Sri Prahladar [of Sri Raghavendra Mutt, Triplicane] purappadu 2017

Triplicane the place of Lord Parthasarathi is replete with  religious activities ~ today it is ‘Thiruppavadai Uthsavam’  at this divyadesam after yesterday’s Jyestabishekham and there would be no purappadu till Pavithrothsavam.

Hinduism has opulence of scriptures and resources.  The most important amongst them being ‘Vedas’ – ‘Ithihasams – the Ramayana & Mahabaratha’; ‘Puranas’ and Bhagwad Gita.  The God and our religious philosophy are so well explained in the Vedanta philosophy of our 3 Acharyas.  The ‘Advaita philosophy’ of Sri Sankaracharya; the ‘Vishishtadvaita’ philosophy of  Sri Ramanujacharya and the ‘Dvaita’ philosophy of Sri Madhvaacharya.

There is fair sprinkling population of Madhwas in Triplicane – i.e., those who follow the ideals propagated by Sri Madhvacharya. Understand that the writings of Sri Madhvacharya comprises of thirty-seven works, collectively called Sarva-moola Grantha.  They are divided into four groups consisting of his commentaries on the Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita and Brahma-sutra,  writings on rituals, image worship, rules for the ascetic order and more. There have subsequently been commentators like Sri Jayathirthar, Sri Vyasarajar, Sri Raghavendrar etc., who have further explained the theology of Sri Madhvacharya. 

In the philosophy of Dvaitha siddantha, Dvaita meaning duality the reality is composed of only two basic principles: the independent (sva-tantra) and the dependent (para-tantra). God or the Supreme Being is the only independent reality. For Sri Madhvacharya the differences that we see in this world are real and not due to illusion (maya). Madhva’s duality, therefore, greatly contrasts Sri Sankaracharya’s theology of oneness, Advaita. As we have Guru parampara Acharyas in Sri Vaishnavism, the hierarchy in Madhvas starts with Sriman Narayana [MahaVishnu] Himself, Pirattiyar Lakshmi Devi, and then has Brahma, Saraswati, Garuda, Anjaneya… heard from a friend that they have Karmaja Devatas which includes Sri Prahladarajar.

Prahlada as we know is famed for his blemishless devotion to Sri Maha Vishnu, despite attempts by his father Hiranyakashipu, to turn him to the contrary. He is accorded special importance as being the reason for the Narasimha avatâr. The puranic instance of Sri Prahlada makes us understand that God is everywhere and He comes readily to save his devotee in distress.  Constant, unquestioned, pure faith in HIM is devotion.  After Sri Prahlada and Sri Vyasaraya, Madhwas rever Sri Raghavendrar in holy esteem.  

Today on 9^th Aug 2017 on the occasion of  Aradhana uthsava of Sri Raghavendra Swami there was  grand purappadu of  Sri Prahaladarajar from Sri Raghavendra Mutt.  Some photos of the procession are here.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.