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Sri Tridandi Jeear Swamy's net chat

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mohan R Sagar • September 20, 1999 


Speaking on the significance of Viswaksena's
worship on BhAdrapada sukla Ekadasi, HH Sri
Tridandi Jeear Swamy discussed the importand of
the Commander in Chief of Periya Perumal in our
sampradAyam, and how he is one of four dEvathas
who have the power of removing obstacles.  While
popular Hinduism sees these obstacles as those
obstructing good education and material success,
Sri Jeear Swamy pointed out that for a
SriVaishnava the obstacles that must be dispelled
are those that stand in the way of doing
nityakainkaryam to SrimanNarayana.  

The most popular and well known of the Ganapatis
is Vinayaka, recognized by his gaja mukham
(elephant head), which is adorned with
Vibhuti(sacred ash), and Ekadantham (one tusk). 
This is the popular god of Hinduism that was
brought to life in a clay doll by Parvathi, and
then was beheaded and restored to life as the
lovable elephant headed Deity by Siva.  This
Ganesha is the Deity that is worshipped by Saivas
on the Vinayaka Chaturthi Day.

The Remover of Obstacles worshipped by
SriVaishnavas is Viswaksenar (sEnai mudiliyAr),
the Commander in Chief of Perumal's Military
Forces who is also recognized as an AchAryan in
our paramparai.  He is the one whom we should
directly beseech to remove all obstacles that
stand in the way of our kainkaryam to the Lord. 
It is said that while the Lord is enjoying the
company of ThayAr in the lovely gardens
surrounding paramapadam, Sri Viswaksenar is
guarding the Divine Couple and is also taking care
of all of the matters of state for them, in a mood
akin to Lakshmana.  Sri Viswaksenar's nature is
such that He survives solely on the sEsham of
emperumAn Alone.  His form is similar to the
Lord's, but he has been seen taking on a elephant
headed form, as well.  In this form, however, Sri
Viswaksenar, contrary to his saiva counterpart,
has two tusks (dviradAs) and dons Thiruman on his
forehead.

Before describing the third "Ganesha," HH touched 
on a rather mysterious fourth, Sri Prasna, who is
described in pAncharAthra Agamam.  He is said to
have emerged out of a great yAgam to Perumal that
was being performed by Indran.

The Third Remover of Obstacles is the Most
Powerful of All - and really is the only One that
we need - having 19 heads, each adorned with
Urdhvapundram, and 4 arms. MAndukya Upanishad goes
into great detail on describing this 4th and only
true Remover of Obstacles as being Sriman Narayana
Himself.  Perumal Himself as the Protector and
Benefactor of each and every soul, removes the
obstacles that stand between Him and His
Devotees.  This avathAran of the Lord is always
seen standing with ThAyAr as Sri
LakshmiGanapathi.  Sri HH touched upon how the
ignorance of the masses has led to a severe
misrepresenation of this Avatharan, and how we
should not let this sway us from our recognition
that Sri LakshmiGanapathi is Sriman Narayana
Himself.

Sri HH went on to analogize how the three Ganeshas
(other than Sri Prasna) are each a controller of
one of three states of an individual's
consciousness, jAgrath dasa, swapna dasa, and
shusupthi dasa.   In the first state, the waking
state, we are responsibile for the performance of
karmas, the adherence to proper conduct, and the
fulfilment of both material and spiritual
pursuits. Consequently, it is this stage that is
most important to the path of the spiritual
aspirant.  While the other two Ganapathis protect
us in the other two stages under the direction of
the Lord, the Lord Himself as Sri LakshmiGanapathi
protects and helps us in each and every aspect of
our waking state, whether or not a jivan knows His
presence or not.

HH Sri Jeear Swamy concluded his talk with a brief
analysis of the SyamanthakOpAkhyAnam, which will
be summarized in my next post....   

dAsan

Mohan