SPIRITUAL PLACES IN SOUTH OF INDIA SRI VENKATA KSETRA

Tirupati Yatra

Sri Venkata-ksetra

Lord Sri Venkateswara Balaji at Tirumala, Tirupati

Tirupati is the place of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy, who is the all-pervading Lord of the Universe also known as the Lord of the Seven Hills. Tirupati is one of the holiest places of pilgrimage where Lord is worshiped in the mood of awe and reverence. Tirupati is the home to the world’s richest temple, where thousands of pilgrims visit daily to take darshan of Sri Venkateswara Swamy, also popularly known as Balaji. The magnificent temple of Lord Venkateswara Swamy is located on the 7th peak, Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) of Tirumala. It is by the Lord’s presidency over Venkatachala, that He has received the appellation, Venkateswara (Lord of the Venkata Hill).

‘Vena’ means sins, and ‘kata’ means to remove, to wash away, or to cut. ‘Venkat’, means he who cuts away, or removes all sins. ‘Venkateswara’ means that Lord, who removes all sins from the hearts of His devotees. It is these sinful propensities that stand between us and our ecstatic relationship with the Supreme Lord. When we approach the Supreme Lord, our prayers must be, “Venkateswara, O Lord, please cleanse away our propensity to enjoy separate from You, from within our heart. Remove this tendency for sense gratification and egoism that causes all these sins. And let me be Your unmotivated servant.” Lord is eager to give us, eternal wealth of the spiritual world. He is eager to give us pure bhakti. That treasure will bring about real happiness in our life.

This ancient and sacred temple is mentioned in the Rig Veda and Asthadasa Puranas, most notably the Varaha Purana and Bhavishyottara Purana, which describe Sri Venkateswara as a great bestower of boons. Lord Venkateswara resides in His sanctum sanctorum, which is situated in the main temple of an extensive complex at Tirumala. He is also known here as Balaji, Srinivasa, and Venkatachalapathy.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Tirupati during His South India tour in 1510 as stated in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madha-lila 1.107: “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu next arrived at Tirupati and Tirumala, where He saw a four-handed Deity. Then He proceeded toward Venkata Hill.” Purport: “Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has actually described the chronological order of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s visit. The Tirupati temple is sometimes called Tirupatura. It is a famous holy place of pilgrimage. In pursuance of His name, Venkatesvara, the four-handed Lord Visnu, the Deity of Balaji, with His potencies named Sri and Bhu, is located on Venkata Hill, about 8 miles from Tirupati. This Venkatesvara Deity is in the form of Lord Visnu, and the place where He is situated is known as Venkata-ksetra. There are many temples in southern India, but this Balaji temple is especially opulent. A great fair is held there in the month of Asvina (Sep-Oct). Nimna-tirupati is located in the valley of Venkata Hill. There are several temples there also, among which are those of Govindaraja and Lord Ramacandra.”

BHAGAVATA PRADIPIKA

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SRILA PRABHUPADA ON SRI RAMA NAVAMI

Srila Prabhupada on Sri Rama Navami

Apr 03, 2017 — CANADA (SUN) — Srila Prabhupada's lecture on Lord Ramacandra's auspicious Appearance Day, March 27, 1969, Hawaii. Rama Navami is observed this year on April 4th.

Srila Prabhupada: (chants Mangalacarana prayers)

ramadi murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

"This is a verse from Brahma-samhita in which the incarnation of Lord Ramacandra is described. Ramadi. Not only Rama, but there are many other, innumerable incarnations. They are compared with the waves of a river. As the waves of the river or the waves of the ocean cannot be counted, similarly, how many incarnations are there of the Supreme Lord it is not possible to count. But out of them, the principal names are mentioned in the sastras. Therefore it is said ramadi. Ramadi means Rama and also other, many incarnations. And they are existing. Not that one incarnation appeared and it is finished. No. Not like that.

Just like Lord Ramacandra appeared on this planet, say millions of years before. He appeared in the Treta-yuga. Treta-yuga means... We have passed only five thousand years of this age, Kali-yuga. Before that, there was Dvapara-yuga. Dvapara-yuga means 800,000 years. And before that, there was Treta-yuga, which continued for twelve hundred thousands of years. That means at least two million years before Lord Ramacandra appeared on this planet."

So now Lord Ramacandra appeared in Ayodhya. There is a place in Ayodhya, in northern India. There He appeared. As Krsna appeared in Mathura... That is also northern India. And Mathura is about ninety miles down southward from New Delhi. You have heard the name of New Delhi, the capital of India. So Ayodhya is also situated about five hundred miles northeast of New Delhi. So Lord Ramacandra appeared on this day. Today is called Sri Rama Naumi. On the ninth day of the moon Lord Ramacandra appeared. His father was the king of Ayodhya, and he had three wives. So out of... No. He had two wives. So out of two wives he got four sons. Ramacandra is the eldest son. The life and activities of Lord Ramacandra is... (break) ...in a book which is called Ramayana. You have heard the name of Ramayana. Ramayana is also accepted as history. Vedic literatures are histories also. The Puranas, the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Mahabharata, and Ramayana, they are counted amongst the history.

The history of Ramacandra is that His father wanted to retire. Dasaratha, Maharaja Dasaratha. And he decided to enthrone Lord Ramacandra and retire. So everything was settled, but just one day before, his youngest wife turned the whole thing into different way. Sometimes Maharaja Dasaratha was suffering from what is called whitlow, some trouble in the finger? And this queen served him very nicely, and he was pleased. And he said, "My dear Sarmistha, if you want some benediction from me, I can give you." And she replied that "I shall ask you for the benediction when I require it. Not now." So just one day before Lord Ramacandra's coronation, she approached her husband Maharaja Dasaratha and reminded him, "My dear husband, you promised to give me some benediction, and I told you that I shall ask you when I require it." Maharaja Dasaratha said, "Yes, I remember. You want some benediction just now?" She said, "Yes." "And what is that?" She said that "Ramacandra cannot be seated on the throne. My son should be coronated, Bharata."

He was surprised. It is a big demand. So he said, "All right. That will be done. Your son." Because formerly, the kings... Not only formerly, even up to date, there are many ksatriya kings in India. They have more than one wife. And they are, naturally, there is rivalry between different wives. So the same thing. Human psychology is the same. Even two million years ago the same mentality was there, and she asked that "My son should be the king, not Ramacandra." Ramacandra happened to be the son of Kausalya, the elder queen.

So Maharaja Dasaratha agreed and called for Ramacandra. "My dear boy, your..." She asked also that... She was very diplomatic. She wanted that Ramacandra go to forest for fourteen years. The idea was political, that "The king may agree to install my son just now. Now, after a few days, this Ramacandra may come with His army, and there may be some difficulty to continue the kingdom." So she wanted that Ramacandra should go to the forest and He should not come back till the end of fourteen years from this day. So Maharaja Dasaratha agreed. Because he was ksatriya. Just see the promise. A ksatriya never goes back from the promise, never refuses any challenge. If a ksatriya is challenged by somebody, that "I want to fight with you," oh, he cannot refuse. This is ksatriya spirit. He cannot say that "I am now busy."

Suppose somebody comes to you, that "I want to fight with you." You may say, "What nonsense fight? I have no time. We are in the temple." But a ksatriya cannot deny that. A ksatriya at once must accept. "Oh, yes. Come on." And the weapon should be, if he has no sword or weapon, he should be supplied weapon and fight. This is ksatriya spirit. They were highly charitable and chivalrous and keeping promise and with a great tendency for ruling over. They shall rule over. Administrators. Their business is...

THE BIRTHPLACE OF SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASVATI THAKURA

Thakura

at Sri Jagannatha Puri Dhama

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was a foremost scholar and Lord Krishna’s devotee of his day. Born on 6 Feb 1874 at Jagannatha Puri, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is the child that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura prayed to Lord Jagannatha for, wanting an able assistant to preach Krishna Consciousness. His divinity was evident from birth. When he was born, his umbilical cord was wrapped around his body like a brahmana thread. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave his son the Harinama Maha-mantra and Nrsimha mantra at five years of age. He entered the Sanskrit University in 1892 and received the honorific title of “Siddhanta Sarasvati” in recognition of his vast knowledge of astrology and Bhakti. He was extremely intelligent and excelled in math, astronomy, Sanskrit, and other languages. The University of Calcutta offered him a chair, but he declined so that he could dedicate his life to continuing the spiritual work of his father, Bhaktivinoda Thakura. In 1900 he took initiation from Srila Gaura-Kisora Dasa Babaji and received the name Sri Varsabhanavi-Devi [meaning the servant of the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, Srimati Radharani.]

Five years later, he took a vow to chant one billion Holy Names of Lord to prepare himself for Krishna consciousness preaching. It took him 10 years to fulfil his vow, during which time he lived in a small bamboo hut chanting:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare |

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare ||

in front of his deity, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu which is in the Rudradvipa island of Navadvipa Dhama. He then began to preach Krishna Consciousness all over India, establishing Lord Caitanya’s mission with such vigour no one had seen before. He established 64 mathas, initiated over 60,000 disciples, and re-established Vraja-mandala and Navadvipa-mandala Parikramas. He also established printing press in Mayapur, Delhi, Chennai and other major cities. He asked his disciple A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to go to the West to teach Krishna consciousness. Srila Prabhupada went to New York in 1965 and carried on his spiritual master's mission on a grand scale. On 31 Dec 1936, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura left his body in Kolkata surrounded by his disciples singing bhajans. His life-size murti is worshiped at Sri Caitanya Math in Mayapur.

Birthplace of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura took birth in Jagannatha Puri Dhama. His father, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had a house in Puri on Grand Road, close to Jagannatha Mandir, next to Narayana Chara Matha. At that time, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had been appointed by the British government as the Jagannatha temple administrator. He had prayed to Lord Jagannatha to give him one son who could preach Krishna Consciousness. When his wife, Bhagavati Devi, gave birth to a son, Bhaktivinoda Thakura named him Bimala Prasada, meaning the mercy of Bimala Devi, the para-sakti of Lord Sri Jagannatha.

The care of the house where Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was born was later taken on by the Gaudiya Matha. Now the entire house has been developed nicely, with a beautiful temple, devotee quarters, etc. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s murti is worshipped in the same spot where he took birth. When devotees were digging the soil to construct this temple, a nice smell of candana manifested from the place where he took birth. Six months after Bimala Prasada’s appearance was the event of Lord Jagannatha’s Rathayatra. As the procession moved towards Gundica temple, by the desire of the Lord the chariots stopped in front of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s house. At that time Srimati Bhagavati Devi took the child and placed him at the lotus feet of Lord Jagannatha. Immediately one flower garland fell from Lord’s neck, encircling the child’s body. Thus Bimala Prasada was blessed by the Lord.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura established 64 Gaudiya Matha’s around India. He asked one disciple, Sri Abhaya Caranaravinda Dasa Adhikari to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world. That disciple later became Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He took his spiritual master’s instruction as his life and soul and spread Krishna Consciousness worldwide through his International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) which was created specifically to fulfil that instruction.

Birthplace of  Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura located at Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Math in Sri Jagannatha Puri Dhama. This is on the Grand road (big street) leading to Jagannatha Mandir (Shree Mandir).

 Birthplace of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was a foremost scholar and Lord Krishna’s devotee of his day. Born on 6 Feb 1874 at Jagannatha Puri, he is the child that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura prayed to Lord Jagannatha for, wanting an able assistant to preach Krishna Consciousness.

KANCHIPURAM BENARES OF SOUTHERN INDIA

Kanchipuram

Benares of Southern India

Lord Sri Varadaraja Perumal

Important temples in and around Kanchipuram:

1. Sri Deepa Prakasar Perumal Temple (or Thiruthanka)

2. Sri Ashtabujam Perumal Temple (or Sri Aadhikesava)

3. Sri Azhagiya Singar Perumal Temple (or Thiru Velukkai)

4. Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple (or Thiru Kanchi)

5. Sri Yatoktakari Temple (or Thiru Vekka)

6. Sri Ulagalantha Perumal Temple (or Thiru Ooragam) and Sri Thirukkaar Vaanar Temple (or Thirukkaar Vaanam)

7. Sri Vaikunda Perumal Temple (or Thiruparameshwara Vinnagaram)

8. Sri Pandava Dhootha Temple (or Thiru Paadagam)

9. Sri Pachai Vannar Temple and Sri Pavalai Vannar Temple (or Thiru Pavala Vannan)

10. Sri Ekambaranathar Temple and Sri Nilathingal Thundathan Perumal Temple

11. Sri Kamakshi Temple and Sri Aadhi Varaha Perumal Temple

12. Sri Vijayaraghava Perumal Temple (or Thiruputkuzhi)

13. Sri Koorathazhwan Temple at Kooram

14. Sriperumbudur (birthplace of Sripad Ramanujacarya, 32km from Kanchipuram)

15. Sri Veeraraghava Perumal Temple (or Tiruvallore)

16. Sri Bhatavatsala Perumal Temple (or Thiru Nindravoor)

17. Hare Krishna (ISKCON) Chennai Temple - Sri Sri Radha-Krishna Temple

18. Srinivasa Perumal Temple at Elanagar

19. Ramanujar Sannidhi at Sevilimedu

20. Ranganathar Temple at Nathamedu

21. Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal at Pulikkundram

22. Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal Temple at Kazhiyur

Other temples: Sri Muktheeswarar temple, Sri Kachapeswarar temple, Sri Kumarakottam temple, Sri Kailasanathar temple

Kanchipuram, also known as Benares of Southern India or The City of Temples, is one of the most ancient and sacred cities of India. Kanchipuram is an eternally holy place and has some of the most magnificent temples. The Garuda Purana enumerates seven sacred cities (sapta-moksha puri) as giver of moksha. They are Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kasi, Kanchipuram, Avantika (Ujjain) and Dwarka. Kanchipuram is one of among such holy place. It is 75km from Chennai, 130km from Tirupati and 32km from Sriperumbudur (birthplace of Sripad Ramanujacarya). 

New Multi-Speciality Hospital to Open at Sri Mayapur

By: Nanda Priya Nivedita Dasi for ISKCON News on Dec. 8, 2016

 The city of Sri Mayapur is expanding with its number of residents and visitors increasing every passing year. Owing to this, a brand new multispecialty hospital project has been initiated to provide health care at Sri Mayapur. 

On November 12th, a ground breaking ceremony for the hospital took place which was graced by Jayapataka Swami, Hridaya Chaitanya Das, Bhakti Purushottam Swami, Bhakti Nityananda Swami and other senior Vaishnavas.

Nanda Suta das, Kirtan Priya Krishna das and Prana Gauranga das are in charge of making the hospital a reality by not only overseeing the project but by contributing financially towards it. They are committed to see the hospital as an important endeavor in assisting people in Navadwip dham. Jayapataka swami said that Srila Prabhupada had instructed that no one within the ten mile radius of the ISKCON Mayapur campus go hungry and that he was concerned about the needy in Navadwip Dham. The hospital, he said, would be an extension of this instruction. He also said that Srila Prabhupada envisioned Mayapur to be a city of 50,000 people and as part of the infrastructure planning for a spiritual township, a health care facility is an important feature to be incorporated. 

Villages in India haven't been able to get good access to first class medical care. The Mayapur Community Hospital would be a great feat in this regard and would be certainly appreciated by the Government as a valuable contribution. Kirtan Priya Krishna Das and others are hoping that devotees who are Medical professionals would take this opportunity and come to render their services at the hospital.

They expect the hospital to be completed in two years from the beginning of the construction. The 30 bedded hospital will be equipped with an emergency unit and will have a 4 bedded I.C.U (Intensive Care Unit).  All the devotees assembled prayed for the blessings of Sri Krishna and Srila Prabhupada in making the endeavor a successful one.

ALL THE MOST IMPORTANT VERSES OF SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM