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Showing posts from July 3, 2017


Why Hanuman is known as Balaji? – Reason and Story of the Name Balaji Hanuman

In some regions of India, Hanuman is referred to as Balaji Hanuman. Today, the term Balaji is more popularly used to refer to Lord Venkateswara worshipped in the Tirumala Tirupati Temple. But why is Hanuman known as Balaji. The reason and story of the name Balaji Hanuman is associated with the childhood of Anjaneya. Hanuman is known as Balaji because of the miracles he performed during his childhood. Devotees are addressing child Hanuman through the name – Bala ji. Balaji Hanuman is worshiped at Mehndipur in Rajasthan. It is believed that Vayu Bhagavan carried Hanuman to the lap of his mother at Mehndipur. This incident happened after child Hanuman attempted to swallow the sun and Indra hit him with his Vajra or lightning sword. The childhood of Hanuman is worshipped and celebrated in these regions as Balaji – especially in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and many other regions in North India. Balaji is also worshiped for a unique reason – for exorcising people f

Ekantin – A Sect of Sri Vaishnava School of Vedanta – Sattadu Srivaishnavas

Ekantin (also known as ekangi or ekki) refers to Sattadu Srivaishnavas. Periyatirumudi Adaivu (16 th Century) mentions that there are 12,000 ekantins in the entourage of Ramanuja, the founder of the Vishishtadvaita school of Vedanta. Kandadai Ramanuja Ayyangar, the trustee (dharma – Karattar) of the Srirangam Temple, is referred to as Sattadu Ekadi Shrivaishnava. Ekaki literally mean “one alone” or a solitary person. The Tamil Lexicon defines Ekanga as A class of Vaishnava devotees A single person one who has no family Samayachara Cirukkam of Vadikesari Venkatacharya, a part of the Sattadu Srivaishnava literature, dating from Kandadai Ramanuja Ayyangar’s time, defines Ekangin (ekantin) as a vanaprastha, he has a wife, wears a saffron upper garment, a white lower garment, may or may not wear the thread and the tuft and is engage in nothing but service to the temple. The Ekangis have their own Sri Vaishnava mata which is known as Paravastu Matha, whose head