Lord Guruvayurappan

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Hare Krishna

The eye filling figure of Lord Guruvayurappan in the sanctum sanctorum is the full manifestation of Lord Mahavishnu as was revealed to Devaki and Vasudeva at the time of Krishnavatara.The God-head is contemplated in two different ways: as manifested(Personal,Saguna with attributes) and as unmanifested(Impersonal,Nirguna without attributes).Whike the unmanifested is incomprehensible to the unenlightened,the manifested is within easy grasp of the ordinary aspirant.Has not the Lord Himself said on Bakti Yoga in the Gita:

Klesohdhikatarastesam Avyaktasaktachetasam

Avyaktaa hi galirduhkham Dehavadbhiravapyate

( Greater is their difficulty whose minds are set on the unmanifested,for the goal of the unmanifested is very hard for the embodied to reach.)

 

As the embodied thinks of himself with form,he can not help thinking of his God as anything without a form.The worship of Saguna Brahman,the Supreme Being with attributes,is the easier path.On the other hand,he who adores the Nirguna Brahman,the Absolute Reality without attributes,has to be free from body feeling from the beginning.The attainment of that state is not possible for all.Only the jnani or the realised soul can rise to the level of worshipping the Impersonal Brahman.The easy and natural course for the ordinary aspirant is,therefore,to pay worship to the Supreme Being that has a form.

 

Indeed the Lord manifested Himself in Sattwic forms through his various in carnations.While people in the virtuous eras of the dim past could see His embodied forms in flesh and blood,to later generations,the sanctified idols of these incarnations provide the only glimpse of the Lord.The deity at Guruvayur is one such manifested form-of Sri Krishna at His birth.As Narayana Bhattatiri has sung in his Narayaneeyam:

 

Avyaktam te svarupam duradhigamatamam tattu suddhaikasatvam

Vyaktamcapyetadeva sphutamamrtarasambhodhi kallolatulyam

(Thy indistinct or unmanifested form is extremely incomprehensible.But that distinct form that is here manifest (in the idol at Guruvayur) is of the nature of Sattwa,pure and is like the wave of the ocean of ambrosia.)

Having seen the efficacy of meditating on God with a form as a means of ultimate realisation,it would be interesting to acquaint ourselves,though briefly,with some of the principkles laid down in making images and with special characteristics of Vishnu idols in particular.According to the Silpa Sastra as I hv been infmed an image must elevate the devotee to a higher plane of action and meditation.Great attention shuld be paid to its eyes,eyebrows and forehead.The lips shuld be slightly parted in a smile and the neck graceful like a conch shell.The arms shuld be like the trunk of an elephant and the thighs like the stem of a plantain tree.A beautiful belly and beautiful feet are other excellences of the idol.

 

Of Vishnu images in particular,it is said that they are generally shown in one of three postures: Sthanaka (standing), Asana (sitting) and Sayana ( reclining).They hv usually four arms carrying the Sankha(conch),the Chakra(discus),the Gada(mace) and the bow and arrows.Of arnaments ,they are shown to carry several, such as the Padma or lotus,the Kirita or the crown,the Makara Kundalas or the crocodile earrings,the Keyura or armlets,the Kankanas or wristlets,the Udharabandhas or girdles,the sacred thread etc.Then there is the Srivatsa mark on the right chest,the Vaijayantimala( a garland reaching upto the knees) and the Kastubha or gem sacred to Lakshmy,adorning the chest.

An attempt may be made of the description of the Lord at Guruvayur.Made out of a particular kind of stone called Patala Anjanam,it is in the standing pose.Evocative descriptions of the Lord occur in the Narayaneeyam and one cannot do better than to resort to these,though even the great poet admits that His form is indescribable.A general description of the God Personal,which its author had come to worship at Guruvayur is:

 

Suryaspardhikiritamurdhvatilakaprodbhasiphalantaram

Karunyakulanetramardrahasitollasam Sunasaputam

Gandodyanmakarabhakundalayugam kanthojjvalatkaustubham

Tvadrupam vanamalyaharapatalsrivatsadipram bhaje

( I worship Thy form- that form with Thy crown(on the head) rivalling the Sun,the middle of Thy forehead refulgent with that sandal mark drawn up.The eyes melting with compassion,Thy face beaming with that sweet smile,Thy nostrils beautiful,Thy cheeks shining with the pair of ear ornaments of the shape of Makara(fish),Thy neck radiant with the Kaustubha ornament, and Thy body(chest) charming with the wood-garland,clusters of pearl necklaces and the mark Srivatsa.

 

Keyurangada kankanottamamaharaaratnaanguliyankita

Srimadbahucattushkasarigatagadasankharipankoruham

Kancit kancanakancilanchitalasatpitambaralambini

Maalambe vimalaambuja dyutipadam murti tavvartickhidam

(I cling to that indescribable form of Thine-that form that destroys all distress,with those lustrous four arms bedecked with shoulder ornaments,arm bracelets,bangles and rings studded with the best of precious gems,and holding therein the mace,the conch,the disc and the lotus,that form wearing the yellow silk garment and shining with the gold waist-girdle,and with feet of lustre of a charming lotus.)

Bhattatiri then describes the Lord from head to foot in the famous verses beginning with the words "Agre pasyami.....( Him I see before me....") in the concluding dasaka.This wonderfully shows how the image at Guruvayur conforms to the ideal prescribed in the sastras.

 

Adnyatva te mahatvam yadiha nigaditam visvanathakshametah

Stotram caitatsahasrottaramadhikataram tvatprasadya bhuyati

Dvedha Narayaniyam srutishu ca janushaa stutyatavarnanena

Sphitam Lilavatarairidamiha kurhtamayurarogyasaukhyam

( O Lord of the Universe, forgive me for what I hv described here with so little knowledge of Thy greatness! May this hymn of praise of more than a thousand slokas secure Thy abounding Grace.May this hymn which is embellished with Thy sportful incarnations and which,on account of its origin in the vedas and the description of Thy aspect worthy of being praised,is Narayaniyam in a two-fold way,bring on long life,health and happiness.)

A wonderful end to the hymn by Bhattatiri.

May that Lorsd of Guruvayur who has manifested with supreme power bestow His benign blessings on all.

 

Hare Krishna,Sri Guruvayurappa.

 

 

 

 

 

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