Rama is the devotee of Sri Ranganatha - story of SriRangam

[Viraja]

The Ranga Vimana at SriRangam has been brought over from Sathyaloka - it is none other than the Vimana worshipped by Brahma deva himself and by Vivaswan - the Sun god who did daily puja of the Lord. It was King Iksavaku, of the Iksavaku kula who, by his severe penance, brought the Ranga vimana to Ayodhya which was worshipped by Rama's ancestors and by Rama throughout his life. At the end of his life, Rama gave the Ranga Vimana to Vibheeshana to be taken to SriLanka with the instruction that he should not put it down on ground anywhere in between. But, on clever lila (playful act) performed by Ganesha in the form of a little boy, Vibheeshana ends up setting the vimana on ground in SriRangam, from which it could not be moved later. This is because of the devotion of a certain great devotee of Ranganatha, namely Dharmavarma, who had done many austerities to procure the great Ranga Vimana to SriRangam. Thus, the Ranga Vimana came to be placed in SriRangam and it will be there till the end of the cycles (kali yuga) upon which it will return back to Satyaloka.

http://poetryinstone.in/lang/en/2008/10/16/origins-of-the-srirangam-vimana-story-in-sculpture.html

[Viraja]

The reason I posted this thread is because I hear time and again in this site that Sri Rama was the perfect devotee of Shiva - when I have repeatedly heard Sri Rama's devotion to Sri Ranganatha and the care with which he devotedly worshipped Sri Ranganatha each day in his life... Sure, I do know Rama worshipped Shiva both before his war with Ravana, as well as after killing slaying Ravana to get rid of Brahma Hathya dosha. But if you look at the kshetra-purana of 'ThirunAngUr', Lord Shiva too, after plucking out the 5th head of Brahma, to get rid of Brahma hathya dosha worshipped Sriman Narayana, who gave darshan to him in 'ekAdasA' forms (11 forms) and helped Lord Shiva get rid of Brahma Hathya dosha.

http://indiatempletour.blogspot.com/2012/05/108-divya-desams-thiru-semponsei-kovil.html

[philosoraptor]

Yes, the idea of Rama being the devotee of Shiva is nowhere stated in the Valmiki-Ramayana. During the pushpa-vimana ride back from Lanka, there is a verse indicating that Rama got the blessings of Shiva at some location in between Lanka and the tip of the mainland, but what actually happened there is not spelled out in the story. In Ayodhya, it is very clear that Rama and Sita worshipped at a temple of Vishnu, and as you pointed out, this Deity is understood by legend to be the same Deity who is the Lord of Sri Rangam..

[Viraja]

Thank you, Philosoraptor. Owing to my love of Sri Vishnu, I would love to procure honor to him, when I perceive he is not viewed upon accordingly, all within the limits of what is truly stated by way of Kshetra-puranas and ithihasas. I appreciate your reply.