Today August 13th, 2013; Vijaya Aadi Swathi, is the 23rd day of Chathurmasya vratham for HH 46th Srimath Azhagiyasingar Srivan Sathakopa Sri Ranganatha Yathindra Maha Desikan.
Swathi is always a special day at Sri Ahobila Mutt as Swathi is the nakshatram of Sri Nrisimhan. Today, it was doubly so as it is the Thirunakshatram of HH 25th Srimath Azhagiyasingar SriVan Sathakopa Sri Srinivasa Yathindra Mahadesikan. Srimath Azhagiyasingar took avatharam at Gadhadharapuram on an Aadi Swathi day. Sanyasashrama pravesham was on Manmatha, Panguni Panchami day (March 1776) . HH attained Paramapadham on Prajothpathi Kartigai Pornami day (November 30, 1811) at Narasimhapuram. HH 25th Srimath Azhagiyasingar’s Thirunakshatram was observed in the prescribed manner at Dasavatharan Sannidhi where HH is observing Chathurmasyam. Kesari was served with dadhiannam during Abhigamanam.
Swathi Thirumanjanam was performed to all the Nrisimhamurthis in the Swarna mandapam as well as for Chakrathazhwar and Dolai Kannan. Sri Malolan has Lakshmi on His lap and they are in mutual Aalinganam. SriMalolan is one of the NavaNarasimhas of Sri Ahobilakshetram. He is the one who landed into the hands of the 1st Srimadh Azhagiyasingar Sri Adhivan Sathakopa Yathindra Mahadesikan and commanded that He should be taken to villages and towns to bless devotees. SriMalola dons padhukai. The Moolavar is at Ahobilam and Serthi of Moolavar and Utsavar take place during Maasi utsavam at Sri Ahobilam when Srimath Azhagiyasingar and parivaram are in Ahobilam. Swarna Azhagiyasingar was given by King Pratapa Rudran. This king used to give a lingam of gold as dhanam everyday but when he did this at Ahobilakshetram only Sri Nrsimha rupam emerged at every casting. So Pratapa Rudran gave away Swarna Sri Narasihar as dhanam and He is the one in our Swarna mandapam who visits the madapalli daily. Mangalagiri in Andhra Pradesh is famous for PanakaNarasimha and He is worshipped in the Swarna mandapam. Sudarshanazhwar always has Yoga Narasimha on the back-side. Dolai kannan is the dancing darling who visits the houses of devotees and mesmerises everyone with his ornaments and beauty. He was worshipped by Ramanujacharya and has a ball of butter in His Thirukaram.
Coming to Swathi Thirumanjanam, getting the deities ready itself was a slow process. Each piece of jewelery had to be carefully removed and in a particular order so that they did not get entangled. This process took more than an hour. While the Aradhakas got the deities ready, the paricharakas had all Thirumanjanam items ready. Milk, curd, honey, raw coconut water, rose water, etc. Thirumanjanam began to the accompaniment of music with water,milk, curd and honey. The curtain was drawn and the vastram was changed. The curtain was opened and Thirumanjanam continued with coconut water, rose water, Sahasradhara etc. Thirumanjanam took about 45 minutes. The curtain was drawn for alankaram. This took an hour and was followed by Thaligai and Mangala Harathi. It was past 3.30 pm when the Thadeearadhai was over. Swathi Thirumanjanam theertam is very auspicious and many a couple have had children after taking Swathi Theertham. Many are the cases of people getting cured of illness. Such then is the mahimai of our Perumal who took avathara only to make the vachanam of His Prahladan true.
The following are some of the photographs and videos taken earlier today…
Courtesy: Sri Vyjayanthi and Sundararajan
