KrishNAshtakam Posting by Sri Shree

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Shree : It was so enjoyable to read

Adhi Sankara"s text on KrishNAshtakam and the excellent

translation of the verses . It is a splendid eulogy

of Sri KrishNA . Adhi SankarA was born at Kalady , which is not

too far from Sri GuruvAyUrappan's ( Sri KrishNan 's ) temple.

His mother was a great devotee of Sri KrishNA ( VishNU

Bhakthai ) . At one time , when Adhi SankarA was criss-crossing

India , he was passing over the temple of GuruvAyUrappan ,

whose uthsava mUrtham was being taken around in

the traditional seevALi procession . Adhi sankarA did not

pay attention and continued with his aereal travel . sudenly ,

he lost power and momentum and was hurled down at the feet

of the Lord . He recognized his apachAram to the supreme Lord

and is said to have composed this ashtakam . It could also

have been composed on another occasion .

 

Adhi SankarA's devotion to Sriman NaarAyaNA is pretty well

documented . His successors even today at the four peetams

end their Srimukhams with NaarAyaNa smrithi . Their reverence

for Lord NarasimhA is also linked with this great AchAryA's

reverecne for the Lord of Naarasimha Vapu : . This AcharyA's

reverence for Sri VishNU poured out in his Sri VishNu sahasra

Naama Bhashyam .

 

I want to refer to a wonderful sthothram by Adhi SankarA as a

measure of gratitude to Sri Shree's posting of KrishNAshtakam .

That is " The Sri VishNu bhujngam " set in the Bhujanga PrayAtha

metre . These 18 slokAs contain great choices of words to

offer salutation to VishNu and His consort Sri Devi .

 

The occasion for this Bhujangam was the time , when his mother

was on her last moments. The loyal son inspite of his acceptance

of SanyAsAsramam had promised to be near her during her last

moments. He composed and sang Sri Siva Bhujangam

requesting Lord SivA to receive her in Siva sAyujyam . The AchAryA

appealed to Lord SivA in the 20th verse this way :

 

" When I hear the terrifying call /song of the Lord of death

( Yama DevA ) , and the frightening rattle of the skulls in

the garlands of his servants , O Lord , come on Your

majestic bull with your retinue and ask YamA not to frighten

Your devotee ( Adhi SankarA's mother )" .

 

Lord SivA responded to the request of His amsa-bhoothar

along with the Siva GaNAs at Kaladi by the bed side of

AryAmbhA , the mother of Adhi SankarA . She was however

terrified by the sight of Siva -dhUthAs and begged her son to

withhold them . Suddenly , the son remembered that his

mother was a great devotee of Sri KrishNA . Then , he composed

Sri VishNu bhujangam and immediately , the attendants of

VishNu attired in resplendent pithAmbharams ,shining crowns

and fragrant garlands appeared before AryAmbha and gracefully

led her soul to Sri VaikunTam . Thus was born the beautiful

Sri VishNU Bhujangam of Adhi SankarA .

 

His choice of words are salutations to the supermacy of

Srman NaarAyaNA as the Supreme Brahman . In the first

slokam already , he salutes Him as " Thureeyam param

Brahma yam Veda Tasmai NamOsthu " . In the eighth slokam ,

he offers his praNAmams this way : Parasmai parEbhyOpi

tasmai namOsthu " ( Let my salutations be to Him , who

is beyond all beyonds ) .

 

The tenth slokam is simply brilliant in his mood as a saraNAgathA .

 

sareeram kalathram sutham bhandhuvargam

vayasyam dhanam sathma bhruthyam bhuvam cha I

samastham PARTITHYAJYA haa kashtamEvam

gamishyAmi du:kkEna dhooram kilAham II

 

( Meaning ) : Having abandoned forever my body consciousness ,

wife , children , kith and kin , friends , wealth , servants ,

I come to slaute You and I will seek YOU and You ALONE .

 

I will conclude with the 16 th and 17th slokAs , which are

again echoes of the beautiful anubhavam of Adhi SankarA

of Sriman NaarAyaNA :

 

namasthE JagannAtha ! VishNO ! namasthE

namasthE gadhA chakrapANE ! namasthE I

namasthE PRAPANNAARTHIHAARIN ! namsthE

samasthAparAdham KshamasvaakilEsa II

 

(Meaning ) : I offer my salutations to the Lord of the universe ,

the limitless , the bearer of disc , mace, remover of the sufferings

of His devotees , forgiver of all my trespasses and omissions ,

the Lord of ALL .

 

mukhE mandhahAsam nakhE chandrabhAsam

karE charuchakram surEsadhivandhyam I

bhujangE sayAnam bhajE padhmanAbham

Hareranyadhaivam na ManyE na ManyE II

 

(meaning ) : He is the one with a resplendent smile

on His face , with nails having the luste of the moon ,

with a disc adorning His hand and is worshipped by

the Lord of DevAs . He is one that reclines on the serpent

bed with BrahmA on His navel lotus . Him and Him alone

I worship . I do not consider any other than Hari as God at all .

 

That is the memory wave generated by the beautiful

posting of Sri Shree KumAr .

 

Oppiliappan Kovil VaradAchAri Sadagopan