutra and placed a discus and conch in the hands of the worship idol to prove his point.

Lord Venkateswara - Archa Form