The Glory of the Foremost Kṣetra
Śrī Raṅgam Māhātmyam refers to the scriptural celebration of Śrīraṅgam's status as the supreme Divya Desam — the foremost of all 108 sacred temples. This māhātmyam (account of greatness) is found in the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇam, the Skanda Purāṇam, and in sthala-purāṇas (local temple legends) specific to Śrīraṅgam.
Key Claims of the Māhātmyam
The Śrīraṅgam māhātmyam asserts: (1) Śrīraṅgam is Vaikuṇṭha itself descended to earth — the Lord chose to remain at Śrīraṅgam for the benefit of all souls; (2) a single sight of Ranganātha removes the karma of many births; (3) dying at Śrīraṅgam guarantees liberation; (4) the earth of Śrīraṅgam is itself sacred; (5) even animals that die near Śrīraṅgam attain higher births.
Historical Significance
Śrīraṅgam's centrality in Sri Vaishnava history is unparalleled: Nāthamuni, Āḷavantār, Rāmānuja, Piḷḷai Lokācārya, and Maṇavāḷa Māmunigal all lived, taught, and composed at Śrīraṅgam. The temple itself survived multiple Sultanate invasions and was progressively restored — stories of devotee heroism in protecting the deity during invasions are part of the living māhātmyam.
Ācārya Praise
Beyond scriptural māhātmyam, the Āzhvārs' hundreds of pasurams on Ranganātha constitute a devotional māhātmyam that surpasses all prose accounts. Nammāzhvār, Toṇḍaraḍippoḍi Āzhvār, Tiruppāṇ Āzhvār, and Tirumaṅkai Āzhvār in particular created an inexhaustible treasury of Śrīraṅgam celebration.