Blessing the Sacred Shrines
Divyadeśa Maṅgaḷāśāsanam extends the spirit of Periyāzhvār's Thiruppallāṇḍu to all 108 Divya Desams: just as Periyāzhvār prayed for the well-being and glory of the Lord in His archa form, devotees pray for the flourishing, protection, and continued worship of each of the 108 sacred temples.
The Āzhvārs' Relationship with Divya Desams
Each of the 108 Divya Desams was personally visited (or in some cases, visited through divine vision) by one or more of the twelve Āzhvārs. They composed mangalāśāsana pasurams — blessings, praises, and prayers — for the deity of each kṣetra. These pasurams, collected in the Nālāyira Divya Prabandham, constitute the scriptural mangalāśāsanam for each Divya Desam.
The Continuing Practice
Every recitation of these pasurams is itself an act of divyadeśa maṅgaḷāśāsanam — re-offering the blessing across time. In Sri Vaishnava temples, the daily recitation of the relevant kṣetra-specific pasurams serves this function. Pilgrims who visit each of the 108 Divya Desams in sequence (the 'Divya Desam yātrā') are performing the most complete physical expression of this practice.
The 108 Divya Desams
Of the 108 Divya Desams, 106 are in India (primarily in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and a few in North India), one is in Nepal (Muktināth), and one is in the divine realm (Tirupaṛkkaṭal/Kṣīrasāgara — the cosmic milk ocean). The number 108 is itself auspicious, corresponding to the names in many traditional aṣṭottaranāmāvalīs.