Nrusimha Jayanti

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Sri:

 

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

 

AhobilE Garuda shaila madhyE krupAvashAth kalpitha sannidhanam

lakshmyA samAlingitha vAmaBhAgam Lakshminrusimham sharaNam prapadyE

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

For the most sacred Nrusimha Jayanthi, Adiyen wishes to share the

following reflections on Bhagavan Nrusimha on this list. The avataram

of

Bhagavan Nrusimha is eloquently described in the Srimad Bhagavatam

salutation "Satyam viDhAtum nijaBhrutyaBhAshitam vyAptim cha

BhUtEshu aKhileshu chAtmana: Adhrushyata atyadhBhuta rUpamudhvahan

sThamBhE SaBhAyAm na mrugam na mAnusham". The

avataram of Bhagavan Nrusimha took place at the Kshetram of Ahobilam,

where the Lord remains enshrined as the Archa Murthis of the Nava

Narasimhas.

 

Lord Vishnu is saluted in the Vedas as Mantraroopi Mahavishnu. The

most powerful Mantram in this context is the blessed

NrusimhAnushtup Mantram. Very aptly, the 9 padams employed in this

Mantram are eloquently expounded on by Ahirbudhnyan in the

Mantrarajapada Stotram of the Ahirbudhnya Samhita-an important

Pancharatra Agama text. Specifically, verses 2-10 of the Mantraraja

pada

stotram elaborate on the individual padams of the Nrusimhanushtup

Mantram. As a result of the nine Padams, the nine verses of

Ahirbudhnyan

extolling their significance, and the nine Narasimhas of Ahobilam,

the

number 9 assumes special importance in the context of Bhagavan

Nrusimha. The Mantrarajapada stotram was discussed by Adiyen in a 11

part series elsewhere.

 

A number of reasons have been evinced for the avataram of Bhagavan

Nrusimha. The Nrusimha puraNam states that the Avataram of

Bhagavan Nrusimha took place to rescue the Devas from HiraNyan's

persecution (cf: RuNa vimOchana Stotram salutation "DevatakArya

sidhyartham saBha sThamBha samudhBhavam"). Some commentators opine

that the Avataram took place to rescue Prahlada from HiraNyan's

tyranny. However, U.Ve. Sri Mukkur Lakshminarasimhachariar Swamin

argues that all these positions while valid are not the primary

reason

for

the Lord's incarnation. Swamin notes that had either of these reasons

been valid, the Lord need not have waited for so long to incarnate.

Instead, the Lord chose to emerge from the pillar primarily to uphold

the words of Prahlada who declared "He is present everywhere

including

this pillar". It may be noted that these words of Prahlada embody

the

quintessence of Our Sampradayam, wonderfully stated by Lord Krishna

in the Bhagavad Gita declaration "Vasudeva sarvam iti". Swami Desikan

pays tribute to the pillar which housed Bhagavan Nrusimha in the

Dashavatara stotram and declares that the pillar is verily the

grandmother of the four-faced Brahma.

 

The avataram of Bhagavan Nrusimha is unique for a number of reasons.

(1) In all other incarnations of the Lord, his avataram took place

easily due to His sankalpam. However, the avatara karyam was

difficult

to

accomplish. In the case of Bhagavan Nrusimha, the reverse is true.

The

avataram was rendered difficult due to the fact that the Lord

had to satisfy every condition of Brahma's boon to HiraNyan. However,

the avatara karyam itself was swiftly accomplished.

(2)H.H. the 45th Jeeyar of Ahobila Matham stated in a tele-upanyasam

"All incarnations of Lord Narayana prior to Bhagavan Nrusimha had

animal forms and all incarnations following Bhagavan Nrusimha had

human forms. Bhagavan Nrusimha was the only one who combined the

traits of the human and animal forms."

(3)The mane of Bhagavan Nrusimha emerging from the pillar was

beautiful to behold-this is glorified in the Vishnu sahasranamam

salutation

"Narasimhavapu SrimAn". This is because he simultaneously personified

terror for HiraNyan and compassion for Prahlada.

(4) A unique trait of Bhagavan Nrusimha is that of Pida Pariharam for

Bhaktas and Pida Pradanam for Dushtas. Swami Desikan glorifies this

aspect of Bhagavan Nrusimha in the KamasiAshtakam salutation

"Satapatala BheeshaNE...". This salutation set to the Shardoola

Vikriditha

meter is a most beautiful glorification of the Avataram features of

Bhagavan Nrusimha.

(5) Among all the avatarams of Lord Narayana, Bhagavan Nrusimha is

the

only one seen constantly wearing his Padhukas. This is illustrative

of

His anxiety to uphold His assurances "ParitrANAya sAdhunAm vinAshAya

cha dushkrithAm".

(6) Swami Desikan eloquently glorifies the avatara Adbhutam of

Bhagavan Nrusimha in the KamasikAshtakam. Specifically, Swami Desikan

states that the hands of Bhagavan Nrusimha were in competition to

grace Prahlada and destroy HiraNyan. Swami also adds that Bhagavan

Nrusimha's eyes simultaneously denoted fire for HiraNyan and

compassion for Prahlada.

(7)The Purva and Uttara Tapaneeya Upanishad of the Atharvana vedam

glorify Bhagavan Nrusimha and contain a majestic Gayathri Mantram

for Bhagavan Nrusimha. Bhagavan Nrusimha is eulogized in this

Upanishad as having three eyes-Sun,Moon, and Agni. Swami Desikan

pays his tribute to this aspect in the second verse of the

KamasikAshtakam. The underlying message is that the benevolent glance

of

Bhagavan Nrusimha destroy the sins of a supplicant, absolves one from

the three kinds of debt (Deva RuNam, Rishi RuNam, and Pitru

RuNam), frees them from the three kinds of afflictions (Adhyatmika,

Adhi Bhowdhika, and Adi Daivika), confers true knowledge about

Tattva trayam, and most importantly assures one of the efficacy of

the

path of complete, unconditional surrender to His Lotus feet.

 

Vedic tributes to Bhagavan Nrusimha include the Vishnu sooktam

salutation "mrugO na BhIma kucharO giriShtA:", the Taittriya

Upanishad salutation "BheeShAsmAd vAta: pavatE BheeShodEti sUrya:

BheeShAsmAdhagnischEndrascha mrutyurDhAvati Panchama iti", the rg

vedam salutations "Bhadram KarNE...", and "

Ya AtmadA baladA yasya vishva upAsatE prashiSham yasya devA: yasya

cChayA amrutam yO mrutyumrutyu: kasmai devAya haviShA

viDhEma " . Each of these salutations is most potent in invoking the

blessings of Bhagavan Nrusimha.

 

Verse 9 of the Mantrarajapada stotram contains in a nutshell the

essence of Bhagavad Ramanuja Darshanam as practised and propagated

by Swami Desikan. In a recent Upanyasam, H.H. Sri Rangapriya

Mahadesikan Swami remarked "Bhagavan Nrusimha is addressed as

Ugram, BheeshaNam and Mrutyumrutyum. These are really terrifying

aspects of Bhagavan Nrusimha. Even Devas like Brahma and Rudra

shuddered in fear at this sight. How is it that Prahlada was

unperturbed and calm at this sight?" Swami then answered the question

as "For Prahlada, Lord Narayana was manifest in everything sentient

and insentient. As a firm believer (Maha Vishvasam) in the

declaration vasudeva sarvam iti, Prahlada beheld Lord Nrusimha in

everything. Therefore, why should he be terrified by the form of

Bhagavan Nrusimha?" Swami then continued "Bhadram is the name of

Bhagavan Nrusimha and Bhadra is the name of his consort-Sri.

What is the protection (Bhadram) offered by the the Divine Couple

together? It is the act of granting SharaNagati to a supplicant. Such

protection is elevating, ennobling and permanent (Moksham resulting

in

Nithya Kaimkaryam for the pleasure and at the pleasure of the

Divine Couple). As a by product of this act, the Divine Couple

(Bhagavan Nrusimha and his consort) also

confer the boons of Dharma, Artha, and Kama. Therefore engage in

daily

recitation of the Mantrarajapada Stotram" Swami Desikan

refers to the elevated nature of the protection offered by the Divine

Couple in the KamasikAshtakam salutation "Tvayi rakshati

rakshakai: kimanyai: tvayi cha arakshati rakshakai: kimanyai:" (when

You have decided to protect someone where is the need for

other protectors? When You have decided not to protect someone of

what

use are other protectors?)

 

Adiyen wishes to conclude this posting with the following passage

from

the Linga Aspotita Nrusimha Gadyam, which appears in the

Vishnu puraNam

 

JnAnaIshwarya Shakti Bala TejOguNAtmaka!

Parama Purusha! PadmanAbha! Hayashira:! AdIvarAha! Narasimha!

Vamana! Trivikrama! RAma! RAma! VAsudeva! SankarshaNa! Pradyumna!

Aniruddha! Purusha! Satyashruta!VAsudeva! Adimadhya Nidhana

ChEshtita!

ChEstAtma MAyA AhOrAtra YatimAnjishta! ShuklavAsa:! SuparNatAla

Makaradwaja!ParamavidyAkarmakAlanABha! Svasti Asmabhyam, Svasti

PrajAbhya:!

 

TvamEva Mantram Tvam RakshA, TvamoUshadamanuttamam I

TriviDhadapi DukhAnmAm PramOchaya JagatpatE II

 

Sri Sudarshana-Narasimha ParabrahmaNE Namaha,

 

Namo Narayana,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan