ninra naaraayanan

[Guest guest]

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

 

During the month of holy 'maargaseersham' in Sanskrit or maargazhi in tamil,

it is customary to enjoy both compositions of aaNdaaL viz. thiruppaavai and

naachchiyaar thirumozhi. While doing so the first paasuram of the second

thirumozhi caught my attention. The verse reads

 

naamam aayiram Eththa *ninRa* naaraayaNaa, naranE, unnai

 

maami than maganaagap peRRaal emakku vaadhai thavirumE,

 

kaaman pOdharum kaalam enRu panguni naaL kadai paariththOm,

 

theemai seyyum sireedharaa, engaL siRRil vandhu sidhaiyElE --- 2-1

 

 

 

meaning: [as given by our respected sri sadagopan swamy - taken from e book

titled Naachchiyaar thirumozhi authored by smt. Kalyani krishnamachari -

available in www.sundarasimham.org website].

 

 

 

Oh, nArAyaNA! You are worshipped by the thousand names (sahasra nAmam)! You

appeared as naran and nArAyaNan and did penance in badrikASramam to set an

example for the people of this world! You appeared in the form of a naran

(man) as rAma and kRshna! How can we escape from your natural mischief,

especially since our mAmi (aunt) yaSodhai got you as her son, because of

which you are now related to us as our aunt's son? We drew all these small

houses for manmathan because it is that time of the year when he favors

those who worship him. And, you (who has lakshmI pirATTi on Your chest) are

coming and disturbing us! Is this the right behavior? Please, do not destroy

our small sand houses!

 

 

 

In this verses also, the particular word, which struck me, is that '*ninRa*'

naaraayaNaa in that first line "naamam aayiram Eththa *ninRa* naaraayaNaa,

naranE".

 

 

 

In many and many of our temples, the archaa moorthys – let it be moolavar or

uthsavar - are in 'ninRa thiruk kOlam' only, and we recite the aayira naamam

– sree vishNu sahasra naamam - in most of the temples. So what is so special

about this '*ninRa*' naaraayaNaa.

 

 

 

[A recent development in chennai city is that there are several sahasra

naamam committees in different localities. And if you are in a particular

locality, you can host committees from other area, gladly they will come and

recite in your house, house functions etc].

 

 

 

May be even in temples, where the moolavar is in 'sayana thiruk kOlam' –

reclining pose, or, 'amarndha thiruk kOlam' – sitting pose, then also the

uthsavar will be in 'ninRa thiruk kOlam' only. So the question is repeated -

what is so special about that 'standing pose' of naaraayaNan - that aaNdaaL

specifically mentions about that 'ninRa naaraayaNaa'.

 

 

 

Then my thought went wild into the first line once again. Then it stuck me

'naamam aayiram Eththa ninRa naaraayaNaa' – so aaNdaaL refers to the

original time, the time at which the sree vishNu sahasra naamam was being

recited by bheeshmaachaarya just after the end of the mahaa bhaaratha war –

just she recollects that scene.

 

 

 

While bheeshma aachaaryaa was lying in the arrow bed with sharp arrows as

his pillow [also this arrow pillow was specially provided by arjunan

afterwards at bheeshma's request], the people around him, like king

yudhishtira, and his 4 brothers, others like aachaarya kripa et al,

including the supreme lord krishNa, whose name was being recited in 1000

ways, were all standing around bheeshma. That is why krishNa is ninRa

naaraayaNan for aaNdaaL.

 

 

 

Now another question came up. Is he 'ninRa naaraayaNan' at that time only or

now also. Please think again. Mostly you have to agree with me as the answer

will be a firm 'Now also'. Reason I have already given "in most of the

temples ---

 

 

 

Further whenever, we recite the SVSN, we sit comfortably on a maNaip palagai

– wooden plank or simply on a floor mat, and many a times simply on floor

itself. But in front of us, *he*, whose naamam aayiram we are reciting *is

standing*. May be if he is in 'picture' form or 'vigraha or moorthy' form,

then also *he will be standing*. [Only if he is in saalagraama form, I have

my doubt - whether he is standing, sitting, or reclining].

 

 

 

Probably, he may have his two hands on his waist, if the moorthy is of

krishNa. Or if he is raama, the left hand may rest on the bow, and other

hand free. So again he is only a 'ninRa naaraayaNan'. Then why or for what

aaNdaaL says so specially about that 'ninRa naaraayaNaa'.

 

 

 

Let us see that word 'ninRa' – it is from the root verb 'nil' – meaning 'to

stand'. [since I am not such an expert in tamil grammar, I can not say

whether ninRa is vinai murru or vinai echcham of root nil.

 

 

 

Is it the only meaning? No. 'nil' also means 'to stop'. That is why in

traffic signals we see that command nil or stop, when the red flashes. So

'ninRa naaraayaNan' in the temple makes us to stop for a minute in front of

the temple, even though we are in an urgency to proceed.

 

 

 

But if you take the name of thiru 'ninRa' oor or simply thinnanoor --

 

[ is it that thiNNan iruntha oor adhanaal thinnanoor? Sudarsan swamy can say

something on this]

 

This is a dhivya dhEsam, sung by thirumangai aazhvaar with bhaktha vathsala

perumaal as the presiding deity, the meaning for thiru ninRa oor is, she,

that thiru – mahaa lakshmi, stayed there permanently. So the place was so

prosperous and sung by aazhvaar. That is why the name 'thiru ninRa oor'.

Here this word 'ninRa' gives a meaning 'staying'.

 

 

 

Now let us analyse that kuRaL –

 

kaRka kasadaRa kaRpavai, kaRRapin

 

niRka adhaRkuth thaga.

 

 

 

Meaning: learn whatever you want to learn, then live to suit that learning.

 

Here that word 'niRka' again from same root word 'nil' has taken a meaning

'to live'.

 

 

 

Coming back to our 'ninRa' naaraayaNan – naaraayaNa lived as per his word –

raama lived to talk the 'way' and talked the 'way' he lived. Whether it is

true or not can be seen from raamaayaNam. So is it correct to say he is

'ninRa naaraayaNan' – lived the way he talked.

 

 

 

Now let us go back to the circumstance - why bheeshma in his death-bed has

to teach all the dharmam to yudhishtira than that living 'dharmam

personification' krishNa, who has already taught that 'bhagavadh geethaa' at

the beginning of war.

 

 

 

Sri sudharsan swamy of Kuwait has already written an elaborate article on

the avathaarikai of sree vishNu sahasra naamam is and is available in files

section of tiruvenkatam .

 

 

 

I would like here to add few points only.

 

 

 

See the list of persons who were standing around bheeshma – ref section 51 –

saanthi parva of mahaa bhaaratham – [these are all passages from English

translation taken from internet only]

 

 

 

"After this discourse was ended, those 2 illustrious persons, viz., *Krishna

of unfading glory and Yudhishthira proceeded thither where the puissant son

of Ganga lay on his bed of arrows*. They then beheld Bhishma stretched on

his arrowy bed and resembling in splendour the evening Sun covered with his

own rays. The Kuru hero was surrounded by many ascetics like he of 100

sacrifices by the deities of heaven. The spot on which he lay was highly

sacred, being situate on the banks of the river Oghavati. Beholding him from

a distance, Krishna and Dharma's royal son, and the 4 Pandavas, and the

other headed by Saradwat, alighted from their vehicles and collecting their

restless minds and concentrating all their senses, approached the great

Rishis. Saluting those foremost of Rishis headed by Vyasa. Govinda and

Satyaki and the others approached the son of Ganga. Beholding Ganga's son of

great ascetic merit, the Yadu and Kuru princes, those foremost of men, took

their seats, surrounding him. Seeing Bhishma looking like a fire about to

die out, Kesava with a rather cheerless heart addressed him as follows."

 

 

 

MGV adds - After some portion, which I am not giving here --

 

 

 

krishNa says to bheeshma "Through thy own penances, O Bhishma, thou art

competent to behold me. Those regions, O king, are ready for thee whence

there is no return. [156] *56 days, O foremost one of Kuru's race, still

remain for thee to live!" ------*

 

* *

 

"Subject to universal time, when the divine Surya turns to his northerly

course, thou, O foremost of men, shalt go to those regions whence no man of

knowledge ever returns to this earth! When thou, O Bhishma, wilt leave this

world for that, all Knowledge, O hero, will expire with thee. It is for

this, that all these persons, assembled together, have approached thee for

listening to discourses on duty and morality. Do thou then speak words of

truth, fraught with morality and Yoga, unto Yudhishthira who as firm in

truth but whose learning has been clouded by grief on account of the

slaughter of his kinsmen, and do thou, by this, quickly dispel that grief of

his!"

 

 

 

MGV adds - Bheeshma does not simply accept krishNa's words and start his

lecturing to yudhishtira.

 

 

 

"He says "*How, O Krishna, when thou, the eternal creator of the universe,

art present, can one like me speak (on such subjects) like a disciple in the

presence of the preceptor?"*

 

 

 

MGV adds -Then bheeshmaa says to krishNa my energy and remembrance is fading

and all that. So krishNa gives him his dhivya dharisanam and rejuvenates.

Then bheeshma agrees to do the lecturing. Para from section 54 of saanthi

parvam --

 

 

 

'When Bhishma that chief of the Kurus, lay on his bed of arrows, many Rishis

and Siddhas, O king, headed by Narada, came to that spot. The unslain

remnant of the (assembled) kings with Yudhishthira at their head,

Dhritarashtra, Krishna, Bhima, Arjuna and the twins also came there. Those

high-souled persons, approaching the grandsire of the Bharatas who looked

like the Sun himself dropped from the firmament, indulged in lamentations

for him. Then *Narada* of godlike features reflecting for a short while, *

addressed* *all the Pandavas* and the unslain remnant of the kings saying,

'The time, I think, has come for you to question Bhishma on subject of

morality and religion, for Ganga's son is about to expire like the Sun that

is on the point of setting. He is about to cast off his life-breaths. Do you

all, therefore, solicit him to discourse to you? He is acquainted with the

varied duties of all the 4 orders. Old in years, after abandoning his body

he will obtain high regions of bliss. Solicit him, therefore, without delay,

to clear the doubts that exists in your minds.'

 

 

 

Bhishma said, *'Burning, stupefaction, fatigue, exhaustion, illness, and

pain, through thy grace, O thou of Vrishni's race, have all left me in a

single day.* O thou of incomparable splendour, all that is past, all that is

future, and all that is present, I behold as clearly as a fruit placed in my

hands. *All the duties declared in the Vedas, all those laid down in the

Vedantas, I behold clearly, O thou of unfading glory, in consequence of the

boon thou hast granted to me.* The duties that have been declared by persons

of learning and righteous behaviour, dwell in my remembrance. I am

conversant also, O Janardana, with the duties and practices prevailing in

particular countries and among particular tribes and families. Everything

relating again to the 4 modes of life has come back to my recollection. I am

acquainted also, O Kesava, with the duties that relate to kingcraft.

Whatever should at whatever time be said, I would say, O Janardana! Through

thy grace, I have acquired an auspicious understanding. Strengthened by

meditation on thee, feel as if I have become a young man again.

 

 

 

*Through thy favour, O Janardana, I have become competent to discourse on

what is beneficial (for the world).*

 

 

 

*Why, however, O holy one, dost thou not thyself discourse to Pandu's son

upon all that is good? What explanation hast thou to give in respect of

this?* Tell me quickly, O Madhava!'

 

 

 

*Point by MGV:* see again bheeshma again questions krishNa 'hey why don't

you talk rather than me'. This answer given by krishNa is the most important

one here.

 

 

 

"Vasudeva said, 'Know, O thou of Kuru's race, that I am the root of fame and

of everything that leads to good. All things, good or bad, proceed from me.

 

 

 

*Who on earth will wonder if the moon be said to be of cool rays? Similarly,

who will wonder if I were described as one possessed of the full measure of

fame? [159] *

 

 

 

[MGV adds 'Krishna describing himself' – for the Sanskrit slokam is clear

here – may be the translation is wanting to convey full meaning]

 

 

 

*I have, however, resolved to enhance thy fame, O thou of great splendour!

It is for this, O Bhishma, that I have just inspired thee with great

intelligence.*

 

 

 

As long, O lord of earth, as the earth will last, so long will thy fame

travel with undiminished luster through all the worlds.

 

*Whatever, O Bhishma, thou wilt say unto the inquiring son of Pandu, will be

regarded on earth to be as authoritative as the declarations of that Vedas.*

 

That person who will conduct himself here according to the authority of thy

declarations, will obtain hereafter the reward of every meritorious act. For

this reason, O Bhishma, I have imparted to thee celestial understanding so

that thy fame may be enhanced on earth." --

 

 

 

Point by MGV: What bheeshma said so much about dharmam and all rules etc are

stretched from 'saanthi parvam into anu saasana parvam'. Towards the end

only the sree Vishnu sahasra naamam appears in anusaasana parvam. As Krishna

himself has said here [boldened and font size increased portion of answer of

krishNa] there is no wonder that SVSN is in the same way authoritative as

declarations of vEdhaas, since it was said by bheeshma and asserted as such,

by none other than krishNa himself.

 

 

 

Further krishNa was standing and listening all the lectures of bheeshma on

all days and enjoying including that sree Vishnu sahasra naamam portion

also. That is why he is "ninRa naaraayaNan" who listened to that 'naamam

aayiram' – titled by aaNdaal as 'naamam aayiram Eththa ninRa naaraayaNaa'..

May be you all know all these, but I just added that reference from

bhaaratham.

 

 

 

Any comments or contradictions? Dear bhaagavathaas, Please pass your

judgement.

 

 

 

Dhasan

 

 

--

Vasudevan MG