108 Divya-deshams: Sri Rangam

BY: SUN STAFF

Srirangam Temple Gopurams

Nov 28, 2023 — CANADA (SUN) — A tour of the 108 Divya-desams, the divine abodes of Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, considered to be foremost among the 108 Divya Desams, is located in Srirangam, Trichy district, Tamil Nadu. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is dedicated to Ranganatha (Lord Vishnu) and His consort, Ranganayaki (Laksmi). The Srirangam temple is often listed as the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world, occupying an area of 156 acres.

Utsava murti of Sri Ranganathaswami during Vaikuntha Ekadashi

Sri Rangam is the most illustrious Vaishnava temple in South India. Archaeological evidence such as stone inscriptions from late 100 BCE to 100 CE refer to this temple. The presiding Deity, Lord Ranganatha, is mentioned in the Ramayana, dated to around 800 to 400 BCE, which also pushes the existence of deity to the same era.

Aerial view of Sri Rangam temple near Tiruchirapalli

The temple has played an important role in Vaishnavism history starting with the 11th-century career of Ramanuja and his predecessors, Nathamuni and Yamunacharya in Srirangam. Located on an island between the Kollidam and Kaveri rivers, it's exposure to water has rendered it vulnerable to flooding as well as the rampaging of invading armies. The temple was looted and destroyed by the Delhi Sultanate armies in a broad plunder raid on various cities of the Pandyan kingdom in early 14th century. The temple was rebuilt in late 14th century. The site was fortified and expanded with many more gopurams in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was one of the hubs of the early Bhakti Movement.

The golden Vimana over the sanctum at Srirangam

The temple and its artwork are the subject of numerous mentions in regional Puranic texts. Sriranga Mahathmiyam, for example, is one compilation of the temple history. It states that Lord Brahma was performing austerities during the Samudra Manthana (churning of cosmic ocean), and Srirangam Vimanam emerged as a result. It remained in Satyaloka for ages, was brought to Ayodhya by king Ikshvaku. After Rama had killed the demon Ravana, he gave it to King Vibhishana, who wanted to be with Rama. When Vibhishana passed through Tiruchi en route to Sri Lanka where he had become the king, the Srirangam Vimanam would not move from the island. So, he gave it to a local king called Dharmavarma, if the king consecrated the Vimanam to face the south cardinal direction eternally, blessing him and Lanka. Hence the deity (in a reclining posture) faces South, His body aligned to the east-west axis.

(To be continued...)

See also: Srirangam Temple - Trichy, Tamil Nadu

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