Meaning of Venkatachala

On the western side of Tirumala, there was a town called Nandana. Purandara used to live there, a very pious and noble person. He used to observe his religious duties without fail.

He had a son, Madhava, who was as pious and noble as his father. Madhava married Chandralekha. They were a very happy and religious couple. Once, they were on a picnic, enjoying the beauty of nature.

They met a girl called Malini. She was part of a group that used to roam from place to place like the gypsies. They used to pitch tents and live in them. She was a very beautiful girl. Madhava got attracted to her, and she was also attracted to him.

Madhava went back home with his wife but soon returned for Malini. He started begging for her company and love. He said he would leave his family, start living with them, and go wherever they went. She accepted, and he became one among them.

His lifestyle changed. He started living a reckless life, eating whatever was found, drinking liquor, and even stealing along with other members of the group. He completely forgot his family and the disciplined life he had.

After a few years, he became old and weak. Malini and the others threw him out and went away. He was completely ruined. He lost everything. He lost both lives: his earlier pious life and this newfound life of a carefree vagabond.

By then, all the sins he had committed started giving results. He became mad and started wandering without direction. Once, by chance, he reached Tirumala. He started going up the hills. As he took the first step, he began feeling like something was burning inside him. His senses started coming back. He started feeling ashamed and sorry for what he had done.

By the time he reached the top, the Lord had completely burned away all his sins. He was overwhelmed by devotion towards Sri Hari, the Lord of the Universe. He took a bath in Pushkarini and started praying. He became absolutely normal and returned to his family. They were all happy to see him back.

This is the power of Tirumala, the sacred seven hills. It can simply burn away all your sins and impurities. See, the moment Madhava put his first step, he started feeling a burning inside. That is Lord Venkateswara, burning away the sins of his devotees and taking them towards moksha.

Sri Hari Paramatma’s purificatory power is matchless:

ध्यायेन्नारायणं देवं स्नानादिषु कर्मसु प्रायश्चित्तं हि सर्वस्य दुष्कृतस्येति वै श्रुतिः

Even while doing routine things like taking a bath, remember Narayana. This is the best prayaschitta for all evil deeds done in the past. A normal bath taken while thinking about Sri Hari becomes equivalent to Ganga snanam, washing away all sins.

यन्नामकीर्तनं भक्त्या विलापनमनुत्तमम् मैत्रेयाशेषपापानां धातूनामिव पावकः

Just as fire purifies metals like gold and silver, namasankeertanam purifies and removes all impurities.

अवशेनाऽपि यन्नाम्नि कीर्तिते सर्वपातकैः पुमान् विमुच्यते सद्यः सिंहत्रस्तैर्वृकैरिव

You may be taking his name without genuine devotion, under compulsion, or because you are in trouble and helpless. But still, when a lion roars, every other animal in the jungle runs away. Likewise, when you take the Lord’s name, all your sins will run away.

हरिर्हरति पापानि दुष्टचित्तैरपि स्मृतः अनिच्छयापि संस्पृष्टो दहत्येव हि पावकः

What happens if you touch fire? You get burned. Whether you want it or not does not matter. Fire will burn you—that is its nature. Similarly, purification is the nature of Bhagawan. If you take his name, he will purify you. Whether you know it or not, whether you want it or not, it does not matter. That is his nature. That is the power of Lord Venkateswara.

ज्ञानतोऽज्ञानतो वाऽपि वासुदेवस्य कीर्तनात् तत्सर्वं विलयं याति तोयस्थं लवणं यथा

Take a handful of salt and put it into water—it disappears. Likewise, when you praise Vasudeva, whether intentionally or unintentionally, all your sins disappear.

The rishis who witnessed how Madhava was purified just because he climbed the seven hills were exhilarated. They started calling Tirumala by the name Venkatadri, Venkarachala, Venkatagiri because of its purificatory power.

'Vem' means sin, and 'kata' means fire—like fire, it can burn away all sins. The term 'vem' to mean sin may not be seen in many contemporary Sanskrit dictionaries, but if you refer to Brahmanda Purana, this is the exact word that sages coined for Tirumala—Vemkata—the fire that burns away sin. That is the power of the word 'Venkata' itself. Simply remembering the name 'Venkata' can destroy sin. Remembering Tirumala itself can destroy sin.

Venkatadri: Adri, Achala, and Giri all mean mountain.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi