KamasikhAshtakam of Swami Desikan--Part 1

[Guest guest]

A half mile away in the South Easterly direction

of Thuppul( the birth place of Swami Desikan ),

lies the Divya Desam of ThiruveLLukkai , where

Kama Aasikaa Narasimhan is the presiding deity. He is

also known as Mukunda Nayakan.

 

Swami Desikan composed a beautiful Ashtakam in honor

of this Narasimhan, who is sitting in a Yogic posture on

the southern side of Vegavathi river. This Archa Murthy has been

the object of earlier Mangalasaasanam by Pey Azhwaar through three

pasurams of the Third Thiruvanthadhi and one pasuram line of

Thirumangai in his Periya Thirumadal.

 

At ThiruveLLUkkai, the Moolavr sits in the middle of the temple tank

known as Kanaka Pushkarini .He is not easily approachable

for worship. The Uthsavar and His Piratti (ThiruveLLUkkai Valli )

are standing under the Kanaka Vimanam.

The Moolavar (Kamaasikhaa Narasimhan ) is seated

in the Yoga Pose known as Paryanga Bhandham . The Lord of

this Divya Desam got his name Kamaasikaa Narasimhan because

he chose the banks of Vegavathi out of his own desire/sankalpam

(Kama ) to be seated (Aasikaa) on the banks of the Vegavathi river.

The Tamil name of Thiru VelLLukkai follows this Sanskritic nomenclature.

The shorter name of VeLLukkai stands for VeL Veeru Irukkai. The word VeL

relates to the Kama or svat Sankalpam aspect of the Lord's own

desire to sit (Veeru Irukkai ) at this Divya Desam. Swami Desikan says

that Narasimhan left Sri Vaikuntam out of His own will and chose to

sit on the sandy banks of Vegavathi at ThiruveLLUkkai Kshetram.

 

Swami Desikan"s eight slokams (Ashtakam )and the pala

sruthi slokam are marvels of poetry. For these nine slokas,

Swami Desikan chose six different meters to celebrate the

movement of Narasimha Bhagavan as he went about HIs

Avathara Kaaryam .The six meters and the number of slokas

associated with them are shown in Paranthesis:

 

1. Anushtub (Slokas 1&2 )

2.Aryaa ( Slokas 3&4 )

3.Sardhoola Vikriditham (Sloka 5 )

4.Prithvee (Slokas 6& 7 )

5.Oupachandasikham (Sloka 8)

6.Vasantha Tilakaa (Pala Sruthi Slokam 9) .

 

The essence of these Ashtakam is that Kamaasikha

Narasimhan has the following celebrated attributes:

 

1. He is the embodiment of the principles saluted by

Narasimha Taapaneeya Upanishad.

 

2.He has three Eyes representing Suryan, Chandran and Agni.

 

3.He prefers this site over his original residence, Sri Vaikuntam.

 

4.He is seated in the Yogic posture of Paryanga Peetam.

 

5.His hands are equally eager to protect devotees and to

destroy their enemies.

 

6.His eyes simultaneously have the attributes of being

ferocious to Hiranyan and cool to His devotee, Prahlada.

 

7. He is the Sarva Rakshakan and there is nothing to

fear as long as He protects us.

 

Verse 1 : PLACE OF RESIDENCE OF

THE WONDOROUS NARASIMHAN

 

SRUTEENAAM UTTARAM BHAGAM

VEGAVATHYAASCCHA DAKSHINAM I

KAAMAATH ADHIVASAN JEEYAATH

KASCCHITH ADHBHUTA kESAREE II

 

Here Swami Desikan describes the Bhagavaan as

"Kascchit Adhbhuta Kesari" . This incomparable form of

the Lord with a Lion's face and human body is indeed

awesome and full of wonders. Hence it is a Adbhuta

Kesari(Lion). It is neither Lion nor man. This Adhbhuta

Kesari is celebrated in the last section of the Vedas (ie) in

the Upanishads as suggested by Swami Desikan through

the Choice of Words , "Srutheenaam Uttaram Bhagam ".

He chose out of his own volition the site of ThiruveLLukkai and

resides there on the southern bank of Vegavathi river

as indicated by the stotra Vaakyams( Kaamaath Vegavathyaa:

Dakshinam cha Adhivasan ).Swami offers his Mangalaasaasanam

to this Adbhuta Kesari and hails him to thrive there

(Jeeyaath) in His supreme glory . May this Kamaasika Narasimhan known

for his infallibility in protecting his devotees thrive at ThiruveLLukkai is

the

prayer of the Acharya.

 

VERSE 2: PRAYER FOR THE REMOVAL OF

THE THREE KINDS OF AFFLICTIONS

 

TAPANA INDU AGNI NAYANA:

TAAPAAN APACHINOTHU NA: I

TAAPANEEYA RAHASYAANAAM

SAARA: KAMAASIKHAA HARI: II

 

Swami Desikan reveals to us that Kamaasilkhaa

Narasimhan has three eyes , which are in the form

of the Sun, Moon and Agni. He says that the Lord

of this Divya Desam is the essence of the secrets

revealed by Nrusimha Taapaneeya Upanishad.

Swami prays for the Lord to banish the three kinds of

Taapas (afflictions) of all of us with His three eyes.

The three afflictions are Aadhyaatmikam (physical ills,

fear, anger, dsire et al), Aadhi Bhowdikham ( Ills caused by

animals and humans) and Aadhi Daivikam (Cold , heat ,

storms, rains et al ).

 

VERSE 3 : SALUTATIONS TO KANTIRAVAN

 

AAKUNTAM AADHI PURUSHAM KANTIRAVAM

UPARI KUNTITHA AARAADHITAM I

VEGAA UPAKANTA SANGHATH

VIMUKTHA VAIKUNTA BAHUMATHIM UPAASEH II

 

The Lord of ThiruveLLukkai has the face of the Lion

above his neck and the form of the ancient Purusha

below the neck. I salute that extraordinary form of

Kamasikhaa Narasimhan, who destroyed Hiranyan

and chose the region on the banks of Vegavathi for

his permanent residence and in that process skipped

over the established glories of Sri Vaikuntam.

 

VERSE 4: EULOGY TO NARASIMHAN

 

BHANTHUM AKILASYA JANTHOH:

BHANDHURA PARYANKA BHANDHA RAMANEEYAM I

VISHAMA VILOCHANAM EEDEH

VEGAVATHEE PULINA KELI NARASIMHAM II

 

Swami Desikan praises Narasimhan of this Kshethram,

who loves to play on the sand banks of the river Vegavathi.

He recognizes the Lord as the kith and kin of all living beings.

He visualizes the Lord as sitting firmly in the Yoga Posture

known as Parynaga Bhandham.He also pays his tribute to the

Vishama Vilochanam of the Lord . Vishama Vilochanam can mean both

odd numbered eyes (Three here ) and the eyes , which are distinctly

different in their attributes ( Hot Sun , Cool Moon and resplendent Agni ).

 

V.Sadagopan