sri vEnkatEswara mahatyam part -2

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SrI:

SrImatE rAmAnujAya nama:

SrI krishNa parabrahmaNE nama:

SrImAn nArAyaNa charaNau saraNam prapadyE

 

dear vaishNavAs,

 

7. Lakshmi dEvi leaves for bhoolokam in anger

 

The sacrifice on the banks of the river ganges

continued for forty days. As promised, mahA vishNu

arrived there at the concluding time of the sacrifice

and accepted the offerings in the sacrifice and

returned to His abode.

 

Bhrigu hit the vaksha-sthala (chest) of the Lord with

his foot, the place where srI dEvi resides. Mother of

universe became angry at such a dishonour to Her in

the very presence of the Lord. Instead of punishing

such an offender, Sri Hari tends him, which adds to

the fuel. She tells Her husband, ‘You are the Lord of

all fourteen lOkAs (athala, vithala, suthala,

talAtala, rasAtala, mahAtala, pAthAla, bhooloka,

bhuvarlOka, suvarlOka, tapOlOka, mahAlOka, janarlOka,

and sathya lOka), thirty three crores of devathAs

including brahma and Siva, eighty four lakhs of types

of creatures. And yet, you loved and serve the

maharishi who dared to kick you on your chest and thus

put Me to shame. I am unable to tolerate this.’

 

‘why do you feel worried? Don’t you know that I am the

savior of my devotees? Bhrigu is our child. Will the

parents get angry when their child kicks them?

Moreover the maharishi came here with a purpose. He is

our devotee. He doesnot dishonour us. You please take

my word’ spoke our Lord soothingly.

 

Our divine mother says> ‘dear husband, I know you

excel everyone in justifying your actions. But I am

unable to tolerate this. Our bonds are broken from

this day, I am quitting your abode. Yet I will not

leave that Brahmin unpunished’. She cursed entire

Brahmin community on earth be deprived of wealth. They

would make their living only by selling their

knowledge- (earning by educating others). SridEvi, the

consort of Hari left Sri vaikuntham after paying her

obeisances unto the Lord. Inspite of Hari’s repeated

requests, She came down onto earth a place called

Kolhapur and sat on a deep meditation of the Lord. How

inconceivable are the actions of parents of the entire

creation.

 

8. Maha vishNu arrives bhoolokam in search of Lakshmi

 

What is left in Sri vaikuntham without our divine

mother? All the inhabitants of vaikuntham are filled

in deep sorrow for not being able to serve their

divine mother. The Lord whose heart is already

captivated by the beauty of Sri dEvi, is filled with

the deep feelings of seperation from Lakshmi dEvi. The

Lord who creates the entire universe and all the

living beings in a sportive spirit by His mere will is

completely lost in thoughts of Sri dEvi. He is

helpless. He doesnot know what to do. He is perplexed.

He also left vaikuntham in search of His beloved. This

illustrates the importance of our mother, Sri dEvi in

sri Vaikuntha. He came down onto earth, climbed hills,

rushed to the forests, and searched tirelessly without

food or sleep. Alas! He could not find Her.

 

Crying Lakshmi! Lakshmi! Lakshmi! running hither and

thither and up and down. He enquired peacocks,

monkeys, animals, birds, elephants, lions, bears etc,

if they know whereabouts of His Consort.

 

Feeling tired and fatigued and getting no hints about

Lakshmi’s whereabouts, Sri Hari atlast reached

tirupathi. Under the shade of a tamarind tree, He

took shelter in a vAlmIkam at the Adi varAhA’s shrine.

He sat in meditation praying for the return of his

dear wife, Lakshmi.

 

9. nArada meets sri Lakshmi and tells Her about

nArAyaNa

 

Narada comes to know about the desertation of sri

vaikuntham without srI dEvi and paramapada nAthan. He

understands that his desire that Sri Hari to goto

earth for the restoration of dharma has been

fulfilled. He reaches sathya lOka and explains the

situation of Sri mAdhava in search of mAdhavi. The

Lord is much reduced for not having food and sleep.

Here the self-satisfied Lord gives a great opportunity

for His devotees to serve Him. NArada requests brahma

to arrange the Lord with some food.

 

Brahma thinks over for a while and asks nArada to go

and meet Lakshmi in kolhapur. He himself starts for

kailAsa. In kailAsa, Siva receives brahma with due

honour and enquires about the purpose of his visit.

Brahma explains the whole situtation in sri vaikuntha

and the position of their dearest Lord on earth. He

suggests Siva and himself should take the shape of a

cow and calf and feed vishNu with milk, to help him to

recoup. Siva readily agrees to such a great

opportunity to serve his Lord.

 

NArada, as directed by brahma goes to kolhapur and

meets Lakshmi dEvi. Sri dEvi duly receives nArada and

then nArada speaks: ‘oh mother! Why have you left your

rightful place sri vaikunTham, and are suffering here

on earth like an ordinary woman, wearing saffron robes

and performing penance?’

 

Lakshmi couldnot avoid burst into tears in remembrance

of Her Lord’s negligence towards Herself(?). However

she explains her plight to nArada in detail. After

hearing to her, nArada says, ‘this is how providence

plays. After you left sri vaikuntha, nArAyaNa also

left the place and wandering from place to place in

search of You, is now taking shelter in vAlmIkam under

a tamarind tree in Tirupathi. He is deprived of food

and sleep. He has gone down very much. You please

arrange to feed Him with the help of brahma and Siva’.

 

After saying these words, nArada takes leave of

Lakshmi.

 

(to be continued ...)

 

dAsOham,

srIperumbUdUru vEnkaTa vinOd.