Though the Vedas insist that the reality is a Principle, it allows worship of personal God,Ishwara.
Divya Desam Srivilliputhur.
For Realization, the contribution of the Gd is necessary.
Even for the Karma to take effect God is necessary,Adi Shankaracharya avers.
This personal God differs from individuals to individuals, depending on their dispositions and their tendency towards a particular trait or emotion.
So you can worship God as Male, Female or an impersonal image, Linga.
It could be worshiped as one would a Child, Father, Mother,Friend, Love or even as a Foe!
Later came the Agamas, where collective worship was stressed(which is not in the Vedas).
The Agamas laid down Rules for Construction of Temples, sanctifying them with Mantras and the daily Rituals to be followed.
Some great Temples were built and they are in existence even today with Pooja being offered as laid sown by the Agamas.
Of the three principal Deities,Lord Shiava and Lord Vishnu have the maximum number of Temples.
Of these some are considered more Sacred than the others.
These Temples are called Punya Kshetras.
Legend lists 108 such temples for Lord Vishnu.
Though it said to be organised by the Azhwars,the savants of Vaishnavism,these places trace their origin to ancient times and are referred to in The Purans.
The Deities of the Temples have been praised and poems were composed on them.
These places of Pilgrimages are called the Divya Kshetras,
Of the 108, two, The Thirupaarkkadal, wich alludes to the Milky Way Galaxy and Vaikunta, which is a Space location are not located in the Earth.
The First Divadesam is Sriranagam, the second being Srivilliputhur.
Being from Srivillputhur I would cal it as the first for Vishnu came in search of Andal while people seek him!
Read my post on Vishnu’s Navel, confirmed by Science.
The List of the Vaishnava Kshetras, based on Geographical Locations is provide below.
For January Vaikuntha Ekadashi…
On 10th, Parana Time = 07:17 to 09:29
On Parana Day Dwadashi would be over before Sunrise
Viswaroopa Of Vishnu.
Smartha Vaikuntha Ekadashi = 08/01/2017
On 9th, Parana Time for Smartha Ekadashi = 13:50 to 16:01
On Parana Day Hari Vasara End Moment = 10:17
Ekadashi Tithi Begins = 07:52 on 8/Jan/2017
Ekadashi Tithi Ends = 05:03 on 9/Jan/2017
The term Ekadasi means eleven. Hindus follow two calendars.
One is Surya Manasa, following the movement of the Sun.
The other one is Chandra Manasa where one follows the waxing and waning of the Moon.
In Surya Manasa, the Stars, Nakshatras are given importance for calculations of festivals and auspicious occasions.
Chandra Manasa takes into account the wacing and waning of the Moon, called the Thithis. Nakshatras 28 and Thithis are fifteen.
Thithis are taken into account for calculation of inauspicious occasions like death and performance of Death related rituals like Srardha.
The period from the New Moon Day to Full Moon Day is called Sukla Paksha, which is considered auspicious and for auspicious occasions days/dates are fixed during this period.
However major Vows or Vratas are observed during the waning Moon period, Krishna Paksha.
Vaikunta Ekadasi,Shivratri,Shashti(for Lord Subramanya), Ganesh Chaturthi are observed in this period.
Of the major Vrats, Vaikunta Ekadasi is observed in Onesiance to Lord Vishnu and this is believed to grant many a boon, including the ttainment of Lord Vishnu’s feet at His Abode, The Vaikunta.
This is observed on the eleventh day of the Moon Cycle and the one that falls during Sukla Paksha is important.
However, most important Ekadasi which occurs in the month of Mrigasira, Margazhi in Tamil,December-January in Gregorian calendar, is of special importance and is celebrated on agrand scale in sri Vaishnava Temples, Sriranagam and Srivilliputtur are famous for this occasion.
Early in the morning of the Vaikunta Ekadasy Day, the doors leading to the Inner Sanctum of Lord Vishnu is opened and people enter through this. Special poojas are performed.
The doors remain closed during the other days.
During the Ekadasi day one is expected to fast and take nothing. The next day, Dwadasi, Tulasi water is to be drunk followed by austere food.
This consists of a Raita prepared out of a Dhal Urad dhal,Black Gram), and special Green leaf vegetable(Agathi Keerai) along with a salad of Amla, Nellikkai,Gooseberry in Curds .
Food can be taken once during the day.
At night,light snack made of rice are taken.
The taking of Tulasi water in the morning of Dwadasi is called Dwadasi Baranai’
Now people take light snacks on the Ekadasi day.
This is not correct.
On the Ekadasi day one engages himself in chanting the names Lord Vishnu and visiting His Temple.
One also enters His Inner Sanctum through the Doors early in the morning.
The origin of Ekadashi Vrata.
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According the to Vishnu Purana, fasting on Vaikuntha Ekadashi is equivalent to fasting on the remaining 23 Ekadashis of the (Hindu) year.[2] However according to Vaishnava tradition fasting is mandatory on all Ekadashi of both Shukla paksha and Krishna paksha. Fasting on Ekadashi is considered holier than any other religious observation.
Vishnu opened the gate of Vaikuntham (his abode) for two demons in spite of their being against him. They also asked for the boon that whoever listens to their story and sees the image of Vishnu coming out of the door (called Dwar), called Vaikunth Dwar, will reach Vaikunth as well. Temples all over India make a door kind of structure on this day for devotees to walk through.
According to Padma Purana, the female energy of Vishnu slayed the demon Muran and protects the ‘Devas’. This happened on the eleventh day of lunar month during the sun’s journey in the Dhanurrashi or Dhanu Rashi. Impressed by the act, Vishnu names her as ‘Ekadashi’ and gives her the boon that those who worship ‘Ekadashi’ on the day of her victory over Muran would reach ‘Vaikunth’ (His abode).[3]
Vaikuntha Ekadashi is one of the important and auspicious days for Hindus. It is dedicated to Vishnu. It occurs in the Hindu calendar, in the month of Margashirsha (between December and January). When observed, it bestows liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
‘
Mohini Alankaram
Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Pagalpatthu 10 day
2017 January 8
Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 1 day
Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 9 day
2017 January 17
Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 10 day
Theerthavari
Vaikunta Ekadasi Significance.
”
According the to Vishnu Purana, fasting on Vaikuntha Ekadashi is equivalent to fasting on the remaining 23 Ekadashis of the (Hindu) year.[2] However according to Vaishnava tradition fasting is mandatory on all Ekadashi of both Shukla paksha and Krishna paksha. Fasting on Ekadashi is considered holier than any other religious observation.
Vishnu opened the gate of Vaikuntham (his abode) for two demons in spite of their being against him. They also asked for the boon that whoever listens to their story and sees the image of Vishnu coming out of the door (called Dwar), called Vaikunth Dwar, will reach Vaikunth as well. Temples all over India make a door kind of structure on this day for devotees to walk through.
According to Padma Purana, the female energy of Vishnu slayed the demon Muran and protects the ‘Devas’. This happened on the eleventh day of lunar month during the sun’s journey in the Dhanurrashi or Dhanu Rashi. Impressed by the act, Vishnu names her as ‘Ekadashi’ and gives her the boon that those who worship ‘Ekadashi’ on the day of her victory over Muran would reach ‘Vaikunth’ (His abode).[3]
Vaikuntha Ekadashi is one of the important and auspicious days for Hindus. It is dedicated to Vishnu. It occurs in the Hindu calendar, in the month of Margashirsha (between December and January). When observed, it bestows liberation from the cycle of birth and death.”
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