#Bhadrakali_Temple is situated atop a hill between the cities of Hanamkonda and Warangal in Andhra Pradesh. The presiding deity of the temple is goddess Kali in her fierce form, large eyes, grim countenance, and eight arms wielding different weapons. The image is made of stone
and it sits on her vehicle, the lion. Legend has it that the Kohinoor diamond was the left eye of the goddess in this temple. In 625 AD, King Pulakesi II of Chalukya dynasty had built the Bhadrakali Temple. When the region came under the reign of Kakatiya rulers, they made
Bhadrakali as their tutelary deity, and fixed the left eye of the goddess with the rare #Kohinoor_diamond. Later, sometime in 1310 AD, the Delhi sultanate under Alauddin Khilji brought the empire of Kakatiyas under their regime, destroyed the Bhadrakali temple and took away the
prized Koh-i-Noor to Delhi as their loot. Then onwards, the awe-inspiring diamond went from one hand to anothern from Babur and Humayun to Sher Shah Suri to Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb and Maharaja Ranjīt Singh of Patiala. When Maharaja Ranjit Singh was nearing his death, he willed
that the ownership of the coveted diamond be given to the deity at Jagannath Temple. He died in 1829, leaving his kingdom with his minor son and heir Duleep Singh (just 10years old) and his wife. The cunning British company officials who had already eyed on the rich kingdom,
violently forced the queen Regent Rani Jind Kaur and her son in 1849 to sign over the kingdom along with Koh-i-noor and a red-colored Timur Spinal (353.5 ct largest stone in the world). Mined in the kollur diamond mines near Guntur, AP, it is the size of a hen's egg. Original
weight: 793 ct; later cut to 105 ct. However, the British officials ignored the will of the king, and instead, took it to England as a gift totheir queen. Going by the journey covered by Koh-i-Noor diamond since 1306, it can be said that whichever king had it in its possession,
met an early death. In fact, it is written that the stone is a harbinger of misfortune for male wearers–only God or a woman can wear it withoutharm. After goddess Bhadrakali, only the British Queen Elizabeth II could possess it without incurring serious harm, though it should be
noted that the British empire faced decline a few years after the diamond went into its custody. To avoid any untoward happening, and knowing well the curse carried by the diamond, the queen avoided wearing the crown studded with Koh-i-Noor diamond. As for the Bhadrakali Temple
we see today, after facing much plundering and damage in the last centuries, the temple was restored in the 1950s by an ardent devotee and some philanthropic affluent merchants. Also known as the Golden Temple of south India, the Chalukya style architecture of the temple is worth
admiring. The temple wears a golden hue at sunrise and sunset, hence, it has earned the sobriquet “the Golden Temple of South India.” Next to the temple is the Bhadrakali Lake which is worshipped by the pilgrims, but, in order to maintain its sanctity, no one is allowed to take a
dip or step into its waters. The temple can be reached via TSRTC or auto-rickshaw services from Warangal railway station or Kazipet railway station. Flights are available to the Warangal Airport from different cities in India. There are train services also connecting Warangal to
other destinations in the country.
Sarvam Sri Krishnarpanam🙏🏾
*Sorry wrong airport. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Hyderabad. Not Warangal airport.
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#MahaPeriyava
By His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal Sri Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham
(Bhavan's Journal was privileged to publish Paramacharya's article entitled 'What Life Has Taught Me' some years ago. Rarely do saints like our
Paramacharya talk about themselves. But He did so and what He said was marked by 'vinaya' (humility) of which He is never tired of speaking. Says the Acharya: "God has created some souls to live for others only).
When this article appeared in the 'Bhavan's journal', Rajaji was
the first to congratulate us on securing an article of this kind from His Holiness.
"The first two experiences remembered as having occurred in the third or fourth year of my life, are dreadful to think, as they were interwoven with temptation, greed, avarice, deceit, groaning
#ஸ்ரீபெரும்புதூர்_ஆதிகேசவப்_பெருமாளும்_ராமானுஜரும்
இத்தலத்தில் தான் ஸ்ரீ ராமானுஜர் அவதரித்தார். அவருக்கென இக்கோவிலில் தனி சந்நிதியொன்று உள்ளது. இங்குள்ள பெருமாள் ஸ்ரீதேவி பூதேவியுடன் அருள் புரிகிறார். ஒவ்வொரு கோவிலும் வைகுண்ட ஏகாதசிக்கு சொர்க்கலோக கதவை திறப்பார்கள். ஆனால்
இக்கோவிலே பூலோகத்தின் வைகுண்டமாக கருதப் படுவதால் வைகுண்ட ஏகாதசி அன்றைக்கு இக்கோவிலில் அடி எடுத்து வைத்தாலே சொர்க்க வாசலில் நுழைந்த முழு பலனைப் பெறலாம். இங்குள்ள தாயாரின் பெயர் யதிராஜவல்லி. தாயாருக்கென்று தனி சந்நிதியுள்ளது. அத்தோடு ஆண்டாளுக்கும் தனி சந்நிதி ஒன்று தனியாக உள்ளது.
ஆண்டாளின் அழகை வர்னிக்க நம் அகக்கண் பத்தாது. பிறகு இராமருக்கும், வேணு கோபாலருக்கும் தனித்தனி சந்ந்திகள் உள்ளன. இப்பெருமாளின் திருநட்சத்திரம் திருவோணம். ஸ்ரீராமானுஜரின் திருநட்சத்திரம் திருவாதிரை. ஆகவே ஒவ்வொரு மாதத்திலும் இந்த நட்சத்திரம் வரும் தினங்களில் திருவீதி உலா வரும்
#Vasishtha_Kavyakantha_Ganapati_Muni (1878 1936)
He was a valiant soldier in the cause of Truth and Divinity. Even highly learned people of our time wonder at his indubitable versatile genius, keenness of perception and understanding of our modern problems, though he had never been to school all his life. His powers of intellect and intuition had solved and untied many mystic knots. His wide scholarship and studies in religious lore harmonized in him all religions and schools of philosophy. He was a master of metaphysics and his gift transported him into regions where he could see the entire manifestation. In fact, he belonged to the order of the Rig Vedic seers who were gods among men.
The Muni's life story is sweet and all absorbing and has been beautifully rendered in the famous biography #Vashistha_Vaibhavam by his foremost disciple, Sri Kapali Shastriar. Ganapati Muni was born in Kalavarayi near Bobbili in Andhra Pradesh on 17th November1878. He belonged to a family of Sri Vidya initiates (in vashishtha gotram), which had actually migrated from a village near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu in the late 16th or early 17th century (later the family was wellknown as the Ayyalasomayajulu family). His parents, Narasimha Sastry and Narasamamba, had 3 sons, Ganapati being the middle one. Nearly a year before his birth, on the holy day of rathasaptami, his mother had been to the famous Surya (Sun) temple at Arasavalli (near Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh) to offer her prayers and worship. She stayed overnight in the temple after the traditional worship to the Lord. In the next early morning she had a dream in which a beautiful woman with golden divine radiance emerged from the corridors of the temple, approached her with a shining pot of fire and giving it in her hands vanished. To her utter astonishment, the moment the fire pitcher came into contact with her, it entered her womb and assumed the form of a child.
Soon after her return to home from Arasavalli, she showed signs of pregnancy. She believed that her child was a divine gift of God Agni (fire). While she was waiting to deliver the child, her husband, Narasimha Sastry, had gone to the holy city of Kashi (Benares in Uttar Pradesh) in November 1878, where he also had a unique experience. When he was performing tapas in the Dhundiganapati temple (near Visweswara Ghat) he had the vision of a little child emanating from the Deity and coming near him. After these wonderful experiences by both parents, Ganapati was born in the parental home of his mother on 17th November 1878.
The father appropriately named his second son Ganapati, rooted in his conviction that the child was an emanation of God Ganapati himself. It may be noted that the Vedic deity Agni (Fire) is none other than Ganapati described in the puranas and worshipped in the tantras. Ganapati himself was conscious of his divinity. He has expressed this in his most famous poem #Umasahasram and has said that he was born as an amsa (portion) of God Ganapati. He has also expressed his conviction about the identity between him and God Ganapati, the guiding spirit of his corporeal existence, in his work #Herambopasthanam (Glory of Ganapati).
Ganapati was educated entirely at home. His father, Narasimha Sastry, like his ancestors, was an expert and well versed in mantra shastra, astrology and ayurveda. With this traditional family background, proficiency in these subjects came naturally to Ganapati. When he was only 10 years old, he was able to prepare the pañchamgam (almanac). He finished studying the classical Sanskrit poems and then devoted himself to the study of grammar and poetics. At the same time he delved deep into the writings of Vyasa and Valmiki. Again and again he read the Mahabharata. His horizon widened and his intellect mellowed with an everdeepening perception. Like the ancient Rishis, Ganapati wanted to experience immense strength and power by the practice of tapasya through mantra japa and meditation. Although married at an early age to Srimati Vishalakshi, he started visiting one sacred place after another for his tapas when he was 18 years old.
He used to stay in one place for a few days or even months. In one such visit to Bhubaneswar (in Orissa, where the famous Lingaraj temple of Lord Siva is located), during his tapas, Ganapati had a vision, in which Goddess Lalitambika (bhuvaneshwari) appeared before him, offering divine nectar. As Ganapati tasted this heavenly nectar, the Goddess watched him with a sweet smile, full of grace. From then onwards, the sweetness of the nectar became an integral part of him. After this incident, Ganapati's intellect developed a rare sharpness and he attained complete mastery over poetry. Indeed, the literary work composed after this incident is endowed with a distinct sweetness and grace.
When Ganapati was staying in Kashi, he came to know that an assembly of scholars (harisabha) would be held in the famous city of Navadwipa in Bengal. On the advice of his friends he got a letter of introduction and went to Navadwipa. There he excelled in all the difficult tests that he was put to with an effortless ease that stunned his examiners, who unanimously conferred the title #kavyakantha (one who has poetry in his throat voice of poetry) on him forthwith. He was only 22 years old then (details are in Volume 11).
Ganapati repaired to the south of the country in his 25th year. From Kanchipuram he came toArunachala (Thiruvannamalai) in 1903 to perform tapas. He visited twice #SriBrahmanaSwamy (who was later named as Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi by Kavyakantha himself) before he accepted a teacher's job at Vellore in 1904. Later in 1907, he resigned his job at Vellore and returned to Arunachala. It was at this stage that he sought and gained the grace of Sri Brahmana Swamy (Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi). An intellectual and spiritual giant who had high achievements to his credit and a host of followers as well, Kavyakantha still felt that his life's purpose was not fulfilled. He remembered Brahmana Swamy whom he had met earlier and approached him for his grace and gain inner realization, peace and true import of tapas that he still lacked. On 18.11.1907 Kavyakantha approached Brahmana Swamy, who was staying in the Virupaksha cave, and prostrating himself at his feet said in a trembling voice: “All that has to be read I have read, even Vedanta Sastra I have fully understood. I have performed japa and puja to my heart's content. Yet I have not up to this time understood what tapas is. Hence have I sought refuge at thy feet, pray enlighten me about the nature of tapas.” For quite some time Brahmana Swamy gazed silently at Kavyakantha. He broke his 11 years of long silence and spoke gently, “If one watches where his notion of `I' springs, the mind will be absorbed into that. That is tapas. If a mantra is repeated and attention is directed to the source where the mantra sound is produced, the mind will be absorbed in that. That is tapas.”
The scholar poet was filled with joy to have found his guru, and announced that the upadesha (teaching) was original, and that Brahmana Swamy was indeed a maharshi and should be called so thereafter. He gave the full name #BhagavanSriRamanaMaharshi to Brahmana Swamy, whose original name was Venkataraman. Thus, the meeting was of profound significance not only for Kavyakantha but also for the world at large, which could learn from such a high authority about the real stature of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, the Silent Sage of Arunachala. Following this momentous meeting, Ganapati composed his great devotional poem, #Umasahasram, a thousand verses in praise of Uma, the Divine Mother, as a part of his tapas in gratitude to the great Goddess for having given him the Maharshi as his Guru (Master). This work is the magnum opus of Sri Vasishta Ganapati Muni.
The Muni had the unique experience of kapalabheda. In the summer of 1922 at the Mango cave of the Arunachala hills, the Muni had several yogic experiences, arising from deeper parts of his being and invading his physical consciousness (resulting in great physical pain). During this, he visited his Master and told him of his inner and physical experience. His most compassionate Master, Sri Maharshi, comforted him by placing his lotus hands on his head. On the very night, he had the experience of the culmination of kundalini sadhana, resulting in the most unique experience of kapalabheda. His cranium was broken into two parts; a distinct sound caused by the breaking arose from the passage, which joins the two holes of the ears. A line of smoke going out of the head was perceived there. The Muni later spoke to his disciples about this yogic experience and that this has been mentioned in the sixth chapter of the Taittrriyopanishad, quoting vyapohya shirshakapale bhurityagnau prati tishati (“having separated the two parts of the cranium, he stands established in Fire as Bhuh, the earth element”) and mentioned several great effects of the power of yoga experienced at this time with their secrets. It is usually believed that the physical effects of this great experience are such that the body cannot sustain long following this event. However, in his case, with the strength of his own tapasya and the Grace of his most compassionate Master, he lived for 14 long years (although he had to observe certain physical restrictions, such as that he could not shave his head nor could put his bare feet on the ground) after this experience. This event speaks volumes on the extraordinary nature of his tapasya and the fact that he was perhaps the greatest Master of tantra born on this earth. In fact, the final revision of his magnum opus Umasahasram after this experience, remains, testimony not only to his supreme mastery over the tantras but also his ability to find the reconciliation and concordance between the Vedic, Upanishadic and the Tantric schools of thoughts. The kapalabheda experience also reconfirms the conviction that he was the direct aWsha (portion) of the Vedic deity agni (who resides as the power of kuKoalinn in the muladhara of human beings).
The poet seer Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni met #Sri_Aurobindo on 15th August 1928. He stayed at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram for about a fortnight. During this stay at the Ashram, the Muni meditated with The Mother a few times. After one such meditation, The Mother expressed that the Muni was a real yogi who could plunge into great depths the moment he started meditation and that she had not so far found any person abiding in Her spiritual consciousness as Ganapati Muni did.
#அழகியசிங்கபெருமாள் #திருவேளுக்கை திவ்ய தேசம் - 46
மூலவர்: முகுந்த நாயகன், அழகிய சிங்கர்
தாயார்: வேளுக்கை வல்லி
தீர்த்தம்: கனக சரஸ், ஹேமசரஸ்
பழமை: 500-1000 வருடங்களுக்கு முன்
புராண பெயர்: திருவேளுக்கை, வேளுக்கை
ஊர்: காஞ்சிபுரம்
மாநிலம்: தமிழ்நாடு
மங்களாசாசனம் : பேயாழ்வார்
புராண வரலாற்றின் படி பிருகு முனிவருக்கு கனக விமானத்தின் கீழ் கிழக்கு நோக்கி நின்ற திருக் கோலத்தில் காட்சி கொடுத்ததாக ஐதீகம். பேயாழ்வார் இத்தலத்தினை, உப்பிலியப்பன் கோயில், கும்பகோணம், திருப்பதி போன்ற தலங்களுக்கு இணையாகப் பாடியுள்ளார். இதிலிருந்து இத்தலத்தின் சிறப்பை அறியலாம்.
ஆழ்வார்களைத் தவிர சுவாமி தேசிகனும் இப்பெருமாளை #காமாஸீகாஷ்டகம் என்ற ஸ்லோகத்தால் போற்றியுள்ளார். இதை தினமும் பாராயணம் செய்தால் நரசிம்மரின் பரிபூரண அருள் கிடைக்கும். இதனை ‘காமாஷிகா நரசிம்ம சன்னதி' என்றும் அழைப்பார்கள்.
திருமாலின் அவதாரங்களில் மிகவும் போற்றப்படுகிற அவதாரம் நரசிம்ம
#பஞ்ச_நரசிம்ம_க்ஷேத்ரம்
தமிழ்நாட்டின் சீர்காழியில் 5 நரசிம்ம ஆலயங்கள் தோன்றக் காரணமே திருமங்கை ஆழ்வார். அந்த 5 உத்தமமான நரசிம்மத் பெருமாள் ஆலயங்களை ஒரே நாளில் சென்று வழிபட்டால் கடன் தொல்லை குறையும், எதிரிகள் தொல்லை விலகும், தடைப்பட்ட திருமணம் நடைபெறும், மன அமைதி கிடைக்கும்
என்பது ஐதீகம். ஓரிரு கிலோமீட்டர் தள்ளித் தள்ளி ஒரே இடத்தில் அமைந்துள்ள இந்த 5 ஆலயங்களும் திவ்ய தேச ஆலயங்கள் ஆகும். திருமங்கை ஆழ்வார் கள்ளர் பிரிவில் பிறந்தவர். சீர்காழி நகரின் அருகில் உள்ள மங்கை மடம் எனும் ஊரில் இருந்து 5 கி.மீ தொலைவில் உள்ள திருக்கறையலூரில் பிறந்தவர். சோழ
மன்னர்கள் ஆட்சியில் இருந்தபோது மங்கை மடம் எனும் பகுதிக்கு குறுநில மன்னராக திருமங்கை மன்னன் இருந்தார். திருமங்கை மன்னன் பகவான் விஷ்ணுவின் வில்லின் அம்சம். அவருக்காகப் பிறந்தவர் குமுதவல்லி நாச்சியார். பல நிகழ்ச்சிகள் நடந்தேற அதன் இறுதியில் அவர்கள் இருவரும் திருமணம் செய்து
#Thiruthanka #Thoopul #SriDeepaPrakasar_Temple Kanchipuram Divya Desam - 45
This is the Avathara Sthalam of Sri Vedantha Desikar.
The Moolavar of this sthalam is Sri Deepa Prakasar. He is also called as #Vilakkoli_Perumal, #DivyaPirakasar Moolavar is in Standing position facing
West Direction. Prathyaksham for Lord Saraswathi.
Thaayar : Maragathavalli Thayaar
Sannadhis: Separate sannadhi for Vedantha Desikar, where he is found with Gnana Muthirai, was built by his son, Nayina Varadachariyar and separate sannadhi for Lakshmi Hayagreevar.
Mangalasasanam:
ThiruMangai Azhwar – 2 Paasurams.
Pushkarani: Saraswathi Theertham.
Vimanam: Srikara Vimanam.
This is a big temple with a huge Vaagana Mandapam.
As per puranas, once there was an argument between Saraswathi, the consort of Brahma and Lakshmi on superiority. They went to Indra,