POONTHAM illam- some photos

[Guest guest]

Dear Radhakrishnanji,

 

Thanks for the nice article on Poonthanam. Poonthanam stories

enlighten us to know that simple & pure Bhakthi is most important to Krishna

than rituals, names or poojas.

 

You can see two of the photos I had taken of then illam at

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guruvayoor/sets/72157602267780977

 

Poonthanam stories also reminds me of a Narada story. Narada asked

Mahavishnu why a common man who remembers God only once has the same importance

as Narada who spend all day reciting Narayanaya nama:.

 

Mahavishnu answered that the common man is busy with his job - Karma Yoga - that

he needs to do to fill his and his family's stomachs; and finally when he gets

one moment of free time, he remembers Narayanaya and call his name with all its

purity. Then he fall asleep the next minute.

 

I visited Poonthanam illam (house) a few years back; it is near

Perinthalmanna in Malappuram district of Kereala. Guruvayur Devaswom

maintains the illam now as they have bought the property.

 

 

Mnay people visit on the annual Poonthanam festival celebrated with Kavi

sammelan etc. Poonthanam day is on the Aswathi Nakshatram of Malayalam month

Kumbham (February-March) On this day, recital of Poonthanam's works and debate

takes place. A one week literary festival is conducted during this time at the

illam.

 

 

Om Namo Narayanaya:

 

Sunil.

 

 

guruvayur , " P.R.RADHAKRISHNAN "

<pallassanas wrote:

>

>

> GURUVAYURAPPAN WILL LOOK LIKE A BUFFALO

>

>

>

> Friends,

>

>

>

> All of you might have heard about BRAHMASHRI.POONTHANAM

>

> NAMBOOTHIRIPPAD and his Achanjala Nishkalanga Bhakthi towards Lord

> Guruvayurappan.(unshakeble and pure devotion ). In my previous letter,

> I had mentioned that he was a contemporary of BRAHMASHRI. MELPATHUR

> NARAYANA BHATTATHIRI who wrote the famous NARAYANEEYAM. I am narrating

> hereunder a story about his Bhakthi, He was not much educated as

> MEPATHUR in SANSKRIT, VEDAS AND PURANAS, nor he knew SANSKRIT VYAKARANA

> (Grammar ). In the beginning MELPATHUR had a contempt look on

> POONTHANAM since he was not educated like Bhattathiri.

>

>

>

> Once it so happened that Poonthaanam went and asked Bhattathiri as to

> which form Lord GURUVAYURAPPAN was to be thought while praying, for

> which Bhattathiri in utter contempt replied " CHATTI

> ERUMAYEPPOLE " meaning He will be like a BUFFALO.

>

> Brahmasri Poonathanam accepted this and started imagining LORD

> GURUVAYURAPPAN as a buffalo and started praying. The next day when the

> UTHSAVA MURTHY ( the idol meant for taking in procession outside the

> Sanctum Sanctorum ) was to be taken out from the Sanctum Sanctorum , it

> could not be taken out through the door. Immediately the MELSHANTHI (

> Chief Priest ) and others rushed to Bhattathiri and asked him as to why

> the Idol could not be taken out. Bhattathiri was taken aback for a while

> but later said " KOMBU THATAYUKAYAANE. KURACHCHU CAHARICHCHU

> ETUKKUKA. ENNAAL VARUM " meaning that the horns were obstructing and

> just tilt a bit and remove the Idol. It will come. This shows the power

> of prayer of Poonthanam and his unshakable and pure devotion towards

> LORD GURUVAYURAPPAN.

>

>

>

> Again while reciting SRI VISHNU SAHASRANAMAM , Poonthanam started

> chanting as " PADMANAABHO MARA PRABHU " . Hearing this ,

> Melpathur told Poonthaanam that it is not " MARA PROBHU " but you

> must recite as " AM ARA PRABHU " . Immediately LORD GURUVAYURAPPAN

> as invisible (ASAREERI) thundered I am both MARA PRABHU and

> AMARAPRABHU. Lord thus accepted Poonthaanam's pure bhakthi..

>

>

>

> Unfortunately, we know only the ILLAM'S name from which Poonthaanam

> hailed.

>

> ULLUR. S. Parameswara Iyer has has given his name as Brahmadaththa and

> he was born in a Namboothiri Family who had no formal education in

> Vedas, Puranas, Sanskrit Etc. However it is a matter of debate by

> scholars

>

>

>

> Regards to one and all.

>

> " OM NOMO BHAGAVATHE VASUDEVAYA "

>

>

>

> P.R.RADHAKRISHNAN

>