Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Sri VenaktEsa MangaLam: Part 1

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • January 12, 2000 


Dear BhakthAs:

MangalAsAsanam is a tradition by which a grateful
devotee hails the Lord and wishes Him all MangaLams
or auspiciousness. PeriyAzhwAr's ThiruppallaANDu 
(wishing long life to the Lord) belongs to this category.
 
Although it is rather absurd for a mere mortal to wish
long life to the all powerful and eternal God , this
act or gesture or impulse has to be understood in
the context of a concerned devotee , who worries about 
any harm coming to the Lord from evil-minded beings.

In this vein, Sri VenkatEsa MangaLam (MangalAsAsanam)
has to be understood as the deep and pious expression of
gratitude of a dear BhakthA , who was belessed to
perform prapatthi to the Lord of Venkatam hills
through his Sri VenaktEsa Prapatthi . 

The author of the Prapatthi , MangaLam and SuprabhAtham 
for Sri VenkatEsa is Sri PrathivAdhi Bhayankaram ANNaa ,
(P.B.ANNaa) is one of the celebrated eight principal 
disciples of the revered AchAryan ,Sri MaNavAla MaamunigaL . 
It is interesting to note that Sri P.B.ANNaa's Acharyan, 
Sri MaNavALa MaamunigaL and the bard of ThiruvEnkatam ,
TaaLapaakkam ANNamAryA had deep links to 
Sri Adhi vaNN  SatakOpar , the First Jeeyar of 
Ahobila Matam . SvAmi MaNavALa MaamunigaL 
was initiated into SanyAsAsramam by the First
Jeeyar of the Ahobila Matam ; ANNamAryA performed 
prapatthi and received Nrusimha manthrOpadEsam
from the very same Adhi VaNN SatakOpa Jeeyar. 

All the fourteen MangaLAsAsana slOkams for 
the Chathurdasa BhuvanEsvaran , Sri VenkatEsan , 
conclude with the refrain of "Sri VenaktEsAya 
MangaLam " or "SrinivAsAya managaLam ". It is
appropriate to remember that it was AchArya
RaamAnujA , who gave the name of "SrinivAsan"
to the Lord of ThiruvEnkatam . AdiyEn will now 
summarize the general meaning of each of these 
fourteen moving MangaLAsAsana SlOkams .

A great deal can be written about the depth of 
meaning of each of the NaamAs that Sri P.B.ANNA chose 
to perform his Naama-KusumAnjali in this MangaLAsAsanam.
AdiyEn will conclude these postings with
an archanA for Sri VenkatEsA from the naamAs
used by Sri P.B.ANNA in his benedictory 
Sri Sookthi , Sri VenaktEs MangaLAsAsanam . 

(1) Sriya: KaanthAya KalyANa NidhayEarthinAm
    Sri VenkatanivAsAya SrinivAsAya MangaLam 

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 Venkatam hills for His
eternal residence .

(2) LakshmI-savibhramaalOka subhrU-vibhrama chakshushE
    ChakshushE sarvalOkAnAm VenkatEsAya mangaLam 

May all auspiciousness shower on Sri VenkatEsA , 
the eye of all the Universes ! Over the eyes are 
His beautiful eyebrows and over them is His 
endearing forehead region .When Sri MahA Lakshmi ,
His divine consort , glances at this beautiful face
of Sri VenaktEsA , She Herself is dismayed and 
overcome by the matchless beauty of Her Lord's face .

(3) SrivenakatAdhri SrungAgra MangaLAbharaNaangrayE
    MangaLAnAm-nivAsaya SrinivAsAya mangaLam 

The divine feet of Sri VenaktEsA adorn the peak of
the Thiruvenkatam hills. These feet empower the Thiruppathi
hills to become a source of all blesisngs to the devotees
of SrinivAsA . Let the world's Supreme auspiciousness 
come the way of Sri VenkatEsA .

(4) sarvaavayava soundharya sampadhA sarva-chEthasAm 
    SadhA sammOhanAyAsthu VenkatEsAya mangaLam 

There is no one on this earth , who has not been
overcome by the supreme beauty of Lord VenkatEsA . 
Every one of His limbs are celebrated for their 
unmatchable beauty. It is no wonder He enchants His
devotees with His soundharyam . Let no evil eye fall
on Him and let the world's supreme auspiciousness
come His way .

(5) NithyAya NiravadhyAya sathyAnantha-chidhAthmanE
    SarvantharAthmanE Sri VenkatEsAya MangaLam 

Lord VenkatEswarA is the embodiment of the five
supreme principles celebrated by the Upanishads.
These are Satyathvam ( eternal truth) , Jn~Athvam
( True Knowledge), Anantathvam ( Eternal presence),
Amalathvam ( blemishlesness)and Aanandhathvam
( Eternal Bliss ). Sri VenkatEsA is the Parabrahmam
in whom all the above five attributes find their home.
He is the One , who is resident in the heart lotus
of all living beings . Let no harm come to Him and
may he be blessed with all auspiciousness!

(6) svathas sarvavidhE sarvasakthyE sarvasEshiNE
    SulabhAya SuseelAya VenkatEsAya MangaLam 

Lord VenkatEsA comprehends every thing without
anyone's help. He is Omnipresent.He is the residual force 
after every thing is destroyed by the supreme deluge
(PraLayam). He is easy to reach .He has the most auspicious 
guNAs. Let all blessings befall Sri VenkatEsA !

(7) parasmai BrahmaNE poorNakaamAya ParamAthmanE
    prayunjE paratatthvAya VenkatEsAya mangaLam 

Wherever  the Upanishads use the word "Para Brahman",
they have in mind Sriman NaarAyaNan , who stands on 
top of the ThiruvEnaktam hills as SrinivAsan. There is 
nothing that He can not attain , when He desires it.
He is all powerful .There is no one in any world , 
who can disobey His command without incurring His
wrath. No atom vibrates in this Universe without
His empowerment . Let all auspiciousness befall 
Lord venkatEsA of Thirumalai-Thiruppathi hills !

To be continued --