In Divya Saketham, 5th Annual Bramhothsavams started with  all religious fervor. Lord Rama and His Parivaram had their celestial shower today morning and were decorated in yellow silk clothes, shining jewelry and perfumed flowers. The devotees were mesmerized  seeing the Lord’s beauty. In the evening, Vishwakse:na puja, ankura:rpana, adhiva:sam were conducted and the program concluded with thirttham and prasadam. Speaking on  this occasion, HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji said –

Today is a very auspicious day. In Divya Saketham, we are celebrating 5th Annual Bramhotsavams. Our Temple is unique.It is called Divya Saketham. There is another saketham in North India. That saketham is on the banks of River Sarayu. There, Lord Rama appeared as a Vibhava avathar, ruled the place for 11,000 thousand years and left to His abode – Paramapadam. But our Saketham has a specialty. Rama appeared here as Archa avathara to stay here forever. Hence our saketham became Divya Saketham.

Bramhothsavams were conducted by the four headed Bramha to Lord Narayana only. But these days, this uthsavam is conducted to all the devathas too!

Infact, Bramhothsavam is called ‘Mahothsava’ in our agama scriptures. Bramha conducted these uthsavas to Lord Narayana with great joy. As part of this ritual, he showed how Lord existed in every object, plants, stones, animals, sun, moon, in fact in all sentient and non-sentient beings.

He conducted the mahothsava in Tirumala too and showed us how we can conduct such uthavams with love and affection.

In Bramhothsavas, there are two important rituals: Thiruvi:dhi Uthsav and Havan. Garuda and Vishwaksena are the key members in these uthsavams. Garuda invites the devathas and sees them off at the end of the uthsavams while Vishwaksena makes sure that their stay is comfortable.  So, we can say that Garuda is like a Public Relations Officer while Vishwaksena does housekeeping duties. 

Before the beginning of the program, ‘Vi:dhi So:dhana’ ritual is performed. Vishwakse:ana goes around the surroundings of the temple to inspect and make sure that everything is in place as devathas along with their team who come for the ritual.

Today, the program started with punyahavachanam, Vishwakse:na ara:dhana followed by raksha su:thra dha:rana. The sacred kankanas, bracelets made with yellow threads, were sancitified with manthras and were adorned to Lord Parampada Nattha, Lord Sri Ranganattha and then to Lord Rama parivar.

As part of this festival, Lord graces the devotees outside the temple morning and evening, thus giving the less fortunate a chance of having his divine darshan. For this sake, He wears the kankanam, the sacred thread santified with Ve:dic manthras.

Then, Lord Vishwakse:na was taken on a procession to the anthill for ” mruthsangrahana”. As part of this ritual, permission was taken from Lord Varaha Swamy and prayers were offered to Bhudevi. Sweet offerings were made. Then the mud was taken for ‘ankura:rpana’.

The procession now proceeded towards the ya:ga sala where ankurarpana program was performed.

Meanwhile, in the temple, Adhiva:sam ritual was conducted. Here, Garuda’s picture, Garaudapatam, was laid on the floor and decorated with grains and flowers. Adhiva:sam homa was conducted. Garudapatam will be purified and will be placed at the feet of theLord for the whole night.Tomorrow morning, the priests will invite Garuda into the flag and hoist the Garuda patam on the dhwajasthamba. The scriptures dictate that childless couple will be blessed with a good child after eating the prasadam offered to Garuda during this ritual.

While inviting the devathas tomorrow, different types of musical instruments are played. It is called ‘ bheri tha:lam’. Who ever listens to it should stay back till the concluding day of Bramhothsavams.

The scriptures also gave an exception saying, that whoever has to attend to some work may go in the morning after conclusion of program but have to return back in the evening. Also, one is not allowed to cross the village during the uthsavams. Our rushis formulated these rules to make it convenient to the devotees so that they can serve the Lord with love and enjoy His kaikaryam.

We extend our invitation to everyone to come to Bramhothsavams and enjoy the divine bliss of Lord. Our mangalasasanams to all.

 

Jai Srimannarayana