Experiences at the Land Of Divya Desams - 3

[Guest guest]

Sri :

 

Srimate Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Para Brahmane Namaha

 

Srimate Sri Kanakavalli nAyikA sametha Sri-

VeerarAghava Para Brahmane Namaha

 

Srimate ShatagopAya Namaha

 

Srimate Bhagavad RAmAnujAya Namaha

 

Srimate NigamAntha MahAdesikAya Namaha

 

Srimate Sri Lakshmi - Nrusimha Divya PAdukA Sevaka -

Srivan Shatagopa Sri NArAyana Yateendra MahAdesikAya Namaha

 

 

Dear bhaktAs of Sriman NArAyanA,

 

Namo NArAyanA . kindly accept adiyen's pranAmams.

 

--cont--

 

After the sacred darsanam of perumALs at ThiruvaLUr , Tirumalai &

kAnchi, adiyen was mentally tuned much more , for the upcoming prapatti .

 

The following day had the "Bheesma Stuti" upanyAsam by the Ahobila

Mutt AsthAna VidvAn Sri U.Ve. PerukkAranai ChakravarthAchAryA swAmi, at

the ThirumALigai ( divine residence) of the great mahAn Sri U.Ve. Purusai

KrishnamAchAryA , on the eve of the monthly thirunakshatram of the 42nd

patta AzhagiyaSingar (Injimettu AzhagiyaSingar) .

 

Bheeshma Stuti was in the nithya anusandhAnam of Injimettu

Azhagiasingar & was one amongst the Jeeyar's most beloved stutIs/stotrAs

(the reason for keeping the UpanyAsam on this topic ). Sri Perukkaranai

swAmi movingly narrated about his relationships with Injimettu

AzhagiyaSingar , from whom he has learnt many a sampradAya granthAs. SwAmi

recollected the past in which AzhagiyaSingar in deep bhagavad anubhavam

would be filled with ecstatic symptoms of body ( tons of tears

,horripulation ? etc ) . Especially while reciting Bheesma Stuti , it was

for certain that AzhagiyaSingar was in his peak of Bhagavad Anubhavam .

 

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little episodes from upanyAsam :

 

BheeshmA is a mahA bhAgavathA & is very unique in the whole history.

Sriman NArAyanA in vibhavA as KrishnA, rushed to the spot where

BheeshmAchAryA was lying , in his preparation to leave the body. PerumAL's

sevai in vibhavam of this kind , at the time of departure of one's soul is

unheard off (except this case) . SwAmi quoted SwAmi Desikan's "Adhikarana

sArAvaLi" , in which SwAmi Desikan points out that since BheeshmAchAryA

was one amongst the vasUs & was under the curse , he didn't directly get

mokshA . Rather , he got rid of the curse & performed bhakti yogA as a

vasU (for he is already well advanced in upAsanA) , which yielded him

mokshA.

 

 

The most favourite verse of AzhagiyaSingar from the stuti of this

parama Jn~Ani (*) BheeshmA is

 

" yudhi turagarajovidhoomravishvak -

kachalulitasramavAryalankrutAsye |

mama nishitasharairvibhidyamAnathvachi -

vilasatkavachestu kr*shna AtmA || "

 

" The dust , which has arisen due to the running of horses fastened

with chariots in the battlefield , fall on the face & flowing hair

(koondal) of Lord Kr*shna . Due to the intense desire to kill the enemies

(kauravAs) while riding the chariot , the koondal of Kr*shnA got loosened

& got spread itself on His face . There was no time for even fastening the

loosened koondal . His strain (hard labour !) resulted with beads of sweat

beautifully decorating the face . Moreover , the sharp arrows of mine

(BheeshmA) has gone past the kavachA & even pierced the body ,resulting in

the flow of blood allover. Let my mind be in union with such Kr*snA "

 

 

This is a very beautiful & rich scene - a very unique anubhavam for

BheeshmAchAryA (please visualize it ; Kr*snA with full of anger coming

towards BheeshmAchAryA with chakrA & giving a very unique sevai) .

 

Note :

Sriman NArAyanA assumes a body which is of suddha sattvA nature (not

made of matter ie. prakruti). Essentially , NArAyanA is made up of Jn~Anam

(ie. a spiritual entity )& pervades everywhere . The only reason for Him

to take "bodies" is purely for the pleasure of His devotees (even at Sri

Vaikuntam) & not due to karmA ie. JIvAtmA takes bodies due to karmA ;

ParamAtmA takes by His own will .Since NArAyanA is bhakta vatsalA , He

performs many leelAs for their pleasure. His body is not made up of sweat

, blood , flesh etc. But , Kr*snA gives this unique sevai , out of His

mercy ( fully acting as a human being in many aspects ; sowseelyam &

sowlabhyam ) . Can anyone's arrow break the kavacham of kr*snA ? Can

anyone's arrow pierce the body of kr*snA ? The answer is yes , if the

involved person is an ardent devotee , for kr*snA is bound by their love &

has sold Himself to such exalted devotees . This rich scene depicts the

sowlabhyam & sowseelyam of Sriman NArAyanA which really moved

BheeshmAchAryA ( & AzhagiyaSingar) into tears .

 

One can also be reminded of PeriAzhvAr's anubhavam :

 

"poonithuzhuvinil pukku puzuthiaLaintha ponmeni

kAnap perithum ugappan Agilum kandAr pazhippar ..."

 

" I very much admire (loves the scene) to see your golden body filled

with dust resulted from your plays (in forests ..) ; but others will

deride me .... "

 

The dust,sweat , blood & anger gave rise to the most wonderful sevai

which has captivated Srimad Injimettu AzhagiyaSingar . PerukkAranai

swAmi with tears recalled the time When AzhagiyaSingar was about to leave

his body - AzhagiyaSingar was in constant recitation of this verse & asked

the intimate disciples too to narrate it. After a while ,AzhagiyaSingar

became unconscious of the surroundings ; but was in constant recitation of

this verse . No doubt that Sriman NArAyanA rushed to the spot , even

faster than He rushed either to BheeshmAchAryA or GajendrA , & gave the

same sevai that was most belowed to His dear devotee -AzhagiyaSingar.

Such was the most glorious way ( even glorious than the way BheeshmAchAryA

left his body ) in which Srimad AzhagiyaSingar reached Sri Vaikuntam &

decorated it ( parama padaththai alankarIthAr ).

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Pastimes of Injimettu AzhagiyaSingar are really heart melting & adiyen

was very much inspired . Eventhough adiyen can't have the devotional

ecstacies obtained from this verse , as it were to either BheeshmAchAryA

or Injimettu AzhagiyaSingar , adiyen can atleast recite them daily , for

Sriman NArAyanA can recognize this as the most belowed verse of both

BheeshmAchAryA & AzhagiyaSingar , & would certainly reciprocate for that

verse , eventhough adiyen has no qualification whatsoever . This UpanyAsam

rose adiyen's spirits to sky high - a perfect preparation for prapatti to

be performed next morning (if alive).

 

Adiyen understood about the timely blessings of Srimad Injimettu

AzhagiyaSingar , thereby making adiyen very fortunate. Adiyen got the

blessings of the mahA vidvAn PerukkAranai swAmi , whose book (commentry)

on "ThiruppAvai" would be ready after publication , within two weeks. This

big sized book (500 pages or so) is a treasure for us since the word by

word meanings (padavurai) of the pAsurams are done in accordance with

sVApadesam (ie. whole commentry in based on svApadesams ,inner meanings ,

right from the padavurai ) .

 

All the devotees dispersed for their evening anushtAnams & further

kainkaryams. Adiyen prostrated to the well known mahAn ,a living legend -

the seniormost Ahobila Madam AsthAna VidvAn Sri U.Ve.Purusai

KrishnamAchAryA . SwAmi was very happy about adiyen's interest in the

sampradAyam & blessed for kainkarya Sri / JN~Ana vruthi. Adiyen's father

Sri K.G.Krishnan told SwAmi about the prapatti to be performed the next

day. SwAmi was in all smiles & even in his very old age , inspite of

bodily strain , sat down & started giving the upadesam .

 

SwAmi questioned in a beautiful way : "Edukku Prapatti pannikkarai ?

Logathla niraiyApper panikkarAngradhu nAleyA ? " ie. "Why do you perform

prapatti ? Is it just because many persons in the world are performing it

? " . SwAmi asked series of questions like that & made adiyen answer them

.. SwAmi was very patient with adiyen's answers (blaberrings & off the

context answers) . SwAmi in his own inimitable style , wonderfully

explained various intricacies of prapatti - everything through catechism

(question & Answers) . Adiyen really learnt a lot of what Prapatti

actually is . This was a perfect launch pad for the next day's prapatti.

SwAmi instructed adiyen to read the small article on prapatti written by

him , during the night .

 

Currently , adiyen has brought many changes to the samAsrayanam

article written before. The major changes are in the "Life After

SamAsrayanam" section wherein "Prapatti" would be discussed quite

elaborately (essential points ) . The gist of the upadesams would

certainly be present in it. The prapatti section is in the process of

being completed ( may take 2 weeks or so ; left to bhagavad sankalpam ).

 

 

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(*) Jn~Ani : Strictly speaking , Jn~Ani is the person who performs

Bhakti YogA (God realization) & not jn~Ana yogA. Kr*snA clearly explains

these things in Bhagavad GItA. The person performing Jn~Ana YogA

(self-realization) is known as kevalA . Jn~Ana YogA is the constant

meditation of the self ie. jIvAtmA . It results in Atma sAkshAtkAram ie.

self realization. It is however important to note that a kevalA is fully

aware of his swaroopa ie. his subservience to Sriman NArAyanA . But a

kevalA is neverthless firmly attracted by the bliss derived in the

meditation of his own self (with the understanding as seshA) & is unable

to come over it & proceed further to meditate on ParamAtmA Sriman NArAyanA

.. A kevalA's position is very much understandable since many a people in

this world cannot overcome even watching TV,cinemAs, sports etc which

only have dry hapiness (fully material; not spiritual ). The bliss derived

from the self would certainly be attracting him like a magnet. He attains

KaivalyA - the state in which one simply meditates on his own self (fully

self realized state ).

 

SwAmi Desikan further adds that , a kevalA having gone so far ,then

proceeds to perform Bhakti yogA & attains mokshA .But , a Jn~Ani performs

bhakti yoga ie. constant meditation on the kalyAna gunAs ,divya mangala

vigrahA of Sriman NArAyanA , through AshtAnga YogA , which can arise only

after enormous efforts (practically after sinless life for many births).

Bhakti is only a matured state of "Jn~Ana" . Please note that jIvAtmA is

made up of Jn~Anam & has dharmabhoota jn~Anam (It doesn't have something

called as "Bhakti" in its svaroopam ) . In general , anyone who is well

versed in vedic literatures , AnushtAnam , vairAgyam etc is called as

Jn~Ani (an ardent devotee) , eventhough he may not be performing bhakti

yogA.

 

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---to be continued ---

 

 

Namo NArAyanA

 

Adiyen

 

Anantha PadmanAbha dAsan

 

 

Sarvam Sri KrishnArpanamastu