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Sri Garuda Vaibhavam

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Satyan, Nagu (MSMAIL) • January 24, 1997 


From: Satyan, Nagu on Fri, Jan 24, 1997 12:07 PM
Subject: Sri Garuda Vaibhavam
To: bhakti digest; RANGASWAMY@plh.af.mil

Thanks to Sri Murali, I am learning more about our family diety Sri 
Garuda Azhwar.  I knew the general story about Garuda.  Specific 
details being provided by Sri Murali is informative and helping me 
appreciate the mahima of Sri Garudar.  As he has noted, Garudachar, 
Vainetheya, Garudadwajan are common names in Karanataka Iyengar 
Families.  In fact my father-in-law's name is Garudachar.  I did not 
know that ApuLLar is the Tamil equivalent name to Garuda.  I am 
humbled by the connection between Sri Apullar, Sri Garuda and Swami 
Desikan.

Near Hassan there is a village by name Bindiganavale, from where quite 
a few Karnataka Iyengars come from, including my husband whose great 
great grandfather was a temple priest in that village.  The moolavar 
is Sri Keshava Perumaal (Channa Kesava).  To His left, there is an 
adjoining sannidhi of Thaayar, Sowmya Nayaki.  To His right, there is 
an adjoining sannidhi of Sri Garudan.  Garuda is in his usual posture 
of kneeling on his knees, palms streched out ever ready to carry 
Sriman Narayana.  Because the village is remote and the fact the 
families have all moved out for various reasons, there is only one Sri 
Vaishnava family involved in the kainkaryam.  Recently I believe the 
temple was taken over by the Govt and the administrators are running 
the temple activities.  In fact in 1992 after our son's upanayanam we 
visited the temple and we had to make special arrangements to have 
Thirumanjanam performed.  

A large segment of these families (including ours) from this village 
belong to Powrakutsa Gothram and Sri Ahobila Matam.  Prior to marriage,
 as was my parents tradition, I used to do the four namaskarams in 
front of the Perumaal and Thaayar sannidhi.  However, the tradition in 
those families whose family diety is Sri Garuda do the four 
namaskarams in front of the dwajasthambham as a respect to Garuda who 
is on the flag.  If one prostrates after passing the flag showing 
their back to the flag post, it is considered as a disrespect to 
Garuda, a Nitya Suri.  

During 1995, when our family visited India we were fortunate to visit 
Srirangam and Kumbakonam.  Yesterday we were discussing about our 
visit and specifically my husband was so excited and thrilled about 
the  the huge and magnificent Vigraham of Garuda.  I thought it was in 
Kumbakonam.   My husband thinks it is in Srirangam.  I hope Sri 
Sampath whos seems to know every details of these temples can help us 
in our faint memory since we want to visit these places again.

I am eagerly awaiting for the postings on Garuda Vaibhavam and I hope 
Sri Murali will explain why Sri Garuda is called Periya Thiruvadi. 

Nagu Satyan