62) Vaikhaanasa muni shreshtta poojitaaya SrI VenkatEsaaya
nama:
Vikhanasa Maharishi is the
maanasa putraa (mind-born son) of Brahmaa.He is the author of several
exalted works like the Kalpa Sutra and of texts laying down in elaborate
detail the modes of worshipping the Lord in His arcchaa form, in various
temples. Those who are born in the lineage of Vikhanas Maharshi and
undergo purifying rituals as per these Sutras are known as Vailkhaanasaas.
The Vaikhaanasa Agama is one of the two Vaishnava Agamaas (Manuals of
Temple Worship), the other being Paancharaatra.
The worship at the Tirumala
temple has been, for time immemorial, performed according to the
Vaikhaanasa Agama, by the descendents of Vikhanasa Mahrshi. The Lord
HImself, when He manifested from an anthill, advises Tonadamaan
Chakravartthi to perform His worship through sages of the Vaikhanasa
lineage--
"Kaarayitvaa shilpinaa atha
pratishthaapya muneesvarai:
Vaikhaanasai: munivarai:
archayet Tondamaan api" (Varaha Puranam)
Other details relating to
the Kaimkaryams of Vikhanasa Muni are given below :
The renowned Rishi Vaikhaanasa
had an overwhelming desire. Having heard and lost himself in the endearing
exploits of Sri Krishna, the Rishi wanted badly to have his eyes' fill of
the Lord's bewitching countenance and tiruemeni. To this end, he performed
an extraordinarily severe penance. Sri Mahavishnu appeared before the
Rishi in response and told the latter that it was impossible for him to
have a dharshan of Sri Krishna in person, as the avataara had already been
concluded. The Lord suggested to the Rishi that as an alternative, he
could go to Tiruvenkatam and have a filling dharshan of Srinivasa, who was
no less in beautiful and captivating than Sri Krishna. The Rishi dutifully
set off for Tirumala Hills and, establishing an enchanting garden with
myriad fragrant blooms, with the help of one Rangadaasa, worshipped
Srinivasa to his heart's content, deriving on earth itself the boundless
bliss that awaits the liberated soul in paradise.
It is this episode that is
chronicled in this tirunaamam.
Further, when Srinivasa was
performing penance on the banks of Padma Sarovaram near the Svarnamukhi
river, it was those belonging to the clan of Vykhaanasaas who were of
assistance to the Lord, even though He displayed none of His divine
attributes or features.
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