Pancha Sthavam - Swamy KooratAzhwAn

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Pancha Sthavam - Swamy KooratAzhwAn

 

 

 

 

"Varadaraja Sthavam"

is one among the "Pancha

Sthavam" composed by Swamy KoorathAlwan. THe other

were:

1)Sri VaikunTa Sthavam on Sri Paramapada nAthan

2)Sri Sthavam on Sri Mahalakshmi PirAttiyAr

3)AthimAnusha Sthavam on VibhavAvatAram emperumAn

4)Sri Sundara bhAgu Sthavam on ThirumAlirun chOlai

Kalazhagar-archAvatAram

5)Sri VaradarAja Sthavam on Sri Hastigiri pErarulAlan

Sri Sundara bhAgu sthavam was composed by ALwan when

he was in ThirumAlirunchOlai after he lost his eye

sight due to the atrocity committed by the cruel

King Kirumikanda Chozhan-Sri Vaishnava thvEshi-.

After the return of Swamy EmperumAnAr from ThirunArA

yana puram, Swamy Ramanujar requested Alwan to compose

one Sthavam on behalf of Hastigiri pErarulAlan to get

back his sight again.

Instead Alwan requested PerarulAlan to grant mOksham

to NAlUrAn (his sishyA) who committed bhAgavatha

apachAram, since NaalUrAn is responsible for lost of

his AchAryan eyesight. Such is the greatness of Swamy

KooratAlwan!! Thats why AmudanAr says that "Its

difficult to explain the vaibhavam of Alwan in any

language" in Ramanusa NooTTrandhAthi.

The above five Sthavams are together known as "Pancha

Sthavam". The greatness of these five were stated

by Sri ParAsara Bhattar in Swamy KooratAlwan's

thaniyan as:

"SrivathsachinhamisrEbhyONama ukthim adheemahE

yadhukthyas-thrayeekaNDE yaanthi MangaLasoothrathAm"

Meaning:

KooratthAzvAn's Sri Sookthis have attained the state of

ThirumAngalyam (auspicious thread worn by Sumangalis)

around the Vedha Maadha.We recite the word of Nama:for

the MahA PaNdithar,KurEsar with the same reverence as

we recite the sacred Veda manthrams.

-------------

From the above thaniyan, inspite of ALwar Sri Sookthis,

other AchArya Sri Sookthis, IthihAsam such as Ramayanam

Mahabharatam, PurAnams such as Vishnu Puranam,etc.,

Only Swamy KooratAlwan Sri Sookthis have attained the

state of ThirumAngalayam to Vedha Maadha. Such is the

greatness of the Pancha Sthavams and the composer Swamy

kooratAlwan !!

His works has to be read by all SriVaishnavites which

is delicious and sweet to recite. While reciting Sri

Varadaraja Sthavam, the experince brings Hastigiri

PerarulAn in fronts one's eye.

[gokulkr]

Sri Lakshmi Hayagreevar

The Thiru Aaradhanai Perumal - Sri Lakshmi Hayagreevar of Swami Desikar is installed in Thiruthanka (thoopul) divya desam in Kanchipuram.

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</PRE>

 

 

sri:SrimadhE raamaanujaaya nama:thirumangaiyaazvaar aruLicceythathiruvezukooRRirukkaithaniyan_gaLemperumaanaar aruLiccheythavaivaaziparakaalan vaazhikalikanRi,vaazhi kuRaiyaloor vaazvEnthan, - vaazhiyarOmaayOnai vaaLvaliyaal manthirangoL mangaiyargOnthooyOn sudarmaana vEl!seeraar thiruvezu kooRRiruk kaiyennum senthamizaal,aaraa vamudhan kudanthaip piraan_than adiyiNaikkeez,Eraar maRaipporuL ellaam edutthu ivvulakuyyavEsEraamaR sonna aruLmaari paatham thuNain^amakkE.2672:oru pErunthi irumalarth thavisil,*orumuRai ayanai eenRanai,* orumuRai-irusudar meethinil iyangaa,* mummathiL-ilangai irukaal vaLaiya,* orusilai-onRiya IreyiRRu azhalvaay vaaLiyin-attanai,* moovadi naanilam vEndi,*muppuri noolodu maanuriyilangu-maarvinin,* irupiRappu orumaaNaagi,*orumuRai eeradi, moovulaku aLandhanai,*naal_thisai nadunga anciRaip paRavai-ERi,* naalvaay mummathaththu irusevi-oruthani vEzhaththu aranthaiyai,* orun^aaL-irun^eer maduvuL theertthanai,* mutthee-naanmaRai aivagai vELvi,* aRuthozil-anthaNar vaNangum thanmaiyai,* aimpulan-agatthinuL seRutthu,* naan_gudan adakki-mukkuNaththu iraNdavai akaRRi,* onRinil-onRi ninRu,* ANGgu iru piRappaRuppOr-aRiyum thanmaiyai,* mukkaN naal_thOL-aivaay aravOdu* ARupothi sadaiyOn-aRivarum thanmaip perumaiyuL ninRanai,*Ezulaku eyiRRinil koNdanai,* kooRiya-aRusuvaip payanum Ayinai,* sudarvidum-aimpadai angaiyuL amarnthanai,* sunthara-naal_thOL mun^n^eer vaNNa,* nin Iradi-onRiya manatthaal,* orumathi mugatthu-mangaiyar iruvarum malarana,* angaiyil-muppozuthum varuda aRithuyil amarnthanai,*neRimuRai naalvagai varuNamum Ayinai,*mEthagum aimperum boothamum neeyE,*aRupatha_muralum koonthal kaaraNam*Ezvidai adangac seRRanai,* aRuvagaic-samayamum aRivaru nilaiyinai,* aimpaal-Othiyai Agath thirutthinai,* aRamudhal-naan_gu avaiyaay moortthi moonRaay*iruvagaip payanaay onRaay virinthu-ninRanai,* kunRaa madhumalarc sOlai-vaNkodip padappai,* varupunal ponni-maamaNi alaikkum,* sen^n^el oN_kazhanith-thigazvana muduttha,* kaRpOr purisaik-kanaka maaLikai,* nimirgodi visumbil-iLampiRai thuvakkum,* ## selvam malku then-thirukkudanthai,* anthaNar manthira moziyudan-vaNanga,* AdaravamaLiyil aRithuyil-amarntha parama,* nin adiyiNai paNivan-varumidar agala maaRRO vinaiyE. (2)thirumangaiyaazhvaar thiruvadigaLE saraNam.idaNGkoNda nenchathiNaNGkik kidappan* enrum ponnith-thadankoNda thaamarai sUzhum malarntha thaNpUNGkudanthai*vidaNGkoNda veNpal karunthuththi senkaN thazhalumizhvaay*padangoNda paampaNaip paLLi koNdaan thiruppaathangaLE.emperumaanaar thiruvadigaLE saraNam</PRE>

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<TABLE title="Sri Andal" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=619 border=0><TBODY><TR height=25><TD vAlign=center>Sri Andal

 

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Life story of Sri Andal:

The life story of Sri Andal is very well known in South India and to a few people in the north. However, a brief narrative is given here for the fresher. The Sri Vaishnava tradition holds that Sri Andal was found in the flower garden in kali yuga 98, Adi (Ashata month), Shukla Chathurthi, Tuesday with Puram star in SRIVILLPUTHUR in the Pandiya dynasty. Accordingly, her date of birth is 8th of June 3004 B.C. But modern historians fix a date the first half of the 8th century A.D. Be that as it may, our account follows the "Guru Parampara" tradition.

Upbringing of Sri Andal by Periyaazhvaar/Vishnuchithan:

As Sita was found by king Janaka, while tilling the land for doing yagna, Vishnuchitha (a great vedic scholar, poet, Vishnu devotee also known as Periyazhvar found the divine child under a tulasi plant while he was tending his nandavana(garden) in Srivilliputhur. He brought her up in simple and godly surroundings natural to a pious, vedic, dhwaija. The child prodigy thus fostered lovingly grew into a beautiful maiden and became an embodiment of love for Sri Krishna.

Sri Andal's love for Krishna/Sri Vatabhadrasayee:

Being a devotee of "Sri Vadabhatrasayee", the presiding deity of srivilliputhur, Vishnuchitha would weave a garland of tulasi leaves daily and keep it sacredly rolled in a flower basket so that he may, after attending to his other course, take the garland later to the temple for offering to the lord. The child “kodai”(Andal) in her profound innocence would take out the garland daily without her father's knowledge, adorn herself and look into the mirror to satisfy herself whether she was suitable bride to the lord and then would remove the garland and replace it in the basket in its original form. This was going on for days and without actually knowing that her daughter had adorned the garland around herself, Vishnuchitha would offer this to the deity who wore it beatifically.

One day to his surprise, Vishnucitha saw the child wearing the garland before he could take it to the temple. He was shocked for he considered this as a great defilement. He remonstrated her for this act. He fasted that day and did not offer the garland and was all repentant. But lo! What a surprise? At night, the lord appearing in dreams asked Vishnuchitha, why you did not offer me the tulasi wreath today? I am ever eager to have the things touched by my devotee. Think not Andal kodai to be a mere mortal.”

To his wonder Vishnuchitha found that tulasi wreath worn on the previous ay by Andal had not faded. But, was fresher than a freshly made garland. Thereafter, he offered the garland to the deity after being worn by Andal. The lord continued to give his the bliss of ineffable “darshan”. (Even today, this practice is being observed at the temple of Srivilliputhur.)

When Andal attained her marriageable age, her father was worried to find a suitable match for her. But, the divine child would not marry anyone except lord Krishna.

Therefore, Vishnuchitha narrated all the KALYANA GUNAS of all the Archa-Murthis of the one hundred and eight Sri Vaishnava Kshetras in India, so that she may for herself choose the deity. When she heard of the Soundarya of lord Sriranganatha, tears of joy came over her and her heart prayed to HIM to come and accept her in wedlock.

Wedlock of Sri Andal with Sri Ranganatha:

At this, Vishnuchitha, knowing not what to do, meditated. Sri ranganatha spoke to him in a dream: "Do not hesitate to offer your daughter to Me, for she is Bhudevi herself." Simultaneously the lord bade the sthanikas(officials in charge) of Srirangam to go to Srivilliputhur and bring Andal in a palanquin in all royalty.

 

King Vallabhadeva along with his retinue joined the procession from Srivilliputhur to Srirangam with Sri Andal in a palanquin.

The whole route was decorated on either sides with flowers and wreaths of finely weaved green saplings (called thoranam). As sri Andal entered the inner shrine of Sri Ranganatha, the magnetic beauty of the lord instantly attracted her. She boldly mounted up His serpent couch and joined the eternal lustrous light of Sri Ranganatha in the presence of the gathering.

Sri Andal's works:

To posterity, Sri Andal gave two gems as masterpieces:-

1. 
   
2. TIRUPPAVAI (30 verses)
   
3. NAACHIYAAR THIRUMOZHI (143 verses).

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[gokulkr]

Sri Devi on left side

Sri Devi thaayar who has to reside on the right hand side of the Perumal is found on the left hand side in ThiruIdaventhai and in Thiruputkuzhi Divyadesam.

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Sita Upanishad

 

Om ! Gods ! With ears let us hear what is good;

Adorable ones ! With eyes let us see what is good.

With steady limbs, with bodies, praising,

Let us enjoy the life allotted by the gods.

May Indra, of wide renown, grant us well-being;

May Pusan, and all-gods, grant us well-being.

May Tarksya, of unhampered movement, grant us well-being.

May Brihaspati grant us well-being.

Om ! Peace ! Peace ! Peace !

 

1. The gods, indeed, said to Prajapati: who is Sita ? What is Her form ? Then Prajapati replied: She is Sita:

2. Being the first cause Sita is known as

Prakriti; of Pranava, too, She is cause

And so is named Prakriti.

3. Maya in very essence,

Is Sita, of three letters formed.

Called Vishnu, the world-seed,

And Maya, too, is the letter i.

4. The letter sa denotes truth immortal;

Achievement; Siva with his consort.

Ta denotes the Queen of Speech

United with Brahman, the Deliverer.

5. The Goddess who is the great Illusion, whose form is unmanifest, and who is denoted by ‘i’ becomes manifest, beauteous as the moon, faultless of limb, decked with ornamental garlands, pearls and other adornments.

6. At first, at the time of Vedic studies, She is essentially the clear Vedic speech. Secondly, on earth, at the tip of the plough She springs up, who, as the bliss of Brahman-realization, is ever present. Thirdly, as denoted by ‘i’ She becomes unmanifest. So is She Sita. Thus they explain in the text of the Saunakas.

7. By Srirama’s (light of total liberation) presence enabled

The universe She sustains;

All embodied beings

She brings forth, sustains and withdraws.

8. Sita must be known;

She is the first cause;

As Om is She that cause,

Declare the Brahman-knowers.

9. Now, therefore, inquiry into Brahman.

10. She here is all the Vedas; all the gods; all the worlds; all renown; all virtue; all ground, effect and cause; the great Beauty of the Lord of gods. She has a form which is different and yet the same. She is the essence of the intelligent and the inert. She is all, from Brahma to stocks and stones. She is embodied, owing to distinctions of attributes and activities. She assumes the forms of gods, sages, men and Gandharvas; of demons, fiends, spirits, ghosts, goblins, etc.; and of the elements, sense-organs, mind and the vital breaths.

11. That divine Being is threefold through Her power, namely the power of desire, the power of action, and the power of knowledge.

12. The power of desire is threefold: Sri, Bhumi and Nila. Auspiciousness is the form (of Sri); the power (of holiness) is the form (of Bhumi); the sun, the moon, and the fire are the forms (of Nila).

13. As the moon (She) is the mistress of the herbs; She is the tree of plenty, flowers, fruits, creepers and bowers; the mistress of medicinal plants and physicians; She is the divine draught of immortality, yielding the fruit of massive splendour. She satisfies the gods with ambrosia and the animals with grass on which, respectively, the gods and the animals live.

14. She illumines all worlds, day and night, in the garb of the sun, etc. As determinations of time, such as the smallest moment, hour, day with its eight divisions, day of the week, and night, as also the fortnight, month, season, six months, and year and as the prescriber of the term of human life as a hundred years, She manifests herself and is known as Delay and Speed. Thus wheel-like, She revolves as the wheel of Time, the wheel of Universe, etc.; comprising (all dimensions of time) from the moment up to fifty years of Brahma’s life. All the luminous temporal divisions are the specific determinations of this very Time, the container of all.

15. As fire is the food and drink of living beings, their hunger and thirst. As regards the gods, She has the form of sacrifice. As regards the herbs in the forest, She is the coolness and the warmth. Both inside and outside the fuel She dwells, eternal and fleeting.

16. The Goddess Sri assumes a threefold form in conformity with the Lord’s will for the protection of the world. That She is styled Sri and Lakshmi is known.

17. The Goddess Bhu is the Earth comprising the seven islands and the seas; the container and the contents of the fourteen worlds such as bhu, etc.; and her essence is Pranava.

18. Nila is festooned with lightnings. To nourish all herbs and living beings, She assumes all forms.

19. At the root of all the worlds, She assumes the form of Water, being known as ‘consisting of frogs’ and supporting the worlds.

20. The real form of the power of action (is as follows): From Hari’s mouth (proceeds) sound; from this sound ‘the drop’; thence, the syllable Om; from this syllable, distinctively proceeds the mount Rama, the abode of the Vaikhanasas. On that mount flourish manifold branches representing action and knowledge.

21. The primal science of

Vedas three, reveals all sense;

They are the ‘three’, comprising

Ric, Yajus and Saman.

22. Based on a fact, fourfold, they are called

The Ric, Yajus, Saman, Atharvan.

23. The ‘three’ are so famed as they

Concern the four priests, form texts

Of triple sense, lingas, and much else.

The Atharvan is, in essence,

Ric, Yajus and Saman, too.

24. Yet separated it is, being

In the main, of magic sense.

The Rig-Veda does flourish

In branches twenty-one.

25. The Yajus is well known

In nine and hundred various schools.

Saman has a thousand branches;

The Atharvan but forty.

26. The Vaikhanasa philosophy

With intuition is concerned;

With Vaikhanasa it is that

Sages ever engage themselves.

27. Rituals, Grammar, Phonetics, Etymology, Astronomy and Metre are the six limbs.

28. The minor limbs are Vedanta

And Mimamsa, the treatise on

Nyaya and Puranas upheld

By the knowers of the Law; so also

Of meditation (upasana) the chapters;

29. Ethics, of the Vedic lore all branches,

Tradition, Law upheld by Rishis great;

History and legend – these the Upangas.

30. The five minor Vedas are

Architecture and Archery,

Music, Medicine and Occult Thought (daivika).

31. The Discipline, the Rites, the Gloss, the Lore,

Conquest supreme of breath – these twenty-one

Are renowned as self-evident.

32. The word of Vishnu at first sprang forth

From Vaikhanasa as the Vedas three.

33. As of old from sage Vaikhanasa

The ‘three’ sprang forth –

Hear all from me.

The eternal Brahmic form is power to act.

34. The manifest power is but the memory of the Lord; its essence is manifestation and evolution, restriction and promotion, subsidence and upflaring. It is the cause of the patent and the latent, possessing all feet, limbs, faces, colours. It is at once different and non-different (from the Lord); the unfailing consort of the Lord, perpetually dependent on Him. She becomes patent and latent, and is called the manifest power because She is competent to bring about, through the (mere) closing and opening (of Her eye) creation, sustentation and retraction, suppression and promotion.

35. The power of desire is threefold. At the time of retraction, for the sake of rest, when She rests on the right side of the Lord’s chest, in the shape of Srivatsa, She is the power of Yoga.

36. The form of the Power of enjoyment is enjoyment. Associated with the Tree of Plenty, the wish-granting Cow, the wish-fulfilling Gem, and the nine Treasures such as the (precious) Conch and Lotus, She is impelled by the devotion of the worshipper, whether sought or unsought (to yield enjoyments) as a result of rites, compulsory or optional, like the Agnihotra; or as a result of (the eight ‘limbs’ of Yoga practice, namely) restraint, discipline, posture, control of breath, withdrawal, attention, meditation and contemplation; or as a result of worship of the Lord’s image in pinnacled temples; or as a result of ceremonial baths, etc.; or of the worship of manes, etc.; or as a result of giving food, drink, etc., for pleasing the Lord. (All this) is done (through the Power of enjoyment).

37. Now the Power of heroism, four-armed, (is described). She indicates by her gestures fearlessness and (the granting of) boons; She bears the lotus; crowned and bedecked, She is surrounded by all the gods; is bathed, at the foot of the Tree of Plenty, by four elephants, in ambrosial waters from jewelled pots. All divinities, Brahma and others, render obeisance to Her. She is vested with the eight miraculous powers such as becoming atomic in proportion; She is lauded by the wish-granting cow who is before Her; she is extolled by the Vedas, the Shastras, etc. Celestial nymphs like Jaya wait upon Her. The luminaries – the sun and the moon – shed splendour on Her. Tumburu, Narada and others sing of Her glory. The full moon and new moon days hold an umbrella over Her; two delightful beings hold the whisks. Svaha and Svadha fan Her. Bhrigu and other supernatural beings adore Her. The Goddess Lakshmi is seated on a divine Lion-Throne in the lotus posture, effectuating all causes and effects. The steady (image of) the Lord’s idea of differentiation, She beautifies. With tranquil eyes, adored by all the gods, She is known as the Beauty of Heroism. This is the Secret.

 

 

Om ! Gods ! With ears let us hear what is good;

Adorable ones ! With eyes let us see what is good.

With steady limbs, with bodies, praising,

Let us enjoy the life allotted by the gods.

May Indra, of wide renown, grant us well-being;

May Pusan, and all-gods, grant us well-being.

May Tarksya, of unhampered movement, grant us well-being.

May Brihaspati grant us well-being.

Om ! Peace ! Peace ! Peace !

 

Here ends the Sita Upanishad, included in the Atharva-Veda.

[gokulkr]

 

 

SrI kAmAsikAshTakam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This stotram is about SrI nar*simha mUrti in the divya kshetram in kA~nci by

name vELukkai or veL irukkai. vEL in tamizh means "by One's own will";

irukkai means to be seated or to be located. Since perumAL made this His

place by His own will, the place is called tiru vEL irukkai. The samskr*t

name of this stotram echoes the same meaning - kAma - by His own will, AsikA

- being seated, ashTakam - consisting of 8 Sloka-s. PerumAL's name here is

kAmAsikA narasimhan. svAmi deSikan refers to this emperumAn as kAmAsikA

harih and kAmAsikA kesarih in this stotram.

 

In tiruvELukkai, bhagavAn is in the yoga narasimha form and is seated in the

yogic posture of parya~nka bandha. He has three eyes in His narasimha form

in this kshetra. svAmi deSikan points out that His being seated in the

yogic posture of parya~nka bandham suggests that He is seated with the

determination to help all His devotees (Slokam 4), and

chose

this posture in order to give live instruction to all of us on how to

perform yoga in order to attain Him (Slokam 5 - prAyeNa praNipedushAm

prabhurasau yogam nijam Sikshayan).

 

Even though the point should have been obvious, it is worth pointing out

that the AcArya's stotra-s, in addition to praising bhagavAn and giving us

an easy way of chanting His guNa-s, seem to have as one of their objectives

the propagation of the basic tenets of SrIvaishNavism by repeatedly

re-emphasizing and re-stating them in storam after stotram. Thus we see in

this storam also svAmi deSikan bring out out several basic aspects of his

and our pUrvAcAryas' teachings. These are:

 

1. He is the object of the uttara bhAga (final part) of the veda-s, viz. the

upanishad-s (Slokam 1).

 

2. bhagavAn is the only one who can remove our tApa-traya-s. These tApa-s

are referred to by svAmi deSikan in SaraNAgati dIpikA Slokam 23 - tApatryeNa

vihatim na bhajanti santah etc. In the current Slokam, svAmi deSikan prays

to kAmAsikA harih, the perumAL of this keshetram, to burn the three tApas-s

that result from samsAra with his three eyes (the sun, the moon, and agni).

The tApa-s are: a) AdhyAtmikam - belonging to to the individual, such as

headache, cold, anger, desire, fear, etc. b) Adhi bhaudikam --those

resulting from other bhUta-s such as the birds, animals, other people etc.,

and c) Adhi daivikam - those resulting from devatA-s such as from the wind,

sun, rain, etc.

 

3. He appears in His arcA mUrti form in many of these divya-kshetra-s out of

His sheer Mercy towards us, just so that He is easily accessible to us. It

is as if bhagavAn gave up the great regard for SrI viakuNTha vAsam (vimukta

vaikunTha bahumatim) so that He can be a nitya vAsi in this beautiful

kshetram and be accessible to all of us (Slokam 3).

 

His vibhava incarnations are for the purpose of destroying His enemies and

protecting His devotees. Thus, in His narasimha incarnation, He came to

protect prhalAda and other devotees from hiraNyakaSipu. This is one of the

rahasya-s of His incarnations. This is explained by svAmi deSikan in

SaraNAgati dIpikA Slokam 17 (AtmIya rakshaNa, vipaksha vinASanArthaih). In

the current stotram, he praises this aspect of bhagavAn and seeks His

protection. He has the anubhavam of kAmAsikA narasimhan's hands fighting

with each other in their desire to perform this function (aham prathamikA

mithah prakaTita AhavAh bAhavah - Slokam 6).

 

4. bhagavAn is the only true relative we all have (bandhum akhilasya

jantoh). All the other relatives such as father, mother, etc. are only

transient relatives, and are related this way purely because of our mutual

karma-s (Slokam 4).

 

5. bhagavAn is the one who assigns functions to, and controls, all the other

devatA-s so that they perform their assigned duties without violation

(sva-sthAneshu marud-gaNAn niyamayan - Slokam 5). This has been referred by

svAmi deSikan in abhIti stavam Slokam 4 also (marut taraNi pAvaka tridaSa

nAtha kAlAdayah svakr*tyam adhikurvate tadaparAdhato bibhyatah).

 

bhagavAn is also the One who controls all our indriya-s (svAdhIna

sarvendriyah). His nAma of hr*shIkeSa signifies this.

 

6. bhavAn's anger knows no limits when anyone commits apacAram towards His

devotee. The narasimha incarnation is a typical example of this. svAmi

deSikan describes through almost identical Sloka-s in dayA Satakam Slokam 84

and Slokam 7 in the current stotra, His making His appearance reflect His

intense anger towards His devotee's enemy.

 

However, the wonder of bhagavAn's leelA is that at the same time His

appearance reflects intense anger towards hiraNyakaSipu, He makes His

appearance to prahlAda one of intense Mercy and kindness reflecting that of

a mother feeding her young child (datta sthanA saroja sadr*SA dr*SA samudita

Akr*tir-dr*Syate - dayA Satakam, datta sthanA saroja sadr*SA dr*SA

vyatibhishajya te vyajyate in the current stotram). Such is the nature of

His kr*pA or dayA to His devotees.

 

7. bhagavAn is the only one who can protect us. If He does not protect us

no one else can protect us, and if He decides to protect us, we don't need

anyone else's protection. This concept is conveyed in Slokam 8 - tvayi

rakshati rakshakaih kim ananyaih, tvayi ca arakshati rakshakaih kim

ananyaih. The same idea was conveyed in SrI ashTabhujAshTakam Sloka-s 5 and

6: bhayam kutah syAt tvayi sAnukampe, rakshA kutah syAt tvayi jAtaroshe

(Slokam 5), and tvayi pravr*tte mama kim prayAsaih, tvayyapravr*tte mama kim

prayAsaih (Slokam 6). This is the basis of goptr*tva varaNam (the

deliberate choice of bhagavAn as the Sole Protector) which is one of the

a~nga-s of prapatti.

 

8. In the ninth and final Slokam of SrI kAmAsikAshTakam svAmi deSikan

reminds us that if one chants this stotram even once with faith and with

devotion, bhagavAn will forgive their sins even if they be huge like

elephants, and will bestow any benefits that the devotee seeks. It appears

svAmi deSikan intentionally chose to compare our sins to huge 'elephants',

since it is the kAmAsikA kesari (lion) who is going to eliminate the sins.

 

-dAsan kr*shNamAcAryan

[gokulkr]

 

 

Garuda Upanishad

 

 

 

 

Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious;

May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship !

May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas,

Praising them with our body and limbs steady !

May the glorious Indra bless us !

May the all-knowing Sun bless us !

May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us !

May Brihaspati grant us well-being !

Om ! Let there be Peace in me !

Let there be Peace in my environment !

Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !

 

Om! That (world) is a complete whole. This (world) too is a complete whole. From the complete whole only, the (other) complete whole rose. Even after removing the complete whole from the (other) complete whole, still the complete whole remains unaltered and undisturbed.

Om Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

I will preach the Brahman – science. Brahman taught it to Narada, Narada to Brhatsena, Brhatsena to Indra, Indra to Bharadvaja, Bharadvaja to his puils who desired to preserve their life.

(He taught them the science) which achieves this, which achieves good, removes poison, destroys poison, overcomes poison and annihilates poison:

“Struck is the poison, annihilated is the poison, destroyed is the poison; it is struck by Intra’s thunder-bolt, Svaha! May it originate from snakes, from vipers, from scorpions, from cankers, from salamanders, from amphibious animals or from rats”.

“May you be Anantaka’s messenger, or be Anantaka himself! May you be Vasuki’s messenger, or be Vasuki himself! May you be Taksaka’s messenger, or be Taksaka himself! May you be Karkotaka’s messenger, or be Karkotaka himself! May you be Samkhapulika’s messenger, or be Samkhapulika himself! May you be Padmaka’s messenger, or be Padmaka himself! May you be Maha Padmaka’s messenger, or be Maha Padmaka himself! May you be Elapatraka’s messenger, or be Elapatraka himself! May you be Mahailapatraka’s messenger, or be Mahailapatraka himself! May you be Kalika’s messenger, or be Kalika himself! May you be Kulika’s messenger, or be Kulika himself! May you be Kambalasvatara’s messenger, or be Kambalasvatara himself!”

For twelve years snakes do not bite him who hears this great science on the new moon night. The snakes do not bite him as long as he lives who, having recited this great science on the new moon night, wears it (as an amulet).

He who teaches it to eight Brahmanas he releases (from the effects of snake bite) by merely touching with grass, with a piece of wood, with ashes. One who teaches it to a hundred Brahmanas, he releases by a mere glance. One who teaches it to a thousand Brahmanas, he releases by the mere thought – he releases it by the mere thought.

Thus spake the exalted Brahman – the exalted Brahman. This is the essence of the Garuda Upanishad.

Om! That (world) is a complete whole. This (world) too is a complete whole. From the complete whole only, the (other) complete whole rose. Even after removing the complete whole from the (other) complete whole, still the complete whole remains unaltered and undisturbed.

Om Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious;

May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship !

May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas,

Praising them with our body and limbs steady !

May the glorious Indra bless us !

May the all-knowing Sun bless us !

May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us !

May Brihaspati grant us well-being !

Om ! Let there be Peace in me !

Let there be Peace in my environment !

Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !

 

Here ends the Garuda Upanishad, as contained in the Atharva-Veda.