ThiruvahIndhrapuram RathnAngi Series: Part 61/SrI DevanAyaka PanchAsath : SlOkma 11

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

Today , let us enjoy the 11th slOkam of SrI DevanAyaka PanchAsath

which refers to the Vaibhavams of Four PuNya Theerthams of

this dhivya desam saluted in the Sthala PurANam of ThiruvahIndhrapuram .

They acquired their sanctity because of His presence at this dhivya dEsam

in His archA form.

 

The Eleventh SlOkam of SrI DevanAyaka PanchAsath

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theerTair-vrutham vrujina dhurgathi nAsaNArhai:

Sesha KshamA VihagarAja Virincha-jushtai:

Naata ThvayA nathajanasya bhavaoushadhEna

prakhyAtham Oushadha girim pranamanthi dEvA:

 

(Extended Meaning) : This slOkam refers to the four Theerthams

mentioned in the Sthala PurANam of this dhivya dEsam.

Oh Lord DhaivanAyaka ! At ThiruvahIndhrapuram , You play

the role of an unfailing medicine(oushadham) that cures

the virulent disease of SamsAram that attacks the ChEthanams .

Because of your role as this parama Oushadham ,the hill at

Thiruvahindhrapuram in front of Your temple is also

known as Oushadha Giri to acknowledge Your vital role

as the never-failing medicine for samsAric diseases .

Around this sacred Oushadha Giri are the four holy theerthams

( assembly of waters)for which the respective Devathais are

AdhisEshan, BhUmi DEvi, Garudan and Brahma Devan. These four

theerthams are revered therfore as Sesha, BhUmi , Garuda

and Brahma Theerthams . The fortunate ones , who take a dip in

these four theerthams or have the sprinkling of waters from

these four theerthams have their sins destroyed and acquire

spiritual eminence of the highest order . These four theerthams

are " Vrujina dhurgathi naasanArha " theertha raasis .Oh Lord of

Thiruvayindhai! The DevAs worship with reverence this sacred

abode of Yours , which is surrounded by these four holy theerthams.

 

Additional Comments:

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These four theerthams have the power to destroy (spiritual)

poverty (dhurgathi) and all kinds of sins ( vrujinam ). They

are linked with AdhisEshan (Sesha:) , Bhumi Devi (KshamA),

Garudan (Vihaga Raajan) and Brahma devan ( Virincha). These

theerthams are located around the reputed (prakhyAtham)

Oushadha Giri at the Lord's Dhivya desam , where the Lord

Himself plays the role of the powerful medicine for those

Bhaktha Janams , who surrender to Him ( natha janasya

Bhava OushadhEna ThvayA PrakhyAtham Oushadha Giri Theertai:

vrutham).The DevAs prostrate before this Oushada Giri , which

acquired its name as a result of the Lord staying near it

as the Supreme Medicine for SamsAric diseases ( ThvayA

prakhyAtham Oushadha girim dEvA: Pranamanthi ).

 

ThiruvahIndhrapuram has all the auspicious lakshaNams of

a dhivya dEsam in that it is surorunded by a sacred hill

(Oushada Giri) , sacred river ( Garuda Nadhi)and sacred

Theerthams ( BhUmi , Brahma and other theerthams).

 

References to the Four sacred waters in the Sthala PurANam

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According to the Thiruvayindhai Sthala PurANam , SrIman

NaarAyaNan was thirsty after a big battle with

asurAs and the two nithya sooris around Him --AdhisEshan

and Garudan) rushed to fetch water to quench the thirst of

their Lord. There was a competition between the two

as to who was going to succeed in bringing

the needed water FIRST. AdhisEshan struck the earth with His

tail and out gushed the waters . Garudan used His beak to make

a big scratch on the earth and a river flowed at the sacred

feet of Lord DevanAthan. By the time , Garudan competed His task ,

He noticed that AdhisEshan had already delivered the water

to quench the Lord's thirst . The Lord recognized the great

devotion of the two nithya sooris ( AdhisEshan and Garudan)

and named the waters created by AdhisEshan and Garudan

as Sesha theertham and Garuda nadhi/theertham . Sesha

theertham is present today at this dhivya dEsam as waters

in a sacred well inside the temple . Garuda Nadhi flows at

the foot of the Lord and the Thirumanjana theertham comes

from there.

 

The name of Thiru Ahindhrapuram was chosen by the Lord

for His dhivya desam (Puram) to recognize the exceptional

kaimkaryam performed by Ahindhran (AdhisEshan) here.

 

Brahma Theertham

*****************

Brahma Devan performed penance at this dhivya dEsam and

created a PushkaraNi for His anushtAnam . That PushkaraNi

acquired the reputation similar to the VirajA river at

SrI Vaikuntam and the Lord pleased with the austere

penance of BrahmA appeared before him on the banks of

this saced theertham , which acquired the name of Brahma

Theertham later.

 

BhUmi Theertham

***************

At one time, Bhumi Devi was burdened with the increased

population of asurAs , who delighted in tormenting the sages

and saadhu janams. Bhumi Devi apepaled to Her Lord for

reducing the burden of carrying the asurAs. The Lord responded

and destroyed the asurAs and lightened the load of BhUmi DEvi .

She arrived at ThiruvahIndhrapuram , where the Lord was resting

from the rigors of the just-concluded battle with asurAs. Bhumi

DEvi created a pond full of lovely flowers for the Lord's

sport and helped to remove His weariness and fatigue.

That holy assembly of waters is known as BhUmi Theertham

today.

 

The Lord as Vaidhya NaarAyanan at ThiruvahIndhrapuram

******************************************************

In this eleventh slOakm of SrI DeavanAyaka PanchAsath,

the Lord is saluted by Swamy Desikan as : " natha janasya

bhava oushadhan " ( the supreme medicine for the chethanams

who suffer from Bahva rhogam).

 

The slOkam section of SrI VishNu SahasranAmam relating to

the Lord as Bhava rhOga oushadhan is:

 

Trissamaa saamagah Saama nirvANam bhEshajam Bhishak

 

The Lord , who is eulogized by the three Saamans

( Brihath , Ratantara and Vaama-dEvya Saamans)engages

in Saama gAnam Himself (Saamagan) dispells the bhava rhOgams .

He thus becomes the effective medicine(BhEshajam)

and the Physician (Bhishak) , who administers that

Vedic medicine. Swamy ParAsara Bhattar quotes a

passage from Sthava rAjam in this context :

 

NaarAyaNAth RishigaNA: taTA SiddhA: mahOragA:

DevA DEvarshayascchaiva Yamm vidhu: DUKKHA BHESHAJAM

 

( " The groups of Rishis , SiddhAs , the great serpent kings

and godly seers came to know of this medicine for the disease

of SamsAram (Bhava RhOgam) from NaarAyaNa (and as NaarAyaNa ) " .

 

That Bhava RhOgam is asAdhyam or formidable and is not

easily cured by any means other than by the Lord Himself

standing in as UpAyam and UpEyam . He becomes the Oushadham

at the foot hills of Oushadha Giri at ThiruvahIndhrapuram

and blesses the suffering SamsAris with Dhivya Jn~Anam

about His Roopam, DhivyAthma Svaroopam, anantha kalyANa

guNams and Vaibhavam . The result of that chikithsai

(medical Treatment by the Supreme Physician ) is the destruction

of all the sins and dhurgathi . The power of karmAs to

yield fruits is arrested ( KarmANAm Phala-janana sakthi vinAsam).

The Lord blesses the karma-bound jeevan to enjoy Him ,

realize Him as the Sarva Loka SaraNyan and accepts their

SaraNAgathi and grants them ParamAm Gathi .From Dhurgathi

referred to by Swamy Desikan in this slOakm , the jeevan

attains the ParamAm Gathi as the Muktha Jeevan . This miracle

performed by the Lord (ParAvaran: ParE avarE yasmAth sa:

ParAvara:) is saluted by one of the Mundaka Upanishad

manthrams:

 

bhidhyathE Hrudhaya granTis-cchidhyanthe Sarva-samsaya:

ksheeyanthE chAsya karmANi tasmin dhrushtE ParAvarE

--Mundakam: 2.2.9

 

" When that ParamAtman , who is the Self of all bodies

both superior and inferior is realized , THE KNOTS OF

THE HEART GET UNTIED , ALL DOUBTS BECOME CLEARED AND

THE KARMAAS OF THIS JEEVAN BECOME DESTROYED " .

 

Locking their mind in Him , the Aanandhamaya Vigrahan

free from even the smell of samsAra , the wise ones(DheerA:)

realize this Parabrahman/ParAvaran and are freed from their

karmAs :

 

tath vij~nAEna paripasyanthi dheerA:

Aanandharoopam amrutham yadhvibhAthi

--Mundakam: 2.2.8

 

Lord DevanAthan of ThiruvahIndhrapuram is MangaLAnAm Param

( The embodiment of Supreme auspiciousness) . He is samastha

hEya prathyaneekan ( free of any and all blemishes); He is

Pavithran (Purity embodied);He is an ocean of nectar (amrutha

mahOdadhi).

 

Any thing associated with this AanandhAmrutha Svaroopan

becomes sanctified . The four theerthams of ThiruvahIndhrapuram

are no exceptions to this doctrine.

 

In the next posting , the anugrahm of Devathvam that

BhakthAs attain at ThiruvahIndhrapuram are saluted by

Swamy Desikan.

 

NamO SrI DevanAtha MahA PurusAya

Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan

inviting Your participation in the RathnAngi

Kaimkaryam for SrI DhaivanAyakan of ThiruvahIndhrapuram

scheduled for poorthi with His anugraham on

October 5,2003(PurattAsi SravaNam day).