Brahma had six manasa-putras—sons created from his mind. Atri was one of them. The other five sons of Brahma are Marici, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu. Another version of the manasaputras increased the number to seven, or the seven sages (sapta-rishis). Atri married Anasuya, and they had three sons, Soma…
Bhagavati (feminine form of “lord”) is another name for Devi, or Shakti; when it elevated the goddess to the role of the Supreme, it became a term used by her sect, the Saktas. In the Devi Bhagavata Purana the mother of the universe, Devi, taught Vishnu about the eternal reality…
To the west of the Ranga-mantapa is another mantapa known as the Anna-unjal-mantapa and Tirumalarayamantapa. This is in two parts, the front part being at a lower level and the back part The following is a brief description of the important temples and shrines situated on the Tirumala hill.
In the south-east comer of the courtyard is a big mantapa, popularly known as the Ranga-mantapa. There is small portico before it. This portico contains two rows of four pillars each. The outer pillars have three pillaret projecting and the inner ones have the animal bracket. The mantapa proper contains…
There is a narrow mantapa in the western part of the courtyard touching the second or inner gopura. It has on the north and south two rows of five pillars each, those in the inner row having one pillaret projecting. In the Centre of the mantapa are the Dhvajastambha and…
In the northern part of the courtyard is another structure known as the Aina-mahal. This is in two parts, an open mantapa in the front containing six rows of six pillars each and a shrine behind it, consisting of an Antarala and a Garbhagriha.
