Title: Shri Venkateshwara
Author: Harivilas Das Maharaj
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: 2024
Language: English
Format: Paperback
Pages: 125
Shri Venkateshwara (full title often rendered as SHRI VENKATESHWARA) is a devotional book by His Holiness Harivilas Das Maharaj (HH Harivilas Das or Hari Vilas Das), a senior ISKCON sannyasi and preacher.
It focuses on Lord Venkateshwara (also known as Balaji or Venkateshvara), the presiding Deity of the famous Tirumala Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh, India. The book presents the glories, history, significance, and devotional mood associated with this form of Lord Vishnu (often understood in Gaudiya Vaishnava perspective as a manifestation of Krishna or Vishnu-tattva).
The book serves as an accessible introduction and devotional tribute to Śrī Venkateshwara Swamy. It covers:
The divine appearance and transcendental pastimes of Lord Venkateshwara on Venkatachala Hill (Tirumala).
The historical and legendary background of the Tirupati temple, including stories of how the Deity manifested and the significance of the sacred site.
Philosophical insights into why Lord Vishnu appeared in this particular form — as the giver of boons, the remover of obstacles, and the bestower of mercy in the Kali-yuga.
Devotional practices associated with Venkateshwara, such as the importance of darshan, tonsure (hair offering), laddoo prasadam, and climbing the seven hills as a form of surrender.
Connections between Venkateshwara worship and broader Vaishnava bhakti, including how this worship aligns with chanting the holy names and surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The tone is straightforward, inspirational, and practical — blending scriptural references, Puranic stories, and Harivilas Maharaj’s characteristic lecture-style explanations. It helps readers (devotees and newcomers alike) develop appreciation and faith in Lord Balaji while understanding the deeper spiritual meaning behind one of India’s most visited pilgrimage sites.
This title fits with Harivilas Maharaj’s other practical and devotional books (such as Life’s Problems and Solutions, Metaphysical Questions of Life, and teachings on Kali-yuga), which apply Vedic wisdom to everyday life and popular Hindu traditions.
