Dear Sri Sadagopan namaskaram. I really have to commend the tireless
efforts you put in to explain to public what these rites are. Visiting the
temple on this occasion of bramhotsavam is very valuable and direct experience
is important and each and everyone should attend. However, your efforts to
enlighten the public about what is behind all these are very commendable and
needed to modern people who are most probably entangled in matter and more
matter every day. Let acharyas and srimannarayana help you in your Nithya kainkaryam
for ever. I am sure without such writings I could
not have made the efforts to understand these issues. Regards, Adiyen Krishna From:
SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of SrI: Dear SrI Ranganatha BhakthAs : Today adiyEn will cover AnkurArpaNam rites at Yaaga Saalaa during the beginning of BrahmOthsavam or any other Vaidhika SamskArams . The Tamil write up on traditional practises at
Srirangam is attached as a PDF file . For the benefit of those who can
not read Tamil or have difficulty in following the ParibhAshaa
or unable to get the PDF File because of Yahoo group's cutting off attachments , here is the summary of highlights on AnkurArpaNam as authentic
as it gets instead of confusions caused by different
dEsAchArams or personal preferences due to shortage of time
etc. I am deeply indebted to
Sriman Murali Bhattar for this
document , who is the Bruhaspathy for BrahmOthsavams at
Srirangam and hails from a Family peforming Kaimkaryams to
KasthUri Rangan for many generations . Sriman MuraLi Bhattar's
web site containing content about the multifaceted
glories of Srirangam and the Uthsavams there for
the Dhivya Dampathis of Srirangam is a source
of sheer delight for the BhakthAs of
KasthUri Rangan : The Highlights of
AnkurArpaNam ************ 1. AnkurArpaNam is known
as Thiru MuLai
iduthal Vizhaa ( Planting
of seeds to germinate to invoke prosperity and
auspiciousness to all devotees of the Lord ). 2. It is performed on odd
( not even) days before the
uthsavam commencement day ( 9 or 7 or 5 or 3
days before in the evening). 3. After Vapanam ,
morning abolutions and AarAdhanam for the
House PerumAL , the Aagama expert escorted
to the Yaagasaala
and sits on the KoormAsanam there . Koormasanam is not
a Yogic body posiiton but a stone or wodden platform with
carved head of Tortoise( Koormam) to sit on while doing
Mantra Japam or performing a
sacred rite . Here is a picture of Swamy
Desikan performing Mantra Japam on KoormAsanam at the (Courtesy : Sri Sridhar
Lakshminarasimhan) : 4. Pavithram given by
Temple PurOhithar is worn by the Aagama
expert involved with the various BrahmOthsavam rites and thereafter he
arrives at VishvaksEnar (Senai MudaliyAr) Sannidhi for recieving his
anugraham and permission to engage in BrahmOthsavam rites .
VishvaksEnar in our tradition is the third in our AchArya Paramparai
after PerumAL and ThAyaar in addition to being the commander in
chief of the Lord's army . At
Vishvaksenar Sannidhi , GantA sevanam ( service with the sacred Bell
), anganyAsa KaranyAsams , BhUtha Suddhi , Maanasa AarAdhanam ,
laghu AarAdhanam ( Laya , BhOga , adhikAra Poojai) and invocation of
Moola Mantram , Hanumath Mantram and VibheeshaNa AazhwAr Mantrams.
Coconut fruit NaiEdhyam concludes this stage of Aaraadhanam and
anujn~ai ( permission) at VishvaksEnar Sannidhi . 5. Next step is arrival
at Gaayathri Mantapam , circamambulation (
PradhakshaNam) of the Mantapam , permission at the stations
of DhwAra PaalakAs ( Jaya , Vijaya) , entrance into Moolavar Sannidhi , GhaNtaa
Sevai , coconut fruit offer ( nivEdhanam) to the Lord and AarAdhanam ,
offer of Milk Rice ( KsheerAnnam) and MangaLa Haaratthi . 6. Now the Aagamic expert
adorns a silk cap (Simbu KullAi) given
to him by his Ahnika AachAryan , rings the bell ,
performs dhig Bandhanam to ward off inauspicious forces ,
performs PrANAyAmam and recites the Sankalpam : " ( PraNavam) SrI Govindha Govindha --- asya SrI Bhagavatha: SrI ,
BhUmi samEtha
SrI Ranganatha Svaroopi , SrI VaasudEvasya MahOthsavAgathvEna KriyamANa
ankurArpaNa KarmaNi , bheeja suddhyarTam , PuNyAhavachanam KarishyE
". This
sanklapam is done outside the sannidhi , where the Bheejams ( Containers
filled with earth are to be held; now , the Bheejams are empty )
; the Paalikais ( seeds that will germinate). Bheeja PrOkshaNam
( sprinkling) ,
PaalikA Pooja follows . 7. The Bheeja vessel is carried inside the Moolavar Sannidhi , arghya
, Pushpa ,
Dheepam is shown to Moolavar , Uthsavar and all Moorthis inside
including Sayana BhEram . Then the Vessel (Bheejam) is lifted in both
hands and shown to all Moorthys with loud declaration : " ankurArTam idahm Bheejam" ( for germination of the seeds is
this Vessel) . After that , Just dheepa UpachAram is
done for the Bheejam . Then , recite following slOkam to seek
BhagavAn's permission to perform the ankurArpaNam rites: Deva ! Deva Jagnnaatha YaathrOthsava nimitthitha: BheejArTam ankurOpam
karishyAmi praseedha Now exit is made from Moolavar Sannidhi , perform PradhakshiNam of VishvaksEnar
Sannidhi , wait
for travelling with VishvaksEnar to ThAyaar
Sannidhi , perform PradhakshiNam there , cleanse the feet with water given
by PaNDAri and enter ThAyaar Sannidhi . GhantA sevaa, Coconut
fruit nivEdhanam , ThiruvArAdhanam with Pongal naivEdhyam (AarAdhanam
is upto AlankArAsanam) ; theertham , saThAri is recieved
and PrasAdham is given to HanumAr and VibhIshaNar. Recieves Maalai , ManjaL
Kaapu and depart from Sannidhi to sit in front of the Bilva tree opposite
ThAyaar Sannidhi on the KoormAsanam . 8. Gantaa Sevai , Dhig
Bandhanam , PraaNAyaamam and sankalpam for BhU Suddhi ,
spade/ Kanithra suddhi) used to collect three portions of earth ;
puNyAhavachanam for consecration of the ground and spade is done next . PrOkshaNam
of BhUmi , Spade and self follows . At the site of collection of earth for
AnkurArpaNam , a drawing of the Lord with VarAhar ( BhU VarAha Moorthy is
made) with the Lord's head in North East direction and the feet in South West
direction .Four dharbhA Koorcham with 3 dharbhams are placed around the
BhU VarAha image , at the center 7 dharbha Koorcham is placed. Spade is now
decorated with Vasthram and Mango Leaves and a 7 dharbha Koorcham is
placed further on it. Bhumi AarAdhanam with VarAha prayer ( upto
alankArAsanam is performed . dhUpa , dheepa upachArams follow . The spade is
also offered similar worship . Next BhUmi is touched with
Dharbha Mushti and BhU Sooktam is recited . Varaaha mantram is now
recited and three portions of earth are collected on a plate .Moola Mantram is
used to unite all the three portions. Spade is cleansed with water from
Kalasam and rice is added three times with the utternace " asmath kulam
abhivardhathAm ". After ghOshti , the Aagamic expert returns to Yaaga
Saala with the plate containing Nava dhAnyams with VishvaksEnar and
removes the silk hat that he has been wearing until then . 9. At the Yaaga Saalaa ,
Suddhi PuNyAhavachanam ( ManTapam , KuNTam) is
done alone along with PrOkshaNam of Dhravyams used in Yaagam . Soma
Kumbham with 9 dharbha Koorcham is positioned in the North East
and to the north of it Karakam ( with 3 dharbha Koorcham) .
Starting from East , 8 kalasams with water are placed in the 8 directions with
Mango and Pupil leves and Coconuts. adiyEn will write aboout the
Lords of the 8 directions in the BhEri Taadanam and Nava Sandhi
GeethOpachAram later . adiyEn will also write later about the proper ways
to ring the Ghantaa ( 10. Before the Kumbhams ,
12 Paalikai containers are placed , the earth
collected from AnkurArPanam is added , consecrated with PadhmAdhi
Peeta dEvArchana with recital of " ( PraNavam) ParAya nama: , (PraNavam)
abhjanAbhAya Nama: , (PraNavam) PadmanAbhAya Nama: and ( PraNavam)
dhruvAya nama: " three times and conclude with MantrAsanam . Paalikais
are worshipped with IsAna AavAhanam and nivEdhanam. The AavAhanams
starts from IndhrA to the other Gods/guards of directions(Dhig
Paalakaas). 11. The dhAnya seeds
soaked in water before are now added to the earth in
the 12 Paalikais with PeetArchanams and AavahanAdhis ( PraNavam
Sarva BheeJObhyO nama:, PraNavam Sarva Oshadhi PathayE nama:etc).
Oshadhi Sooktham is recited next. The dhAnyams (seeds) are placed in sets
of four with JithantE Mantram or Moola Mantram in the earth filled
Paalikais . Water is added to them .Meditation is on Sriman NaarAyaNan
with the luminescent features inside Chandra ManDalam and the nectarine
waves emanting from Him that destroys all inauspiciousness . 12. Final steps are
PeetArchanam for the KumbhAs and the devathA
invocation for the kumbhams are done elaborately. In the western
Kumbham , Agni Prathishtai is done followed by saptha Samith homam,
108 AahUthis for growth of Paalikais ( praNavam summ sOmAya svAhaa)
and left over (SampadhAjyam) is added to Soma Kumbham and Paalikais .
NyUnAthirEkha Saanthi homam with 108 Aahuthis , PoorNaahUthi is now
performed . NivEdhanam for Soma Kumbha Paalikaas is done before
returning to Garbha Gruham ; Mantra Japam and forgivenness for
deficencies in the Karmmas are performed (AparAdha KshAmaNam)
there as the final step . Thus ends the elaborate
Mruth sangrahaNa and ankurArpaNam ceremonies as the first part of the
BrahmOthsavam . The day before uthsavam , BhEri TaaDanam ,
DhvajaarOhanam follow . adiyEn will write about them and Nava Sandhi geetha
Vaadhya Nruthyam in subsequent postings . NamO SrI RanganAthAya , V.Sadagopan
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