Tirumala (Venkatachala) - Swayam Vyakta Kshetra and abode of Lord Venkateshwara

► Tirumala (Venkatachala) (976 m) (Swayam Vyakta Kshetra) (Divya Desam)
(Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh)

☗ Front part of Seshachalam (of Eastern Ghats)
☗ Seven Hills:
(1) Sheshadri Hill
(2) Neeladri Hill
(3) Garudadri Hill
(4) Anjanadri Hill
(5) Vrishabhadri Hill
(6) Narayandri Hill
(7) Venkatadri
◼ Swami Pushkarini (Temple Tank)
(Andhra Pradesh Ghats)
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya)

• Vishnu: Lord Vishnu abides in Tirumala or Venkatachala (which is a Swayam Vyakta Kshetra) as Srinivasa or Venkateshwara. Lord Srinivasa married Devi Padmavathy in Venkatachala.
- Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple
- Devi Padmavathy Temple (Tiruchanur) (26 km)

• Varaha: Lord Varaha abides in Venkatachala as Sri Adi Varaha. Lord Varaha appeared in Venkatachala before Lord Srinivasa.
- Tirumala Varaha Temple

• Hanuman: Bhakta Hanuman is said to have taken birth in Anjanadri of Tirumala after the penance of mother Anjana. This is one of the places identified with the birth of Bhakta Hanuman. This is as per Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya.
- Tirumala Anjaneyar Temple


• Saints: Saints associated with Venkatachala:

○ Sri Annamacharya (1408 - 1503 CE): Sri Annamacharya was an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateshwara and composed thousands of devotional Samkirtanas in praise of the Lord.


आद्यं रङ्गमिति प्रोक्तं विमानं रङ्गसंज्ञितम् । श्रीमुष्णं वेङ्कटाद्रिं च साळग्रामं च नैमिशम् ।
तोयाद्रिं पुष्करं चैव नरनारायणाश्रमम् । अष्टौ मे मूर्तयः सन्ति स्वयंव्यक्ता महीतले ॥
- Swayam Vyakta Sthalams (Venkatachala is a Swayam Vyakta Kshetra)

कौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पूर्वासन्ध्या प्रवर्तते ।
उत्तिष्ठ नरशार्दूल कर्त्तव्यं दैवमाह्निकम् ॥
- Venkatesha Suprabhatam - verse 1 (Lord Venkateshwara is the presiding deity of Venkatachala)


(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya)
(Varaha Purana)

▬ Sri Narada seeing Lord Varaha at Sumeru Parvata
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 1)
▬ Lord Varaha telling about Venkatachala to Bhudevi at Sumeru Parvata
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 1)
▬ Lord Varaha departing to Venkatachala with Bhudevi
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 1)
▬ Lord Srinivasa arriving at Venkatachala
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 3)
▬ Story of Vedavati - To be born as Padmavati
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 5)
▬ Story of Mitravarma and Akasaraja
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 3)
▬ Appearance of Devi Padmavati to Akasaraja
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 2)
▬ Meeting of Srinivasa and Padmavati at Venkatachala
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 4)
▬ Srinivasa sending Bakulamalika with marriage proposal at Venkatachala
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 5 to 7)
▬ Marriage of Srinivasa and Padmavati at Venkatachala
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 7 to 8)
▬ Lord Srinivasa staying at Venkatachala after marriage
(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 8)

► Tirumala - Varaha Temple
Venkatachala (Tirumala) is the place where Lord Varaha appeared before Lord Srinivasa. Venkatachala is a Swayam Vyakta Kshetra.

► Tirumala - Venkateshwara Temple
Venkatachala (Tirumala) is the place where Lord Vishnu manifested as Lord Venkateshwara and married Devi Padmavathy. Venkatachala is a Swayam Vyakta Kshetra.

◍ Life: Born in Tallapaka, Andhra Pradesh. Believed to be an incarnation of Nandaka, the sword of Vishnu.

◍ Sadhana & Philosophy:
• Vishnu Bhakti (Venkateshwara).
• Learned the philosophy of Vishistadvaita Vedanta from Satakopa Swami of Ahobila Mutt.

◍ Compositions:
• Considered as the Pitamaha (Grandfather) of Telegu song-writing.
• Composed around 32000 devotional Samkirtanas in praise of Lord Venkateshwara (around 12000 extant now).

◍ Pilgrimages:
► Venkatachala: Visited Venkatachala (Tirumala) and sung Kritis before the Lord.