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Nrusimha jayanthi :1998-- Part 3

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • May 18, 1998 


Dear Nrusimha BhakthAs :

Nava narasimhAs 
****************

In the earlier posting , we referred to Ahobilam as 
the Nava Narasimha KshEthram . We discussed the mahimai 
(the glories ) of prahalada Varadan of Lower Ahobilam temple
in that posting. The nine others on upper and lower hills are :
(1) Bhargava narasimhan (2) YogAnanda Narasimhan (3)Chathravata
Narasimhan (4) Ugra or Ahobila Narasimhan (5) Krodaakara Or 
Varaha Narasimhan (6) Kaaranja Narasimhan (7)Malola Narasimhan 
(8) JwaalA narasimhan and (9) Paavana Narasimhan .

1 .Bhaargava Narasimhan 
************************

Each of the nine Narasimha MUrthis have their own personalities .
For Instance , Bhargava Narasimhan worshipped by Bhaargava Raaman
( Paasu Raaman ) is angry looking . Near by the temple of
this Narasimhan , Parasu Raaman performed penance on the banks
of Bhargava theertham ( pond ) . The site is two kilometers 
from the Lower Ahobilam temple . Swami Desikan's mangalAsAsanam
of Bhargava Raaman is " KrOdhAgnim Jamadagni peetana bhavam 
santharpayishyan kramath--- ( This Lord , who killed 21 
geenrations of KshathriyAs to appease the flames of anger
over his father , Sage Jamadagni's , murder by a king ) .
Thus , Bhargava Narasimhan worshipped by ParasurAman is older
than RaamAvathAram .Later Dasaratha Raaman came to Ahobilam 
on the southward journey and worshipped MalOlan and composed
Sri Nrusimha PanchAmrutha SthOthram . 

2 .Yogaananda Narasimhan
************************* 

He is seated with Yoga Pattai as at number of other 
Nrusimha Divya desams sung by the AzhwArs . The bliss 
coming from yoga samadhi is written largely on His 
beautiful face. This is the Naarasimha Vapu: SrimAn ,
who is saluted by the VishNu Sahasra Naamam : Om SadhA
YoginE nama :( the One who is forever awake watching over
His bahkthAs ) .He is the one saluted by the NaamAs
18-24 of Sri VishNu Sagasra naamams :

yOgO yOgavidAm nEthA pradhAna: PurushEsvara:
Naarasimha Vapu: SrimAn kEsava: PurushOtthama :

Everything related to Sri Narasimhan in general 
and YogAnanda Narasimhan is right here . YogA menas that 
He is the Supreme MEANS for Moksham .As SvetasvatAra 
Upanishad points out , " parAmruthAth 
parimuchyanthi sarvE " . Mukthi prApyathvam is only
thru His grace . He is the Moksha hEthu (means for
Salvation ) known as yOgA . 

He is the leader (nEthA ) among those , who know
the rigors of Yogic practise ( YogavdAm nEthA ) ;
He is the nirvAhan for them .This YogAnanda Narasimhan
is the PradhAna PurushEsvaran ( the Master of the primordial
matter and the Jeevans (PurushAs ) .He unites the chnaging
Prakrithi and the unchanging Jeevans thru His maayA .
He is the IsvarA for the Sarva BhUthams .That is His KrretA
( play ) . He has the Narasimha Vapu : ( possesses the body 
of a man and the head of a Lion ) and sits practising 
YogA as YogAnanda Narasimhan at Ahobilam .That He has  
a Lovely form inspite of His fear-provoking Jaws and manes 
is indicated by the sahasranAma Salutation : " SrimAn " .
He is also Kesavan with the lovely locks of hair 
( Pidari Mayir around His face and neck ) , as we have
His darsanam as YogAnanda Narasimhan at a distance of 
2 Kilometers South-East of lower AhObilam temple .He has
a sweet smile and rsts His left hand on His left thigh . 

3.Chathravata Narasimhan
**************************
We have the darsanam of this MUrthy at the bottom 
of a peepal tree surrounded by thorny bushes .Chathram
means umbrella or a cover .Vatam means the white Basil 
( peepal tree) . The symbolic reference here is to the 827th
sahasranAmam of our Lord : Om nyagrOdhumbaraya Nama: " .
Bhagavan Chathra Vata Narasimhan with His extended 
Abhaya hastham is both NyagrOdhAn and Udumbaran . 
He is NyagrOdhan because He is anchored at the foot of  
a tree with side branches ( vizhuthu vittu nirpathu pOl ) 
and is prevented from going elsewhere by the BhakthAs 
standing below Him praying for His darsanam . He is
the Udumbaran because He is the supreme abode 
(ud+ambaran ) with the most auspicious guNAs ( kalyAna 
GuNAs ) and riches including Sri Devi and His Vaikunta
ParivArams . This Udumbaran (supreme One ) is yet
reachable by the lowliest ones because of His soulabhyam .
Such is the glory of the Lord seated on the wayside 
under the glory of His umbrella ( Chathra Vata Varadha 
Narasimhan) .

4. AhObila Narasimhan 
**********************

On upper AhObilam , at a distance of 8 Kilometers
from PrahlAdha Varadan Sannidhi , we have the darsanam
of this Svayambhu mUrthy known as Ugra Narasimhan . 
The sixth Azhagiya Singar of Ahobila Mutt peetam
was a siddhi purushan of Ugra Narasimha Manthram .
He composed Nrusimha Sthavam on this Lord.He is revered
as Sri Shashta ParAnkusa Yatheendhra mahA Desikan .
He is said to have walked into a cave nearby and never 
returned . The twenty fifth Azhagiya Singar of
AhObila Mutt paramparai had similar manthra sakthi 
and is revered as Sri Srinivasa Yatheendhra MahA desikan .
In this line of Ugra Narasimha Manthra UpAsakaas came
the 28th simhAsanAdhipathi ( Sri Ranganatha Yatheendhra
MahA Desikan ) , the 33th Azhagiya Singhar ( Sri SatakOpa
Yatheendhra MahA dEsikan ) and the 40th Azhagiya Singar
( Sri Ranganatha SatakOpa Yatheendhra Mahaa dEsikan ) .

5. KrOdAkaara ( VarAha ) Narasimhan 
************************************

One Kilometer away from Ugra Narasimhan Sannidhi 
is located VarAha Narasimha Swamy"s temple at upper
AhObilam.His ThirumEni is covered with Manjal ( Turmeric
powder ) and and Kumkumam and wild flowers of the forest .
Infront of Him are Akal ViLakkus . The simplicity of
the Lord with the face of a VarAham accompanied by 
Mahaa Lakshmi is a beautiful sight .

The relvance of VarAha mukam on Lakshmi Nrusimhan
can be guessed from the 8 Sri VishNu Sahasra Naamams
starting with  " MahA varahO  and ending with Chakra 
GadhA Dhara : 

mahAvarAhO Govindha: sUshENa: kanakaangadhee I
guhyO gabhirO gahanO Guptha: Chakra gadhAdhara: II

He is the MahA varAhan , who lifted the Earth from the nether-
world  with His tusk and emerged as a great blue mountain .
He is the One , who gave us the MahA VarAha Prapatthi
slOkam asuring that He will come to the rescue
of His bhakthAs , when they lie senseless like stone
or wood during the last moments of their lives .

As Govindhan , He rescued ( vinda )Earth ( gO ) as
Govindhan .As Su-sEnan or the One , who is equipped
with an efficient army-like body . It helps Him tear
apart the enemies of His BhakthAs ( the offending 
HiraNyan , who tormented PrahlAdhan ). Those arms also
lifts His BhakthAs like PrahlAdhan . He is Guhyan or 
concelaed as VisvAntharyAmi in every blade of grass and stone .
He came out of the pillar of HiraNyan's palace as
SthambhOthvan . He is Narasimha Garbham in the Guhyaa
state . 

He is Gahanan , whose qualities and sankalpams
are unfathomable .He is also Gupthan or is the hidden
One in our heart caves. He is chakra-gadhAdharan and 
is the Sriman Narasimha VarAhan ( KrOdhAkAra Narasimhan )
with Sudarsanam and gathai(mace ) in His hands . 

6.Kaaranja Narasimhan 
**********************

The Sannidhi for Kaaranja Narasimhan is not too far 
from that of Ugra Narasimhan . Here sits the Lord in
PadmAsanam poisture with a welcoming smile under 
the shade of the hood of Adi Seshan . The mUla BhEram 
is installed under a Kaaranja tree and therefore He is 
known as Kaaranja Narasimhan .  

7. MaalOla Narsimhan 
**********************

Two kilometers away from Ugra narasimhan sannidhi 
is the AsthAnam of MaalOlan or the Supreme One beloved by
Lakshmi ( Sri Lakshmi Narasimhan ) .He is the one, who jumped
into the hands of the First Jeeyar of AhObila Matam ,
who established this Matam on direct  command of 
BhagavAn Narasimhan Himself. He is the AarAdhana mUrthy of 
the AhObila Matam Jeeyars and travels with them on 
their sanchArams around India . He is seen at the silver 
mantapam of the Ahobila Matam sannidhi .We will refer to 
the union of this Aradhana mUrhty of Ahobila matam
with the mUla BhEram of MalOlan on top of Ahobilam hills later .

8. JwAlA Narasimhan
********************

This mUrthy is at a temple on  a hill called 
AchalAchaya Meru that is four kilometers from
Ugra Narasimha Swamy . This is considered the spot ,
where Lord NarasimhA's anger grew to the highest level
during and after the tearing apart of HiraNyan . 

There are three mUrthams at this sannidhi . At 
the center is the JwAlA Narasimhan with Garudan
at His feet . He is holding HiraNyan's head and 
ankles with one set of hands ; with the third and 
fourth hands , He is tearing apart the stomach 
of HiraNyan ; with the fifth and the sixth hands , 
He is holding Chakram and Sankham ; with the seventh 
and the eighth hands , he is pulling the two strands of
HiraNyan"s  intestines up and wearing them as a garland around 
His neck .The Uthsava mUrthy of JwAlA Narasimhan is at 
the Lower AhObilam temple with 10 hands and is 
the most awesome ArchA mUrthy to behold ! 

The second mUrtham on the right side is that of SthambhOthbhavar , 
who is jumping out of the pillar that HiraNyan hit with anger 
asking his son as a retort whether VishNu was in that pillar .
Out comes the Lord in a fearsome form that sent a chill
around the spine of HiraNyan . 

The third mUrtham is that of the Lord chasing and 
grabbing HiraNyan , who has a sword on his hand .
The movement of the feet of the Lord is so beautiful
and the stunned look of HiraNyan is so realistic. 
The mouth of the Lord is open in rage and one can hear 
almost the angry roar that deafened the world .
The impending " calamity " is writ largely in the eyes
of the defiant HiraNyan . You must visit the home pages
created lovingly by Sri Dileepan to fully appreciate the beauty
of this Lord , who jumped out of the Pillar on demand ,
chased the arrogant asuran and tore him apart in anger .

9. Paavana Narasimhan 
***********************

Near JwaalA Narasimhan Sannidhi , Paavana Narasimhan 
is located right on the banks of the Paavana river.
Paavanam means pure and sacred . Nothing can be more
sacred than the charithram of the Vaikunta Kanteeravan .
He is the one worshipped as Om PavithrAya nama: 
He is Purity incarnate. He is also saluted as 
" Om Parasmai MangaLaaya nama:" .He is He is the embodiment 
of Supreme Auspiciousness and Purity .He is "atharangam
anirdEsyam apadhAnandha LakshaNam ( bliss incarnate , whose 
nature is steady , indefinable and indescribable ). 
Pavaana Narasimhan sits on the banks of the cool river 
in a tranquil state , steady and motionless .He is sweet as 
the nectar ( sAntham anudhAdhAtham atharangam 
t*ruptham amrutham Param Brahama SvarUpam ) .  

The Union of the Uthsava MaalOlan with the Moolavar
****************************************************

Some six hundred years ago and a few years  
after Swami Desikan's ascent to Sri Vaikuntam ,
Adi VaNN SatakOPa Jeeyar was initiated into 
SanyAsAsramam by BhagavAn Narasimhan Himself at 
AhObilam . At that time , when the first Jeeyar 
wondered about which of the nine Narasimhaa will
be his ArAdhana MUrthy , MaalOlan jumped into
his hands and has been travelling ever since 
with every Jeeyar of Ahobila Matam. For many 
years , the mUla MUrthy and the travelling 
ArchA mUrthy did not offer their darsanam 
together like in the days before , when the Uthsavar 
jumped into the hands of Sri Adi VaNN
SatakOpa Jeeyar and descend from the AhObilam hills 
to visit His bahkthAs . Many years went by .The mUla 
BHEram had to wait for a few ceturies for a reunion 
with the Uthsava mUrhty and their joint ArAdhanam 
by the Ahobila Matam Jeeyars .

The first of this great Union happened during November 26 , 1992.
Since that historic time , there have been seven
sErthis ( Reunions) initiated by the Current Jeeyar of 
AhObila Mutt , Sri NarAyaNa Yatheendra MahA Desikan . 
These dates of reunion at Ahobilam hills are :

First :  November 26, 1992 ( Year Aangeerasa , Month Kaarthikai)
Second : March 2, 1993    ( Aangeerasa Maasi Month )
Third :  October 3, 1993   ( Srimuka Purattasi Month )
Fourth:  March 20, 1994    ( Srimuka Panguni Month )
Fifth :  October 8, 1996   ( Yuva PurattAsi Month )
Sixth :  March 9, 1997     (DhAthru Maasi  Month )
Seventh :March 8, 1998     ( Isvara Maasi Month )

Blessed are those , who climbed these sacred hills 
with Sri Azhagiya Singar and  had SamAsrayaNams
and BaranyAsams in front of the Uthsava and mUla 
BhEra MaalOlans . 

ahO Veeryam ahO Souryam
    ahO Baahuparakrama:
Naarasimham param dhaivam 
    ahObilam ahO Balam 

NamO Nava NarasimhAya ,
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan