Sri Tridandi Jeear Swamy's net chat

[Guest guest]

Speaking on the significance of Viswaksena's

worship on BhAdrapada sukla Ekadasi, HH Sri

Tridandi Jeear Swamy discussed the importand of

the Commander in Chief of Periya Perumal in our

sampradAyam, and how he is one of four dEvathas

who have the power of removing obstacles. While

popular Hinduism sees these obstacles as those

obstructing good education and material success,

Sri Jeear Swamy pointed out that for a

SriVaishnava the obstacles that must be dispelled

are those that stand in the way of doing

nityakainkaryam to SrimanNarayana.

 

The most popular and well known of the Ganapatis

is Vinayaka, recognized by his gaja mukham

(elephant head), which is adorned with

Vibhuti(sacred ash), and Ekadantham (one tusk).

This is the popular god of Hinduism that was

brought to life in a clay doll by Parvathi, and

then was beheaded and restored to life as the

lovable elephant headed Deity by Siva. This

Ganesha is the Deity that is worshipped by Saivas

on the Vinayaka Chaturthi Day.

 

The Remover of Obstacles worshipped by

SriVaishnavas is Viswaksenar (sEnai mudiliyAr),

the Commander in Chief of Perumal's Military

Forces who is also recognized as an AchAryan in

our paramparai. He is the one whom we should

directly beseech to remove all obstacles that

stand in the way of our kainkaryam to the Lord.

It is said that while the Lord is enjoying the

company of ThayAr in the lovely gardens

surrounding paramapadam, Sri Viswaksenar is

guarding the Divine Couple and is also taking care

of all of the matters of state for them, in a mood

akin to Lakshmana. Sri Viswaksenar's nature is

such that He survives solely on the sEsham of

emperumAn Alone. His form is similar to the

Lord's, but he has been seen taking on a elephant

headed form, as well. In this form, however, Sri

Viswaksenar, contrary to his saiva counterpart,

has two tusks (dviradAs) and dons Thiruman on his

forehead.

 

Before describing the third "Ganesha," HH touched

on a rather mysterious fourth, Sri Prasna, who is

described in pAncharAthra Agamam. He is said to

have emerged out of a great yAgam to Perumal that

was being performed by Indran.

 

The Third Remover of Obstacles is the Most

Powerful of All - and really is the only One that

we need - having 19 heads, each adorned with

Urdhvapundram, and 4 arms. MAndukya Upanishad goes

into great detail on describing this 4th and only

true Remover of Obstacles as being Sriman Narayana

Himself. Perumal Himself as the Protector and

Benefactor of each and every soul, removes the

obstacles that stand between Him and His

Devotees. This avathAran of the Lord is always

seen standing with ThAyAr as Sri

LakshmiGanapathi. Sri HH touched upon how the

ignorance of the masses has led to a severe

misrepresenation of this Avatharan, and how we

should not let this sway us from our recognition

that Sri LakshmiGanapathi is Sriman Narayana

Himself.

 

Sri HH went on to analogize how the three Ganeshas

(other than Sri Prasna) are each a controller of

one of three states of an individual's

consciousness, jAgrath dasa, swapna dasa, and

shusupthi dasa. In the first state, the waking

state, we are responsibile for the performance of

karmas, the adherence to proper conduct, and the

fulfilment of both material and spiritual

pursuits. Consequently, it is this stage that is

most important to the path of the spiritual

aspirant. While the other two Ganapathis protect

us in the other two stages under the direction of

the Lord, the Lord Himself as Sri LakshmiGanapathi

protects and helps us in each and every aspect of

our waking state, whether or not a jivan knows His

presence or not.

 

HH Sri Jeear Swamy concluded his talk with a brief

analysis of the SyamanthakOpAkhyAnam, which will

be summarized in my next post....

 

dAsan

 

Mohan