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Experiences at the Land Of Divya Desams - 3

From the Bhakti List Archives

Anand K Karalapakkam • June 16, 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. 

  --cont--

    After the sacred darsanam of perumALs at ThiruvaLUr , Tirumalai &
kAnchi, adiyen was mentally  tuned much more , for the upcoming prapatti .

    The following day  had the "Bheesma Stuti" upanyAsam by the Ahobila
Mutt AsthAna VidvAn Sri U.Ve. PerukkAranai ChakravarthAchAryA swAmi, at
the ThirumALigai ( divine residence) of  the great mahAn Sri U.Ve. Purusai
KrishnamAchAryA , on the eve of the monthly thirunakshatram of the 42nd
patta AzhagiyaSingar (Injimettu AzhagiyaSingar) .

    Bheeshma Stuti was in the nithya anusandhAnam of Injimettu
Azhagiasingar & was one amongst the Jeeyar's most beloved stutIs/stotrAs
(the reason for keeping the UpanyAsam on this topic ). Sri Perukkaranai
swAmi movingly narrated about his  relationships with Injimettu
AzhagiyaSingar , from whom he has learnt many a sampradAya granthAs. SwAmi
recollected the past in which  AzhagiyaSingar  in deep bhagavad anubhavam
would be filled with ecstatic symptoms of body ( tons of tears 
,horripulation ? etc ) . Especially while reciting Bheesma Stuti , it was
for certain that AzhagiyaSingar was in his peak of Bhagavad Anubhavam .

 ------------------------
  little episodes from upanyAsam :
  
    BheeshmA is a mahA bhAgavathA & is very unique in the whole history.
Sriman NArAyanA in vibhavA as KrishnA, rushed to  the spot where
BheeshmAchAryA was lying , in his preparation to leave the body. PerumAL's
sevai in vibhavam of this kind , at the time of departure of one's soul is
unheard off (except this case) . SwAmi quoted SwAmi Desikan's "Adhikarana
sArAvaLi" , in which SwAmi Desikan points out that since BheeshmAchAryA
was one amongst the vasUs & was under the curse , he didn't directly get
mokshA . Rather , he got rid of the curse & performed bhakti yogA as a
vasU (for he is already well advanced in upAsanA) , which yielded him
mokshA.

 
     The most favourite verse of AzhagiyaSingar from the stuti of this  
parama Jn~Ani (*) BheeshmA is 

             " yudhi turagarajovidhoomravishvak -
                 kachalulitasramavAryalankrutAsye |
               mama nishitasharairvibhidyamAnathvachi -
               vilasatkavachestu kr*shna AtmA  || "
    
      "  The dust , which has arisen due to the running of horses fastened
with chariots  in the battlefield , fall on the face & flowing hair
(koondal) of Lord Kr*shna . Due to the intense desire to kill the enemies
(kauravAs) while riding the chariot , the koondal of Kr*shnA got loosened
& got spread itself on His face . There was no time for even fastening the
loosened koondal . His strain (hard labour !) resulted with beads of sweat
beautifully decorating the face . Moreover , the sharp arrows of mine
(BheeshmA) has gone past the kavachA & even pierced the body ,resulting in
the flow of blood allover. Let my mind be in union with such Kr*snA "


   This is a very beautiful & rich scene - a very unique anubhavam for
BheeshmAchAryA (please visualize it ; Kr*snA with full of anger coming
towards BheeshmAchAryA with  chakrA & giving a very unique sevai) . 

 Note : 
   Sriman NArAyanA assumes a body which is of suddha sattvA nature (not
made of matter ie. prakruti). Essentially , NArAyanA is made up of Jn~Anam
(ie. a spiritual entity )& pervades everywhere . The only reason for Him
to take "bodies" is purely for the pleasure of His devotees (even at Sri
Vaikuntam)  & not due to karmA ie. JIvAtmA takes bodies due to karmA ;
ParamAtmA takes by His own will .Since NArAyanA is bhakta vatsalA , He
performs many leelAs for their pleasure. His body is not made up of sweat
, blood , flesh etc. But , Kr*snA gives this unique sevai , out of His
mercy ( fully acting as a human being in many aspects ; sowseelyam &
sowlabhyam ) . Can anyone's arrow break the kavacham of kr*snA ? Can 
anyone's  arrow pierce the body of kr*snA ? The answer is yes , if the
involved person is an ardent devotee , for kr*snA is bound by their love &
has sold Himself to such exalted devotees  . This rich scene depicts the 
sowlabhyam & sowseelyam of Sriman NArAyanA which really moved 
BheeshmAchAryA ( & AzhagiyaSingar) into tears . 

    One can also be reminded of PeriAzhvAr's anubhavam : 

    "poonithuzhuvinil pukku puzuthiaLaintha ponmeni
     kAnap perithum ugappan Agilum kandAr pazhippar ..."

   " I very much admire (loves the scene) to see your golden body filled
with dust resulted from your plays (in forests ..) ; but others will
deride me .... "

    The dust,sweat , blood & anger gave rise to the most wonderful sevai
which has captivated Srimad Injimettu AzhagiyaSingar . PerukkAranai
swAmi with tears recalled the time When AzhagiyaSingar was about to leave
his body - AzhagiyaSingar was in constant recitation of this verse & asked
the intimate disciples too to narrate it. After a while ,AzhagiyaSingar
became unconscious of the surroundings ; but was in constant recitation of
this verse . No doubt that Sriman NArAyanA rushed to the spot , even
faster than He rushed either to BheeshmAchAryA or GajendrA , & gave the
same sevai that was most belowed to His dear devotee -AzhagiyaSingar.
Such was the most glorious way ( even glorious than the way BheeshmAchAryA
left his body ) in which Srimad AzhagiyaSingar reached Sri Vaikuntam  &
decorated it ( parama padaththai alankarIthAr ).   
-------------------------

   Pastimes of Injimettu AzhagiyaSingar are really heart melting & adiyen
was very much inspired . Eventhough adiyen can't have the devotional
ecstacies obtained from this verse , as it were to either BheeshmAchAryA
or Injimettu AzhagiyaSingar , adiyen can atleast recite them daily , for
Sriman NArAyanA can recognize this as the most belowed verse of both
BheeshmAchAryA & AzhagiyaSingar , & would certainly reciprocate for that
verse , eventhough adiyen has no qualification whatsoever . This UpanyAsam
rose adiyen's spirits to sky high - a perfect preparation for prapatti to 
be performed next morning (if alive).

  Adiyen understood about the timely blessings of Srimad Injimettu
AzhagiyaSingar , thereby making adiyen very fortunate. Adiyen got the
blessings of the mahA vidvAn PerukkAranai swAmi , whose book (commentry)  
on "ThiruppAvai" would be ready after publication , within two weeks. This
big sized book (500 pages or so) is a treasure for us since the word by
word meanings (padavurai) of the pAsurams are done in accordance with
sVApadesam (ie. whole commentry in based on svApadesams ,inner meanings ,
right from the padavurai ) . 

    All the devotees dispersed for their evening anushtAnams & further
kainkaryams. Adiyen prostrated to the well known mahAn ,a living legend -
 the seniormost Ahobila Madam AsthAna VidvAn Sri U.Ve.Purusai
KrishnamAchAryA . SwAmi was very happy about adiyen's interest in the
sampradAyam & blessed for kainkarya Sri / JN~Ana vruthi. Adiyen's father
Sri K.G.Krishnan told SwAmi about the prapatti to be performed the next
day. SwAmi was in all smiles & even in his very old age , inspite of
bodily strain , sat down & started giving the upadesam .

     SwAmi questioned in a beautiful way : "Edukku Prapatti pannikkarai ?
 Logathla niraiyApper panikkarAngradhu nAleyA ? " ie. "Why do you perform 
prapatti ? Is it just because many persons in the world are performing it 
? " . SwAmi asked series of questions like that & made adiyen answer them
. SwAmi was very patient with adiyen's answers (blaberrings & off the
context answers) . SwAmi in his own inimitable style , wonderfully
explained various intricacies of prapatti - everything through catechism
(question & Answers) . Adiyen really learnt a lot of what Prapatti
actually is . This was a perfect launch pad for the next day's prapatti.
SwAmi instructed adiyen to read the small article on prapatti written by
him , during the night . 

    Currently , adiyen has brought many changes to the samAsrayanam
article written before. The major changes are in the "Life After
SamAsrayanam"  section wherein   "Prapatti" would be discussed quite
elaborately (essential points ) . The gist of the  upadesams would
certainly be present in it. The prapatti section is in the process of
being completed ( may take 2 weeks or so ; left to bhagavad sankalpam ).


---------------
  (*) Jn~Ani : Strictly speaking , Jn~Ani is the person who performs
Bhakti YogA (God realization) & not jn~Ana yogA. Kr*snA clearly explains
these things in Bhagavad GItA. The person performing Jn~Ana YogA
(self-realization) is known as kevalA . Jn~Ana YogA is the constant
meditation of the self ie. jIvAtmA . It results in Atma sAkshAtkAram ie.
self realization. It is however important to note that a kevalA is fully
aware of his swaroopa ie. his subservience to Sriman NArAyanA . But a
kevalA is neverthless firmly attracted by the bliss derived in the
meditation of his own self (with the understanding as seshA) & is unable
to come over it & proceed further to meditate on ParamAtmA Sriman NArAyanA
. A kevalA's position is very much understandable since many a people in
this world cannot overcome even watching TV,cinemAs, sports  etc which
only have dry hapiness (fully material; not spiritual ). The bliss derived
from the self would certainly be attracting him like a magnet. He attains
KaivalyA - the state in which one simply meditates on his own self (fully
self realized state ).

   SwAmi Desikan further adds that , a kevalA having gone so far ,then
proceeds to perform Bhakti yogA & attains mokshA .But , a Jn~Ani performs
bhakti yoga ie. constant meditation on the kalyAna gunAs ,divya mangala
vigrahA of Sriman NArAyanA , through AshtAnga YogA , which can arise only 
after enormous efforts (practically after sinless life for many births).
Bhakti is only a matured state of "Jn~Ana" . Please note that jIvAtmA is
made up of Jn~Anam & has dharmabhoota jn~Anam (It doesn't  have something
called as "Bhakti" in its svaroopam ) . In general , anyone who is well
versed in vedic literatures , AnushtAnam , vairAgyam etc is called as
Jn~Ani (an ardent devotee) , eventhough he may not be performing bhakti
yogA.   

     ------------------------

          
   ---to  be  continued ---


   Namo NArAyanA

   Adiyen

   Anantha PadmanAbha dAsan  


                      Sarvam  Sri KrishnArpanamastu