SRI VEERA ANJANEYA SWAMY TEMPLE, ARAGONDA, CHITTOOR, ANDHRA PRADESH...
sri g v r gupta, kanna mangalam, vellore
War in Lanka during Ramayana
Ravana the demon king of Lanka was advised by many including his brother Sri
Vibishana to return Sri Sita Devi to Sri Rama and surrender (Saranagatham).
All the good council to him fell in the deaf ears and Ravana had shown no
inclination to return Sri Sita Devi and in fact adamant not to do so. The
inevitable war ensued between Sri Rama, ably assisted by the monkey and bear
warriors and Ravana assisted by the demon warriors with maya sakthi.
During the course of war, Ravana had lost many of his able warriors, and Sri
Rama's side was seeing the face of victory. Even then Ravana did not feel the
necessity to surrender because of his vanity and unfound pride in Sri Sita
Devi's capture. He sends for Inderjeet [Maganath] his only son now left
behind with him. He instructs Inderjeet to march forward for the Warfield and
blesses him for the victory.
Inderjeet in Warfield
The son of Ravana who had won Lord Indra the leader of Devas gets the name
Inderjeet, meaning the one who had won Indra. Inderjeet enters the war field
with all paraphernalia; matching to his pomp he was skilful in the warfare
also. On the other side, Sri Rama was carried by Sri Hanuman and Sri
Lakshmana was carried by Angadhan and was in the forefront. Neelan was asked
by Sri Rama to be the back force. When Inderjeet faces Sri Rama and Lakshmana,
he could not control wondering at the skill with which these two were
fighting. But in the back of his mind he was thinking about the killing of
his brothers and dear uncles by these two, the thought compounded as revenge.
After a protracted fight with Lakshmana, Inderjeet leaves the field through
his magical power. On the sunset, Sri Rama leaves the battle field leaving
Lakshmana to take stock of the effects of day's war. On return to the palace,
Inderjeet sends Mahendra to the war field.
War continues
The fight continues with Mahendra leading the Ravana's side and Lakshmana,
Sri Rama's side. Hanuman was fighting with Agamban. After killing Agamban,
Hanuman goes for assisting Lakshmana who was fighting deep in the battle
field completely surrounded by the Ravana's warrior. Under the advice
Lakshmana spells pasupathastram, thereby killing of all the force of Ravana.
Use of Brahmaastra
The news of use of pasupathastram goes to Ravana and Inderjeet. Inderjeet
thinks it is time to use the Brahmaastra on Lakshmana, and goes to war field.
He remains invisible through his maya sakti and makes Mahendra look like
Indra and fight Vanaras. The Vanaras and Lakshmana was wonder struck at the
sight of seeing Indra fighting them. At that moment Inderjeet releases
Brahmaastra on Sri Rama's warriors.
Effect of Brahmaastra
Gloomy, is a simple word to describe the after effect of Brahmaastra. Poet
Kamban says millions and millions of arrows had covered Lakshmana, millions
of arrows on Hanuman, tens of thousands arrows strikes Ankath, Neelan etc.
Inderjeet goes to Ravana to describe the events in the war field.
Sri Rama who was away from the battle field enters the field to find all His
men had fallen pray to the Brahmaastra. Sight was gory, and he goes from one
to other warriors. He finds Lakshmana fallen among the heap of arrows, and
could not bear the sight of his beloved brother fallen like this. The sorrow
makes him weep and soon he fell unconscious.
A messenger of Ravana sees this and goes and reports to Ravana that both Rama
and Lakshmana had fallen pray to the Brahmaastra. Believing it as true,
Ravana rejoice, goes to Ashoka vatika and brings Sita by Pushpak vimana and
shows the fallen brothers in the battle field, foisting unbearable pain to
Sri Sita Devi.
Hanuman and Vibishana
Sri Vibishana who is a Cherranjeevi comes to the battle field to assess the
damage caused by the Brahmaastra. First looks for Hanuman and sighted him in
the near fainted condition. After administrating the first aid to Hanuman,
both goes in search of long living Jambavan. Sri Jambavan who was half
conscious, on seeing Vibishana, asks about the Hanuman. On seeing Hanuman he
cries "We all will rise and will raise", rejoicing. Sri Jambavan then tells
about the medicinal herb that can revive Lakshmana. He describes the
whereabouts of the herb and tells about the herb that can revive the life,
herb that can be applied for fixing the cut limbs, herb that can fix the skin
thereby the body. He then instructs Hanuman to go after the herbs which are
there in the blue mountain.
Medicinal Mountain [Sanjeevi parvath]
Hanuman understood the urgency and need for the herb takes a huge figure and
leaps over the sky, leaving the sea behind. He flew over the sea, barath
versh, Himalayas. He pays his respects to all the Gods and Devas and reaches
the Medicinal mountain [Sanjeevi parvath] welcoming Him. Kamban says the
Hanuman who was golden in colour, the future Brahma; deathless Seranjeevi saw
the blue mountain. It was so black that it looked as if the dark had taken
refuge in it. He was asked by the Devas who were guarding the mountain, the
reason for His coming. When told, they only requested Hanuman to return the
mountain to the original place after use of the required herbs.
Now Hanuman uproots the mountain and takes it to the battle field in Lanka,
passing through Barath versh, saves Lakshmana's life. Brings back to lives
many vanaras who lost lives, brings back the limbs to the vanaras who lost
limbs, healed all the wounds of the vanaras. Just by one act Hanuman puts
back the Medicinal mountain [Sanjeevi parvath] in its original place as
promised to the Devas.
Bits of medicinal mountain
Medicinal mountain [Sanjeevi parvath], being brought from its original place,
is believed to have fallen in bits and pieces in many places enroute. It is
claimed that one such piece had fallen in the border of present Andhra and
Tamil Nadu. Presently the place is known as Aragonda. Aragonda in Telugu
means half hill, in sanskrit it is known as Ardagiri. The place is located in
Tavanam Palli Mandal of Chittor District of Andhra Predash. The famous
Kanipakam Vinayaka temple is just ten kilo meters away.
Sanjeevaraya Pushkarini
The picturesque sight of the place is mesmerising, with the medicinal
mountain making the backdrop of the scene. There are atleast two or three
mountains which forms the group of Sanjeevi medicinal mountain. The shortest
of these is considered as main Aragonda. On the top of the mountain there is
a tank which is known as Sanjeevaraya Pushkarini. It is said that the tank is
always full and never dries up.
It is believed that the water from this Puskarini has lot of medicinal value
as of herbs of Sanjeevi mountain, and cures even deceases like TB etc. The
water from this Puskarini was not spoiled even after four months in our case.
Sri Veera Anjaneya Swamy Temple
The main mountain is about 300feet high. A small temple was in existence in
this kshetram for quite a long time, said to be from 300 years back. Today
the temple had seen improvements. Even now the temple is quite small and
maintains the sanctity. Though the main attraction here is the Puskaarini and
Sri Veera Anjaneya, there is a small temple for the Vinayaka just before
reaching the Hanuman temple. Recently a temple for Ayyappan had also been
built on the hillock just opposite to the Hanuman temple.
Sri Veera Anjaneya Swamy
In the main sanctum sanctorum the kaupinam wearing Sri Veera Anjaneya Swamy
is facing north. The nearly three feet idol is covered with copper plate. The
embossment of the main deity is clearly seen. His right hand is showing Abhya
mudra, in the left hand He is seen holding the sowganthika flower. His tail
is seen raised above the head and there is a small bell typical of Hanuman
idols of Andhra about 300-400 years old. He is seen wearing beautiful
kundalam (ear ring), an ornamental mala adorns His neck. His eyes are seen
glowing.
Festivals and Savas
From five thirty in the morning till nine in the night the temple is open.
Devotees are allowed in batches of fifty/sixty and the pooja is conducted and
holy water and tulsi is given as prasadam. Once that batch is over then the
next batch of devotees are allowed. Devotees offer garlands made of flowers
and ake (betel leaves). On the full moon day the temple is open upto eleven
in the night, there is heavy rush of devotees on this day.
How to reach
There are direct buses from Chittoor and Kanipakkam to Aragonda. You can
reach Chittoor from Vellor of Tamil Nadu. Once you are in the foot hills you
can either choose to claim the hillock which may take upto thirty minutes or
take the three wheeler plying between foot to top of the hill. There are few
shops on the top of the hill selling flowers, mala, cool drinks, coffee or
tea.
ref : kamba ramayanam published by Vardhaman & temple
priest.
[Ed. August 2009]