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Vikrama samvathsara Nrusimha Jayanthi

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • May 5, 2001 


Dear BhakthAs: As per Sriman Murlai Rangaswamy's
request , I am forwarding his posting celebrating 
Sri Lakshmi Nrusimhan's vaibhavam on this Vikrama
Nrusimha Jayanthi day.This is also a timely tribute to
a great Nrusimha BhakthA , Parama padha Vaasi , Sri U.Ve
Mukkur Lakshmi NrusimhAchAr Swamy,who attained his 
AchAryan's ( Sri Aadhi Vann SatakOpa Sri MalOla PaadhukA
Sevaka Sri NaarAyaNa yathIndhra MahA Desikan , the Prakrutham
Azhagiya Singar at whose sacred feet Mukkur/Mattapalli Swamy 
performed Bhara NyAsam during October (?) 2000 CE.

adiyEn is releasing this tribute by Sri Rangaswamy one day earlier
to help celebrate Nrusimha Jayanthi (May 6) over this entire weekend.  

Daasan,
V.SatakOpan

******************************************
SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Dear Bhaktas,

For the most sacred occasion of Nrusimha Jayanthi, adiyen is posting a
summary f the verses from Sri Matapalli MangalAshtakam composed by U.Ve. Sri
Mukkur Lakshminarasimhachariar Swamin- popularly known as Mukkur Swamin. Sri
Mukku Swamin is a pre-eminent expert on the nuances and prayogam of the most
powrful NrusimhAnushtup Mantram. Although SwaminÂ’s upanyasams on all
subjects are utstanding the jewel in the crown is his description of
Bhagavan Nrusimha,who incarnated to uphold the words of his dear
Bhagavata-Prahlada. The Kshetra of Matapalli is located in Nalgonda District
of Andhra Pradesh (near Vijaywad). Sri Rajya Lakshmi Sametha Sri Lakshmi
Narasimha Swamy, who adorns this Kshetra, is the upasana murthy of Sri
Mukkur Swamin.

Sri Mukkur Swamin establishes in his monograph “Matapalli Mahatmyam” that
the Mantrarajapada Stotram of Ahirbudhnyan was composed at this Kshetram .
With this background , let us enjoy the delectable verses of Sri Mukkur
SwaminÂ’s stuthi.
) MatapallinivAsAya maDhurAnandarUpiNE 
  MahAyajnasvarUpAya srinrusimhAya Mangalam

Free translation: Auspiciousness to Lord Nrusimha, forever associated with
Sri, ho resides in the Kshetram of Matapalli, whose joy-filled form is sweet
to ehold and who is the embodiment mahAyajna.

Additional Observations: Sri Mukku Swamin beautifully conveys a number of
Vedic truths and Upanishadic statements i the opening verse of this stuthi.
Lord Narayana is described in the Upanisads as “jnAna Ananda maya”. This
form is not only joy-filled but also provides jy to the eyes of the
beholder. At the outset Mukkur Swamin provides reference tothe Narayana
Upanishad salutation “BrahmaNyO devakIputrO BrahmaNyO MadhusUdhanOmthrough
his masterful usage of Madhurananda rUpiNE. Madhu (honey), is one of th
Dhivya dravyas used in performance of Tirumanjanam for Lord Narayana. Madu
has the characteristic of destroying venom. The presiding deity over Madhu
is MadhusUdhana, who is glorified in the above referenced Narayana Upanishad
salutation, which extols the supremacy of Lord Narayana. Significantly this
salutation is of Sama Vedic origin. The uniqueness of Sama Vedam lies in
that it extols Lord Narayana to the exclusion of all other deities. Further
testimony to the loftiness of Sama Vedam can be gleaned from the fact that
the Rg vedam contains 18 references to Sama Vedam, while the Yajur Vedam
celebrates the greatness of Sama Vedam 27 times. Lord KrishNa attests to the
mahima of the Sama Vedam in the Bhagavad-gita declaration “vedAnAm sAma
vEdOsmi”. Furthermore, the purusha sooktam of Sama Vedam is the glorifes
Bhagavan Nrusimha explicitly in the Rk “sa bhUmim sarvathO vruthvA” which
bears eloquent testimony to the sarvathOmukham (one who has faces in all
directions) aspect of Bhagavan Nrusimha, whereas the purusha sooktam in the
other two Vedams employs the salutation “vishvathO” instead of “sarvathO”.

Madhu is glorifed in the Mahanarayana Upanishad salutation “madhuvAta
rutAyatE madhaksharanthi sindhava: mAdhvIrNasanthoUshadi
madhunakthamuthOshasi madhuna: pArthivam vraja: madhudhyOrasthunaphitA
madhumAnnO vanaspati: majIrGhAvO Bhavanthuna:” The term mahAjajna deserves
further examination. All aspects of YajnA are embodied by Lord Narayana as
can be seen from salutations 971-982 of the Vishnu sahasranamam (YajnO
yajnapatIr yajvAÂ….). Furthermore, the VishNu Ghanam glorifies the yajna
aspects of Lord Narayana as “etA asadann sukrutasya lokE thA VishNO pahi
pahi yajnam pahi yajna patim pahimAm yajna niyam”. The mahayajnam in this
context refers to the yajna of granting refuge to those who perform
sharaNagati at His lotus feet.":The act of granting refuge to a Prapanna is
a yajna performed by Lord Narayana. The term Patni is reserved exclusively
for use in the context of yajna. ThayarÂ’s elevated role and active
participation in this mahayajna are glorified in the NeeLaa Sooktam Rk
“PruthivyA asyEshAna jagatO vishNu Patni”, the Bhu Sooktam Rk “shrungE
shrungE yajnE yajnE vibhIshaNI”, and the Sri Sooktam Rk “thAm padminimIm
sharaNamaham prapadhyE AlakshmIrmEnashyathAm thvAm vruNE”. Furthermore, the
blessing of SharaNagati is granted jointly by the Divine Couple. These
references deepen oneÂ’s understanding of the salutation Sri Nrusimha
(Bhagavan Nrusimha, never separated from Sri). 

The form of Bhagavan Nrusimha is described in the Srimad Bhagavatam as
“atyadhbhuta rUpam”. This aspect is eloquently discussed by H.H. Prakrutam
Jeeyar Swami of Ahobila Matham as follows:

The avataram of Lord Krishna was beautiful no doubt for a number of reasons..
Therefore, this avataram begets the description adhbhutam. However the
adhbhutam of Bhagavan Nrusimha exceeds even that of Lord Krishna. Why?

(1)HiraNyan was extremely clever in stipulating the conditions for the boon
sought from Brahma. However, Bhagavan Nrusimha outwitted HiraNyan by
satisfying every condition of that boon.

(2) All avatarams prior to Bhagavan Nrusimha had animal forms and all
succeeding avatarams had human forms. Bhagavan Nrusimha is the only one who
combined the attributes of both forms.

(3) The hands of Bhagavan Nrusimha were in competition with each other for
the acts of gracing Prahlada and destroying HiraNyan

(4) Bhagavan Nrusimha had manifested himself in every atom surrounding the
Sabha of HiraNyan, in his anxiety to uphold the word of His Parama
Bhagavatan-Prahlada

(5) Most Bhaktas undertake great pains to travel to Temples and seek the
blessings of Lord Narayana. However such is the compassion of Malolan that
He goes from home to home to grace his Bhaktas

(6) Bhagavan Nrusimha is the only incarnation of Lord Narayana, who is
constantly seen wearing his Padhukas. This act is indicative of the fact
that He is ever anxious to rush to the succour of his Bhaktas-especially
those who seeking SharaNagati at His Lotus Feet.

(7) The eyes of Bhagavan Nrusimha simultaneously radiated compassion and
fury for Prahlada and HiraNyan, respectively. Can there be a better
reconciliation of these opposites?

(8) The sublimal sight of Bhagavan Nrusimha embracing Mahalakshmi Thayar on
his left hand side is verily a treat for Bhaktas. Due to this embrace with
Thayar, He begets the name Malola(beloved of the Mother).
(To be continued)
Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan



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