Restoring pristine glory of Sri Sitarama Kalyanam
(Sri Rama and Ramanarayana dispute)
Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
The Pioneer, Hyderabad (20-03-2020)
Just as it is impossible to think of the Ramayana
without conjuring the character Sri Rama, one cannot visualise Bhadrachalam
Temple sans the eternal glory of Sri Rama and the grand Sri Sitarama Kalyanam.
From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, all people-young and old alike, whether educated
or not- know for sure that the shrine in Bhadrachalam is Ramalayam. None would call it ‘Ramanarayana’ temple,
though some so-called intellectuals and scholars think otherwise.
The idol of the presiding deity in the shrine
was brought by Bhakta Ramadasu. just because it is in slightly different form bearing
conical wheels, bow with arrows and four arms; the argument put forward by some
that it is not that of Lord Sri Rama in the company of Sita and Lakshmana but of
Ramanarayana, is far from truth. When we consider historical facts, it is
difficult to establish the veracity of what took place some tens of thousands
of years ago. Still, there are some widely accepted realities. Lord Sri Rama, before his incarnation was Sri
Maha Vishnu. At the end of his advent He again attained the form of Sri Maha
Vishnu. Its only in between he was Sri Rama in the company of Sitadevi and
Lakshmana.
His incarnation as Rama was full-fledged. He
assumed human form and it was not divine manifestation as Ramanarayana. The
decision of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu to incarnate as Lord Sri Rama along with siblings
in the form of Lakshmana, Bharatha and Shatrughna, was in response to His
promise to Dasharatha in his previous birth. The instant he was born as Sri
Rama its understood that He shifted from Narayana form to that of Sri Rama. Hence,
He is always Sri Rama, but not Ramanarayana.
The controversy about the idol that is in
Bhadrachalam Temple Sanctum sanctorum, whether it is that of Lord Sri Rama or
that of Ramanarayana has been surfacing on and off. Arguments for and against
on this delicate issue are made time and again seriously. One school of
thought, mainly the Sri Rama devotees, assert that it is Sri Rama who adorns in
the Sanctum sanctorum whereas the negligible but influential minority claim
that it is Ramanarayana. In support of their argument they mention that the
idol is wearing conical wheels, bow with arrows and four arms.
During the annual ritual of Sri Sitarama
Kalyanam, that is, the divine marriage of Rama and Sita, the traditional
practice of reciting the ancestral lineage (Pravara and Gotra) as “Ramachandra
Swamine Varaya” has now been replaced with “Ramanarayana Swamine Varaya”.
Bhadrachalam has a special and unique place among
all the Sri Rama Temples in the country. It is referred to as ‘southern Ayodhya’.
Anyone who visits the Bhadradri Sri Rama temple can feel the whole of Ramayana play
out in front of his or her eyes.
Devotees strongly believe that when Sri Rama along
with his wife and brother was in exile, spending time in forests, one day he
happened to sit on the rock of Bhadra who was in the form of a mountain then.
Then in accordance with the wish of Bhadra who had come to see Sri Rama, the
Lord appeared to him bearing conical wheels, bow with arrows and four arms.
This was the legend. Later Lord Sri Rama agreed to give Darshan to His devotees
by transforming himself as an idol, right there on the mountain. Thus, he stood
there in the deity form of Sri Sita Rama Lakshmana. This is an undisputable
legend.
No less a person than Jagadguru Adi
Shankaracharya, who too believed this, visited the place and worshipped there
during his time. After worshiping the idols, he scripted, the famous “Vamanka
Sthitha Janaki….” Shloka, in praise of the trio, Sri Sita, Sri Rama and Lakshmana.
This Shloka even after hundreds of years is recited today in the temple on a
regular basis.
It is also believed that, Sri Rama first appeared
to Dammakka in her dream and suggested daily worship of the deities. This led
to the construction of a small hermitage, where she continued with her daily
worship until Bhakta Ramadasu met her. Subsequently Bhakta Ramadasu built the
temple which we see today in the modernised form. Thus, Sri Rama born in
Ayodhya, while on his way to Lanka, blessed the Telugu people first in the form
of the deity at Bhadrachalam thousands of years ago.
Bhakta Ramadasu in the numerous hymns that he
wrote and composed as well as sung devotionally, addressed Sri Rama as ‘Dasharathi’
or ‘Kodanda Rama’ but never as Ramanarayana. When he was kept in jail for alleged
misappropriation of Government funds to construct temple, Bhakta Ramadasu in each
of his hymns appealed Sri Ramachandra to free him. There is no mention of Ramanarayana
in any of the hymns. When his one and the only son fell in hot Rice Porridge
and died Bhakta Ramadasu prayed for the boy’s revival Sri Rama as “Kodandaram,
Kodandaram” which again is an ample proof that the deity is that of Sri Rama
but not Ramanarayana.
All over the country while performing
Sitarama Kalyanam-the ritual marriage, the priest recites the ancestral lineage
of Sri Rama as Aja, Raghu, Dasharatha belonging to Vasishta Gotra and that of
Sitadevi as Nimi, Videha, Janaka forming part of Gautama Gotra. In contrast, in
Bhadrachalam of late, Sri Rama is being addressed as Ramanarayana with Achyut
Gotra and Sitadevi addressed as Sita Mahalakshmi with Soubhagya Gotra. Thus,
while calling it as Sri Sitarama Kalyanam they strangely perform the marriage
of Lakshmi and Narayana!!!
Going to incontestable references to Sri Rama’s
form in scriptures, it is time to restore Sitarama Kalyanam in Bhadrachalam to
its pristine glory and perform it without any deviation.
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