Daasoham...

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavathas

 

I just returned from India after spending nearly 6 weeks in Chennai,

mostly on my research work. I am writing this to share a few reflections

from this trip, specially on three bhagyams that we have received during

this trip.

 

a. Ramayana

 

The first one is the bhagyam of being able to attend Ramayana kalakshepam

by Sriman U. Ve. Velukkudi Krishnan for nine days as part of Sri Rama

Navami celebrations. As it was arranged for people from all walks of

life, Sri Krishnan swamy presented the Ramayana with ample and

appropriate quotations from the works of alwars. The audience were simply

spellbound. To add to that bhagyam, on the last day of the discourses,

His Holiness 45th Jeear of Ahobila Mutt graced the function and conducted

the sattumurai and also dolotsavam. On that day, the entire ground of

that school was packed with devotees.

 

b. Panguni Uttiram at Srirangam

 

The second bhagyam was to attend the Panguni Uttiram festival in

Srirangam. In the forenoon was the purappadu of Namberumal's beautiful

pallaku accompanied by gaja, vrishabha, turagadi senai and bhakta koti.

Thereafter, His eagerness to arrive at Thayar's sannidhi was reflected in

the way the Lord proceeded in the path through the garden (connecting

Chakrathalwar's sannidhi and thayar sannidhi) -- everyone was running as

fast as one could yet one could not simply keep pace with the Lord's

pallaku. Then was the 'mattayadi' as the doors to the Thayar sannidhi

were shut each time the Lord tries to enter. This process was repeated

four times and each time butter, butter milk, chandanam etc. were thrown

(meant for the Lord but mostly it was on a few bhaktas who were so very

fortunate). Finally, the Arayar swamy arrives in the Tayar Sannidhi and

presents the Lord's version (Perumal arulicheyada prakaram) : The essence

is that the Lord asks that when he has come after going around blessing

all the bhaktas (and in the process getting delayed and also physically

tired) whether Thayar can subject Him to such 'Avamanam' (insult). The

Arayar Swamy's voice was vibrating with emotion and in fact when he

uttered the word avamanam every one in the ghosti could feel the pain.

Thereafter, on behalf of the 'bhandaris', who represent the Thayar,

questions are posed to the Lord why his tiruman has been disturbed and

whether he has been busy blessing bhaktas or whether he was busy at

Uraiyur (a place near Srirangam where the Lord of Srirangam is considered

to be the son in law). On hearing these questions, Araiyar swamy goes to

the Lord (who is still not allowed into the Thayar sannidhi) and

describes the repartee and comes back with Perumal's reply. This process

continued four times and the fourth time, Thayar agreed to allow the Lord

in 'because our Nammalwar has so recommended' (nambal ayya ana Nammalwar

sonnapadiyale ungalai ettrukondom). Thereafter, Perumal and Thayar

proceed to the Panguni Uttira Mandapam (which is adjacent to the Thayar's

sanctum sanctorum) and they give darshan to us as the Punya Dampathis for

several hours. The queue to visit the Lord and Thayar on this unique day

was only increasing as the time passed by.

 

There after, around 11 pm, Gadya trayam was chanted by the ghosti in one

voice. Bhagavad Ramanuja's anugraham is so much that besides the Gadyatrayam

which is 'karnamritam' -- nectar to the ears -- theertham and prasadam

are distributed to the ghosti in the udaivar's sannidhi. By the time one

returns to the Panguni Uttira mandapam, preparations were afoot to

conduct the 18 thirumanjanams to the Lord each time with 6 kalasams (6*18

= 108). The thirumanjanam continued till some after sunrise. The next day

the Lord happily presents Himself to us in Rathotsavam.

 

c. Parthasarathy utsavam :

 

As we returned to Chennai, Parthasarathy perumal's chittirai brahmotsavam

commenced. Due to 'lowkika chintanai' and pressures of work I could not

attend on most days but was able to witness the 'patti ulatal' before the

Lord proceeded to Hanumantha Vahanam. I was able to take a few

photographs and talked to a few of the blessed people who are doing the

kaimkaryam to the Lord. One Mr. Vasan told me of a person from 'America'

who is also taking pictures everyday. (I presume that would be our

beloved and respectful Viji Triplicane and we may hear a more detailed

and informed description of Parthasarathy brahmotsavam from him).

Parthasarthy's rathotsavam is beyond words to describe. There were a few

anctious moments as the Ratha touched the parapet walls while turning

from T.P. Koil street to the Northern side, but the collective will of

everyone who was pulling the Ratha was so strong that it was overcome

without any hastle.

 

d. Malayappa and Thiruvengadamudaiyan.

 

In the Ramayana discourses, Krishnan swamy described Kulasekharalwar's

bhakti towards Srinivasa when he says ' Padiyai kidanthu appavalwai

kanbene'. The meaning of this pasuram keeps coming to the mind during

every second of one's presence in the divine place of Tirumalai. On 4th

May as we reached Thirumalai we were told that Malayappa is in the

'garden' as part of Padmavathi kalyana utsavam which is celebrated over

three days at this time of the year. Of course He is the lord of 'nityo

utsava, pakshotsava, masotsava..'. We could not believe that we would be

so fortunate to be able to get Malayappa's darshan within a few minutes

of arriving in Tirumalai. Malayappa with ubhaya nachiyars on a pallaku

proceeding through the very gardens in which once Anathalwar chased a man

and a women only to find the man escaping leaving the women behind (none

but our Thayar), was an experience beyond description. Hence I will

conclude this bit by completing the Ananthalawar story. Ananthalwar was

doing pushpa kainkaryam to the Lord everyday and one night on hearing

some sound he came to the garden and finding a man and a women doing

sancharam there, he tries to chase them away (as every flower blossoming

on thirumalai is meant only for the Lord). On finding the lady,

Ananthalawar arrested her with the view that the man can be caught now

that his wife is here. Next morning as the Bhattachars open the sannidhi

thayar was found missing and they soon realise what must have happened

and proceed to ananthalwar to explain the situation. Then Ananthalwar

brings back Thayar along with the flowers and presents to the Lord. With

this incidence, Ananthalawar also attains the position of father in law

to the Lord. It seems to commemorate this incident, on the eleventh day

of the Brahmotsavams in Tirumalai, the Lord's procession is taken in

apradakshina called 'back savari'.

 

e. Ramanuja Jayanthi

 

Also during this time, Vadayathi festival is going on for Bhagavad

Ramanuja. I could not attend Sriperumbudur function this year but

attended some discourses arranged in Chennai.

 

 

The reason I have described this rather elaborately is that I feel that

belonging to this group was a bhagyam by itself and was the main reason

for my getting the above said bhagyams. Had I not belonged to this list,

I am sure my mind would have been preoccupied by things material that I

would have not thought of these utsavams of the Lord.

 

Many many thanks to all the learned members of this list for lighting a

jignasa in completely ignorant persons like me.

 

Adiyen Srivaishnava dasan

P.B. Anand