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=== Sriranga Vaikuntha ===

=== Sriranga Vaikuntha ===

It is believed that the river Kaveri is the very same river Viraja that eternally flows in Vaikuntha and Srirangam is considered as a heaven on earth - Bhuloka Vaikuntha. Hence, it is foremost among the 108 divya desas, the last one being Vaikuntha itself.  

It is believed that the river Kaveri is the very same river Viraja that eternally flows in Vaikuntha and Srirangam is considered as a heaven on earth - Bhuloka Vaikuntha. Hence, it is foremost among the 108 divya desas, the last one being Vaikuntha itself.<ref name=":0" />

According to a legend, a huge flood devastated the country side and the idol of Sri Ranga got submerged. In due course of time, Sriranga temple on the river bank also was forgotten and adequate patrons, got buried under the sands. However, a devotee used to regularly sing the hymns of Sri Ranga at this place and a parrot used to listen. Even after the temple was engulfed, the parrot, true to its nature recited the hymns daily. A descendant of Dharma Verma, a Chola King, accidentally reached the spot at the riverbank during one of his hunting sojourn and was astonished at what he heard and saw. The parrot recited the following hymn, "What Viraja is to Vaikuntha, is Kaveri to Srirangam, Srirangam is Vaikuntham itself, Ranga is Vasudeva, the Vimana is Pranava and it is Ranga who propounds the Pranava." The same night, the supreme Lord Ranganatha appeared in the king's dream and informed him of the Vimana buried under the sand dune. Like a true devotee, the King excavated the divine treasure and also renovated the temple. A shrine rose into being, Srirangam flourished and the Chola became Killi Cholan. Even in sangam classics we find the name of Killi.

 

However, according to a legend, huge floods of the two rivers in the vicinity devastated the country side and the idol of Sri Ranga got submerged. The entire temple was covered with sand and the overgrowth around it hid it completely from outside view. As a result, the Sriranga temple on the river bank was forgotten. However, a devotee used to regularly sing the hymns of Sri Ranga at this place and a parrot used to listen. Even after the temple was engulfed, the parrot, true to its nature recited the hymns daily. A descendant of Dharma Varma, called Kili Chola, accidentally reached the spot at the riverbank during one of his hunting sojourn and was astonished at what he heard and saw.<ref name=":0" /> <ref name=":1" /> The parrot recited the following hymn, <blockquote>कावेरी विरजा सेयं वैकुण्ठं रङ्गमन्दिरम् । स वासुदेवो रङ्गेशः प्रत्यक्षं परमं पदम् ॥</blockquote><blockquote>विमानं प्रणवाकारं वेदशृङ्गं महात्भुतम् । श्रीरङ्गशायी भगवान् प्रणवार्थप्रकाशकः ॥<ref name=":1" /> </blockquote><blockquote>kāverī virajā seyaṁ vaikuṇṭhaṁ raṅgamandiram । sa vāsudevo raṅgeśaḥ pratyakṣaṁ paramaṁ padam ॥</blockquote><blockquote>vimānaṁ praṇavākāraṁ vedaśr̥ṅgaṁ mahātbhutam । śrīraṅgaśāyī bhagavān praṇavārthaprakāśakaḥ ॥</blockquote>Meaning: What Viraja is to Vaikuntha, is Kaveri to Srirangam, Srirangam is Vaikuntham itself, Ranga is Vasudeva, the Vimana is Pranava and it is Ranga who propounds the Pranava.

 

Also, the same night, the supreme Lord Ranganatha appeared in the Raja's dream and informed him of the Vimana buried under the sand dune. And like a true devotee, the King excavated the divine treasure and also renovated the temple. Thus, a shrine rose into being, Srirangam flourished and the Chola Raja came to be known as Killi Cholan. Even in sangam classics we find the name of Killi Cholan.<ref name=":0" />

=== Identifying Ranganatha ===

=== Identifying Ranganatha ===