If “Kousalya Supraja Rama” is a waking up song for Lord Rama sung by Sage Viswamithra, then why is it recited in Tirumala in front of Swamy Venkatachalapathi Swamy?
That is because Swamy Sri Venkatachalapathi at Tirumala, like Sri Rama, is also a form of Sri Mahavishnu. Therein lies the congruence between the two.
Saints-devotees like Sri Annamacharya, Sri Purandaradasa, the Azhwars, etc., have eulogised the Lord as Sri Mahavishnu, and His spouse, Sri Alarmel Mangamma (Sri Padmavathi Devi) as Sri Mahalakshmi. Sri Annamacharya, especially, has coalesced all the forms of Sri Mahavishnu into Sri Venkateshwara.
So, it is not out of place that Prativadibhayankaram Annangaracharya — the composer — has included the “Kausalyāsuprajā…” from the Ramayana as the first verse in his Venkateshwara-suprabhata.
K.V. Venugopal
