108 Divya-deshams: Thiruvallavazh, Parts 5

BY: SUN STAFF

Kathakali dancers

Jun 25, 2024 — CANADA (SUN) — A tour of the 108 Divya-desams, the divine abodes of Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi.

Vilwamangalam and Nammalvar

One early morning, Vilwamangalam Swamiyar visited Sree Vallabha temple at Thiruvallavazh while a dance troupe was performing Kathakali. Swamiyar was astonished for not feeling the presence of the Deity inside. As he reached the outer enclosure, he saw a young brahmin man watching the dance and recognised him as none other than the Lord.

Suddenly, Vishnu disappeared into the temple saying Swamiyar disturbed him while He was enjoying the dance, his favourite. Thereafter, Kathakali became an important offering and is performed regularly in the temple and remains the foremost place in India where Kathakali is staged on the largest number of days per year.

The famous Vaishnavite saint Nammalvar had visited the temple in the evening and he slept in the temple out of tiredness, In his dream, Vishnu appeared as Padmanabha, sleeping in the ocean of milk, as Chakrapani, the infant Krishna showing the whole universe and solar system in his mouth, and as Vamana, who asked three huge strides of land from the demon king Mahabali. Lord Vishnu at Sreevallabha Temple is worshipped in His cosmic, original and transcendental Purusha form, which can be understood in various ways:

(1) by using different moola manthra for different aspects of Purusha, contrary to the strict usage of only a single fundamental hymn in all temples;

(2) the sanctum-sanctorum is built in such a way that the top and bottom of the Deity can't be seen, as Viratpurusha has no origin and end;

(3) Peetha pooja, which is mandatory in all vaidika temples is not done here, as Purusha is devoid of origin and end;

(4) the Deity is dressed only in white or saffron clothes, contrary to the popular yellow clothing used for vaidika Vishnu temples, which suggests the eternity of Purusha; and

(5) the rituals and customs followed in the temple includes all Vaishnava, Shaiva and Shakteya worship as now in practise in vaidika temples because Purusha is the ultimate and others are only aspects of Purusha.

Generally all Kerala temples follow the vaidika school of worship based on the book Tantrasamuchayam. But Sreevallabha Temple doesn't follow Tantrasamuchayam, but rather the school of Pancharaathra Vidhaanam. The temple has not changed its worship protocols since 59 BC, and it is doubtful that any other temple follows such an ancient system.

Pancharaathra Vidhaanam

Pancharaathra Vidhaanam is not to be confused with Pancharatra Agama of the Vaishnavites, which is completely a vaidika agama system, whereas Pancharaathra Vidhanam is completely a vaidika in origin. Fundamental to both are the same five spontaneous aspects of Purusha - Param, Vyooham, Vibhavam, Antharyaami and Archa - but there are entirely different explanations between the Vedic and Āgama traditions.

Durvasa Samhith, based on Pancharaathra Vidhaanam by Sage Durvasa, explains the rituals to be performed. The book Yajanavali, the nutshell of Durvasa Samhith, is being followed for worshipping Vishnu and Ahirbudhnya Samhith for Sudarshana-moorthy. Considering Srishti, Sthithi and Laya as the tejas of five aspects of Purusha, five pooja are performed here and the Deity is adorned in the dress of Brahmachari, Grihastha and Sannyasi in different forms during these pooja. These customs are highly orthodox and can't be found anywhere else.

The base of every temple is the energy driven through Moola mantra, which should never be changed or misused but strictly used during every pooja. If not, it changes the energy of the temple and is believed to produce disastrous effects to both temple and the place where it is situated. Such effect must be rectified by expensive and complicated penitential procedures. So no temples have multiple moola manthram, whereas Sreevallabha Temple uses different moola manthram for different occasions. This is just another example of how unique the customs followed here are.

Source: Wikipedia

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