|
Sharanagati Gadyam
The ''Sharanagati Gadyam'' () is a Sanskrit prayer, written by the Hindu philosopher Ramanuja towards the end of the 11th century. It is one of the earliest ''bhakti'' prayers in the Sri Vaishnava tradition and is the basis for many prayers, such as ''Raghuvira Gadyam'' which follows a similar style. It is recited in the 108 ''Divya Desam'' temples, including Srirangam. Composition According to Sri Vaishnava tradition, Ramanuja and his disciples once visited the Ranganatha temple in Srirangam on '' panguni uttiram'', a day in the Tamil calendar month of panguni (phalguna) on the day of the ascension of the star called uttiram. According to tradition, the star uttiram was in ascent when the goddess of the temple, Ranganayaki, (Lakshmi) was born, and also the day she married the god Ranganatha (Vishnu). Ramanuja is regarded to have been inspired by the festivities of the day and subsequently composed three Gadyas: the '' Sriranga Gadyam'', the ''Sharanagati Gadyam'', and the ''Va ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uttara Ashadha
Uttara Ashadha (Sanskrit: उत्तर आषाढ lit. "latter victory", "latter unconquered"), also known as Uthiradam/Uthradam in Tamil and Malayalam ( Tamil: உத்திராடம், Malayalam: ഉത്രാടം), is the twenty-first of the 27 Nakshatra (constellations) in Hindu astrology. It is situated on the lower part of Lyra and spans from 26°40" in Sagittarius to 10°00" in Capricorn in the sidereal Vedic zodiac. It has 4 quarters (padas), the first one falls in Sagittarius and the last three padas fall in Capricorn. The sun (Surya) is the lord of Uttara Ashadha. It has a shape of a stage. This nakshatra is symbolised by a tusk of an elephantDennis M. Harness. "The Nakshatras: The Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology." Lotus Press: 1999. pg. 83 or by a small bed. The individuals born in this nakshatra are believed to be one of the most attractive, well-mannered and known for their absolute calmness towards greatest aggression. Due to their sense of ind ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vaishnava Texts
Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole Para Brahman, supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, ''Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. Its followers are called Vaishnavites or ''Vaishnava''s (), and it includes sub-sects like Krishnaism and Ramanandi Sampradaya, Ramaism, which consider Krishna and Rama as the supreme beings respectively. According to a 2020 estimate by The World Religion Database (WRD), hosted at Boston University’s Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs (CURA), Vaishnavism is the largest Hindu sect, constituting about 399 million Hindus. The ancient emergence of Vaishnavism is unclear, and broadly hypothesized as a History of Hinduism, fusion of various regional non-Vedic religions with worship of Vishnu. It is considered a merger of several popular non-Vedic theistic traditio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moksha
''Moksha'' (; , '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'', and ''mukti'', is a term in Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, liberation, '' nirvana'', or release. In its soteriological and eschatological senses, it refers to freedom from '' saṃsāra'', the cycle of death and rebirth. In its epistemological and psychological senses, ''moksha'' is freedom from ignorance: self-realization, self-actualization and self-knowledge. In Hindu traditions, ''moksha'' is a central concept and the utmost aim of human life; the other three aims are ''dharma'' (virtuous, proper, moral life), '' artha'' (material prosperity, income security, means of life), and '' kama'' (pleasure, sensuality, emotional fulfillment). Together, these four concepts are called Puruṣārtha in Hinduism. In some schools of Indian religions, ''moksha'' is considered equivalent to and used interchangeably with other terms such as ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'', '' kaivalya'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Karma
Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called the principle of karma, wherein individuals' intent and actions (cause) influence their future (effect): Good intent and good deeds contribute to good karma and happier Reincarnation, rebirths, while bad intent and bad deeds contribute to bad karma and worse rebirths. In some scriptures, however, there is no link between rebirth and karma. In Hinduism, karma is traditionally classified into four types: Sanchita karma (accumulated karma from past actions across lifetimes), Prārabdha karma (a portion of Sanchita karma that is currently bearing fruit and determines the circumstances of the present life), Āgāmi karma (future karma generated by present actions), and Kriyamāṇa karma (immediate karma created by current actions, which may y ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Narayana
Narayana (, ) is one of the forms and epithets of Vishnu. In this form, the deity is depicted in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, symbolising the masculine principle and associated with his role of creation. He is also known as Purushottama, and is considered the Supreme Being in Vaishnavism. Etymology Narayan Aiyangar states the meaning of the Sanskrit word 'Narayana' can be traced back to the Laws of Manu (also known as the ''Manusmriti'', a ''Dharmaśāstra'' text), which states: This definition is used throughout post-Vedic literature such as the ''Mahabharata'' and the ''Vishnu Purana''. 'Narayana' is also defined as the 'son of the primeval man', and 'Supreme Being who is the foundation of all men'. *'Nara' (Sanskrit नार) means 'water' and 'man' *'Yana' (Sanskrit यान) means 'vehicle', 'vessel', or more loosely, 'abode' or 'home' L. B. Keny proposes that Narayana was associated with the Dravidian, and ultimately, the Indus Valley Civilis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sharanagati
Sharanagati (Sanskrit: शरणागति; IAST: ''Śaraṇāgati'' ) or Prapatti (Sanskrit: प्रपत्ति; IAST: ''Prapatti''), is the process of total surrender to God (Narayana-Krishna) in Vaishnavism. The process of Sharanagati forms the basis of devotion to Vishnu in the bhakti traditions within the Sri Sampradaya, propounded by Ramanuja (1017–1137 CE), and the Gaudiya Sampradaya, founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1482–1533 CE). Ramanuja considered surrender to Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi to be the highest goal of life, while Chaitanya emphasised surrender to Krishna and his consort Radha as supreme through physical surrender to the preceptor/guru. Etymology The term prapatti comes from Sanskrit root pad and the prefix pra (pra+pad), meaning "to take refuge with/in". In Sri Vaishnavism, it refers to the act of total self-surrender at the feet of God as a means to attain liberation (moksha), which is understood as joining "Vishnu's retinue" in Vaikuntha. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vaikuntha Gadyam
The Vaikuntha Gadyam () is a Sanskrit prayer written by the Hinduism, Hindu philosopher Ramanuja towards the end of the 11th century. It is one of the first ''bhakti'' prayers in the Sri Vaishnavism, Sri Vaishnava school of thought and is the basis for many prayers of this style. It is recited in the 108 divya desam, Divya Desam temples, including Srirangam. Legend According to Sri Vaishnava tradition, Ramanuja and his disciples visited the Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam, Ranganatha temple in Srirangam on Panguni Uthiram, Panguni Uttiram, a day in spring of the Tamil calendar month of Panguni (phalguna) on the day of the ascension of the star called Uttiram. According to tradition, Uttiram was in ascent when the goddess of the temple, Ranganayaki, a form of Lakshmi, was born. Ramanuja was inspired by the festivities of the day and composed the ''Sriranga Gadyam'' and the Saranagati Gadyam, ''Sharanagati Gadyam''. According to tradition, the deity Ranganatha is regarded to have be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sriranga Gadyam
The ''Sriranga Gadyam'' () is a Sanskrit prayer written by the Hindu philosopher Ramanuja towards the end of the 11th century. It is one of the first bhakti prayers in the Sri Vaishnava school of thought and is the basis for many prayers, like the '' Raghuvira Gadyam'', also of this style. It is recited in the 108 Divya Desam temples, including Srirangam. Composition According to the Sri Vaishnava narrative, Ramanuja and his disciples visited the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam on Panguni Uttiram (Uttara Phalguni), a day in the Tamil calendar month of Panguni on the day of the ascension of the star called Uttiram. In Tamil mythology, Uttiram was in ascent when the chief goddess of the temple, Ranganayaki, a form of Lakshmi, was born. Ramanuja was inspired by the festivities of the day and composed the ''Sriranga Gadyam'', the '' Saranagati Gadyam'', and the '' Vaikuntha Gadyam''. Content The ''Sriranga Gadyam'', unlike the commentaries of Ramanuja on Vedanta, does not ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vishnu
Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation (sattva). Vishnu is known as ''The Preserver'' within the Trimurti, the triple deity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Brahma and Shiva.Gavin Flood, An Introduction to Hinduism' () (1996), p. 17. In Vaishnavism, Vishnu is the supreme Lord who creates, protects, and transforms the Hindu cosmology, universe. Tridevi is stated to be the energy and creative power (Shakti) of each, with Lakshmi being the equal complementary partner of Vishnu. He is one of the five equivalent deities in Panchayatana puja of the Smarta tradition of Hinduism. According to Vaishnavism, the supreme being is with qualities (Saguna Brahman, Saguna), and has definite form, but is limitless, transcendent and unchanging absolute Brahman, and the primal Atma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ranganatha
Ranganatha, also known as Ranganathar, Rangan, Aranganathar, Sri Ranga, and Thenarangathan, is a Hindu deity with his origin in South India, southern India, serving as the chief deity of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam. The deity is a resting form of Vishnu, recumbent on the great form of the serpent god Adisesha, Adishesha, king of the serpents. His primary consort is the goddess Lakshmi, also known as Ranganayaki. The two other consorts seen next to his recumbent figure are Bhudevi and Nila Devi. Most of the deities portray a 'smiling' lord in a sleeping or reclining position over the celestial serpent Adishesha in the sea of cosmic dissolution (pralaya). This is the form in which he is open to listening to all of his devotees' woes, and blesses them. Apart from being worshipped by all Hindus, this form is of particular importance to the Sri Vaishnava community. His name in Sanskrit language, Sanskrit means "leader of the place of assembly", coined from the two Sanskr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvati and Sarasvati, form the trinity of goddesses called the Tridevi. Lakshmi has been a central figure in Hindu tradition since pre-Buddhist times (1500 to 500 BCE) and remains one of the most widely worshipped goddesses in the Hindu pantheon. Although she does not appear in the earliest Vedic literature, the personification of the term '' shri''—auspiciousness, glory, and high rank, often associated with kingship—eventually led to the development of Sri-Lakshmi as a goddess in later Vedic texts, particularly the ''Shri Suktam''. Her importance grew significantly during the late epic period (around 400 CE), when she became particularly associated with the preserver god Vishnu as his consort. In this role, Lakshmi is seen as the ide ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
