Swamy NammAzhwAr Thirunakashathram Special postings: Part II, ThirumOhUr Dhivya Desam

[Guest guest]

SvabhAnu Vrushabha Maasam, Sukla paksha ThridhIyai,

VaikAsi VisAkam , June 12,2003

 

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

We shall focus in this post on the importance of

Sudarsana BhagavAn at this Dhivya Desam. The Sudarsana

Sannidhi here is a celebrated one with a lot of PrArthanais.

A friend advised me that Sudarsanar at ThirumOhUr

is very dear to travellers on the roads with vehicles

(Truckers) since Sudarsanar is recognized and worshipped

here as " Maarga Bhandhu " ( Companion/Protector for those

on the Road: Maarga SahAyan ) . ThirumOhUr is on

the national highway and seems to be a favorite

dhivya Desam of those , who are on the road quite

often and need protection.

 

Sudarsana Bhagavan as Maarga bhandhu

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

Sudarsanar is the Sankalpa Sakthi (Power of

Volition) of the Lord .Once the Lord of ThirumOhUr

has decided on conferring the boon of travel on

the Road of the devAs (archirAdhi maargam/DevayAna pathway)

to His Supreme abode , then it is the duty of Sudarsanar

to light the way for the travel and protect the one ,

who has surrenderd to the Lord ; on behalf

of His Lord Sudarsana protects the Prapannan

until that Prapanna arrives safely at

the Supreme abode of His Lord , SrI Vaikuntam.

That ArchirAdhi Maargam is the ParamAm Gathi (Supreme

route and means). It is the supreme Pantha ( most sacred

Vazhi/road ).In the context of Purusha Sooktham , it is the

safe and secure route for deliverance from

the cycles of births and deaths .There are no

other routes (naanya: PanthA ayanAya vidhyathE)

to achieve the PurushArTam of Moksham.

 

Whenever we start on our travels, we utter the name of

the Lord as " Kesava " to protect us from any dangers on

the Road of travel towards our goal. One has to remember

the SrI VishNu Sahasra Naamam line in this context:

" Naarasimha Vapu: SrImAn Kesava : PurushOtthama: "

Kesavan is one of the 12 Sub-VyUha Moorthys. He adorns for

our protection Four Sudarsanams in each of His (four) hands .

The One empowering Sudarshanan is thus recognized as

the PurushOtthaman having the Man-Lion form ( Naarasimha Vapu:).

That Lord Narasimhan in Yoga pose coexists with Sudarsana

Moortham in archA form is well known. The tatthvam behind

the joint appearance of Lord Narasimahn and Sudarsana

in archa form has been discussed brilliantly by SrI MuraLI

Rangaswamy in one of the postings in SaraNAgath Journal

( Volume I.Issue 8, Nov 29, 1997) with the URL:

 

http://www.Srivaishnava.org/sgati

 

Thus Sudarsana-Narasimhan is thus the Maarga Bhandhu for

not only the truckers/lorry drivers but also in

His KaalamEgha Archaa form is the Aapath Sahayan

( One who rushes to our help during dangers on

the road to deliverance ) as Sarva Loka Rakshakan

( Unfailing Protector of all beings in the Universe ,

when they seek His protection).That is why , Swamy

NammAzhwAr declares with certitude in the very

first Paasuram of ThirumOhUr that there is NO ONE

ELSE AVAILABLE AS PROTECTOR ON THE WAY TO SRI VAIKUNTAM

EXCEPT KAALAMEGA PERUMAAL ( " KaalamEgatthai anRi maRRu

onRilam gathiyE " ).Therefore , when you are at

the dhivya desam of ThirumOhUr next time , please offer

your salutations FIRST to that Sarva Loka SaraNyan,

Lord KaalamEgan , who is waiting to respond to our

Prapatthi and NEXT to His Sankalpa Sakthi,

Lord Sudrsanar for carrying out His Lord's

command (niyamanam)in a mood of thanks-giving .

 

In the next posting , we will study the Paasurams

of Swamy NammazhwAr on ThirumOhUr KaaLamEgan .

 

Prapanna Jana SanthAna KootastharAna

Swamy NammAzhwAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan