Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Experiences at the Land of Divya Desams - 1

From the Bhakti List Archives

Anand K Karalapakkam • June 14, 1998 


                                  Sri :
          
             Srimate  Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Para Brahmane Namaha

                  Srimate Sri Kanakavalli nAyikA sametha Sri-
                       VeerarAghava Para Brahmane Namaha

                       Srimate  ShatagopAya Namaha                                    

                  Srimate  Bhagavad   RAmAnujAya  Namaha      

                  Srimate NigamAntha MahAdesikAya Namaha 

             Srimate Sri Lakshmi - Nrusimha Divya PAdukA Sevaka - 
         Srivan  Shatagopa  Sri NArAyana Yateendra MahAdesikAya Namaha      
             

     Dear  bhaktAs of Sriman NArAyanA,
    
     Namo NArAyanA . kindly accept adiyen's pranAmams. 

    Adiyen had a wonderful trip ( May 11 to June 7 ) to India , the Land
Of Divya Desams . Adiyen has never experienced before ,the ecstacy
obtained during this trip . 

    Since the trip was planned long back , adiyen didn't knew then ,about
the schedule of Srimad AzhagiyaSingar ( H.H.. Jeeyar , Sri Ahobila Mutt ).
But , adiyen was so fortunate that Srimad AzhagiyaSingar planned to  camp
at Madras & that too in West MAmbalam ( where adiyOngaL also reside) for
10 days ( 14th to 23rd or so ).  

    Adiyen landed at Madras (chennai) on 13th & was very eager to get the
blessings of Srimad AzhagiyaSingar & MAlolan . The eagerness was still
more boosted by the thought of the performance of prapatti . Adiyen's
father had already requested AzhagiyaSingar  for performing prapatti to
adiyen & AzhagiyaSingar out of his mercy  granted the request . 

     Since prapatti is the marriage between the jIvAtmA & the ParamAtmA
Sriman NArAyanA , the jIvAtmA as a chaste wife should present itself in a
manner which is more pleasing to its Lord . So , adiyen kept the shikA
(kudumi) . Many Sri VaishnavAs gathered at Hindu School , West MAmbalam (
postal colony )  to welcome AzhagiyaSingar , in the evening. Azhagiya
Singar delivered a short & sweet upanyAsam (Unfortunately , Jeeyar
coughed many a times , was very tired . Inspite of that , AzhagiyaSingar
delivered it enthusiastically ) . pAnaka ArAdhanam was then performed to
MAlolan .

       All the devotees were very upset about the prevailing
conditions of AzhagiyaSingar's thirumeni ( Fever for around two weeks ,
cough , cold etc ) . For many a months AzhagiyaSingar had  very hectic 
SanchAram & the restlessness has affected the Jeeyar's health badly .So,
the West MAmbalam committe members decided to cancel all the dOlOtsavams
(*) & give AzhagiyaSingar enough rest . When they suggested this strongly
to AzhagiyaSingar , the Jeeyar even strongly refused their proposal .
AzhagiyaSingar very movingly said the following , which brought tears into
the eyes of the committe members & few others present then : 
 
 " MAlolan has instructed me to travel from place to place to spread His
glories & about the SaranAgati mArgA . So , it is my duty . When the
devotees with great love wants to have the presence of kannan in their
house , who am I to say " No" to them , when the Supreme Lord Himself ,
out of Soulabhyam & Souseelyam is ready to bless His devotees in their
houses ? It is my primary duty to be there at those places, where they
lovingly want to perform ArAdhanam to kannan & thereby thadiArAdhanam  to
bhAgavathAs . That is my dharmA .I am not here to simply sleep & take rest
. The enthusiasm with which devotees serve MAlolan should never decrease.
So whomsoever wishes to perform dOlOtsavam won't be turned back . Kannan
will go & I will be there . "

(*)  DolOtsavam : Srimad AzhagiyaSingar alongwith Kannan in beautiful
dancing posture ( NavanIta NAtyam ) will make their presence at the
devotee's house . Kannan ( KrishnA )would have ArAdhanam (dOlOtsavam)
performed there .    

     
    But  Adiyen's father & other committe members  were bent upon
cancelling the dOlOtsavam somehow (but cannot go against AzhagiyaSingar's 
words also ). Since at present, DOlOtsavam will take place only  when
devotees directly request AzhagiyaSingar , they thought of directly
explaining the present health conditions of AzhagiyaSingar to the devotees
wishing to have dOlOtsavam performed & thereby stop them from
requesting AzhagiyaSingar . They also planned to call a Sri Vaishnava
Doctor the next day for possible Blood Test , Urine Test etc .


      It was a real delight to witness the daily routines (Visvaroopam ,
Abhigamanam , Ijyai , pAnaka ArAdhanam etc ) of the Ahobila Mutt ie.
ArAdhanam to MAlolan & other deities , the next day. After Abhigamana
ArAdhanam , Srimad AzhagiyaSingar usually delivers the UpanyAsam , in his
own inimitable style , with sweet voice .  

    A small sample :  

   "We should never become Lazy (sombal) in performing our devotional
activities. It is the same mAlolan present now, who was present yesterday
also . So,One shouldn't think that since one fell at the feet of mAlolan
yesterday , there is no need for today . Do we think in the same manner
for eating ? Does a farmer gets satisfied by just harvesting once ? 

     When we perform so many materialistic activities without any Laziness
, the enthusiasm for performing devotional activities should be 1000 times
more than that . It is the same SandhyAvandanam that has to be performed
daily . But , when one understands it properly , he would do it without
any laziness .           

     Please think for a while about the great merciful nature of Sriman 
 NArAyanA . He is never tired off in His activity of creation after each
praLayA . He doesn't say " I gave oppurtunity for some jIvAtmAs for a
while  & thats it. Let me take rest & enjoy with the presence of muktAs &
Nitya SoorIs " . Without any trace of Laziness (aluppu saluppu illAma ),
MAlolan is eagerly waiting for the jIvAtmAs to choose the right path. He
becomes extremely happy , even if one jIvAtmA performs "Prapatti" at His
Lotus Feet & for saving atleast one such jIvAtmA , He is performing His
"Creation" constantly .

      When our master has so much love towards us , shouldn't we
reciprocate properly ? Please perform your kainkaryams with great
enthusiasm . Please do come daily to the sannidhi of MAlolan & get His
blessings. By seeing such crowd of His devotees , He would become  
immensely pleased  & that is the source of hapiness for me . "

     Around 750 Sri VaishnavAs fell at the feet of MAlolan & Srimad
AzhagiyaSingar that day & the following day also had similar response.
Seeing the evergrowing enthusiasm of the devotees , the fever & all such
health problems flew away & Srimad AzhagiyaSingar responded that his fever
is only because of the people's negligence of  MAlolan ; when devotees are
so much enthusiastic to serve Him , where is the question of Fever ? He
added "See . You were interested in cancelling DolOtsavam . But what has
happened now ? When one is fully ready to serve MAlolan & His devotees ,
there can't be any hinderance to it " .

     The committee members & all other devotees were delighted to see
AzhagiyaSingar getting rid of his health problems .

    When adiyen prostrated to Srimad AzhagiyaSingar , alongwith others to
obtain the mantrAkshadai (*) , adiyen's father told AzhagiyaSingar : "
He is adiyen's son" . AzhagiyaSingar replied : "I have then guessed it
rightly !  " .Adiyens father once more requested AzhagiyaSingar for the
performance of prapatti . AzhagiyaSingar out of his mercy granted the
request again .

   (*) mantrAkshadai : "Akshadai" (rice + turmeric ?) empowered with the
chanting of the most powerful "Nrusimha Mantram" , with the blessings of
"ShatAri" (NammAzhvAr) . This is a "MahA PrasAdam" & is very superior to
other prasAdams . One has to request AzhagiyaSingar for this at the time
of leaving the Mutt/MAlolan Sannidhi for the day/ period of stay .


 to be continued .....

   Namo NArAyanA

   Adiyen

   Anantha PadmanAbha dAsan  


                      Sarvam  Sri KrishnArpanamastu