[Guruvayur/Guruvayoor] Followup from my trip to Guruvayoor

September 22, 2005

NARAYANA NARAYANA NARAYANA

Dear Shri Narasimhan,

Thanks for sharing your Guruyayoor experience in a beautiful way.May Guruvayoorappan Bless You and Your Family.

Regards,

Arun

NARAYANA NARAYANA NARAYANA

Narasimhan <athenawala wrote:

My Dear Devotees, I returned back from my trip to India which included trips to Guruvayoor, and several other holy places of worship. The Nirmalya Darshanam was fabulous, although I did feel that the lord was testing me constantly. At one point, certain plan changes due to an impending strike initiated by our fellow muslim brothers in Kerala posed a problem with my staying on at Guruvayoor to see the Nirmalya Darshanam. However, my steadfast resolve and willingness to stick to my resolve seems to have paid off, and by his Leela, the strike was called off allowing me to proceed as per my plans. I saw the "Krishnaattam" being performed in the East Nada at 1:00 AM following which I stood in the line while reciting my Vishnu Sahasranamam and Dhayana Slokams patiently. This was rewarded with two immaculate darshans of the lord both in

his complete attire as well as the Nirmalya Darshanam. I had started reciting the 'Narayaneeyam" parayanam a week before and completed the recitation at Guruvayoor while sitting in the temple premises opposite the Ayyappan Sannidhi. I recited the namaskara slokams (dasakam 98) 11 times and prostated to the lord. Two rabbits that happened to be gracing around while I was reading, stood erect as a pair immediately in front of me during my namaskara slokams, it was as if I was prostrating the the rabbits! Perhaps it was Guruvayoorappan in the form of those rabbits. I sincerely thought of this listserv and prayed for each and every member of this growing family of devotees in our listserv. I visited several other temples to include the Eranakulatthappan temple, the Thiruvarppu Krishna temple, Poornathreisha Vishnu temple, also known as the Santhana Gopalakrishna Temple in Tripoonithura, a suburb of Ernakulam. I also visited

the Ravipuram Sree Krishna Temple, where Krishna was beautifully decorated as the "Aalelai Krishnan" biting his toes. I visitied the famous Chottanakarai Bhagawati temple, and the Ganapathy, Shiva and Ayappan temples in the Nurani village, Palghat. The Thiruvarppu Sree Krishna Temple has a uniqueness to it. It seems it is the only temple where the deity is bathed at 2:00 AM and even before the bath is completed the Neivedyam of a Nai Payasam called USHA (for the early morning sunrise) is offered to the lord. It seems the Neivedyam has to be offered this way since lord Krishna cannot bear the humger and his waist cord falls of if he is kept hungry. This is the only temple in the world where the Neivedyam is offered at 2:00 AM. I received the USHA payasam as neivedyam despite the fact that this prasadam is booked until the year 2007. This was god's gift to me. During our trip to the Thiruvarppu, heavy rains caused

severe flooding and our car was unable to cross the waters. I decided to walk for 2Km in knee deep water to reach the temple. As I was wading through the waters and my feet were getting hurt due to the dents in the road, a local man came to my aid and held my hands to lead me along the clear path. Another Christian man, who had decided to risk driving in his car, offered us a lift to the temple in his car and was so kind as to wait for us while we completed our prayers and offered to drive us back from the temple to where our driver was watiting for us. Such is the maya of the lord. He came to my rescue after testing my resolve to see the temple instead of my turning back in light of heavy rains and flooding.Finally, on the last day while in Chennai, I visited the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, and stood in the line to prostrate at the holy feet of his statue. I slowly recited the second last slokam of dasakam 100, namely

"Yogeendranam..." and was rewarded by two huge lotus flowers in my hands by the temple priest. I share these moments with you in total humility and do not mean to sound boastful, please forgive me if it comes accross that way. Sarvatra Govinda Naama Sankeertanam, Govinda Govinda!Narasimhan Nagan

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