Potala(ka) etc

[Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan]

In a message dated 2/24/99 1:57:30 AM Central Standard Time,
sogbs at CC.NEWCASTLE.EDU.AU writes:

> For example, we do not even have a proper
>  iconographical description of the Venkatesvara cult-image in its unadorned
>  state - Jamanadas is reduced to citing somebody else's opinion that it
>  resembles a Padmapani image at Ajanta.


We have a very vivid description of the deity at vEGkaTam in cilappatikAram
(not later than 5th century AD) as given below. In that text, it was already a
pilgrimage site. The description is very detailed in terms of his conch,
discus, etc.

vIgku nIr aruvi vEgkaTam en2n2um
Ogku uyar malaiyattu ucci mImicai
viri katir jnAyiRum tigkaLum viLagki
iru marugku Ogkiya iTainilait tAn2attu
min2n2uk kOTi uTuttu viLagku vil pUNTu
nal niRa mEkam nin2Ratu pOla
pakai aNagku Aziyum pAl veN cagkamum
takai peRu tAmaraik kaiyin2 Enti
nalam kiLar Aram mArpil pUNTu
polam pU ATaiyin2 polintu tOn2Riya
ceg kaN neTiyOn2 nin2Ra vaNNamum            (cil. 11.41-51)

I do not know why Ramanuja had to establish (or re-establish) vaiSNava claim.
The AzvArs had several hymns dedicated to viSNu at vEGkaTam. Of course, some
staunch zaivites had always claimed (UVS's teacher was one of them) that the
deity at vEGkaTam was originally ziva.

But I agree with the point - the present day affiliation may not be the same
as the one two millennia ago.

Regards
S. Palaniappan