This Sunday we have a story from Deivathin Kural(Voice of God). Let us go straight away
to the story.
During coronation ceremony(பட்டாபிஷேகம்), Rama gave many gifts like gold to Vaanaras and Rakshasas who had helped Rama in many ways to get back Sita.
Though Rama had done a great favor to Sugriva and Vibhishana by making them kings, he still wanted to give them some more. It was his virtue. Rama thought that gold was not enough for Vibhishana. He thought of giving something more than gold. There was a lot of difference between Sugriva and Vibhishana. Vibhishana was a real Surrenderer as he didn't have any expectations. Vibhishana left his own brother to help Rama. But Sugriva befriended Rama to get back his wife Tara and get back the kingdom from Vali.
Rama protected Vibhishana as he surrendered to him. He didn't think Vibhishana must be coming with a plan to help Ravana. Such was the virtue of Rama and Vibhishana. For these reasons, Rama wanted to give something more to Vibhishana. So, he gave his family's idol, Sri Ranganatha to Vibhishana. He advised Vibhishana not to keep the idol down anywhere. If it is kept down, it cannot be moved and permanently gets rooted to the ground.
Vibhishana started his journey to Lanka. He went Southwards from Ayodhya and he reached the river Kaveri in Tamil nadu. Lord Vinayaka was just seeing all these. The lord thought "How can Lord Vishnu go from holy India, holy Tamilnadu, and holy Kaveri". He wanted Vibhishana to keep the idol down in that place. Lord Vinayaka disguised himself as a Brahmachari (ப்ரஹ்மசாரி). At that time, Vibhishana wanted to take bath in the holy river Kaveri.
As Rama told not to keep the idol down at any place, Vibhishana wanted someone to hold the idol till he completes his bath. At that time, he saw the Brahmachari(ப்ரஹ்மசாரி),
who was none other than Lord Vinayaka. Vibhishana gave the idol to him and told him not to keep it down. The Brahmachari said "If I cannot hold it, I will call you 3 times. If you don't come after 3 calls, I would keep it down".
Vibhishana accepted the condition. He then went to bath. The Brahmachari called Vibhishana 3 times, but he couldn't come within the time as he called him very fast.
The Brahmachari then kept the idol down and the idol was deeply rooted to the ground.
Vibhishana tried to lift the idol but in vain.
Vibhishana got very angry. He wanted to hit the Brahmachari on his head. The Brahmachari started running. Vibhishana also chased him. As he was Lord Vinayaka, he couldn't be caught. Can anyone be able to catch the lord? Was Yashoda able to tie Lord Krishna?
The Brahmachari ran to the mountain peak and showed his real form. He said to Vibhishana "Don't worry, Vibhishana. Even though there is no practice of keeping Lord Vishnu's idol facing south, I have kept it facing southwards(facing Lanka) so that Lord Vishnu will be showering his blessings to your kingdom".
This is how Lord Ranganatha landed at Srirangam. The mountain peak where Vinayaka ran to escape from Vibhishana is now Rockfort Temple.
