Nrusimha jayanthi :1998-- Part 3

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Dear Nrusimha BhakthAs :

 

Nava narasimhAs

****************

 

In the earlier posting , we referred to Ahobilam as

the Nava Narasimha KshEthram . We discussed the mahimai

(the glories ) of prahalada Varadan of Lower Ahobilam temple

in that posting. The nine others on upper and lower hills are :

(1) Bhargava narasimhan (2) YogAnanda Narasimhan (3)Chathravata

Narasimhan (4) Ugra or Ahobila Narasimhan (5) Krodaakara Or

Varaha Narasimhan (6) Kaaranja Narasimhan (7)Malola Narasimhan

(8) JwaalA narasimhan and (9) Paavana Narasimhan .

 

1 .Bhaargava Narasimhan

************************

 

Each of the nine Narasimha MUrthis have their own personalities .

For Instance , Bhargava Narasimhan worshipped by Bhaargava Raaman

( Paasu Raaman ) is angry looking . Near by the temple of

this Narasimhan , Parasu Raaman performed penance on the banks

of Bhargava theertham ( pond ) . The site is two kilometers

from the Lower Ahobilam temple . Swami Desikan's mangalAsAsanam

of Bhargava Raaman is " KrOdhAgnim Jamadagni peetana bhavam

santharpayishyan kramath--- ( This Lord , who killed 21

geenrations of KshathriyAs to appease the flames of anger

over his father , Sage Jamadagni's , murder by a king ) .

Thus , Bhargava Narasimhan worshipped by ParasurAman is older

than RaamAvathAram .Later Dasaratha Raaman came to Ahobilam

on the southward journey and worshipped MalOlan and composed

Sri Nrusimha PanchAmrutha SthOthram .

 

2 .Yogaananda Narasimhan

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He is seated with Yoga Pattai as at number of other

Nrusimha Divya desams sung by the AzhwArs . The bliss

coming from yoga samadhi is written largely on His

beautiful face. This is the Naarasimha Vapu: SrimAn ,

who is saluted by the VishNu Sahasra Naamam : Om SadhA

YoginE nama the One who is forever awake watching over

His bahkthAs ) .He is the one saluted by the NaamAs

18-24 of Sri VishNu Sagasra naamams :

 

yOgO yOgavidAm nEthA pradhAna: PurushEsvara:

Naarasimha Vapu: SrimAn kEsava: PurushOtthama :

 

Everything related to Sri Narasimhan in general

and YogAnanda Narasimhan is right here . YogA menas that

He is the Supreme MEANS for Moksham .As SvetasvatAra

Upanishad points out , " parAmruthAth

parimuchyanthi sarvE " . Mukthi prApyathvam is only

thru His grace . He is the Moksha hEthu (means for

Salvation ) known as yOgA .

 

He is the leader (nEthA ) among those , who know

the rigors of Yogic practise ( YogavdAm nEthA ) ;

He is the nirvAhan for them .This YogAnanda Narasimhan

is the PradhAna PurushEsvaran ( the Master of the primordial

matter and the Jeevans (PurushAs ) .He unites the chnaging

Prakrithi and the unchanging Jeevans thru His maayA .

He is the IsvarA for the Sarva BhUthams .That is His KrretA

( play ) . He has the Narasimha Vapu : ( possesses the body

of a man and the head of a Lion ) and sits practising

YogA as YogAnanda Narasimhan at Ahobilam .That He has

a Lovely form inspite of His fear-provoking Jaws and manes

is indicated by the sahasranAma Salutation : " SrimAn " .

He is also Kesavan with the lovely locks of hair

( Pidari Mayir around His face and neck ) , as we have

His darsanam as YogAnanda Narasimhan at a distance of

2 Kilometers South-East of lower AhObilam temple .He has

a sweet smile and rsts His left hand on His left thigh .

 

3.Chathravata Narasimhan

**************************

We have the darsanam of this MUrthy at the bottom

of a peepal tree surrounded by thorny bushes .Chathram

means umbrella or a cover .Vatam means the white Basil

( peepal tree) . The symbolic reference here is to the 827th

sahasranAmam of our Lord : Om nyagrOdhumbaraya Nama: " .

Bhagavan Chathra Vata Narasimhan with His extended

Abhaya hastham is both NyagrOdhAn and Udumbaran .

He is NyagrOdhan because He is anchored at the foot of

a tree with side branches ( vizhuthu vittu nirpathu pOl )

and is prevented from going elsewhere by the BhakthAs

standing below Him praying for His darsanam . He is

the Udumbaran because He is the supreme abode

(ud+ambaran ) with the most auspicious guNAs ( kalyAna

GuNAs ) and riches including Sri Devi and His Vaikunta

ParivArams . This Udumbaran (supreme One ) is yet

reachable by the lowliest ones because of His soulabhyam .

Such is the glory of the Lord seated on the wayside

under the glory of His umbrella ( Chathra Vata Varadha

Narasimhan) .

 

4. AhObila Narasimhan

**********************

 

On upper AhObilam , at a distance of 8 Kilometers

from PrahlAdha Varadan Sannidhi , we have the darsanam

of this Svayambhu mUrthy known as Ugra Narasimhan .

The sixth Azhagiya Singar of Ahobila Mutt peetam

was a siddhi purushan of Ugra Narasimha Manthram .

He composed Nrusimha Sthavam on this Lord.He is revered

as Sri Shashta ParAnkusa Yatheendhra mahA Desikan .

He is said to have walked into a cave nearby and never

returned . The twenty fifth Azhagiya Singar of

AhObila Mutt paramparai had similar manthra sakthi

and is revered as Sri Srinivasa Yatheendhra MahA desikan .

In this line of Ugra Narasimha Manthra UpAsakaas came

the 28th simhAsanAdhipathi ( Sri Ranganatha Yatheendhra

MahA Desikan ) , the 33th Azhagiya Singhar ( Sri SatakOpa

Yatheendhra MahA dEsikan ) and the 40th Azhagiya Singar

( Sri Ranganatha SatakOpa Yatheendhra Mahaa dEsikan ) .

 

5. KrOdAkaara ( VarAha ) Narasimhan

************************************

 

One Kilometer away from Ugra Narasimhan Sannidhi

is located VarAha Narasimha Swamy"s temple at upper

AhObilam.His ThirumEni is covered with Manjal ( Turmeric

powder ) and and Kumkumam and wild flowers of the forest .

Infront of Him are Akal ViLakkus . The simplicity of

the Lord with the face of a VarAham accompanied by

Mahaa Lakshmi is a beautiful sight .

 

The relvance of VarAha mukam on Lakshmi Nrusimhan

can be guessed from the 8 Sri VishNu Sahasra Naamams

starting with " MahA varahO and ending with Chakra

GadhA Dhara :

 

mahAvarAhO Govindha: sUshENa: kanakaangadhee I

guhyO gabhirO gahanO Guptha: Chakra gadhAdhara: II

 

He is the MahA varAhan , who lifted the Earth from the nether-

world with His tusk and emerged as a great blue mountain .

He is the One , who gave us the MahA VarAha Prapatthi

slOkam asuring that He will come to the rescue

of His bhakthAs , when they lie senseless like stone

or wood during the last moments of their lives .

 

As Govindhan , He rescued ( vinda )Earth ( gO ) as

Govindhan .As Su-sEnan or the One , who is equipped

with an efficient army-like body . It helps Him tear

apart the enemies of His BhakthAs ( the offending

HiraNyan , who tormented PrahlAdhan ). Those arms also

lifts His BhakthAs like PrahlAdhan . He is Guhyan or

concelaed as VisvAntharyAmi in every blade of grass and stone .

He came out of the pillar of HiraNyan's palace as

SthambhOthvan . He is Narasimha Garbham in the Guhyaa

state .

 

He is Gahanan , whose qualities and sankalpams

are unfathomable .He is also Gupthan or is the hidden

One in our heart caves. He is chakra-gadhAdharan and

is the Sriman Narasimha VarAhan ( KrOdhAkAra Narasimhan )

with Sudarsanam and gathai(mace ) in His hands .

 

6.Kaaranja Narasimhan

**********************

 

The Sannidhi for Kaaranja Narasimhan is not too far

from that of Ugra Narasimhan . Here sits the Lord in

PadmAsanam poisture with a welcoming smile under

the shade of the hood of Adi Seshan . The mUla BhEram

is installed under a Kaaranja tree and therefore He is

known as Kaaranja Narasimhan .

 

7. MaalOla Narsimhan

**********************

 

Two kilometers away from Ugra narasimhan sannidhi

is the AsthAnam of MaalOlan or the Supreme One beloved by

Lakshmi ( Sri Lakshmi Narasimhan ) .He is the one, who jumped

into the hands of the First Jeeyar of AhObila Matam ,

who established this Matam on direct command of

BhagavAn Narasimhan Himself. He is the AarAdhana mUrthy of

the AhObila Matam Jeeyars and travels with them on

their sanchArams around India . He is seen at the silver

mantapam of the Ahobila Matam sannidhi .We will refer to

the union of this Aradhana mUrhty of Ahobila matam

with the mUla BhEram of MalOlan on top of Ahobilam hills later .

 

8. JwAlA Narasimhan

********************

 

This mUrthy is at a temple on a hill called

AchalAchaya Meru that is four kilometers from

Ugra Narasimha Swamy . This is considered the spot ,

where Lord NarasimhA's anger grew to the highest level

during and after the tearing apart of HiraNyan .

 

There are three mUrthams at this sannidhi . At

the center is the JwAlA Narasimhan with Garudan

at His feet . He is holding HiraNyan's head and

ankles with one set of hands ; with the third and

fourth hands , He is tearing apart the stomach

of HiraNyan ; with the fifth and the sixth hands ,

He is holding Chakram and Sankham ; with the seventh

and the eighth hands , he is pulling the two strands of

HiraNyan"s intestines up and wearing them as a garland around

His neck .The Uthsava mUrthy of JwAlA Narasimhan is at

the Lower AhObilam temple with 10 hands and is

the most awesome ArchA mUrthy to behold !

 

The second mUrtham on the right side is that of SthambhOthbhavar ,

who is jumping out of the pillar that HiraNyan hit with anger

asking his son as a retort whether VishNu was in that pillar .

Out comes the Lord in a fearsome form that sent a chill

around the spine of HiraNyan .

 

The third mUrtham is that of the Lord chasing and

grabbing HiraNyan , who has a sword on his hand .

The movement of the feet of the Lord is so beautiful

and the stunned look of HiraNyan is so realistic.

The mouth of the Lord is open in rage and one can hear

almost the angry roar that deafened the world .

The impending " calamity " is writ largely in the eyes

of the defiant HiraNyan . You must visit the home pages

created lovingly by Sri Dileepan to fully appreciate the beauty

of this Lord , who jumped out of the Pillar on demand ,

chased the arrogant asuran and tore him apart in anger .

 

9. Paavana Narasimhan

***********************

 

Near JwaalA Narasimhan Sannidhi , Paavana Narasimhan

is located right on the banks of the Paavana river.

Paavanam means pure and sacred . Nothing can be more

sacred than the charithram of the Vaikunta Kanteeravan .

He is the one worshipped as Om PavithrAya nama:

He is Purity incarnate. He is also saluted as

" Om Parasmai MangaLaaya nama:" .He is He is the embodiment

of Supreme Auspiciousness and Purity .He is "atharangam

anirdEsyam apadhAnandha LakshaNam ( bliss incarnate , whose

nature is steady , indefinable and indescribable ).

Pavaana Narasimhan sits on the banks of the cool river

in a tranquil state , steady and motionless .He is sweet as

the nectar ( sAntham anudhAdhAtham atharangam

t*ruptham amrutham Param Brahama SvarUpam ) .

 

The Union of the Uthsava MaalOlan with the Moolavar

****************************************************

 

Some six hundred years ago and a few years

after Swami Desikan's ascent to Sri Vaikuntam ,

Adi VaNN SatakOPa Jeeyar was initiated into

SanyAsAsramam by BhagavAn Narasimhan Himself at

AhObilam . At that time , when the first Jeeyar

wondered about which of the nine Narasimhaa will

be his ArAdhana MUrthy , MaalOlan jumped into

his hands and has been travelling ever since

with every Jeeyar of Ahobila Matam. For many

years , the mUla MUrthy and the travelling

ArchA mUrthy did not offer their darsanam

together like in the days before , when the Uthsavar

jumped into the hands of Sri Adi VaNN

SatakOpa Jeeyar and descend from the AhObilam hills

to visit His bahkthAs . Many years went by .The mUla

BHEram had to wait for a few ceturies for a reunion

with the Uthsava mUrhty and their joint ArAdhanam

by the Ahobila Matam Jeeyars .

 

The first of this great Union happened during November 26 , 1992.

Since that historic time , there have been seven

sErthis ( Reunions) initiated by the Current Jeeyar of

AhObila Mutt , Sri NarAyaNa Yatheendra MahA Desikan .

These dates of reunion at Ahobilam hills are :

 

First : November 26, 1992 ( Year Aangeerasa , Month Kaarthikai)

Second : March 2, 1993 ( Aangeerasa Maasi Month )

Third : October 3, 1993 ( Srimuka Purattasi Month )

Fourth: March 20, 1994 ( Srimuka Panguni Month )

Fifth : October 8, 1996 ( Yuva PurattAsi Month )

Sixth : March 9, 1997 (DhAthru Maasi Month )

Seventh :March 8, 1998 ( Isvara Maasi Month )

 

Blessed are those , who climbed these sacred hills

with Sri Azhagiya Singar and had SamAsrayaNams

and BaranyAsams in front of the Uthsava and mUla

BhEra MaalOlans .

 

ahO Veeryam ahO Souryam

ahO Baahuparakrama:

Naarasimham param dhaivam

ahObilam ahO Balam

 

NamO Nava NarasimhAya ,

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan