The Portrayal of Śrīraṅgam in Parāśara Bhaṭṭar’s Poems

Why are South Indian temples described in the poetic works of premodern Śrīvaiṣṇavas? What are these temples like, and what roles do they play? In her study, she examines the depiction of one of the most significant temples in both the South Indian context and the Śrīvaiṣṇava religious tradition: Śrīraṅgam. She focuses on Śrīvaiṣṇava compositions that offer some of the most detailed descriptions of the temple and its presiding deity, Śrīraṅganātha, particularly Parāśara Bhaṭṭar’s Śrīraṅgarāja Stava and Śrīraṅganātha Stotra (11th–12th centuries). In addition, she explores references to Śrīraṅgam in key texts composed before and after Parāśara Bhaṭṭar, such as Rāmānuja’s Śrīraṅga Gadya (11th century) and Vedāntadeśika’s Rahasyatrayasāram (14th century), in order to trace both continuity and change. ​​​

She argues that, based on these texts, Śrīraṅgam is quite consistently portrayed as a site characterized by the superiority of purity or sattvaguṇa, which enables the soul’s direct experience of God. In other words, it functions as a tīrtha, a place of crossing that allows those seeking liberation to transcend the cycle of rebirth. Thus, its portrayal serves not only a poetic purpose but also a theological one: it communicates the essential role of Śrīraṅgam as a sacred space in the soul’s soteriological journey.

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