Vikrama samvathsara Nrusimha Jayanthi

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs: As per Sriman Murlai Rangaswamy's

request , I am forwarding his posting celebrating

Sri Lakshmi Nrusimhan's vaibhavam on this Vikrama

Nrusimha Jayanthi day.This is also a timely tribute to

a great Nrusimha BhakthA , Parama padha Vaasi , Sri U.Ve

Mukkur Lakshmi NrusimhAchAr Swamy,who attained his

AchAryan's ( Sri Aadhi Vann SatakOpa Sri MalOla PaadhukA

Sevaka Sri NaarAyaNa yathIndhra MahA Desikan , the Prakrutham

Azhagiya Singar at whose sacred feet Mukkur/Mattapalli Swamy

performed Bhara NyAsam during October (?) 2000 CE.

 

adiyEn is releasing this tribute by Sri Rangaswamy one day earlier

to help celebrate Nrusimha Jayanthi (May 6) over this entire weekend.

 

Daasan,

V.SatakOpan

 

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SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

For the most sacred occasion of Nrusimha Jayanthi, adiyen is posting a

summary f the verses from Sri Matapalli MangalAshtakam composed by U.Ve. Sri

Mukkur Lakshminarasimhachariar Swamin- popularly known as Mukkur Swamin. Sri

Mukku Swamin is a pre-eminent expert on the nuances and prayogam of the most

powrful NrusimhAnushtup Mantram. Although Swamin’s upanyasams on all

subjects are utstanding the jewel in the crown is his description of

Bhagavan Nrusimha,who incarnated to uphold the words of his dear

Bhagavata-Prahlada. The Kshetra of Matapalli is located in Nalgonda District

of Andhra Pradesh (near Vijaywad). Sri Rajya Lakshmi Sametha Sri Lakshmi

Narasimha Swamy, who adorns this Kshetra, is the upasana murthy of Sri

Mukkur Swamin.

 

Sri Mukkur Swamin establishes in his monograph “Matapalli Mahatmyam” that

the Mantrarajapada Stotram of Ahirbudhnyan was composed at this Kshetram .

With this background , let us enjoy the delectable verses of Sri Mukkur

Swamin’s stuthi.

) MatapallinivAsAya maDhurAnandarUpiNE

MahAyajnasvarUpAya srinrusimhAya Mangalam

 

Free translation: Auspiciousness to Lord Nrusimha, forever associated with

Sri, ho resides in the Kshetram of Matapalli, whose joy-filled form is sweet

to ehold and who is the embodiment mahAyajna.

 

Additional Observations: Sri Mukku Swamin beautifully conveys a number of

Vedic truths and Upanishadic statements i the opening verse of this stuthi.

Lord Narayana is described in the Upanisads as “jnAna Ananda maya”. This

form is not only joy-filled but also provides jy to the eyes of the

beholder. At the outset Mukkur Swamin provides reference tothe Narayana

Upanishad salutation “BrahmaNyO devakIputrO BrahmaNyO MadhusUdhanOmthrough

his masterful usage of Madhurananda rUpiNE. Madhu (honey), is one of th

Dhivya dravyas used in performance of Tirumanjanam for Lord Narayana. Madu

has the characteristic of destroying venom. The presiding deity over Madhu

is MadhusUdhana, who is glorified in the above referenced Narayana Upanishad

salutation, which extols the supremacy of Lord Narayana. Significantly this

salutation is of Sama Vedic origin. The uniqueness of Sama Vedam lies in

that it extols Lord Narayana to the exclusion of all other deities. Further

testimony to the loftiness of Sama Vedam can be gleaned from the fact that

the Rg vedam contains 18 references to Sama Vedam, while the Yajur Vedam

celebrates the greatness of Sama Vedam 27 times. Lord KrishNa attests to the

mahima of the Sama Vedam in the Bhagavad-gita declaration “vedAnAm sAma

vEdOsmi”. Furthermore, the purusha sooktam of Sama Vedam is the glorifes

Bhagavan Nrusimha explicitly in the Rk “sa bhUmim sarvathO vruthvA” which

bears eloquent testimony to the sarvathOmukham (one who has faces in all

directions) aspect of Bhagavan Nrusimha, whereas the purusha sooktam in the

other two Vedams employs the salutation “vishvathO” instead of “sarvathO”.

 

Madhu is glorifed in the Mahanarayana Upanishad salutation “madhuvAta

rutAyatE madhaksharanthi sindhava: mAdhvIrNasanthoUshadi

madhunakthamuthOshasi madhuna: pArthivam vraja: madhudhyOrasthunaphitA

madhumAnnO vanaspati: majIrGhAvO Bhavanthuna:” The term mahAjajna deserves

further examination. All aspects of YajnA are embodied by Lord Narayana as

can be seen from salutations 971-982 of the Vishnu sahasranamam (YajnO

yajnapatIr yajvA….). Furthermore, the VishNu Ghanam glorifies the yajna

aspects of Lord Narayana as “etA asadann sukrutasya lokE thA VishNO pahi

pahi yajnam pahi yajna patim pahimAm yajna niyam”. The mahayajnam in this

context refers to the yajna of granting refuge to those who perform

sharaNagati at His lotus feet.":The act of granting refuge to a Prapanna is

a yajna performed by Lord Narayana. The term Patni is reserved exclusively

for use in the context of yajna. Thayar’s elevated role and active

participation in this mahayajna are glorified in the NeeLaa Sooktam Rk

“PruthivyA asyEshAna jagatO vishNu Patni”, the Bhu Sooktam Rk “shrungE

shrungE yajnE yajnE vibhIshaNI”, and the Sri Sooktam Rk “thAm padminimIm

sharaNamaham prapadhyE AlakshmIrmEnashyathAm thvAm vruNE”. Furthermore, the

blessing of SharaNagati is granted jointly by the Divine Couple. These

references deepen one’s understanding of the salutation Sri Nrusimha

(Bhagavan Nrusimha, never separated from Sri).

 

The form of Bhagavan Nrusimha is described in the Srimad Bhagavatam as

“atyadhbhuta rUpam”. This aspect is eloquently discussed by H.H. Prakrutam

Jeeyar Swami of Ahobila Matham as follows:

 

The avataram of Lord Krishna was beautiful no doubt for a number of reasons.

Therefore, this avataram begets the description adhbhutam. However the

adhbhutam of Bhagavan Nrusimha exceeds even that of Lord Krishna. Why?

 

(1)HiraNyan was extremely clever in stipulating the conditions for the boon

sought from Brahma. However, Bhagavan Nrusimha outwitted HiraNyan by

satisfying every condition of that boon.

 

(2) All avatarams prior to Bhagavan Nrusimha had animal forms and all

succeeding avatarams had human forms. Bhagavan Nrusimha is the only one who

combined the attributes of both forms.

 

(3) The hands of Bhagavan Nrusimha were in competition with each other for

the acts of gracing Prahlada and destroying HiraNyan

 

(4) Bhagavan Nrusimha had manifested himself in every atom surrounding the

Sabha of HiraNyan, in his anxiety to uphold the word of His Parama

Bhagavatan-Prahlada

 

(5) Most Bhaktas undertake great pains to travel to Temples and seek the

blessings of Lord Narayana. However such is the compassion of Malolan that

He goes from home to home to grace his Bhaktas

 

(6) Bhagavan Nrusimha is the only incarnation of Lord Narayana, who is

constantly seen wearing his Padhukas. This act is indicative of the fact

that He is ever anxious to rush to the succour of his Bhaktas-especially

those who seeking SharaNagati at His Lotus Feet.

 

(7) The eyes of Bhagavan Nrusimha simultaneously radiated compassion and

fury for Prahlada and HiraNyan, respectively. Can there be a better

reconciliation of these opposites?

 

(8) The sublimal sight of Bhagavan Nrusimha embracing Mahalakshmi Thayar on

his left hand side is verily a treat for Bhaktas. Due to this embrace with

Thayar, He begets the name Malola(beloved of the Mother).

(To be continued)

Namo Narayana,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan