Dear SPS/Gokul and freinds, It is a matter of common knowledge that the ritual in the Vishnu shrines of South India is based on one of the two main systems of worship �� the Vaikhanasa system and the Pancharatra system. The two systems, in spite of minor differences, agree on the basic tenet that (iconic) form is the most important form of the Lord since it facilitates the process of surrender (prapatti) to him. The Vaikhanasa system takes it name from the sage Vaikhanasa, its founder.
The Vaikhanasa texts appear to have been composed a little earlier (6th �� 8th centuries). T.A.G. Rao considers that the prose version of the Vaikhanasa text as the oldest agama text available. See Hindu Iconography, Vol.1, part 1, p.56. The growth of this literature is thus contemporaneous with the development of the Bhakti movement spearheaded by the Alvars. According to tradition, the total number of Samhitas is 108. But as pointed out by Schrader, the actual lists supplied by the available texts enumerate either more or less names and there are still others which are extant or quoted in later literature but which are not mentioned in the texts.
The important ritualistic texts of Pancharatra system began to the composed in the 8th & 9th centuries. For some scholars, the Pancharatra system is believed to have originated from Narayana himself who is believed to have taught the doctrine to his disciples in five nights (Pancharatra) through esoteric way. As observed by Prof. K.A.N. Sastri, ��the derivation of Pancharatra (five nights) is uncertain��. According to Prof. Schrader, who wrote a book on this system, the sect ��took its name from its central dogma which was the Pancharatra sattra (Session of Sacrifice) of Narayana interpreted philosophically as the five-fold self- manifestation of God in terms of his Para(Highest), Vyuha (emnatory), Vibhava (incarnatory), Antaryamin (inner being) and Archa (image) forms. Schrader lists as many as 215 different Samhitas of Pancharatrins. The latest opinion on the subject is that of Prof. V. Raghavan. The Pancharatra should refer, according to him, to the four nights, each of which was devoted to a discourse on Siva, Brahma, Indra, Rishis and Bruhaspati, successively.
The mode of worship of the Srirangam Temple is in accordance with the Pancharatra system of worship. The ritualistic texts of the Pancharatra system, described as Pancharatra Agams, consist of 108 samhitas. The most important of these samhitas are three in number (ratnatrayam). They are the Satvata samhita, Paushkara samhita and Jayaka samhita. The mode of worship in the Simhachalam temple is based on the Satvata samhita. The Iswara samhita which is considered to be a commentary of the Satvata governs the conduct of worship of the Lord on festival days. Sometimes on festival days, the priests pressed for time resort to the mode of procedure laid down in Bharadwaja Samhita which takes a shorter time to finish. In certain matters, the conduct of worship is based on the modes of conduct evolved by custom (sistachara).
It is a matter of common knowledge that Ramanuja during his very active life in between AD 1050-1100, propagated vaishnavism with a missionery zeal. The twin phases of the vaishnavite movement in the south, the Bhakti movement of Alwars and the ritualistic worship of Pancharatrins reached the peak by the work of Sri Ramanuja. He brought the Vishnu worship to the logical culmination by propounding the doctrine of prapatti (surrender), at the same time upholding ritualistic worship of Pancharatra Agamas. Actually Sri Ramanuja started this work of applying Pancharatra ritual at PURI temple but records says, he was not accepted by Pandaas (6000 Oriyan Brahmin pundits) of the Jagannath Temple (like Moovayiravar of Thillai) and sensing a danger to his life from them, over night he was shifted from Puri to Sri Kurmam in North Andhra and Simhachalam Temple, near Vizag and successfully established the Pancharatra ritual finally. (For further details www.vamsadhara.blogspot.com) But Udaiyavar did allow the Vaikhanasa system at Thirumala to continue, even though he was in full control of Temple and Temple administration.
The important changes incorporated by Sri Ramanuja in Pancharatra system is Dravida sampradaya i.e. including the singing of Nammalvar, Tirumangai, Andal and Periaalwar hymns in Tamil along the ritualistic daily puja. RAMANUJA DID A GREAT SERVICE TO TAMIL BY MAKING IT CUMPULSORY IN TEMPLE RITUAL NOT ONLY IN TAMIL SPEAKING AREAS BUT ALSO OTHER REGION VISHNU TEMPLES. This led to lot of changes in the future way of religion life of vaishnavism. Time passed, but the vaishnavites in Karnataka and Andhra, sing Alwar hymns in traditional raga (they do not speak Tamil) even now. During Margazhi month in the two states alone hundreds of Tiruppavai prasangams are being held by local vaishnavites.
VaikAnasa AarAdhanam at Thirumala (According to Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan, Editor of Saranagathi). ************************************************* 1. VaikAnasa Aagama requires AarAdhanams during the 6 times of the day starting from Ushath Kaalam to midnight (nisi). At least one out of the Six AarAdhanams should be done during the day .
2. At Thirumala , there are two AarAdhanams : (a) ThOmAla and (b) EkAntha sEva at night . At ThOmAla sEva , there are 29 pujAnga upachArams and there are six upachArams during the EkAntha sEva AarAdhanam . Evening six upachArams are done with TuLasi and Flowers .
3) AchArya RaamAnuja was an ardent champion of PaancharAthra Aagamam . He did not recommend any changes to the VaikAnasa way of worship at Thirumala. Some minor compromises happened (e-g) Number of UpachArams . VaikAnasam recommends 29 UpachArams. PaancharAthra has 16 UpachArams (ShOdasOpachArams).
4) Adhi Sankara visited Thirumala one time and is said to have established a Jana and Dhana yantrams to attract people and dhanam to the temple . MadhvAchArya is said to have visited Thirumala atleast once . AchArya Ramanuja visited Thirumala thrice .
Great Telugu saint Annamayya composed Krithis about every VaikAnasa ritual relating to nithya and Uthsava SevAs of the Lord at His sacred temple at Thirumala from SuprabhAtham to SayanOthsavam .
Sri Rangam follows PanchararAthra Aagamam because of the influence of Sri Ramanuja.