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KurEsar's Sri VaradarAja Sthavam: Part V

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Sadagopan • June 21, 2001 


Dear BhakthAs:

It was the time , when AchArya RaamAnujA was 
staying at ThirunArAyanapuram because of 
the troubles caused by the Veera Saiva ChOLa RaajA .
Due to the treachery of a sishyan of Koora Naathan 
by the name of Hardhatthan (NaalUrAn) , RaamAnujA's
AchAryan , Sri Periya Nampi lost his life and Koora Naathan
lost his eyes . Koora Naathar composed during the time of
separation from AchArya RaamAnujA the four sthavams:
Sri Sthavam , Sundara Baahu Sthavam, Vaikunta Sthavam
and AthimAnusha Sthavam. 

When AchArya RaamAnujA returned from ThiirunArAyana Puram ,
he met KurEsar at Srirangam and was deeply hurt by the loss 
of Kuresar's eyesight due to the cruelty of the ChOLa RaajA.
Although the aparAdham committed by the evil-minded king
led to his death through cancer , AchArya RaamAnujA could
not overcome his sorrow over the loss of KurEsar's
eye sight. He asked KurEsar to come with him to Kaanchipuram
to pray to the boon-giving Varadhan to restore his lost
eyesight.KurEsA had given up his darsanam (eye sight ) for
the Darsanam ( Bhagavath RaamAnuja Darsanam ). 

With the niyamanam (command) of his AchAryan (RaamAnujar),
Kuresar stood in front of the Atthigiri Varadhan and 
composed the 101 slOkams of Sri VaradarAja Sthavam 
and placed them at the sacred feet of the Parama DayALu,
HasthigirIsan.The Lord of Kaanchi was moved and asked 
Koora Naathan as to what boon did he want to get. KurEsar
surprised every one by asking the Lord to grant 
the soubhAgyams that he will get to his sishyan , 
NaalUrAn as well . RaamAnujA was shocked and inquired 
as to why KurEsar had asked for such a boon for 
the ayOgyan , NaalUran,who was instrumental in 
the loss of sight by KurEsar.The most compassionate 
KurEsar responded:" Oh My AchAryan! NaalUran has 
sambhandham with me as Sishyan. He has
committed AchArya (asahya) apachAram and as a result 
could not have Moksham . If he did not gain Moksham 
inspite of AchArya Sambhandham , then my own status
as a AchAryan granting SvAthma SaamyAvathvam will be
proven a lie. This You have stated in Sri BhAshyam. 
That is why I asked the Lord to protect that AchArya-
Sishya Sambhandham and protect the Saasthraic rules
and requisites". AchArya RaamAnujA and Lord Deva Raaja
PerumAl were pleased with that reply of KurEsar.

The prayer that KurEsar made to Varadhan was:
" NethrasAth kuru Kareesa! Sadha mE!". KurEsar 
prayed for Jn~Ana Chakshus ( kaNNkaL) instead of 
physical chakshus. AchArya RaamAnujA was again 
saddened that KurEsar did not ask for his sight 
to be restored from the PerumAL ,who would have 
said yes to his request. Meanwhile , KurEsar began
to describe in detail the AabharaNams and the Vasthrams 
and the weapons of the Lord to RaamAnujA just as
a person with eye sight would. RaamAnujA was amazed.
He concluded that Lord Varadhan had given the boon 
requested by KurEsar . Vardhan had blessed KurEsar to 
be able to see Him and AchArya RaamAnujA. Ketta varam
Tharum PerumAL had fulfilled the wish of KurEsar and 
in return had received 101 slOkams of Sri Varadha Raaja
Sthavam composed in front of Him and AchArya RaamAnujan
as well as the srEshta BhaagavathAs of ThoNdai manDalam.

In the very last slOkma of Sri Varada Raaja Sthavam ,
KurEsar makes reference to gaining the boon from the Lord
and salutes His AchArya Paramparai right in front of
Hasthi Giri PerumAL:

RaamAnujAngri SaraNOsmi kulapradheepa:
thvAseeth sa Yaamuna munE: , sa cha NaaTa vamsa:
vamsaya: ParAnkusa MunE: sa cha , sOapi DevyA:
daasastavEthi VARADHAASMI TAVEKSHANEEYA:

Here KuratthAzhwAn reminds Lord Varadhan of
His sambhandam and acknowledges that his gaining
Jn~Ana Chakshus is due to his AchArya lineage: 

" Oh VaradhA! adiyEn has taken refuge at the sacred feet 
of RaamAnujA. That RaamAnujA became the dheepam for 
the kulam and the Vidvath of YaamunAchAryA. That Periya
MudaliyAr (YaamunAchAryaa) belongs to the sacred 
vamsam (Sottai Kulam ) of AchArya Naatha Muni.That 
Naatha Muni in turn belongs to the VidhyA vamsam 
of Swamy NammazhwAr. That NammAzhwAr (VaguLAbharanar) 
is the Dasan (servant ) of Perum Devi ThAyAr ,
Your dear consort. With these illustrious lineage 
of AchAryAs , adiyEn is fit to be the object of 
Your auspicious eye glances ". 

This was the prayer that came as the very last 
slOkam of Sri Varadha Raaja Sthavam and the Lord 
responded wiht alacrity and blessed KurEsar to
have the darsana soubhAgyam of Himself and 
AchArya RaamAnujA always. 

Thus arose Sri VaradarAja Sthavam from the lips of
KurEsar right in front of the Lord of Atthigiri 
and AchArya RaamAnujA , who has been saluted as 
" Tenn AtthiyUrar KazhaliNaik keezhppUNDa 
anbhALan IraamAnusan ". AlavandhAr's celebrated 
eulogy of the power of Varadha Raaja PerumAL 
became true: 

Yasya PrasAdha KalayA Bhadira: SruNOthi, 
Panghu: pradhAvathi, javanE cha vakthi Mooka:,
ANDHA; PRAPASYATHI  , Sutham labadhE cha VandhyA , 
TAMM DEVADEVAMEVA SARANAM GATHOSMI".

(Meaning ): By whose anugraham the deaf hears,
lame one runs, dumb one speaks,THE BLIND ONE SEES,
the maladi gives birth to a child, to that Deva Raaja 
PerumAn, Varahdan ,adiyEn has performed SaraNAgathi.
Such is the PrbhAvam of the "Kacchi tanil kaNN 
Kodukkum PerumAL ".

HastheesAya NamO Nama:
Kari Saila NaaTAya NamO Nama:
MahA Devi VathsalAya NamO Nama:
SaraNAgatha SamrakshaNa PaNDithAya NamO Nama:
" Virinchi SivayOrvihithAvathArAya " NamO Nama:
"SamsArA Vaarinidhi SantharaNaika pOthAya" NamO Nama:
" Bhava Vaari Raasi apankura sEthavE " Namo Nama:

Srimath Azhagiya Singhar PaadhAngri rENu,
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan




      
 




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