the exponent of the Visishtadvaita philosophy - ebooks - ISKCON ...

:
ca. XXII. VISIT TO OTHER SHRINES. 145
R&m&naja made the circuit of the Sbrine,' and descending
tlie Holy Mount, did homage to the AzhvajiB eii.shiintd at its
base, and thence pi-oceeding to Kftfichi and other Shrines such as
Sri-perumbiidur (his birth-place), Tiruvallikkeni (Triplicane)
and Tiru-nir-malai, and thence cros.sing over to Madhur&ntakam
and the Holy Vakula-tree there, tinder which his Guru
MahApurna gave him the first initiation, and thence on to
Tiru-vayindra-puram (Tirn-vendi-puram near Cu.ddaloro),
where he tendered hia salutations to Lord Deva-nslyaka, aiid
vanquished disputants wherever met, and thence on to ViranElrilyanapuram,
the Holy Place of sage Natha-muni [the place
where he ,safc for Toga (meditation)] and Lord Maana-narthere,
Poot note on page 144—(coatinued).
locks and high diadein, with the
beautiful Mazhu , . aud discus and
"vvith a serpent and a golden waistcord
entwined (round hia waist.)."
Therefore, it is evident that the
God of Tirumalai was worshipped
as Vishnu in the days of the early
Vaishnavite Saint Pey-A.zhv§,r.
Clearer still is the allusion to the
Vaishnava nature of the deity, in the
classical Tamil posm " Silappadigaram,"
IstCentury, A.C.where the author
describes the god as " standing
on the top of Vfingadam, like a blue
cloud with the conch and discus
(which are compared to the sun and
moon)" (Kadukin-Kadai, 11. 41-51)
" M. N,", in his reply to Mr.
Venkayya's rejoinder in the Hindu,
has proved that in the days of the
DSvSram Hymners, the temple
might not have been Saiva, and
that Bajardja, the great Ch6la King,
himself a SS.iva, has made grants
to the Vishnu on the hill.
In the face of these explicit
statements in early Tamil literature;
it is really incredible how
Tirumalai could be doubted to have
perhaps been S^iva. Let us hope
that in tlie examination of the innermost
prdidra, more light will bo
thrown on this rather important
question. [A. Vaishnava in Madras
Mail, 9th December 1904.]
' There is a legend related here.
There was a person by name TUpakkam
Channayya. He was a
favourite of God Srinivasa of this
Shrine, so much so that when ho
sang hymns to Him, Ho kept time
by dancing to it. B4mS,nn]a came
to know this, and asked the devotee
to kindly ascertain from
his God whether he (BamS,nnia)
may hope for Moksha (Salvation).
Channayya, when he next sang and
the God'danced to him, reverently
submitted to him ES,mS,nuia's :— petition.
God answered " Certainly
he shall 1>e saved." " And I, Lord ?"
asked Channayya. " No " was the
answer."ButhaveInotsung toThee,
Lord, all thosedays?, protestedChannayya.
" But have I not danced to
thee, son, asoften as thou sangest? "
retorted He. " Then I am undone, O
Lord ! Pray show me the way of
salvation. By no means can I forfeit
that state." The Lord answered
" Go to that SanySsi, our Eamanuja,
fall at His Holy Feet and win it.
He is fit to give Moksha to whomsoever
he will." This story illustrates
that salvation is won, not by
bargain, but by grace.
19