Sri Nrusimha Jayanthi

[Guest guest]

Respected Swamins and Bhagavathas,

 

Sri Narasimha Jayanthi falls on 25th May this

year and it will be celebrated in all important

temples of the Lord. I am presenting a write-up here

on the occasion of the celebration of the Jayanthi.

The State of Andhra Pradesh abounds in Nrusimha

Kshetrams. The most important of these is Ahobilam or

Singavelkundram. Ahobilam conists of nine

Nrusimhamurthis known as Jwala, Ahobila, Maalola,

Kroda, Karancha, Bhargava, Yoga, Chatravata and

Paavana scattered all over the hills of the Ahobilam.

Other Kshetrams in A.P are Simhachalam, Yadagirigutta

and Paanaganarasimhan at Mangalagiri. The five

Nrusimhakshetrams mentioned by Sri Mukkur are

Mangalagiri, (already mentioned above)

Vedadri,Mattapalli, Vaadapalli and Kethavaram. Out of

these Mattapalli has gained more importance due to the

efforts of the late Sri Mukkur Swami. In Tamil Nadu

there are many Nrusimha Kshetrams like Sholinghur,

Namakkal, Singaperumalkoil etc. and all the important

Vaishnava temples contain Nrusimha sannadhis within

their precincts.

 

Chronologically Nrusimhaavataram is the 4th of the

Dasa Avatarams of the Lord. It is anterior to

Ramaavataram.Though almost all the Azhwars have

mentioned about the Avataram, Nammazhwar,

Tirumangaimannan and Periyazhwar have sung more

number of paasurams on this Avataram. This avataram

gets a special importance because of its adhyathbutha

roopam, because of His roopam which is neither of a

lion nor of a human being (na mrugam na maanusham) but

a combined one. Krishna avataram was called

adhbhutharoopam but this is adhyathbutharoopam. The

Sun, the Moon and Agni are the three eyes of Lord

Narasimha as described by Sri Desikan in his Kamasika

ashtakam. Also He is mruthyurmrthya. He is

worshipped as thapana-indu-agni-nayanaha.

Lions worshipping the Lion. Thirumangai Azhwar says

that the lions of Singavelkunram worshipped the

Lion-God by offering the tusks of elephants killed by

them.

 

Sri Mukkurswami says that the Lord took

Nrusimhaavataram not for killing Hiranyakasipu or for

saving Prahlada but for keeping up the words of

Prahlada. The father told "sthambe na dhrishyate",

the son told "sthambena dhrishyate". This is

something like this, "Narayana is nowhere" and

"Narayana is now here" in this pillar. Let us see

what Periyazhwar says "alanthitta thoonai avan thatta

aange.......(6/9 Sappaniparuvam). The pillar was

constructed by Hiranyan himself and he was pretty sure

that it would not and could not contain anything but

bricks. In order to answer Prahlada's prayer the Lord

made all the pillars carry His image and each pillar

was Narasimhagarbham. Let us see what Nammazhwar

says--"angu appothe avan veeya thonriya en singapiran;

aaraayum seermaithe......(8th thirumozhi 9th paasuram)

 

When He killed Hiranyakasipu with His own Nakhaas

without the help of the divya aayudhaas the entire

universe was panic stricken. The extreme anger of the

Lord could not be brought down by the prayers of the

Devas, Brahma and Rudra. Only Prahlada was able to

pacify Him . The child prayed that his father should

be given Moksham whereupon the Lord granted his

request and promised that He would protect his vamsam

for 21 generations. To keep up His word the Lord

served as the watchman at the gate in Pathala at the

palace of Prahlada. Here we see the Soulabhyam of the

Lord and also the extreme care He took to preserve

Brahma's word.

 

Seeing that the rage of the Lord could not be

brought down completely Mahalakshmi descended from

Heaven and embraced Him. See the paasuram

'allimathar pulga ninra' (Thirumangai Alwar)

The Lord was pacified and He became thousand

armed--aayiran tholan.

In Ramayana also we have got a sloka--Bhartharam

parishajwaje......that is Seetha Piratti embraced

SriRama-Raghavasimha when He killed Thrisiras, Khara,

Dooshana and 14000 rakshasas single handed. See also

Sri Desikan's Mahaaveera vaibhavam--mahita mahamritha

darshana, mudhita mythili drudathara parirambhana

vibhava,viropitha vikata,veeravranaa etc. All His

veeravranaas or injuries vanished when the piratti

embraced Him with great force.

 

The greatness of Nammudai Namperumal;-- It is

natural to describe Him as Namperumal for the Devas

and Nithyasooris, but at Singavelkunram He is perumal

not only for all Devas but also for all devotees in

His archaavataram. Hence the epithet Nammudai

Namperumal. He is called Periya Periya Perumal

because He was worshipped by SriRama and Sri

Srinivasaperumal at Ahobilam.

 

Azhagiyasingar at Srirangam:--When Kambar wanted

to do arangetram for his kaavyam i.e. official

recognition for his Raamaayanam there was objection

from a set of people. His Ramayanam contained Hiranya

Vadai Patalam which did not find a place in Valmiki's

original. When Kambar started singing his

composition, the Nrisimha Vighraham inside the

mantapam laughed loudly with a voice 'Naan erkiren',

meaning I approve. The popular saying is "sirithathu

sengatseeyam meaning:the red-eyed Lion (God) laughed.

 

We pray to Lord Nrusimha to shower His Blessings on

the entire Universe.

 

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan,

 

T.S. Rajagopalan

 

 

 

LAUNCH - Your Music Experience

http://launch.