Sri Swamy Vari VrathamSri Sathyanarayana Vratham is performed allover world by devotees for wealth, education prosperty, and offspring, relief from troubles and sickness and success in business. When it came to be known that Lord Sathyanarayana had manifested himself on the Tatnagiri hills at Annavaram with unique from combiing the Trimurthis Viz, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. Ekadasi is considered to be very auspicious for the Vratham, it is performed even on other convenient days by the individual devotees. The great popularity behind the Vratham springs form the experiences narrated in stories and legends and also the faith gained by observance in daily life.
The important legend connected with this Vratham was that once Sage Nardha was very much distressed at the misery of marthyas (men in this world) and prayed Lord Vishnu to be informed of a way out for them. The Lord then told him that Sathyanarayana Vartham would relieve men of their troubles and would ensure worldly prosperity and salvation after deth. He also narrated that a pious Brahmin of Banaras performed the Vartham first. It was also described how king Ulkamukha of Bhadrasilangaram, Emperor Tungadhwaja and a community of Gollas in his kingdom, a Vaisya business man named Sadhuva, and a poor woodcutter of banaras had performed this Vratham and were blessed by Lord Satyanarayana Swamy (Vishnu himself) with all they desired. The Vratham has caught the fascination of mullions owing to these stories within the understanding of scholars as well as layman. All classes of people took its performance and it is popular for its efficacy.
PROCEDURE OF THE VRATHAMBeforre the sankalpam (inauguration) the floor is cleaned with cow-duing, a square peace of new cloth is spread over it, after decorating it with muggulu with four of five colours. Rice is spread as a layer upon the cloth and a kalasam of silver, copper, brass or clay is kept and covered with mango leaves or betel leaves and a piece of new cloth. A small image of Lord Satyanarayana Swamy made preferably with gold or Silver is kept on the cloth after abhishekam in panchamrutham. After wards, Vigneswara, Lakshmi, Parvathi, Siva, Navagrahas and Ashta Dikpalakas are worshipped in order. After wards Lord Satyanarayana Swamy is invoked and worshiped. The Satyanarayana prasadam prepared with plantains, cow's milk, cow' ghee, ravva of wheat or sojji and sugar or jaggery is offered to the friends and relatives invited for this sacred Vratham. The priest who conducts the puja is given dakshina. Satyanarayana Vratha katha (legend and about the efficacy of the vratham) is recited and listened to with rapt attention by all including those gathered to witness the Vratham.
" Kathamva srunuyadyasthu pasyedwam vrathamuthamam
thasya nasyanthi papani Satyadeva prasadithaha"
When one cannot perform the vratham , even withnessing the Vratham, or listening to the story would remove the troubles and wash off the sins.
The Satyanarayana Vratham at the temple are generally commenced at 6.00 a.m, and go on upto 6.00p.m,. almost every day. On festival day vrathams have to be conducted even in the nights in spite of elaborate arrangements in spacious halls for as many as 2000 Vrathams at a time. The devotees who want to perform pay the requisite fees for the Satyanarayana Vratham, purchase the tickts and get ready for the Satyanarauana Vratham. They are allowed halls where everything is kept ready . A purohit (Pujari) comes to each seat and attends to the reciting of the sankalpam (purpose of the Vratham along with the name, gothram, etc., of the performer). After wards, the purohit stands at the head of the rows and dictates to the performers the detailed process with manthras, etc., as they go on doing the worship to his instructions. Thus the Vratham or puja is conducted by batches of devotees at a time. This is somewhat interesting feature here.
