VEDIC PURANAS SCRIPTURES REFERENCE: About Lord Sri Venkatesha of Tirumala Tirupati (Lord Balaji | Govinda)

Jai Sri Venkatesha!     Om Namo Venkateshaya!  Om Namo Narayanaya!   Om Namo Srinivasaya!  Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya!   Om Namo Govindaya!   Krishnaya Sri Venkateshaya Namah!


The Glories (Mahatmyam) of Sri Venkatesha(Balaji) & Tirumala Hill is mentioned in 12 Vedic Purans, Ramayana & many other scriptures.
Lord Sri Venkatesha(Balaji) is another name of Lord "Sriman Narayan".

Vedic Puranas which mentioned about Lord Venkateswara & Tirumala are Padma Purana, Varaha Purana, Garuda Purana, Brahmanda Purana the Brahmottara Purana, Markandeya Purana, Harivamsa, Vamana Purana, Brahma Purana, Aditya Purana, Skanda Purana and  Bhavishyottara Purana. Of which the most important are the Varaha Purana and the Bhavishyottara Purana (details in each are given below). 


Verse from Varaha Purana (first canto, chapter 61):

"SrI:
VenkatEsAth ParO dEvo nAsthyanya: SaraNam bhuvi
VenkatEsa SamO dEvo nAsthi nAsthi maheetaLE"
                                                   --VarAha PurANam, First Canto, chapter 61

Meaning:There is no other God like VenkatEsa(sriman-Narayan) to seek refuge for protection and there is no other God equal to Lord Venkateshwara(sriman Narayan).

Different Names of the Lord:
Lord Venkateswara is also known by other names like:                                 Sriman-Narayan, Srinivasa, Balaji, Govinda, Vishnu, VenkataNarayana, Perumal, Tirupati-Thimmappa, Venkatachalapati, Sri-Vaaru, Venkatakirshna and Venkataramana.

Meaning of "Venkatesha": "Venkatesha" means supreme Lord who removes sins, and blesses with Nector, Engery, Prosperity & wealth. Details below clearly explains this.

Venkatesha = "Ven+Kat+Esha", "Ven" means SIN, "Kata" means "BURNT", "Esha" means Lord or controller . Venkatesha means Lord who removes Sins.

Any Divine Name has two meanings: one is Arta-Shakti (Energy in meaning of the word) and Shabda-Shakti(Energy in the divine sound). According to Arta-Shakti (Energy in meaning of the word) Venkatesha = Ven+Kat+Esha = Sin+ burn+ Supreme Lord. That is, Supreme Lord who burns away accumulated sins. According to Shabda-Shakti(Energy of sound) Venkatesha = Va+em+kata+Esha = Nectar(Amrit) + Energy(shakti)+ prosperity & wealth(aishwaryam) + Supreme Lord. That is supreme lord who bestows Nector, Engergy, prosperity & wealth.

From the above details: "Venkatesha" means God who removes sins, and blesses with Nector, Engery, Prosperity & wealth. 
Any one who worships the Lord will gets removed of all their sins. Once the sins are removed then all problems and pains go away.
Lord Venkateshwara is considered the “Kali-yuga varada”, that is 'the boon-granting Lord of "Kali-yug" & remover of the sins. (Kali-Yug is the fourth age of the Hindu cycle of ages).
Meaning of Tirumala: "Tiru" means Divine or Holy and "Mala" means hill, Tirumala means divine hill or Holy hill.
Meaning of Tirupathi"Tiru" means Divine or Holy and "Pathi" means Lord. Tirupati means Lord of Divine or Holy.


Who is Lord Sri Venkateshwara(Balaji) as per Vedic Puranas Scriptures?


To know about the Lord let's refer Brahmanda Puran, in Brahmanda Purana, Brahma Dev tells a prayer(stotra) to Sage Narada. This stotram(Prayer) is present in Brahmanda Puran chapter 4 on the “Greatness of the Venkatachala Hill”, which occurs in the midst of the discussion between Brahma dev and sage Narada. From these verses lets know about lord Sri Venkateshwara. Check the following verses:


1.Venkatesho , Vasudevah, pradhyumno , amitha Vikramah | 
Sankarshano anirudhascha Seshadri patireva cha. ||


(Translation[1]: Lord Venkatesha is Vasudeva (Vasudeva means one who is present everywhere & root of Knowledge); He(Lord Venkatesha) is Unlimited valorous Pradhyumna, Sankarshana, Anirudha and the Lord of Seshadri-hills (The Tirumala/tirupati Hill was known famously as Seshadri in Dwapara Yuga)


2. Janardhanah , padmanabho , venkatachala vasanah, 
Srushti Kartha , jagannatho, Maadhavo, Bhaktha vathsalah.||


(Translation[2]He is Janardhana - one who removes ignorance in people; Padmanabha - one with a lotus on his belly; venkatachala vasanahOne who lives in the great Venkatachala hill; 
Srushti Kartha - He is the creator; jagannatho - Lord of the universe; Maadhva - husband of goddess of fortune(Sri Lakshmi also known as Rama devi) and Bhaktha vathsalah - one who is dear to his devotees.)


3. Govindo, gopathih, Krishna, Keshavo, Garuda dwaja, 
Varaho, Vamanaschaiva , Narayana , Adhokshajah ||


(Translation[3]He is Govinda - one who is all knower and Protector of Earth & Vedas ("Govinda" is "Go + Vinda", "Go" refers to Earth, Vedas, Senses & Cows; "vinda" refers to knower or Protector), Govinda also means one who directs senses in right direction; He is Gopathi - one who is the Lord of senses; he is Lord Sri KrishnaKeshava - who is lord of Brahma & Shiva(keshava = Ka+shiva, Ka means Brahma); Garuda dwaja - One with Garuda in his flag. 
He is Lord Varaha - Lord's boar incarnation who protected the earth from demons; he is Lord Vamana - the dwarf incarnation who protected Devatas; He is NARAYANA - who is abode to auspicious qualities & the abode for living beings;  Adhokshajah - One who is beyond the perception of material senses and one who is forever victorious.)


4. Sridara , pundarikaksha, sarva deva sthutho hari, 
Sri Narasimho, maha Simha, suthrakara purathanah. ||


(Translation[4]SridaraHe is the one who carries goddess of fortune mother sri Lakshmi; Pundararikaksha - one with lotus like eyes; He is the Vishnu prayed by all devas, Hari means that He removes away all inauspicious things from the devotee's life. Sri Narasimho He is the great man-lion incarnation, 
He is the great lion, and he is ancient, cause of everything.)


5. Ramanatho mahi bhartha, bhoodhara , purushothama, 
Chola puthra Priya santho , brahmadeenaam vara pradhah ||


(Translation[5]Ramanatho means husband of mother Laxmi (Ramaa devi is Lakshmi devi), Bhoodhara - he is husband of mother earth, One who carries earth; purushothama - Superior among all beings, supreme being. 
cholaputra means a son who is fit to liberate his ancestors(pitrus), priyah- one who has affection on such cholaputra; santho - he is peaceful. "brahmadeenaam vara pradhah" - he is the giver of boons to Demi-gods like Brahma and others.)


6. Srinidhi sarva bhoothaanaam bhayakrudh, bhaya nasana, 
Sri Ramo Ramabhadrascha bhava bhandaika mochakah. ||


(Translation[6]He who is the treasure of Goddess of fortune Lakshmi; and one who creates fear in demons, He also destroys fear in good beings; 
He is Rama, He is Rama who is extremely auspicious & ensures safety; he who releases living-beings from the bondage of cycle of birth & death)


7. Bhuthavaso girivasa , srinivasa , sriya pathi, 
Achyuthaanantha govindo vishnur venkata nayakah || 


(Translation[7]He is shelter for all the sentient and non sentient things, He lives in all beings as paramatma(supreme-soul), he who lives on the hills and also all the wisdom(Vidyas) resides in  him. he is consort of Goddess of fortune mother Lakshmi devi & Bhoodevi. 
He who is infinite(without any limits), who is Infallible and he who gives bliss to senses. He is the one who is Vishnu, the Lord of Venkata-hills)


8. Sarva devaika saranam , sarva devaika daivatham | 
Samastha deva kavacham , sarva deva shikamani. ||


(Translation[8]He is the refuge of all devas(Demi-Gods) and the Lord of all devas, 
He gives protection for all devas and he is the head of all devas(demi-gods)).


This is the great prayer from Brahmanda Puran, from the above verses we can know about Lord Sri Venkateshwara and his glories. This prayer is called Sri Venkateshwara Stotram of Brahmanda Purana.


Brahmanda Puran also contains 'Sri Venkatesha Sahasra Naam'(1008 names of Lord Venkatesha), which occurs under conversation between sage Vasista and Narada and also 'Venkatesha Ashtottara stotram'(108 names of Lord Sri Venkatesha). 


VEDIC REFERENCE TO LORD VENKATESHA & TIRUMALA HILL:


"Kruthethu Naarasimho Bhoo Trethayaam Raghunandana
Dwapare Vasudevascha Kalau Venkatanayaka! ||"


Translation: In Kritha Yuga, Lord Narasimha, In Treta Yuga Lord Sri Rama, In Dwapara Yuga Lord Sri Krishna, and in Kaliyuga Lord Sri Venkateswara are called as Prathyaksha Dhaivams (Deities).


VARAHA PURANA:
Sri Venkatesa mahatyam (History & glories of Lord Venkatesha & Tirumala) is mentioned in Varaha Purana.
According to the Varaha Purana, Adi Varaha manifested Himself on the western bank of the Swami Pushkarini, while Sriman-Narayan as Venkateswara came to reside on the southern bank of the Swami Pushkarini.


"Venkatesha Ashtottara namavali" which is 108 names of Lord Venkatesha is also mentioned in Varaha Purana (this is different from 108 names mentioned in Brahmanda Purana), which is recited in Tirumala temple during morning worship after second bell.



"SrI:
VenkatEsAth ParO dEvo nAsthyanya: SaraNam bhuvi
VenkatEsa SamO dEvo nAsthi nAsthi maheetaLE"
                                                   --VarAha PurANam, First Canto, chapter 61

Meaning:There is no other God like Venkatesa(sriman Narayan) to seek refuge for protection and there is no other God equal to Lord Venkateshwara(sriman Narayan).


"Venkatadri Samam Sthanam Brahmande Nasthi Kinchana 
Venkatesa Samo Devo NaBhootho NaBhavishyathi" ||
-- Aditya Purana & Bhavishya Purana 

SKANDA PURANA:
In Skanda Purana under "Vaishnava Khanda" glories of Lord Venkatesha & Tirumala-hill is mentioned with title "Venkatachalamahatmya (bhoomi-varaha-Khanda)".

Eulogizing Lord Venkateshwara, Suta Maharshi (Suta Gowami) says -
"A man, who has the good fortune of seeing the divine appearance of Lord Srinivasa(sriman Narayan) even for a moment, attains salvation."

Skanda Puran also mentioned Sri Venkatesa Stotra(prayer) by Sage Padmanabha. This stotram(Prayer) has 6 stanzas only first stanza is mentioned below and remaining will be mentioned in the next post.

"1.Namo devasdhi devaaya, sarngine , 
Nararayanadhri vasaya , srinivasaya they nama.||"

Translation: Salutations to the God of Gods who holds the Sarnga bow, 
Salutation to Srinivasa who lives on the Narayana mountain. 

Let us salute this Lord on the top of Saptha Giri now:
NaarAyaNaadhri-nivAsAya SrInivAsaya tE nama:
SeshAchala nivAsAya SrInivAsAya tE nama:
Siva-BrahmAdhi vandhyAya SrInivAsAya tE nama:
PraNathArTi-vinAsAya SrInivAsAya tE nama:
Dhushta rAkshasa samharthrE SrInivAsAya tE anama:
BhakthAnAm pApa samharthrE SrInivAsAya tE anma:
                                                                  --Excerpts from SkAndha PurANam

Translation: Here the Salutations is to the destroyer of all Paapams (Venkatam), who is worshipped by Siva and Brahma and who resides on top of the NaarAyaNadhri and SeshAdhri.


BHAVISHYOTTARA PURANA:
  Lord's Form or Posture in Tirumala Temple:
Bhavishyottara Purana describe the Lord's bewitching postures. Details are as follows: 
The Lord's lower arms are held in a unique pose. The right arm is held in the "Vara Mudra", with the fingers pointing to His lotus feet, telling us that it is they (His tiruvadi) that form both our everlasting refuge and also the strategy to attain the same. Since this posture indicates the granting of the ultimate boon ("Varam") of His tiruvadi, it is known as "Vara Mudra".


The lower left hand is held at the hip, slightly bent inwards, assuring us not to be terrified of the unfathomable ocean of Samsaara, which would only be hip-deep to those who perform Sharanagati at His lotus feet, as indicated by His right palm. The following slokas from the Bhavishyottara Purana describe the Lord's bewitching postures and their purport-


"darsayan paaNinaikena dakshiNena Vrishaakapi:
Pada padmam gatim cha paramaam nrinaam
kati nyasta kareNaapi nija paadaabja gaaminaam
nrunaam bhava payo raasim kati daghnam pradarsayan
viraajate Venkatesha: sampratyapi ramaapati: ||".


Thus Srinivasa's postures are indicative of the incomparable combination of His Paratvam and Soulabhyam, both of which are required for the protection of mortals, for, Supremacy without accompanying mercy and related traits would make for a tyrant, while mere accessibility without requisite Supremacy would render the Lord well-meaning but impotent and incapable of protecting us. It is this winning combination of complementary and supplementary virtues which makes Srinivasa unique and matchless. 


It is also noteworthy that the Lord of Tiruvenkatam points to His tiruvadi with His open right palm, symbolically indicating the Bhagavat Gita dictum to surrender to Him--"Maam Ekam sharanam vraja!", thereby confirming that this Lord is indeed Sri Krishna (Venkata Krishna) of the kaliyuga.


BhavishyOttara Puraana:
The BhavishyOttara Puraana furnishes the example of a brahmin called Maadhava, who had slipped from being a pious and devout paragon of virtues, to a condemnable existence with all sorts of unbecoming conduct. The moment this Madhava accidentally he touched the Venkatachala Hills, all the sins residing in his him burnt themselves out and exited from his body with a great noise and flame, proving to the astounded onlookers the efficacy of the Hills and of its presiding deity in destroying accumulated misdeeds, just as the fire annihilates rubbish.


Bhavishyottara Purana considers Tiruvenkatamudayaan verily as Sri Krishna Himself and equates  the ant hill from which the Lord emerged to be Sri Devaki, the Tamarind tree atop it to be Sri Vasudeva, Sri Balarama, avataara of Sri Adisesha, as Seshaachalam, the hallowed hilly terrain of Tirumala as Mathura, the Swami Pushkarini asYamuna nathi and the varied fauna and flora of the hills, which spend their lives in the service of the Lord, as the Gopa kanyaas.


It is also noteworthy that the Lord of Tiruvenkatam points to His tiruvadi with His open right palm, symbolically indicating the Bhagavat Gita dictum to surrender to Him--"Maam Ekam sharanam vraja!", thereby confirming that this Lord is indeed Sri Krishna (Venkata Krishnan) of the kaliyuga.


ADITYA PURANA(MAHA UPA PURANA):
Aditya Purana contains SrI vEmkaTESa mAhAtmyam (Glories of Lord Sri Venkatesha & Tirumala).
Sage SrI VedavyAsa encapsulated, the proclaimed mahima, in another masterpiece, called SrI vEmkaTESa mAhAtmyam  as part of AdityapurANAmtargata prabamdham. 
The great sage sUta maharshi described the mAhAtmyam of the Lord to the sages Saunaka munis as per their request on the shores of the holy river Ganga (at a place called naimikAraNyam - several anecdotes were mentioned in the purANAs about the sthala mahima of the place).
Appropriately, the place of narration of VEmkaTESa mAhAtmyam by the great sage sUta also adds dignity, sanctity and splendor due to the sthala mahima. The place, time and the narrator are significant factors to implant, nurture and enhance the devotion in the minds of the audience.

one of the verses of Aditya puran:
"Venkatadri Samam Sthanam Brahmande Nasthi Kinchana 
Venkatesa Samo Devo NaBhootho NaBhavishyathi" ||


Sloka Meaning: In the Universe there is no sacred place equivalent to Venkatadri (Tirumala) and there is no God equivalent to Lord Venkateswara neither in the past nor in the future going to be. 
This sloka is mentioned in Varaha Purana and also in Aditya Purana by Sri Vedavyasa & this sloka was told by Suta maharshi to sages named Saunaka munis in a place called Naimisharanya.



MARKANDEYA PURAN:
Markandeya purana mentions "Sri Venkateshwara Vajra Kavacha Sthothram" by sage Markandeya. This stotram(Prayer) contains 5 stanzas only first stanza is mentioned below and remaining will be mentioned in the next post.
"Narayanam Parabrahma,
sarvakaarana kaaranam
Prapadye Venkatesakhyaam,
Tadeva kavacham mama. ||".....
Translation: I bow and salute that Venkatesa, Who is lord Narayana himself, Who is the divine Lord of all, And who is the cause of all causes, And chant his armour for myself.

MaarkaNDEya Puran, Second Chapter verses of Theertha KaaNDam:

Jaya Deva! JagannATa ! SarvalOkaika Vanditha
Jaya VenkatasailEsa ! KaruNAkara ! Paahi na:

KrupAnidhE! Namas-thubhyam VaradAya NamO nama:
VenkatAdhIsa! VISVESA! Satha KruthvO namO nama: 

(meaning): Hail to Thee Oh Lord of the Universe worshipped by all the beings of Your universe! Hail to Thee Oh Lord of Venkatam hills! Oh Most Merciful One! Please protect us. 
Oh the treasure house of Daya! Oh matchless boon-granter!
Our salutations to You ! Oh VISVESA! Our repeated salutations 
to You! 

PADMA PURANA:
Padam Purana contains"Sri Venkatesha Sahasra Nam" which is 1008 names of Lord Sri Venkatesha (Sri Venkatesha Sahasra Nama is different from Vishnu sahasranama. Pradma Purana, Uttara Khanda section contains Vishnu sahasranama) .
According to Padma Purana, Sri Venkateswara is the incarnation of supreme Lord Vishnu in Kalyug. His consort Padmavathi(Alamelumanga) is none other than Goddess Mahalaxmi herself. 
The Padma Purana gives a vivid description of the advent of the Goddess and subsequent wedding with Lord Srinivasa.

BRAHMA PURANA:
According to the Brahma Purana, Lord Vishnu wanted a change from Vaikuntha, so he inquired from Narada Muni about a place on earth for diversion and sport. Narada suggested Sesachalam (the head of Ananta Sesa on this Earth).


VAMANA PURANA:
The Vamana Purana extolls the glory of the Vimana of Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple in the following verse:


"Vimanam sarva paapagnam sarva lokeshu vishrutam
 apraakritam anaadyantam Vaikunttat aagatam mahat ||"


This very Vimanam, which is renowned in all worlds, is extra-terrestrial and without a beginning and an end, is capable of comprehensively destroying all our sins, says the sloka.


The word Vimanam can be broken into "Visishta maanam", meaning the most exalted of all authority (Pramaanam), since it reveals to us the most magnificent of all things to be known (Prameyam), viz., the Lord. 


VEDAS:
Sri Vaishna sampraday(Sri Vaishnavate tradition) opines that the Rig Veda verse X.155.1 makes an indirect reference to the temple. One such translation goes as:
“The person, devoid of wealth and vision, is implored to go to the hill which burns up all evil (vikata for Venkata) and drives away all obstacles to peace and prosperity. The call of the rishi Sirimbitha has obviously not gone in vain".


GREAT SAGES & ACHARYAS:

Sri Ramanujacharya:
In his mangala sloka in 'Sri Bhashya', the great Vaishnava acharya Sri Ramanuja declares in no uncertain terms the resplendent glory of Lord Venkateswara:


"akhila bhuvana janma sthema bhangAdi LIle
vinata vividha bhuta vrAta rakshaika dikshe |
Sruti Sirasi vidIpte brahmaNi SrInivAse
bhavatu mama parasmin Semushi bhakti rUpA ||"


Translation: May my mind & intellect meditate the form of Bhakti in Srinivasa, the highest Reality, revealed in the Vedanta as the Lord who creates, protects and destroys the whole universe with sportive ease and who has taken a vow to protects all creatures who seek him.



12 ALWARS (Great Vaishnava Saints):
Nammalvar (3000 B.C) extols Lord Venkateswara as the veritable aushadam (medicine) for curing the disease of samsara in the areas of birth and death. Saint Kulasekhara Alvar prays to the Lord Srinivasa to grant him even the lowest birth in the holy Tirumala Hills - as a fish in the sacred Swami Pushkarini, or as a tree, or as anything on the golden hills of Lord Venkateswara (emberumaan ponmalai mEl EdhEnum avEnE).
Ten of the 12 Alwars have sung of, or mentioned, Tiruvenkatam in a total of 202 verses of the scripture named "Naalayira Divya Prabandam".

Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya (Annamayya):
Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya (Annamayya) (1408-1503) the great divine music composer of the 15th century is the earliest known musician of South India to compose songs called “sankIrtanas” in praise of  Lord Sriman Narayan(Venkateswara). Annamayya composed 32,000 (Thirty two thousand) songs (Sankirtanas), glorifying Lord Sri Venkatesha. These Sankirtanas are avaiable in Tirumala with TTD. Tirumala Tirupati Devastanams (TTD) and other organizations in India are working hard to promote the music and literature of Annamacharya. 


OTHER SCRIPTURES:


The Sangam literature of Tamil such as Silapadikaram and Satanar Manimekalai, dated between 500BC and 300AD, mentions Thiruvengadam (earlier name of Tirupati) by the appellation "Nediyon Kunram" as the northernmost frontier of the Tamil kingdoms.
'Silappadikaram', the great Tamil classic, calls the Holy Hills, 'Nediyon Kunrams'. In fact, a fairly detailed description of the deity is given in lines 41 to 51 of Book 11 of the Silapadikaram. Again, the appellation "Nediyon" for the deity occurs in the following verses:


“High on Vengadam's towering crest, with flowing streams in flood,
Betwixt the effulgent glory, of shining Sun and Moon,
Like unto a blue cloud in lightning dresst In all the brilliance of rainbow dight, 
The Red-eyed great One, majestic stands
In dress of flowery brilliance with garland bright, One lotus hand with fearsome disc adorned, and milk white conch (the other held). ||"


Note: 
The above mentioned information is just some reference only but NOT full detailed reference. For full details read respective Vedic-Puran. In Skanda Purana under "Vaishnava Khanda" section, topic named "Sri Venkatachala Mahatmya(Glories of Lord Venkatesha & Tirumal hill)" contains around 40 chapters but here only 2 or 3 verses mentioned.




                                                                      (...will be continued next)


                                                                Link for full details of verses mentioned above >>

"Sriya: KaanthAya KalyANa NidhayEarthinAm
Sri VenkatanivAsAya SrinivAsAya MangaLam" 
Translation: May all auspiciousness shower on SrinivAsA of Venkatagiri!. He is the Lord of Lakshmi and is the rich mine of all auspiciousness. He is the immeasurable wealth for all those, who seek Him. He has chosen the divine Venkatam hills for His residence. 

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