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Sri Vaikunta EkAdasi Mahimai: Part 1

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • December 17, 1998 


Dear BhaagavathAs :

Sri Vaikunta EkAdasi will be celebrated this year
on December 29 .In Tamil calendar , it is the 14th day 
of Marghazhi maasam this year .The tithi is Sukla Paksha 
EkAdasi , when the constellation of BharaNi is in ascendance .
Sri Venkatesh Elayavalli asked me to write about 
the significance of Sri Vaikunta EkAdasi for inclusion 
in the rituals section of Acharyas Home page that he 
maintains with great care . It is my pleasure to do so 
through a series of three or more postings .
There are three aspects to these postings :

(1)the ritualistic celebration of Sri Vaikunta EkAdasi 
at the sacred Srirangam temple on the first day 
of Iraa patthu and ending up with NammAzhwAr's moksahm on 
the tenth day of this festival (January 8, 1998 ).
This will fit with the ritualistic aspects going back
to the time of Thirumangai AzhwAr , when he started 
the AdhyayaNOthsvam at Srirangam as a result of 
the niyamanam of NamperumAL .
 
(2)the PurANic episodes dealing with the significance 
of this special celebration (Amrutha mathanam, 
GeethOpadesa dinam , Lokan-KaNtakan Moksha dinam )

(3) AzhwAr and Achaarya Sooktis on ArchirAdhi Maargam 
(Brahma Soothram , NammAzhwAr , Acharya RaamAnujA , 
Swami Desikan's Sri Sookthis related to Sri Vaikuntam and
Moksha siddhi ).  

Twelve years ago on a Akshaya samvathsara , Sukla Paksha 
Ashtami day , when Revathi star was in ascendance , I wrote
a lengthy letter to my reverd Father and Sister on 
the significance of Sri Vaikunta EkAdasi. I was lucky
to come across that letter written on January 7,1987 
in Tamil today.I will translate that letter into English 
and post it in three or more parts .

Subhamasthu ,LokA: SamathA; SukhinO bhavanthu
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan