SrI:
Dear SrI VenkatEsa
BhakthAs :
It is still PurattAsi Saturday . In a couple of
hours ,
the Sun will set and SandhyA Kaalam
will arrive . Let me
share with you the final thoughts on the Maa
ViLakku
lighting from another perspective .
Every day at Thirumala , there is a sEvai known as
"Sahsra DhIpAlankAra sEvai" .
This Seva is performed in the Oonjal MaNtapam
outside the temple.This sevai is different
from
the Oonjal SEvai performed at the request of
BhakthAs
in the hall of mirrors .
Prior to Malayappa Swamy's arrival with Ubhaya
NaacchiyArs
at this
Oonjal MaNtapam for Sahasra dheepAlankAra Sevai,
one thousand eartheren lamps are lit . It is a sight
to see
the Temple staff light the 1000 lamps in quick succession
and to visualize the lit flames from the lamps gently swaying
in the evening breeze . The Oonjal is then
set up . The devotees ,
who have paid to
witness this sEvai take their seats
in the marked
arena and asked to
sit .Soon after the sound of MangaLa Vaadhyams
are heard and one
sees Malayappa Swamy arriving at the MaNtapam
borne on the shoulders of the Temple staff and is positioned on
the Oonjal. The priests rock the Oonjal and the Lord hears
the Veda PaarAyaNam as the golden yellow evening light
offer their salutations to Lord
VenkatEsa and His Devis .
The mellow rays of
the evening sun match the jyOthi from
the 1000 earthern lamps . The thousand lit lamps remind
us
of the AzhwAr Paasuram, where the Poyghai AzhwAr visualizes
the earth as the holding vessel
(ahal) , the waters of the surrounding
Ocean as ghee for the lamp and his bhakthi as the wick , which is lit by
Sooryan's rays.
The Veda PaarAyaNam is followed by clarinet music
accompanied by Tavil .
After VedAnjali is NaadhAnjali for the Lord . The Oonjal
is swung by
the Bhattars gently in the
background of the JyOthi of the 1000 lit lamps .
This is a blessed sight to behold and enjoy by the
Bhagavath soundharya
aanubhava Rasika Saarvabhoumaas .AshtAnga Yogis witness
this JyOthi
in their heartlotuses. We are ayOgis and can not see the
antharyAmi
Brahman residing in our heart lotuses . For our benefit ,
the Lord appears
visible to us in an external sense on top of SeshAdhri as
JyOthi Tatthva
Svaroopan in this SahasrAlankAra DhIpOthsavam daily . Such
a darsana
soubhAgyam of the Lord from His sacred feet to His Crown
will erase
all of our vishaya Vaasanaas ( KuvAsanaas) ascommented by
an AchAryan:
" AapeeDAn MouLi Paryantham PurushOtthamam pasyatha :
khalu
kuvasanAdhi nirAsa: sambhavEth
".
One ascends the ladder of PrEmai ( Bhagavath Vishaya
Kaamam)
and prays for undiminished bhakthi to Him always
.
People who paid for this service
are now blessed with one UtthirIyam ( Upper garment)
and a blouse piece along with 5 laddus as PrasAdham by the
DEvasthAnam
on behalf of the Lord of the Seven Hills . Exactly 30
minutes after His arrival
at the Mantapam , the punctual Malayappa Swamy
starts back on His
journey into the inner sanctum of His temple .
The 1000 lamps are extinguished
one by one and this is the equivalent of the " Malai
yERRam " by BhagavAn
during the Maa ViLakku ceremony ( the ascent of the Lord to
His aasthAnam after the Sahasra DheepAlankaara SEvai)
.
This SahasrAlankAra SEvai at Thirumalai every day is
enacted at our
homes during the four PurattAsi Saturdays , since they are
the Saturdays
of the month of the BrahmOthsavam at Thirumala .
Those who are observing Maa ViLakku Vratham are requested
to post
a message on how the Maa ViLakku is prepared for this
Vratham in
their homes .
NamO SrI VenkatEsAya ,
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan
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