Bhagavat Ramanujar and Four Mandapam

 Bhagavat Ramanuja and Four Mandapam

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Sriranga mangala nidhim karuna nivasam 

Sri Venkatadri shikaralaya kalamegam 

Sri Hasthisaila sikarojwala parijatham 

Srisannamami sirasa Yadhusaila deepam

At the end of Sandhya vandanam, the above sloka is chanted to remember and offer prayers to the deities of four Major Temples that Bhagavat Ramanuja was associated with, in many capacities. Each temple and Archavatara deity played a crucial role in the upbringing, shaping the role and life of Bhagavat Ramanuja. The four temples and deities are Lord Ranganatha of  Sriranagam, Lord Srinivasa of Thiruvengadam ( Thiruppathi), Lord Varadaraja of Kanchi and and Lord SelvaNarayanan of Thirunarayanapuram(Melkote). These Temples are also called by the names Bhoga Mandapam, Pushpa Mandapam, Thyaga Mandapam ang Gyana Mandapam.  Bhagavat Ramanuja was saved by Lord Varadaraja and was ordained to perform Theertha Kainkaryam. Lord Varadaraja also planted the seeds of Visistadwaitham in Bhagavat Ramanuja by clearing his doubts through his Guru Thiukachi Nambi.  Since Lord Vardaraja on request from Lord Ranganatha released Bhagavat Ramanuja for services at Thiruvarangam. This sacrifice of Lord Varadaraja earned the Kanchi temple the name Thyaga Mandapam.

Later Bhagavat Ramanuja visited Thirumala Hills and organized the the daily routines and religious rites at the temple for Lord Srinivasa. He had also deputed his sisya Anandhazhwan to Thirumala to take care of Nandavanam and offer flower decorations to Lord Srinivasa on a daily basis. Hence Thiruvengam came to be known as Pushpa Mandapam.

Just as Lord Sriman Narayana enjoys all facilities and luxury in Paramapadam, Lord Ranganatha also thrives in Bhoga at Thiruvarangam listening to Ekantha Veeenai in the early morning. Hence Srirangam temple is known by the name Bhoga Mandapam.

When Bhagavat Ramanuja had to escape from Chola Kingdom, he chose to settle down in Melkote, Mandya District in Mysore and spread Vaishnavism by inducting King Vishnu Vardan into Srivaishnavam and he took his help to build temples and Mutt.  Bhagavat Ramanuja made sure that Melkote has the pride of place in the Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam and got the name Jnana Mandapam. 

Here is  song on Bhagavat Ramanuja connecting the four Mandapam.

Pasupathi Ashtakam

Pasupathi Ashtakam
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In Aug 2016, We visited Kathmandu and the Pasupathinath temple on the banks of Bhagmathi River. Here in this temple One can see a a lingam with five faces. Tatpurush facing East, Saddhyojat facing West, Bamdev facing North, Aghor facing East and Ishan( Shiva-Shakthi) facing Up. Rudram is being chanted by separate priests inside the sanctum with four entrances.
I learnt Sri Adi Sankara visited this temple and set up all the religious practices including Rudram Chanting. Till 1950 six Priests from South India were managing all the religious activities inside the temple. Now there is only one pries from South India was seen and the remaining three positions managed by priests from Nepal.