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STORY OF SRIRANGAM.
PART 4.
The special power of His hand and the good intention of ‘ what holds good for Parameshwara shall be for Perumal also’, both put together installed Rangaraja and that temple has become the King of all Perumal temples. That place of the Raja came to be called as Srirangam or Thiruvarangam in Tamil.
It is the other way; it is not correct to say that the place came to be called ‘Rangam’ because ‘Rangaraja’ was there; The place already was known as Rangam and because he was installed there, He became known as ‘Rangaraja’. As long as the kings of Ikshvaku dynasty were performing poojas to that ‘Vigraham’, it must have been known as ‘Narayanan’, ‘Vishnu’ or as He was lying on the bed of snake ‘Aadhisesha’ must have been known as ‘Seshasaayee’ or ‘Ananthasaayee’. When Vigneshwara established a place for Him at Rangam in the midst of ‘Ubayakaveri’, He must have become known as ‘Rangaraja’.
What is this ‘Rangam’?
Rangam ( or Arangam in Tamil) refers to the podium where dances and dramas are performed, including the hall in the front, where people sit and watch them. Either the stage only or the whole theatre itself is called ‘Rangam’. The great Dramatiser who conducts all the dramas of the Prapancha as the imagination of His dream, should do that in ‘Rangam’ only, is it not? The place where the same drama is conducted as Parameshwara as a dance (Thandavam) in Chidhambaram , is called ‘Sabai’; or ‘Chithsabai’; People call it ‘Kanakasabai’; Here the meaning of ‘Sabai’ is the same as ‘Rangam’; meaning ‘drama hall’ or ‘dance hall’. (laughing) Even now, the places where music concerts and dance performances are conducted are known as ‘Sabha’, is it not? The very first performance of an artiste here is called ‘arangetram’.
Vigneshwara must have thought ‘when there is a ‘Sabai’ for His father Parameshwara to do His Cosmic Dance, then there should be a similar place for His uncle also who does the same in His dream; and although the principle (Thathvam) is the same in both the cases, the places where they are done shall be known by different names’ and named the place (Sannidhi) where He installed the Vigraha, as ‘Rangam.
To be continued………
PART 4.
The special power of His hand and the good intention of ‘ what holds good for Parameshwara shall be for Perumal also’, both put together installed Rangaraja and that temple has become the King of all Perumal temples. That place of the Raja came to be called as Srirangam or Thiruvarangam in Tamil.
It is the other way; it is not correct to say that the place came to be called ‘Rangam’ because ‘Rangaraja’ was there; The place already was known as Rangam and because he was installed there, He became known as ‘Rangaraja’. As long as the kings of Ikshvaku dynasty were performing poojas to that ‘Vigraham’, it must have been known as ‘Narayanan’, ‘Vishnu’ or as He was lying on the bed of snake ‘Aadhisesha’ must have been known as ‘Seshasaayee’ or ‘Ananthasaayee’. When Vigneshwara established a place for Him at Rangam in the midst of ‘Ubayakaveri’, He must have become known as ‘Rangaraja’.
What is this ‘Rangam’?
Rangam ( or Arangam in Tamil) refers to the podium where dances and dramas are performed, including the hall in the front, where people sit and watch them. Either the stage only or the whole theatre itself is called ‘Rangam’. The great Dramatiser who conducts all the dramas of the Prapancha as the imagination of His dream, should do that in ‘Rangam’ only, is it not? The place where the same drama is conducted as Parameshwara as a dance (Thandavam) in Chidhambaram , is called ‘Sabai’; or ‘Chithsabai’; People call it ‘Kanakasabai’; Here the meaning of ‘Sabai’ is the same as ‘Rangam’; meaning ‘drama hall’ or ‘dance hall’. (laughing) Even now, the places where music concerts and dance performances are conducted are known as ‘Sabha’, is it not? The very first performance of an artiste here is called ‘arangetram’.
Vigneshwara must have thought ‘when there is a ‘Sabai’ for His father Parameshwara to do His Cosmic Dance, then there should be a similar place for His uncle also who does the same in His dream; and although the principle (Thathvam) is the same in both the cases, the places where they are done shall be known by different names’ and named the place (Sannidhi) where He installed the Vigraha, as ‘Rangam.
To be continued………