OLD COUPLES MINI MAGHA MASA YATRA (4)

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OLD COUPLES MINI MAGHA MASA YATRA (4)

SIGNIFICANCE OF TWO ICONS OF LORD VENKATESWARA

It is a very great and pleasant experience to have darshan of two main idols on the same pedastal and under the same Vimana Sikharam. In no other temple in India we witness such a wonderful feature – two Shiva lingas on the same pana pattam in Kaleswaram temple. The main idol (moola viraat) originally discovered by Sage Dwaraka is a half statue from naval and upwards. In course of time, the Sages and Saints felt that worshipping Lord Venkateswara is not complete unless prayers are offered at his HOLY FEET (Brahma kadigina padamu). Perhaps taking this into account the great Vaishnava Saint Srimad Ramanujacharya installed a full statue of Lord Venkateswara behind the half statue brought to light by Sage Dwaraka Muni. The priests said that Srimad Ramanujacharya brought this full statue from Tirumala Tirupathi. It is ordained by the Vaishnava Saint that the worship of the idol brought to light Sage Dwaraka, which is a self manifested idol, will lead to Moksha and the worship of full statue installed by the Vaishnava Saint promotes purusharthams of Dharma, Artha and Kama. Similary, Kalyanotsavams are celebrated twice in this temple – one for the self manifested idol in Vysakha Masam and the other for the full statue in Asvayuja Masam, as explained by the priests. On entering the place before Sanctum Sanctorium where idols are worshipped, one feels an enchanting and divine vibrations, leading to cleansing of mind. Earlier, and to some extent at present also, upanayans, marriages, barasala functions, aksharabhyasams, etc., are performed by the devotees in the mantapam in front of the sanctum sanctorium.

Dwelling upon the thoughts of performing Abhishekam to Lord Konda Malleswara Swamy and Kalyanam Seva to Lord Venkateswara, we took rest for the day.

23rd FEBRUARY, 2011 – WEDNESDAY

Today we exclusively spent in attending the Upanayana function of my wife’s cousin’s son – performed in the Repaka vari Choultry and meeting the friends and relatives gathered on this occasion. Dwaraka Tirumala is the only place where small idols of Gowridevi and Vinayaka, used for worship in Sravana masam by the newly wed brides, are sold in the shops. We purchased a pair of such idols to be presented to such newly wed brides.

24th FEBRUARY, 2011 – THURSDAY

Today by 7-30 am we departed Dwaraka Tirumala on the way offering our prayers at Kunkullamma Temple at the beginning of the Dwaraka Tirumala Village. It is said that one has to offer prayers at this temple while departing from Dwaraka Tirumala. It is believed by devotees that Kunkullamma bestows and blesses childless couples with children. We reached Vijayawada by 10-30 am, on the way taking our breakfast in Hanuman Junction. We proceeded to the house of my friend Mr. PBR and took rest for the day. In the evening we visited the temples located in Ganapathi Satchidananda Swamy Ashramam in Patamata, where there is a beautiful Jade Rajeswari Matha Idol, and also the Trisakthi Peetham (Maha Lakshmi, Maha Kali and Maha Saraswati) temple located near RTC Bus Stand. After visiting these temples, we attended a marriage function in our relatives house at Sivaramakshetra Kalyana Mantapam in Satyanarayanapuram.

Mrs. & Mr. PBR wished to visit the temple of Mopidevi Subrahmanyeswara Swamy, and we programmed to visit this place, next day, which is at a distance of about 60 km, located in Divi Seema and also the nearby village of Ghantasala where there is an unique Shiva temple and Buddhist relics of a Buddha Sthupa. We programmed to start before 6-30 am and Mrs.Vijayalakshmi decided to prepare and carry breakfast to be taken after worship in Mopidevi. We also decided to return to Vijayawada for lunch completing our itinerary.

Dt.25th FEBRUARY, 2011 – FRIDAY

Mrs.& Mr. PBR couple, as I said earlier, are ardent devotees of Goddess Santoshi Matha. They perform the Puja of Santoshimatha on Friday and observe food restrictions, etc., such as not eating sour and bitter food items, eating once in a day, etc. They woke up at 4 am so that they complete the worship of Santoshi Matha and be ready for tirtha yatra to Mopidevi Subrahmanyeswara Temple.
GODDESS SANTOSHI MATHA

Here I feel it appropriate to write about Goddess Santoshi Matha, to the extent I gathered information from devotees and from the books containing worship and Vratam of Santoshi Matha. The worship of Santoshi Maatha is a recent origin, which first started by women in North India about five decades ago. . Her worship gained popularity throughout India after release of a Hindi Film ‘Jai Santoshi Maa’ in late Seventies. There is no mention of Goddess Santoshi Matha either in Vedas, Puranas, or Itihasas. It is portrayed that she is the daughter of Lord Ganesha and related her to the festival of Rakshabandhan.

In course of time, a Vratam was developed in her name and a tradition of worshipping Santoshi Mata for a consecutive period of 16 Fridays or till fulfilment of a wish has emerged. The traditional worship procedure adopted for Goddess Mahalakshmi and Goddess Durga was adopted for worshipping Santoshi Mata. Purely vegetarian food items are offered as Naivedyam and animal sacrifices, non-vegetarian food items are strictly prohibited. The Sanathana Hindu Dharma has a tradition of personifying the qood qualities as Gods or Goddesses such as Valour as Dhairya Lakshmi, Riches/Wealth as Mahalakshmi, Protector from evils as Durga Devi, production of abundant good crop as Dhanya Lakshmi, provider of good children as Santana Lakshmi, etc. Similarly, CONTENTMENT AND SATISFACTION is personified as GODDESS SANTOSHI MATHA (Goddess of Happiness). SANTOSHI MATHA IS KNOWN AS MOTHER OF CONTENTMENT OR MOTHER OF SATISFACTION. It is the contentment and satisfaction that provide a peaceful life for a human being. It is, therefore, said that worship of Santoshi Mata provides peace and contentment in life.

Taking tirtham and prasadam of Santoshi Maa after worship by PBR, we started at 7-30 am and proceeded to Mopidevi, packing breakfast prepared by Mrs.Vijayalakshmi and reached the place by 9 am.

MOPIDEVI - THE ABODE OF LORD SUBRAHMANYESWARA SWAMY:

The Mopidevi temple is situated at about a distance of 70 km from Vijayawada. One has to travel on the National Highway of Vijayawada-Masulipatam and has to take a right turn at Pamarru town to enter Divi Seema, where Mopidevi is situated. Sri Valli Devasena sametha Sri Subrahmanyeswara Swamy is in this temple blessing the devotees. Sage Agasthya is said to have built this temple. Skanda Purana gives an elaborate account of this punya kshetram. According to sthalapurana prevalent in these parts, a devotee Parvatalu
found the Lord Subramanyeswara in the form of Linga in an ant-hill and built the temple.

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RAGHAVARAO U.V.G.V. DUGGIRALA,
HYDERABAD, Dt.18th MARCH, 2011.

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