Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

RELIGIONS

DAILY ROUTINE AT THIRUMALA TEMPLE

The dominant Hindu ritualistic thinking is that an idol of God is really only a limited expression of the one inexpressible Supreme Brahman. The purusha sukta declares that God has a thousand heads (Sahasra Sirsha Purusha). There is therefore no limit to the many different varieties or forms used to represent different aspects of that Higher infinite which is ultimately formless. It is to focus, concentrate and lead the devotee's mind, by slow stages to the realisation of the infinite, that, in many sanctuaries and temples, worship and prayers are done, through well laid down principles of puja. Puja and temple worship act as powerful spiritual forces to raise a limited individual slowly to the realisation of the Godhead that is in him. Lord Krishna classifies those who came to him into four divi- sions i those in distress; ii those desirous of worldly gains; iii those seeking spiritual knowledge and understanding; and iv those who have already attained a high degree of spiritual wisdom. Each of these categories also come to Sri Venkatesvara, the Lord of the Seven Hills. His task is to give each what each asks for. The Lord's blessings are poured out on all men equally, but anyone could only receive according to his evolution and according to his position on the ladder of spiritual attainment. The rays of the glory of the Lord fall equally on all who are directly in its way. But if someone is behind an obstacle or in a room he will receive only a part of the illumination. Puja or daily worship if done according to the prescribed agamic rules is conducive to cultivating a higher spiritual yearning, which is like coming out from the confinement of the room into the glory of the sun's full rays. The Lord considers all as worthy of His help. He sheds his blessings on all, but it is the devotees' own limitations that condition what he receives. If his present need is for bodily health or material prosperity, that is what he gets. Those in the higher grades who are open to the Lord's full illumination get what they aspire for. Though they are fewer in numbers than the others, still such persons do exist. When one comes into contact with them one meets them with great joy and with a rare feeling of upliftment. It is for this gradual evolution from our material and earthly needs, through spiritual satisfaction, to a state of utter needlessness, when we can just bask in the glory of the Lord, for its own sake, that the agamic disciplines of puja and pujavidhana are laid down. The agama aspects of worship According to the Bhavishyottara purana, Vaikhanasa Rishi is said to have admired the playful lilas of Lord Krishna in Dwapara Yuga and did Tapascharya to obtain darshan of Lord Krishna. The legend goes that Lord Krishna appeared before him and instructed him to worship the Lord as Srinivasa who manifested himself in a hill on Venkatachala and that one Rangadasa will help him to locate and worship the Lord. Vikhanasa Rishi then proceeded to Tirumala and is said to have found the Lord with the help of Rangadasa and worshipped him. The Vaikhanasa agama recommends puja six times a day at the following times namely: i Pratyusha (arunodaya) ii Prabhata (pratahkata)

iii Madhyanna (noon) iv Aparanha (afternoon) v Sayankala (evening sandhi time); and vi Nisi (ardhayama or midnight).

There is no evidence that puja six times a day as prescribed above was ever done in Tirumala. Kulasekhara Alvar in Tirumoli 1 -7 states that worship six times a day was carried on in Sriranga, but there is no such mention about Tirumala. We can infer from the epigraphical records of the temple, that though the Vaikhanasa form of worship has been in vogue from ancient times, there was no strict observance of the Shudkala puja here. The agamas themselves seem to have realised that strict adherence to the shadkala puja may not be possible or practicable for various reasons, and have prescribed that either shadkala puja or trikalapuja or dvikala puja or ekakalapuja should be performed to the Lord. The Pancharatra agama liberalises this further than the Vaikhansa agama and gives discretion to the temple to perform one, two, three four, five, six or even twelve puja as according to the finances and the organising ability of the devotees. Suprabhathami - During this time the 'Suprabhatam,' 'stotram,' 'pra- patti', and 'mangalasasana' are recited. A descendant of Tallapakam Annamacharya sings a few of the Sankirtanas. * Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatam consists of four items viz., a) Suprabhatam (waking the Lord from the sleep) consisting of twenty-nine slokas. b) Stotra (hymns to the Lord) consisting of eleven slokas. c) Prapatti (surrender to the Lord) consisting of sixteen stanzas d) Mangalasasana (a prayer of the Lord's glory) consisting of fourteen stanzas, thus making altogether a total of seventy slokas. The suprabhatam is sung before the Bangaru Vakili after which the Bhoga Srinivasamurthy who was laid to bed in the Shayana mantapa is shifted again to the Garbha griha. Navanitha harati is offered to the Lord and a mixture of cow's milk, butter and sugar is offered to the Lord. The mixture of milk, butter and sugar is then given as prasadam to the devotees who have come for Sarvadarsanam of the Lord. The composer of the suprabhatam is supposed to be the Prati- vadibhayankaram Annan who is said to have flourished during the closing years of Sri Vedantadesika. Visvaroopa SarvaDarshanam: The suprabhatam is followed by Visvarupa Sarva Darshanam when all pilgrims waiting outside the temple are allowed to have free Darshan of the Lord. Brahma conducts worship every day to Lord Vishnu since the Lord manifested himself there on the Hill and Brahma along with the Devas is said to have been doing puja there every night for the spiritual benefit of all. Five gold cups (called vattils) of full and cleaned water with the spices required for puja as per agamas added to them, and with the other puja articles, are left at the feet of the Lord. Brahma is supposed to come and do the puja here at night. Shuddhi: After Visvaroopa Darsanam is finished the screen is placed in position at the Bangaru Vakili and Shuddhi is done in the sanctum sanctorum when all the previous flower decorations of the Dhruva Murti are removed and the vessels required for the puja are also cleaned. All the flowers except those which are required to adorn