Mukunda Maalaa - Part 4

[Guest guest]

[ jayatu jayatu shriiman-naaraayaNaH

 

Dear vaishhNava-s ,

 

shrii V. Sadagopan has kindly blessed me with the privilege to continue

posting of his commentary on the mukunda-maalaa stotraM.

 

shrii V.S's earlier posts can be looked up at the following location

in shrii Mani's web-site:

http://thondar.busi.utc.edu/bhakti/archives/mar96/index.html#2

 

 

kulashekharaazvaar tiruvaDigaLE sharaNaM

 

Ram ]

 

>From shrii V. Sadagopan's commentary on mukunda-maalaa stotraM

-----------------------------

 

taniyans saluting kulashekharaazvaar:

 

The three taniyan-s associated with shrii kulashekhara-aazvaar make reference

to his varNaashramaM and his respect for shrii bhaagavata-s as well as his

deep attachment to the Lord of shrii ra~NgaM.

 

The first taniyan in sa.nskR^it refers to his birth as kshatriya king ruling

the land of Kolli and his devotion of shrii ra~NgaM as follows:

 

"ghushhyate yasya nagare ra~Nga-yaatraa dine-dine |

tamaham shirasaa vande raajaanaaM kulashekharaM || "

 

This taniyan salutes with bowed head the king of Kolli city, revered as

kulashekhara whose subjects were famous for shouting about their joyous

experiences related to shrii-ra~Nga-yaatraa that they performed following the

illustrious and exemplary pilgrimage to shrii-ra~NgaM by their king.

Here shrii kulashekhara's status as a king of Kolli-naadu and his deep devotion

to shrii ra~Nganaatha, serving as a model to his subjects, are alluded to.

 

The two tamil taniyan-s associated with shrii kulashekhara-aazvaar also refer

to him as the titular head of cheraa kingdom and as a great bhaagavata.

In the first tamil taniyan cited below, the author offers nectar-like food to a

beautiful parrot in return for singing the glories of the chera king,

kulashekhara who distinguished himself through the compositions extolling the

kalyaaNa-guNa-`s of shrii ra~Nganaathan of shrii ra~NgaM.

 

"innamuda muuTukEni~NgE vaa pa~NkiLiyE,

tennara~NgaM paaDa-valla siirp-perumaaL, ponna~nchilai-sEr

nudaliyarvEL chEralar-kOn, e~NgaL kulsEkaraneRE kuuRu"

 

 

In the second tamil taniyan, a major incident that served as a tuning point

in his life is alluded to. This taniyan offers its respects to shrii

kulashekhara perumaan in the following manner:

 

"aaram keDapparanbar koLLaarenRu, avargaLukkE

vaara~NkoDu kuDap-paaMbil kaiyiTTavan, maRRalarai

viira~NkeDutta se~NgOl kolli-kaavalan-villavarkOn

chEran kulasekaran muDi-vEndar sikaa-maNiyE"

 

The incident is referred to in the above taniyan is related to the spirited

defense of shrii-vaishhNava bhaagavata-s in his court. The context of the

incident is described below.

 

As an enlightened ruler, shrii kulashekharar defended the rights of the weak

and punished the wicked and served as a model king. One day, shrii ra~Nganaatha

blessed shrii kulashekhara by revealing his svaruupa-guNa-vibhuuti

cheshhTitaM-s. From the day on, shrii kulashekhara lost his interest in

being a king and spent most of his time with shrii vaishhNava-s in his palace.

 

The ministers were unhappy about this special affection that shrii kulashekhara

had for the bhaagavata-s. The ministers wanted to reduce the role of

shrii-vaishhNava-s in the king's life, so that the king could devote more time

to his royal duties.

 

The ministers came up with a plot, which accused the bhaagavata-s as having

stolen the nava-ratna haaraM of the deity of shrii kulashekhara. Actually the

ministers had themselves removed the precious stone necklace and blamed the

bhaagavata-s falsely.

 

shrii kulashekhara was very upset about the charges and refused to accept that

the bhaagavata-s stole the necklace. In support of his conviction that the

devotees of vishhNu would not steal, he set forth a challenge to prove that the

bhaagavata-s were innocent of the charges made by the ministers.

He volunteered to put his hand in a vessel containing hungry cobras.

If the bhaagavata-s were innocent, he stated, the cobras will not bite his

hand. On the other hand, if they were guilty he predicted that the snakes will

bite his hand and kill him.

 

To implement this challenge, shrii kulashekhara put his hand inside a vessel

full of poisonous cobras, comforted by the belief that the devotees of vishhNu

would not steal the Lord's jewelry.

Lo and behold! the cobras kissed his hand and did not bite him!

The ministers were put to shame by the king's conviction and his winning of

the challenge to certify the innocence of the shrii-vaishhNava-s.

kulashekhara was deeply offended by the behaviour of his ministers and decided

on the spot to reliquish his title.

 

He appointed his son to succeed him and retired to shrii-ra~NgaM to enjoy

the beauty of shrii ra~Nganaatha for the rest of his life.