Glories of Lord Sri Venkateshwara (Lord Balaji) Tirumala | DivineHill

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Glor ies of Sr i Venka teshw a r a ( Ba la ji)

ABOU T LORD SRI VEN KATESH A ( BALAJI | SRI N I VASA) OF TI RU M ALA VED I C PU RAN AS:

The Glor ies of Supr em e Lor d Sr i Venkatesha ( Lor d Balaji) & Tir um ala H ill is m entioned Vedic Pur anas, Gr eat epic like Ram ayana & m any other scr iptur es. Pur anas which m enti Venkateswar a & Tir um ala ar e Padm a Pur ana, Var aha Pur ana, Gar uda Pur ana, Br ahm ottar a Pur ana, M ar kandeya Pur ana, H ar ivam sa, Vam ana Pur ana, Br ahm a Pur ana Skanda Pur ana and Bhavishyottar a Pur ana. Of which the m ost im por tant ar e the Var aha Bhavishyottar a Pur ana ( details in each ar e given below) . Ver se fr om V ar aha Pur ana Fir st canto, chapter 61: Sr I : VenkatEsAth Par O dEvo nAsthyanya: Sar aN am bhuvi VenkatEsa Sam O dEvo nAsthi nAsthi m aheetaLE Venkatesha. Var Aha Pur AN am , Fir st Canto, chapter 61 Meaning: There is no other God like VenkatEsa to seek refuge for protection and there is no other God

About N am es of Lor d Sr i Venkatesha:

Tirupati-Thimmappa, VenkataKirshna and VenkataRamana.

Lord Venkateswara is also known by other names Srinivasa, Balaji, Vishnu, Narayana, Govinda, Peru

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M eaning of Venkatesha: Ven+Kat+Esha, Ven means SI N, Kata means DESTROYED OR B supreme Lord or controller . Venkatesha means supreme Lord who removes the sins. Any Divine Name has two meanings: one is Ar ta Shakti (Energy in meaning of the word) and

sound). According to Arta Shakti (Energy in meaning of the word) Venkatesha = Ven+Kat+Esha = Sin+ Va+em+kata+Esha = Nectar(Amrut)+Energy(shakti)+ prosperity & wealth(aishwaryam)+Supreme

That is, Supreme Lord who burns all accumulated sins. According to Shabda Shakti(Energy of sound) V

Any one who worships the Lord will get removed of all his sins. Once the sins are removed then all prob the Hindu cycle of ages) & who burns the sins.

away. Lord Venkateshwara is considered the Kali yuga varada, that is the boon-granting Lord of Kali

M eaning of Tir um ala: Tiru means Divine or Holy and Mala means hill, Tirumala means divine h

Meaning of Tir upathi : Tiru means Divine or Holy and Pathi means Lord. Tirupati means Lord of D

W ho is Lor d Sr i Venkatesha ( Balaji) ?

To know this lets refer the Brahmanda Purana, in Br ahm anda Pur ana , Brahma Dev tells a This stotram(Prayer) is present in chapter 4 on the Greatness of tha Venkatachala mountain discussion between devata Brahma and sage Narada in Brahmanda Purana. From this great Prayer we Venkateshwara in the following verses: 1. Venkatesho , Vasudevah, pradhyumno , amitha Vikramah | Sankarshano anirudhascha Seshadri patireva cha. | |

( Tr anslation: Lor d V enkatesha is Vasudeva (one who is present everywhere & root of Knowledge); which was known as Seshadri in Dwapara Yuga). 2. Janardhanah , padmanabho , venkatachala vasanah | Srushti Kartha , jagannatho, Maadhavo, Bhaktha vathsalah. | |

Unlimited valorous Pradhyumna; Sankarshana, Anirudha and the Lord of Seshadri hills(The Lord of Ti

(He is Janardhana one who removes ignorance in people; Padmanabha one with a lotus on his belly and one who is dear to his devotees.) 3. Govindo, gopathih, Krishna, Keshavo, Garuda dwaja | Varaho, Vamanaschaiva , Narayana , Adhokshajah | |

great Venkatachala mountain; He is the creator; Lord of the universe; Husband of goddess of fortune &

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(He is Govinda one who is knower & Protector of Earth & Vedas (Govinda means Go + Vinda, is the Lord of senses & Lord of cows; he is Krishna One who is attractor of all; Keshava who is lord the earth from demons; he is Lord Vamana the dwarf incarnation who protected Devatas; He is and one who is forever victorious.) 4. Sridara , pundarikaksha, sarva deva sthutho hari | Sri Narasimho, maha Simha, suthrakara purathanah. | |

Senses & Cows & vinda refers to knower or Protector) also one who directs senses in right direction; H

(keshava = Ka+shiva, Ka means Brahma); One with Garuda in his flag. He is Lord Varaha the boar in

to auspicious qualities & He is the abode for living beings; Adhokshajah One who is beyond the perce

(He is the one who carries goddess of fortune mother Lakshmi; Pundararikaksha one with lotus like e prayed by all devas, Hari means that He removes away all inauspicious things from the devotee incarnation, He is the great lion and the ancient cause of everything.) 5. Ramanatho mahi bhartha, bhoodhara , purushothama, | Chola puthra Priya santho , brahmadeenaam vara pradhah | |

(Ramanatho means husband of mother Laxmi (Ramaa devi is LAXMI devi), he is husband of mother ea one who has affection on such cholaputra, he is peaceful. And he is the giver of boons to Demi 6. Srinidhi sarva bhoothaanaam bhayakrudh, bhaya nasana, | Sri Ramo Ramabhadrascha bhava bhandaika mochakah. | |

earth, Superior among all beings, supreme being. Cholaputra means a son who is fit to liberate his ance

(He who is the treasure of Goddess of fortune Lakshmi; and one who creates fear, He also destroys fear Rama, He is Rama who is extremely auspicious & ensures safety and also one who releases from the cycle) 7. Bhuthavaso girivasa , srinivasa , sriya pathi, | Achyuthaanantha govindo vishnur venkata nayakah | |

(He is shelter for all the sentient and non sentient things, He lives in all beings as paramatma, lives on a

wisdom(Vidyas) resides in him. Lives with Goddess of fortune Lakshmi. He is the consort of mother La of Venkata hills )

He who is infinite(without any limits), who is I nfallible and he who gives bliss to senses. He is the one w

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8. Sarva devaika saranam, sarva devaika daivatham | Samastha deva kavacham, sarva deva shikamani | | (He is the refuge of all devas(Demi-Gods) and the Lord of all devas. He is the protection for all devas devas). This is the great prayer in Brahmanda Purana, from this prayer we can understand who is Lord times.

glories. This prayer is called Sri Venkateshwara Stotram of Brahmanda Purana and many devotees reci

I n Br ahm anda Pur ana contains Sr i Venkatesha Sahasr a N am as( 10 0 8 nam pur ana has also a Venkatesha Ashtottar a stotr am ( 10 8 nam es of Lor d Sr i

Venkatesha) , which occur s as conver sation between sage Vasista and N ar a

VED I C PU RAN AS / VED I C SCRI PTU RES REFEREN CE:

Kr uthethu N a a r a sim ho Bhoo Tr etha y a a m Ra ghuna nda na D w a pa r e Va sudeva scha Ka la u V enka ta na y a ka !

Tr anslation: I n Kritha Yuga, Lord Narasimha, I n Treta Yuga Lord Sri Rama, I n Dwapara Yuga Lord S Kaliyuga Lord Sri Venkateswara are called as Prathyaksha Dhaivams (Deities). VARAH A PU RAN A:

Sri venkatesa mahatyam (History & glories of Lord Venkatesha & Tirumala) is mentioned in Varaha Pu Varaha Purana, Adi Varaha manifested Himself on the western bank of the Swami Pushkarini, while came to reside on the southern bank of the Swami Pushkarini. Venkatesha Ashtottara namavali recited in Tirumala temple during morning pooja after second bell.

Venkatesha is mentioned in Varaha Purana (this is different from 108 names mentioned in Brahmanda

According to the Varaha Purana, Lord Adi Varaha swami manifested Himself on the western bank of th

while Lord Vishnu as Lord Venkateswara came to reside on the southern bank of the Swami Pushkarini Sr I : VenkatEsAth Par O dEvo nAsthyanya: Sar aN am bhuvi VenkatEsa Sam O dEvo nAsthi nAsthi m aheetaLE Var Aha Pur AN am , Fir st Canto, chapter 61

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Venkatadri Samam Sthanam Brahmande Nasthi Kinchana | Venkatesa Samo Devo NaBhootho NaBhavishyathi | | SKAN D A PU RAN A: I n Skanda Purana under V aishnava Khanda in V enkatachalam ahatm ya or bhoom i Glories of Lord Venkatesha & Tirumala is mentioned. Eulogizing Lord Venkateshwara, Suta Maharshi (Suta Gowami) says -

A man, who has the good fortune of seeing the divine appearance of Lord Srinivasa even for a moment

I n Skanda Purana also there is Sri Venkatesa Stotra(prayer) by Sage Padmanabha. This stotram(Prayer stanza is mentioned below and remaining will be mentioned in the next post. 1.N a m o deva sdhi deva a y a , sa r ngine , Na r a r a y a na dhr i va sa y a , sr iniva sa y a they na m a . | | ..

Translation: Salutations to the God of Gods who holds the Sarnga bow, Salutation to Srinivasa who live mountain. Let us salute this Lord on the top of Saptha Giri now: N aar AyaN aadhr i-nivAsAya Sr I nivAsaya tE nam a: SeshAchala nivAsAya Sr I nivAsAya tE nam a: Siva-Br ahm Adhi vandhyAya Sr I nivAsAya tE nam a: Pr aN athAr Ti-vinAsAya Sr I nivAsAya tE nam a: D hushta r Akshasa sam har thr E Sr I nivAsAya tE anam a: BhakthAnAm pApa sam har thr E Sr I nivAsAya tE anm a: Excer pts fr om SkAndha Pur AN am

Here the Salutations is to the destroyer of all Paapams (Venkatam), who is worshipped by Siva and top of the NaarAyaNadhri and SeshAdhri. BH AV I SH YOTTARA PU RAN A: Lor ds For m or Postur e in Tir um ala Tem ple: Bhavishyottara Purana describe the Lords bewitching postures The Lords lower arms are held in a

is held in the Vara Mudra, with the fingers pointing to His lotus feet, telling us that it is they (His tiru

everlasting refuge and also the strategy to attain the same. Since this posture indicates the granting of t

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(Varam) of His tiruvadi, it is known as Vara Mudra. The lower left hand is held at the hip, slightly not to be terrified of the unfathomable ocean of Samsaara, which would only be hip-deep to those who bewitching postures and their purportda r sa y a n pa a N ina ikena da kshiNena Vr isha a ka pi: Pa da pa dm a m ga tim cha pa r a m a a m nr ina a m ka ti ny a sta ka r eN a a pi nija pa a da a bja ga a m ina a m nr una a m bha va pa y o r a a sim ka ti da ghna m pr a da r sa y a n vir a a ja te Venka tesha : sa m pr a ty a pi r a m a a pa ti: | | .

His lotus feet, as indicated by His right palm. The following slokas from the Bhavishyottara Purana des

Thus Srinivasas postures are indicative of the incomparable combination of His Paratvam and Soulabh

required for the protection of mortals, for, Supremacy without accompanying mercy and related traits w

while mere accessibility without requisite Supremacy would render the Lord well-meaning but impoten matchless. I t is also noteworthy that the Lord of Tiruvenkatam points to His tiruvadi with His open indicating the Bhagavat Gita dictum to surrender to HimMaam Ekam sharanam vraja!, thereby indeed Sri Krishna (Venkata Krishna) of the kaliyuga.

protecting us. I t is this winning combination of complementary and supplementary virtues which make

BhavishyOttara Puraana: The BhavishyOttara Puraana furnishes the example of a brahmin called Maad

from being a pious and devout paragon of virtues, to a condemnable existence with all sorts of unbecom

moment this Madhava accidentally he touched the Venkatachala Hills, all the sins residing in his him b

exited from his body with a great noise and flame, proving to the astounded onlookers the efficacy of th Tiruvenkatamudayaan verily as Sri Krishna Himself and equates the ant hill from which the Lord Tamarind tree atop it to be Sri Vasudeva, Sri Balarama, avataara of Sri Adisesha, as Seshaachalam, the

presiding deity in destroying accumulated misdeeds, just as the fire annihilates rubbish. Bhavishyottara

Tirumala as Mathura, the Swami Pushkarini asYamuna nathi and the varied fauna and flora of the hills His open right palm, symbolically indicating the Bhagavat Gita dictum to surrender to Him thereby confirming that this Lord is indeed Sri Krishna (Venkata Krishnan) of the kaliyuga. PAD M A PU RAN A:

in the service of the Lord, as the Gopa kanyaas. I t is also noteworthy that the Lord of Tiruvenkatam poi

Padam Purana contains Sri Venkatesha Sahasra Nama which is 1008 names of Lord Sri Venkatesha (

Nama is different from Vishnu sahasranama. Pradma Purana, Uttara Khanda section contains Vishnu s

According to Padma Purana, Sri Venkateswara is the incarnation of supreme Lord Vishnu in Kalyug. H the Goddess and subsequent wedding with Lord Srinivasa.

(Alamelumanga) is none other than Goddess Mahalaxmi herself. The Padma Purana gives a vivid descr

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AD I TYA PU RAN A( M AH A U PA PU RAN A) : Aditya Purana contains SrI vEmkaTESa mAhAtmyam (Glories of Lord Sri Venkatesha & Tirumala). part of AdityapurANAmtargata prabamdham.

Sage SrI VedavyAsa encapsulated, the proclaimed mahima, in another masterpiece, called SrI vEmkaTE

The great sage sUta maharshi described the mAhAtmyam of the Lord to the sages Saunaka munis as pe sthala mahima of the place). splendor due to the sthala mahima. The place, time and the narrator are significant factors to implant, devotion in the minds of the audience. V enkatadr i Sam am Sthanam Br ahm ande N asthi Kinchana | Venkatesa Sam o D evo N aBhootho N aBhavishyathi || Lord Venkateswara neither in the past nor in the future going to be. This sloka is mentioned in Varaha Naimisharanya. . BRAH M A PU RAN A:

shores of the holy river ganga ( a place called naimikAraNyam several anecdotes were mentioned in t

Appropriately, the place of narration of VEmkaTESa mAhAtmyam by the great sage sUta also adds dign

Sloka Meaning: I n the Universe there is no sacred place equivalent to Venkatadri (Tirumala) and there

Aditya Purana by Sri Vedavyasa & this sloka was told by Suta maharshi to sages named Saunaka munis

According to the Brahma Purana, Lord Vishnu wanted a change from Vaikuntha, so he inquired from N

place on earth for diversion and sport. Narada suggested Sesachalam (the head of Ananta Sesa on this E M ARKAN D EYA PU RAN A:

Markandeya purana mentions Sri Venkateshwara Vajra Kavacha Sthothram by sage Markandeya. This

contains 5 stanzas only first stanza is mentioned below and remaining will be mentioned in the next po N a r a y a na m Pa r a br a hm a , sa r va ka a r a na ka a r a na m Pr a pa dy e Venka tesa khy a a m , Ta deva ka va cha m m a m a . | | .. Translation: I bow and salute that Venkatesa, Who is lord Narayana himself, Who is the divine Lord of of all causes, And chant his armour for myself. M aar kaN D Eya Pur AN am , Theer tha KaaN D am , Second Chapter ver ses: Jaya Deva! JagannATa ! SarvalOkaika Vanditha Jaya VenkatasailEsa ! KaruNAkara ! Paahi na:

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KrupAnidhE! Namas-thubhyam VaradAya NamO nama: VenkatAdhI sa! VI SVESA! Satha KruthvO namO nama:

(meaning): Hail to Thee Oh Lord of the Universe worshipped by all the beings of Your universe! Hail to Venkatam hills! Oh Most Merciful One! Please protect us. Oh the treasure house of Daya! Oh Our salutations to You ! Oh VI SVESA! Our repeated salutations to You! VAM AN A PU RAN A: The Vamana Purana extolls the glory of the Vimana of Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple in the V im a na m sa r va pa a pa gna m sa r va lokeshu vishr uta m apr a a kr ita m a na a dy a nta m Va ikuntta t a a ga ta m m a ha t | |

This very Vimanam, which is renowned in all worlds, is extraterrestrial and without a beginning and a comprehensively destroying all our sins, says the sloka. The word Vimanam can be broken into (Prameyam), viz., the Lord. VED AS:

the most exalted of all authority (Pramaanam), since it reveals to us the most magnificent of all things t

Sri Vaishna sampradaya (Sri Vaishnavate tradition) opines that the Rig Veda verse X.155.1 makes an in temple.[ 1][ 2]

One such translation goes as:[ 2] The person, devoid of wealth and vision, is implored to go to the hill w (vikata for Venkata) and drives away all obstacles to peace and prosperity. The call of the rishi gone in vain. GREAT SAGES & ACH ARYAS: Sr i Ram anujachar ya:

I n his mangala sloka in Sri Bhashya, the great Vaishnava acharya Sri Ramanuja declares in no uncerta glory of Lord Venkateswara: a khila bhuvana ja nm a sthem a bha ngAdi leele vina ta vividha bhuta vr Ata r a ksha ika dikshe | Sr uti Sir a si vidI pte br a hm a N i Sr I nivAse bha va tu m a m a pa r a sm in Sem ushi bha kti r U pA ||

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Tr anslation: May my mind & intellect meditate the form of Bhakti in Srinivasa, the highest Reality, the Lord who creates, protects and destroys the whole universe with sportive ease and who has taken a creatures who seek him. ALW ARS ( Gr eat V aishnava Saints) : Nammalvar (3000 B.C) extols Lord Venkateswara as the veritable aushadam (medicine) for curing the Tirumala Hills as a fish in the sacred Swami Pushkarini, or as a tree, or as anything on the (emberumaan ponmalai mEl EdhEnum avEnE). Ten of the 12 Alwars have sung of, or mentioned, Tiruvenkatam in a total of 202 verses of the . Sr i Tallapaka Annam achar ya ( Annam ayya) :

the areas of birth and death. Saint Kulasekhara Alvar prays to the Lord Srinivasa to grant him even the

Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya (Annamayya) (1408-1503) the great music composer of the 15th century i (Thirty two thousand) songs (Sankirtanas), glorifying Lord Sri Venkatesha. These Sankirtanas literature of Annamacharya. . OTH ER SCRI PTU RES:

musician of South I ndia to compose songs called sankI rtanas in praise of Lord Venkateswara. Annam

TTD. Tirumala Tirupati Devastanams (TTD) and other organizations in I ndia are working hard to prom

The Sangam literature of Tamil such as Silapadikaram and Satanar Manimekalai, dated between 500BC kingdoms. Silappadikaram, the great Tamil classic, calls the Holy Hills, Nediyon Kunrams description of the deity is given in lines 41 to 51 of Book 11 of the Silapadikaram. Again, the appellation occurs in the following verses:

Thiruvengadam (now named Tirupati) by the appellation Nediyon Kunram as the northernmost fron

High on Vengadams tower ing cr est, w ith flowing str eams in flood, Betwixt the effulgent glor y, of sh

Like unto a blue cloud in lightning dr esst I n all the br illiance of r ainbow dight, The Red-eyed gr eat O held). | |

dr ess of flow er y br illiance with gar land br ight, One lotus hand w ith fear some disc ador ned, and milk

All Glories to Sri Venkatesha!, Jai Sri Krishna, Jai Srinivasa, Jai Govidna!, Sr i Kr ishnar pa

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