- Vishnu
Sri Vedantha Desikar Temple
- Mylapore,Tamil Nadu
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Overview
Sri Vedantha Desikar Temple is located at Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
About The Temple
Right next to the Kesavaperumal temple and sharing a wall with it is the Srinivasa perumal temple. The temple is 300 years old. As seen it is a Vadagalai temple initially. It was a temple for Sri.Vedanta Desikar a vigraha of Shri Vedanta desikar was moved from the Kesavaperumal temple.
Hayagriva was the "upasana daivam" of Vedantha Desikar a vigraha of Lakshmi Hayagriva modelled on the idol of the Mysore Parakala mutt was later brought and installed. (The Parakala mutt is also located in Mylapore (opposite road to Mylai railway station)). The shrine of the great teacher Vedantha Desika is the one that faces north and it is the first shrine one sees in the temple. Sri Vedantha Desika lived over 730 years ago in South India. He wrote erudite commentaries on Ramanuja's Sribhashyam, Gita Bhashyam and was a great exponent of Visishtadvaita As soon as you enter the north facing temple on your right you will see the east facing Srinivasan sannidhi the lord is in standing posture with abhaya hastha and shanka chakra gada hastha Next to the lord in a second sannidhi on his right is the thayar sanidhi. The Alamelu mangai thayar Vigraha is huge and very captivating. Inscriptions of some important renderings (slokas) by the great acharya are graved on the temple walls.
Other Shrine
- Anjaneyar
- Garudan
- Peyazhwar
- Sri Vedantha Desikar & Sri Lakshmi Hayagrivar
- Sri Alarmel Manga Thayar
- Sri Raman
- Sri Lakshmi Narasimhan
- Sri Bhashayakarar
- Sri Sudarsanar and Yoga Narasimhar
- Sri Andal
- Azhwars and Acharyas
- Sri Srinivasa Perumal
Legend and Stories
Swami Desika, one of the most important Acharyas of the Sri Vaishnava tradition was born to the devout couple Sri Ananthasuri and Smt. Thotharamba. Instructed by the Thiru Venkatamudayan, the couple went on a pilgrimage to Thirumalai. The Lord appeared in the couple's dream as a Sri Vaishnava youth and handed over a golden bell which Totaramba swallowed. The following morning, they were astonished to find that both of them had dreamt the same sequence of events.
When the Archaka opened the doors of the Sanctum Sanctorum, he found the bell missing. During an investigation ordered into the loss of the bell, the Lord appeared by Avesa (spiritual trance) on Tirumalai Nambi and told that He had himself presented the bell to the Ananthasuri couple and thereafter, the small hand-bell need not be used in the Tiruvaradhana in the temple. Hence, Swami Desika is considered as the incarnation of the Divine Bell.
Azhwars and Aacharayas travelled throughout the country extolling the beauty and grace of Sriman Narayana. However, in the case of Mylapore, the Supreme Lord and the Aacharyan switched roles. The Divya Dampathis (Lord Srinivasa and Alarmel Manga Thayar) willed to grace the abode of the Aacharyan (Swami Desikan) and relish his company.
Festivals
Every year numerous festivals are celebrated. Of these, Brahmothsavams, Desikar Uthsavam, Navarathri, Pavithra Uthsavam are among the prominent ones. Uthsavams commemorating the Thiru Nakshathrams of Azhwars and Aacharyas are conducted in the traditional manner.
How To Reach Chennai
Airport
One can easily get regular flights to Chennai from other major cities of the country.
Railways
There are regular trains from other major cities of the country to Chennai.
Road
Chennai is well connected to other major cities of the country via regular buses.
Temple Address
Sri Vedantha Desikar Temple,
Sankarapuram Mylapore, 7/7, Chitrakulam S St,
Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,Pincode - 600004.
Significance
Devotees visit this temple to seek fulfillment of the following:-
- Fame
- Freedom from diseases
- Wealth
- Courage
- Relief from adverse effects from bad planetary aspects
- Relief from bondage
Shlokas
Achutham Keyshavam Rama Narayanam Krishna Damodaram Vasudevam Harim Shridharam Madhavam Gopika Vallabham Janaki Nayakam Ramachandram Bhajey
Meaning -Oh Lord who cannot be perished, who also has names like Keshava, Rama, Damodara, Narayana, Sridhara, Madhava, Krishna, Ramachandra the beloved of Janaki, let me say your name regularly.
Vasudeva Sutham Devam Kamsa Chanoora Mardhanam Devaki Paramanandham Krishnam Vande Jagathgurum
Meaning -I bow to you O Krishna, the ultimate guru, Devaki and Vasudeva's son, and the destroyer of Kamsa and Chanur.
Adharam Madhuram Vadanam Madhuram Nayanam Madhuram Hasitam Madhuram Hridayam Madhuram Gamanam Madhuram Mathuraa Dhipate Rakhilam Madhuram
Meaning -Meaning - Sweet are Your lips, sweet is Your face, sweet are Your eyes, sweet is Your smile, sweet is Your heart, sweet is Your gait, O Lord of Mathura, everything about You is sweet.
Alokya Mathur Mukha Madarena Sthanyam Pibantham Saraseeruhaksham Sachinmayam Devam Anantha Roopam Balam Mukundam Manasa Smarami
Meaning -I think of this Balamukundan as the one who looks lovingly at his mother's face while taking milk from her, who has eyes similar to the red lotus, who is the embodiment of truth and intelligence and other forms.
Timings
The temple is open from 6.30 am to 11. am in the mornings and 4.00 pm to 9.00 pm in the evenings.