Emperor and seeker decided to create a God and his name is "Venkateswara". He cant be fit into an Avataram because 10th is Kalki which was already decided. So Venkata is coming down to earth on a special purpose to get rid of our sins and drawbacks, bless us to connect with him. His divine mind is going flow on earth for centuries to come and I am one of them enlightened by his grace. There is a special attraction to this phenomenon and all devotees automatically feel the divine attractions. Doesn’t matter what is your favorite god, all ready to worship Venkatesha.
Now is the time to make a story.
As per Varaha Purana during Satya Yugam, Vishnu rescued Earth which was taken over by Hiranyaksha to Patala Loka (underworld) in the form of Adi Varaha– a wild boar with tusks. He fought a fierce duel with Hiranyaksa and killed him. He then slashed the water and brought up the Earth on his tusks. Brahmma, the Devas and the sages extolled Adi Varaha's virtues, by chanting the Vedic Mantra. They prayed to Him to re-establish the Earth as before. Adi Varaha obliged them, and called upon Brahma to recreate the world. He expressed his desire to reside on the Earth to protect its people. He commanded his vahana, Garuda to fetch Kridachala (an extensive natural hill with lofty peaks, embedded with gold and precious stones, and which resembled Adi Shesha from Vaikuntam. Garuda brought Kridachala and deposited it on a sacred spot (to the East of Swami Pushkarini) chosen by Adi Varaha. Brahma and the other holy personages requested the fearsome-looking Adi Varaha to assume a tranquil and composed look, and rest on the hill to protect men and grant boons to people unable to reach God through Dhyana Yoga (meditation) and Karma Yoga (doing one's own duty). Adi Varaha appeared with four arms and a white face. He was adorned with jewels and accompanied by Bhudevi. He resolved to stay at Venkatadri, under a divya Vimana, to grant the prayers of men.
It is believed that the origins of the Tirumala Hills Sheshachalam Hills lies in a contest between Vayu and Adishesha he first serpent. During Dvapara yuga Adisesha blocked Vayu from entering Vaikuntam as Lord Vishnu was in the company of his consort, Lakshmi. An incensed Vayu challenged Adisesha to a fight to decide the stronger between them, Vayu was tasked with trying to blow off Adisesha from the holy Meru mountain while adisesha was asked to protect the peak with his hood. After a long time, Vayu appeared to yield and Adisesha lifted his hoods assuming that he had won the contest. Vayu then blew away one of the peaks. The peak landed near the Swarnamukhi river and is currently known as Seshachalam hill. A variant to the legend is that the contest created pandemonium on earth and Brahmma, Indra and other gods pleaded with Adisesha to relent. When Adisesha obliged, the peak (Ananda hill) and Adisesha were blown off Meru and landed near the banks of river Swarnamukhi. When Adisesha was dejected with his defeat, the Gods converted Adisesha into the seven hills with the hood named as Seshadri hill or Seshachalam hill or Venkatadri hill. Another variant to the story is: Adisesha, fatigued by the contest was instructed by Lord Vishnu to rest on Earth in a place that he chose for his stay in Kali Yuga.
Now we have all these beautiful stories about references of Venkatesha in holy scriptures. This is a story of about how that 7 hills were formed by divine grace which is representation of Anantha sesha with 7 heads under which an incarnation of Vishnu who is kaliyuga varadha will rest and bless all the devotees who approach him. We enter vaikunta dwaram and see the beautiful idol of swamy. Feel very happy and blessed. The cosmic concept was brought down to earth hoping many minds will be converted to divine.
Lakshmi leaving Vaikuntam
In the Kaliyuga rishis performing yagna sought the advise of celestial sage Narada on which of the Trimurti should be selected for offering the fruits of the yagna. Narada suggested that the wise sage Bhrigu should be allowed to decide after he met the Trimurti. The sage who had an extra eye in the sole of his foot visited Lord Brahmmaand Lord Shiva and went unnoticed in both these locations. He cursed Brahma that no temple sans one will worship Brahma and cursed Shiva that temples on Earth will worship him as Lingam.
When Sage Bhrigu visited Lord Vishnu who was in a private meeting with His wife Goddess Lakshmi. He failed to immediately receive and honor the sage and the sage felt humiliated and angry by this act. Sage Bhrigu kicked Lord Vishnu on the chest, to which Vishnu did not react and instead apologized to the sage by massaging his feet. During this act, he squashed the extra eye that was present in the sole of Bhrigu's foot. The extra eye is believed to represent the sage's false egoism. The sage then realised his grave mistake and begged forgiveness from Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu's chest is significant as the abode of Goddess Lakshmi. The Goddess felt highly insulted at the sage's misdemeanour and Lord Vishnu's silence at the act, and left Lord Vishnu's heavenly abode Vaikunta.
Goddess Lakshmi on leaving the Vaikuntham comes to Varaha Kshetra and does intense penance for 12 years. The Gods, terrified with her intensity, mollified her into returning to Vaikuntam with the promise that the site of her penance would bear Goddess Padmavat(Alamelu Manga Devi) as an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi during the rule of Akasa Raja.
Vishnu leaving vaikuntam
After the departure of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Vishnu left Vaikuntham and took his abode in an ant-hill on the Venkata Hill under a tamarind tree beside a Pushkarini. Lord Brahma and Shiva taking pity on the condition of Vishnu, made up their mind to assume the forms of a cow and calf to serve him. Surya informed Lakshmi of this and requested her to sell the cow and calf to the king of the Cholla assuming the form of a cowherdess.
Now here is the real meaning of this part of the story. Here a seeker was born his name was Srinivasa, He must go through penance to attain the divine knowledge. So Go or Cow means divine rays of truth. The eternal knowledge is in the form of Shiva and Brahmma. The feminine force is Lakshmi. All gods are working together for a seeker to enlighten and bring the divine mind to earth.
Curse of chola king
The Chola king sent the cow and its calf to graze on the Venkata Hill along with his herd of cattle. Discovering Lord Vishnu in the ant-hill, the cow every day emptied her udder over the ant-hill and thus fed the Lord. Over a period of time, the queen noticed that the cow did not yield any milk and chastised the cowherd severely.
This means, Venkata is doing penance, cow is delivering eternal truths as milk. That means he is receiving divine knowledge.
The cowherd investigating the cause, followed the cow and discovered the cow emptying her udder over the ant-hill. In his anger, the cowherd aimed a blow with his axe on the head of the cow but struck God who rose from the ant-hill to receive the blow and save the cow. On seeing Lord Vishnu bleeding, the cowherd fell down and died. On the death of the cowherd, the cow returned to the king with blood stains on her body, bellowing in the presence of the Chola King. An anxious king followed the cow to the scene of the incident. Near an ant-hill, the King found the cowherd lying dead on the ground.
Srinivasa received a blow to the head and lost hair. So a celestial being gave her hair to Venkata to cover up the area. A story was built to start a tradition to tonsure head for Venkateswara. Many interpretations can be made why we need to tonsure like no ego, complete surrender, receive full divine rays when idol is visited etc.
While the King stood wondering how it had happened, the Lord rose from the ant-hill and cursed the king to become an Rakshasa (Demon) for the fault of his servant. Entreated by the king who pleaded innocence, the Lord blessed him by saying that His curse would end when He was adorned with the Kireetam (crown) presented by Akasa Raja at the time of His marriage with Sri Padmavati. To atone the sins of raising the axe against the Lord, the cowherd's atma (spirit) received the boon that he and his descendants would have the pleasure of opening the door in the Lord's temple in due time.
Now a precedent was set to bring the feminine force on to earth. The seeker, should realize the force and embrace and enjoy it. Some Rishis treat it as wife and others as mother. To experience divinely love. i treat mine as ultimate mother. She loves me as who i am.
Goddess Padmavathi
In due time, the Chola king was reborn as Akasa Raja and though he ruled well, he had no children born to him. When he conducted yagna and was tilling the ground, he found a baby in a lotus flower and named her Padmavati (possessing Lotuses) and adopted her as his daughter.
The feminine force was born from inside earth. The mother earth is the first feminine force. She gave birth to special force which is born inside a lotus means the divine electromagnetic field effect. Sita was also born the same way.
Lord Vishnu reincarnated as Srinivasa (or presented himself after penance in the ant-hill) as the son of elderly woman-saint Vakula devi. Vakula is Yashodha in her previous birth, Krishna's foster-mother and was unhappy in that life for not seeing his marriage. As per the boon received from Krishna, she was reborn as Vakula Devi.
A real seeker was born with a mother. Yashodha reference was made to continue the divinity evolvement.
In course of time Princess Padmavati grew up into a beautiful maiden and was visited by Saint Narada On reading her palm, he foretold that she was destined to be the spouse of Lord Vishnu himself. In due time, Lord Srinivasa on a hunting trip was chasing a wild elephant in the forest. The elephant led him into a garden where Princess Padmavati and her maids were present .The sight of the elephant frightened them and their Princess. When Lord Srinivasa appeared in front of the Elephant, it immediately turned round, saluted the Lord and disappeared into the forest.
To attain the feminine force, stubborn, intelligent, consistent, unwavering faith in divine and sadhana is needed. Venkata was doing this. In meditation it is shown as Elephant or Ganesha. Ganesha means intelligent and hardworking. This is needed in every effort. That is why we pray to Ganesha before we start any work. Now Ganesha united the seeker with feminine.
Lord Srinivasa noticed princess Padmavati and enquired about her from her maids. Enthralled by her, Lord Srinivasa lost interest in other activities and confided in Vakula on his love for Padmavati. He also revealed his identity as Lord Vishnu as well as told her about her past life as his foster-mother Yasodha.
Marriage of Srinivasa & Padmavati
Vakula devi approaches Akasa Raja with her proposal of marriage between Lord Srinivasa and Padmavati. In the meantime, the restless Lord came to the city in the disguise of a fortune-teller. Princess Padmavati also fell in love with Lord Srinivasa. One day the maids invited the fortune-teller into the palace to foretell the future of the princess. When the fortune-teller revealed that Padmavati was born to marry Lord Vishnu in his current avatar as Lord Srinivasa. As the king heard of this news, Vakula announced herself to the King and asked for his daughter's hand in marriage to her son, Lord Srinivasa. The overjoyed king agreed and his advisor Bhrihaspati wrote the invitation for the wedding between the two avatars.
Imagine a poor person or family approaching a King for a marriage with Princesses. Will the king be kind and agree? That too 1200 years back? The story and creation of God is for Loka Kalyanam or Greater good for the world.
Lord Srinivasa called for a conference of the Gods to win their consent for His marriage with Princess Padmavati. The Lord also obtained a heavy loan from kubera, God of wealth towards expenses for the wedding as well as to provide proof of his wealth.
Why Vishnu should take a loan for his marriage? Lakshmi means wealth, meaning every matter is he hers There is nothing he owns. Srinivasa to posses same wealth as Chola King, he must barrow. How can a pauper marry a princess? It is simple, barrow. When you barrow, you must repay it. How? By donating to the Sinivasa. So Hundi and other concepts were established.
Now the marriage between Purusha and Prakrithi is the divine visual for a seeker. Here Srinivasa is taking feminine forces under his control in the form of marriage union and initiate a conjugal play for creation. A seeker also should merge with mother first. Many take it as wife, mine is divine mother Aditi.
Srinivasa turns into Venkateswara
In about 6 months after this celestial marriage, Padmavathi comes to know that her husband married again and comes to see her in disbelief. When she sees Bhoodevi and Srinivasa, She is furious and fights with him. In this melee the 2 wives argues with each other, they ask Srinivas one of them. He says I cant choose and turns into a stone as sculpture of Venkateswara. The Lord's desire to be on the 7 hills for the emancipation of mankind from the perpetual troubles of KaliYuga. Goddesses Bhoodevi and Padmavati also turn into stone idols expressing their wish to be with their Lord always. Padmavathi stays with Him on His Chest on the left side(Heart), while Bhoodevi rests on His Chest's right side.
How come a God can have 2 wives or more? Looking at Gods, Hindu men also wants to marry more than one? How a religion can preach this way?
What is the Gender of earth? In the beginning when no life, Earth is like any other planet like in our solar system as Male. Meaning not capable of producing Beings. When earth slowly started evolving into a feminine force, so that it can give birth to beings, she is a female. Our knowledge says that female gives birth by taking the seed of purusha. We are children of God or Vishnu, logical meaning and connection is that Bhoodevi is wife of Vishnu. At the cosmic level, Lakshmi or Matter is the heart of creation. She is feminine force to create and naturally wife of Vishnu. Spiritual prospective, How many wives? One is like heart and another is like right hand for spiritual experiences and connection. This way humans can understand the relationship and causality.
Since divine mind should descend and flow on earth, a God is created and bounded by 2 feminine forces to be balanced perfectly for the creator. All ends are connected for a temple to be established? Now the God to be created by encompassing all the attributes, rituals, miracles, traditions etc.
Now the God should be created with Unique shape, features and form with all the eternal attributes and truths so that it will help all the bhakthas who visits the temple. The statue should resemble Maha Vishnu. Venkateswara is not an avataram but divine mind descended on to earth for bhakthas like me to enlighten.
- Yoni the earthly concept should be applied. We are all born through Yoni. Cosmos itself born through yoni, which is by feminine force. So the Naamam represents the Yoni. This shape can be found in tress, plants and in nature. All you have to do is pay attention, enjoy the shape.
- Gharbha Griham: Mothers's womb is most amazing place. We are inside Mother Earths's womb. She nurturing and educating me all the time. Her love towards me beyond explanation. This place is dark and very dim light in most of hindu temples. This means all the divine truths, secrets, bliss, maya and experiences are encompassed in this chamber.
- Andam or Egg Shape: As I explained before the geometrical shape egg is the basis of creation. Due to gravity on earth we can see this shape in eggs, flame, water droplets, seeds, our face. Our face is an upside of an egg. So overall shape of the statue and its encompassment should form a upside down egg shape. Even if we draw ourselves in a standing position, it forms the upside down egg shape.
- Black Rock: The sculptures will know how to select a rock. It must be pure black and one stone for carving. By tapping the hammer on the rock, the sound testifies the quality of a rock. There are many special properties to this special rock. Once found the magic starts.
There are lot of effort and thought process to bring out the best of the sculpture. We all should feel divine attraction to it. Size doesn't matter.
A god in comparison with human is a super human being who is capable of doing anything in a fraction of a second. The sculpture should evoke speculations and discussions on the attributes, features, symbols, weapons etc. We have a precedence how Venkateswara idol should look like. Features of Maha Vishnu and its own identity.
Carving a idol is a divine activity. The divine will help the sculpture to attain the best form and shape. Now why black rock? The god is everywhere and especially in space, it is pitch black. The blackness is Vishnu and shapeless. We need to provide a shape of that nature and in contrast decorate the idol, the shape appears beautiful. In Gharbha Griham, the dim light will reflect the idol in a better way. It should appear like as if, Venkata is appearing from darkness.
Four hands or more are the features of a god that we created. Multiple hands means multi tasking and extended physical capabilities. Vishnu is usually depicted with 4 hands. Hands hold chakram, shankham, lotus flower and Gadha or mace. We need to know the deeper meaning of it so that we will
understand the creation. You may ask why should i understand which is beyond human comprehension? If you understand them, you understand the psych of Vishnu. That is how divine minds are connected.
Now where should the idol stand? On a small pedestal which is a lotus flower. The lotus flower will be inside a cosmic yantra. Now accessories like Garuda, Nagam or snake are depicted. By putting things in a practical way, a human can visualize and understand the divine form. This visual is very crucial for bhakthas and seeker. This way with tangible information, we can connect with Vishnu.
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