Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Jaya Jaya Sri RanganAtha : Jaya Jaya Sri RanganAyaki

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • April 4, 1998 


SRI RAAMA JAYAM 

SRI RANGAPURA VIHAARAA!JAYA JAYA! 
SRI KODHANDA RAAMAA!   JAYA JAYA!
SRI PATTABHIRAAMAA!    JAYA JAYA!
SRI KALYANA RAAMAA!    JAYA JAYA! 
SRI JAANAKI RAMANAA!   JAYA JAYA! 

Dear Sri Ranganaatha prEmis :

Tomorrow is Sri Rama Navami , the birth day of 
our Lord Sri RamachandrA , who worshipped 
Sri RanganAthA at AyOdhyA during his avathAram
as Dasaratha Raaman . On this auspicious occasion ,
I would like to make a special appeal to you to 
help realize Sri RanganathA and Sri RanganAyaki's
presence amidst us .

Many of you have been involved with temple constrcution
activities in your cities and states . This is one of
the noblest activities that a human being can engage in . 

I have been writing a series of articles on Periya PerumAL 
and His glories as celebrated by AzhwArs , AchAryAs and
NadhOpAsakAs .I plan to have 18 postings on this important 
subject . The number 18 is a special one as it relates 
to Sri Rangam , the BhUlOka Vaikuntam , the enduring 
seat of Bhagavadh RaamAnuja SiddhAntham .The number 18
is special for many reasons . I will focus on the connection
of 18 to Sri Rangapura VihAran .

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NUMBER EIGHTEEN 
************************************

Sri RanganAthA's PraNavAkruthi VimAnam has four 
Kalasams . Those four Kalasams stand for the four 
VedAs in that Vedasrunga VimAnam . The FOUR kalasams and 
the VimAnam of the Lord supporting them add to number 
FIVE . Sri RanganAthA and Sri MahA Lakshmi resting 
under the Vimanam bring the total to SEVEN . The eleven
AzhwArs , who sung about the SaraNya Dampathis add to
the SEVEN to become EIGHTEEN in total . The 245 pasurams
of the eleven AzhwArs as Tamil Vedam and the four Kalasa 
rUpa Sanskrit Vedams constitute the VimAnam and AadhAra
padmam for the Divya Dampathis . This then is the significance 
of the number EIGHTEEN as it relates to SRIRANGAM . 

THE BRICKS OF THE SRIRANGAM TEMPLE 
***********************************

Every temple is constrcuted BRICK BY BRICK .From 
PrAkArams to individual sannidhi , the temple 
arises BRICK BY INDIVIDUAL BRICK .

It is estimated that almost  TWO THIRDS  of the funds needed
for "the bricks " of the temple for Sri RanganAthan and
His divine consort , Sudarsana-Narasimhan , VeNugOPAlan ,
Raama chandran , SrinivAsan and AchAryAs have been assembled .
ONLY ONE THIRD REMAINS TO BE REALIZED(300K$ ).

CONTRIBUTION BY UNITS OF EIGHTEEN BRICKS 
*****************************************

If we give a value of 6 Dollars to a brick 
18 bricks come to $108 ( AshtOthara satham ).
If each of us can contribute these tax free dollars ,
we can hasten the arrival of Sri RanganAthA to
take His residence here in North America. As all
of you know , there is no temple for Sri RanganAthA
here , although we are blessed with temples for
Sri VenkatEsA and  MahA Lakshmi so far . The individual
contributions can be by units of NINE , EIGHTEEN ,
THIRTY SIX , SIXTY FOUR OR ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT .
These quantas ranging from NINE TO ONE HUNDRED EIGHT
cover contributions from $54 to $648 .Tax free deductions
can be sent to Ranganatha Temple address . I will be
happy to provide additional particulars for those ,
who wish to participate in this great kaimkaryam .
At this time ,it would be of interest to 
receive the pledges and expressions of interests 
to particpate in this great kaimkaryam .

The names of "THE DONORS OF THE BRICKS " WILL BE
DISPLAYED IN A PROMINENT SECTION OF THE TEMPLE .

All of us have been blessed by the Divya Dampathis 
in more than one way in terms of material wealth , 
careers , progeny . The most important anugraham 
the Divya Dampathis have blessed us is to become  
part of the Sath Sangam through participation
in the Bhakthi List , SaraNAgathi List , SDDS
and NAAMAA group and bring us all together .

The NAAMA group through its many chapters 
is doing immeasurable service to bring together 
the overseas and the USA Sri VaishNavite community 
and is succeeding in interesting the children 
and their parents to have a wider awareness of 
the Sri VaishNavite traditions .I wish them 
continued success in their laudable and 
tireless efforts .

We have come  a long way in the past 
three years with all these efforts to build many
bridges , brick-by-brick , to connect us across time 
and space .The crowning effort in the context of 
all these ongoing efforts could be the completion of
the temple for Sri RangannAyaki SamEtha 
Sri RanganAtha in North America . 

I pledge my own contribution of " EIGHTEEN BRICKS "
ON THE EVE OF ISVARA SAMVATHSARA  SRI RAAMA NAVAMI 
CELEBRATIONS and appeal to you all most humbly 
to take part in this Kaimkaryam . 

I will comlpete the remaining 14 postings on 
Sri RanganAtha Mahimai soon with His blessings .
Those will cover Saint ThyagarAjA's Srirangam
OPancharathna Krithhis , the 245 Paasurams 
of the eleven AzhwArs and excerpts from 
the Four vedAs celebrating the parama Purushan
at Sri Rangam , the BhULOka Vaikunta Naathan .

I am also planning to give away  from my private library  
200 plus audio tapes of KarnAtic music by stalwarts
like Ariyakudi , GNB , Semmangudi ,Musiri ,
MaharAjapuram , AlatthUr brothers , 
and many current artists as gift to Sri RanganAthA
temple to be given away as prasAdhams to the music lovers ,
who wish to acquire them for their own libraries 
and contribute perhaps in return five or ten dollars 
for each of these rare tapes as funds towards the temple.

A little later in the year , I plan to give away 
number of important manuscripts on Sri Vasihnavism to
the Sri RanganAthA temple library , which will 
be housed at the premises of the temple .The creation
of the Library can generate matching funds
from Corporations , where you work . 

Subhamasthu .Sarva MangaLAni Bhavathu .
NamO NaarAyaNAya .  

Sri RanganAyaki SamEtha Sri RanganAtha SwaminE Nama:
Oppiliappan Sannidhi VaradachAri SadagOpan 
 











By copy of this note ,
I am requesting Sri Bharadvaj Jaganathan , whether 
he would like to be the focal point of collecting 
the funds provided by You all .