Guruvayurappan-the healer and protector

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Guruvayurappan-the healer and protector

 

Mind is very restless, forceful and strong,O Krishna, it is more

difficult to control the mind than to control the wind "

Arjuna to Sri Krishna

 

Srimad Narayaneeyam is a devotional hymn consisting of 1036 verses

written in the 16th century by a scholar-devotee=poet by name

Melpathur Narayana Bhattatiri, as an epitome of Srimad Bhagavata

Mahapuranam. The immediate need for him to write this hymn, was his

suffering from his ailment of paralysis, for the alleviation of

which, he prayed to the Lord of

Guruvayoor. He wrote one hundred chapters at the rate of one chapter

(dasakam--a bunch of 10 verses) per day, sitting in front of the

deity. As the story goes, the author, Melpathur Narayana Bhattatiri

voluntarily transferred onto himself, the ailment of paralysis from

his Guru and relative, Trikandiyur Achuta Pisharoti ritualistically,

in order to save him. In the process, he himself became a paralytic.

He then got himself carried to the shrine at Guruvayoor where he

could take shelter at the feet of Lord Krishna and get divine

intervention.

 

As he was continuing to suffer from excruciating pain due to his

malady, he sought advice from the celebrated contemporary poet,

Thunjath Ezhuthatchan, who suggested that Bhattatiri should " start

with the fish " . Bhattatiri, being quick to understand the implication

of this suggestion, viz., that he should compose a hymn in praise of

Lord Guruvayoorappan giving an account of all His sportive

incarnations beginning with the incarnation as fish (Matsya-avatara),

he sat at the feet of the Lord and composed this great work, a

dasakam a day, with ardent devotion. At the end of the hundredth day,

when he had completed all the one hundred dasakams, it is said that

he had a glorious vision of the Lord and he was completely cured of

his ailment. Bhattatiri composed Narayaneeyam when he was twenty-

seven, completing it on November 27, 1587.

 

It is said that on the hundredth day, when he completed writing the

hymn, he had the coveted vision of the Lord and he also got cured of

his ailment. Devotees believe that this hymn to Lord Krishna, the

presiding deity of Guruvayoor is a panacea for all ailments,

arthritic parqlysis in particular, and chant the hymn with all

earnestness, sincerity and devotion. They come

all the way to Guruvayoor, offer worship and get cured.

 

The expression " Hantha! Bhagyam Jananaam! " , comprising the last words

of the opening sloka of this great work, Srimad Narayaneeyam, has

become the watch-word of Guruvayoor, because devotees of

Guruvayoorappan believe that Narayaneeyam, known as the " Gospel of

Guruvayoor " is identical with the Lord. They consider themselves

extremely fortunate and blessed even to have been able to have a

Darsanam of the Lord, who is the same as Brahman, the Supreme

Consciousness. One can find the above-cited words inscribed right at

the entrance of the shrine. The image of the Lord at Guruvayoor,

believed to be of divine origin, is said to have been worshipped by

Vasudeva and then by Lord Krishna Himself at Dwaraka. Before the

divine ascent of Lord Krishna, He had instructed Uddhava, His devotee

and minister, that this image would come floating when Dwaraka would

be engulfed by the sea, after His departure. At his behest, Guru

(Brihaspati, the Deva-guru), along with Vayu (the Wind-god), looked

for a suitable spot which was located by Parasurama, and as

instructed by Lord Siva, installed the same at the present location,

which later came to be known as " GURU-VAYU-OOR " , meaning the place of

Guru and Vayu, the sanskritised name being " GURU-PAVANA-PURAM " . As

the Divine ascent was at the beginning of Kali-yuga, the temple is

believed to be about 5,100 years old. As the image had its origin in

Vaikuntam, the divine abode of Lord Vishnu, devotees consider this

shrine as Vaikuntam on earth, or Bhooloka-Vaikuntam.

 

This work, composed in praise of Lord Krishna, and which is said to

have received divine intervention at different stages, is considered

to be a short and sweet substitute for Srimad Bhagavata Mahapuranam

(cream of all Hindu sacred texts) and is recited by devotees all over

the world as a general prayer and also as a panacea for all ailments

causing impairment or loss of motor function of nerves. Innumerable

devotees flock to the Guruvayoor temple and offer worship to the

Lord, reciting this hymn of prayer in the firm hope, belief and trust

that they would be cured of their ailments.

 

(Dr MP Bhattathiri)

Published in www.keralaonline.com