GITA 1.1

GITA 1.1

LakshmI nAtha samArambhAm nAtha yAmuna madhyamAm |

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE guruparam parAm ||

yO nithya-machyutha-padaam-buja-yugma-rugma
vyaamOhadas dadhi-tha-raaNi thru-Naaya mEnE
asmath-gurOr bhagavathOsya dhayaika-sindhO:
raamaanujasya saraNau saraNam prapadhyE.

I am standing before you all devotees, with a desire to share the nectar of Gita (Kannanin Aaramudam). We are to drink that nectar to our satisfaction. Most of you to know to some extent Sri Krishna's Gita. Everyone has the desire to know more and more of it. As if to fulfill this desire, great scholars of our country have written many commentaries on the precious points in the text of Gita and made them available for us. We are now assembled to see how we can derive benefits from Gita, using those valuable commentaries as basis and at the same time considering the present times. Sri Krishna's blessings should also be there in listeners' minds, as well. With Sri Krishna's and Acharyas' blessings, I (the lecturer U.Ve. Velukkudi Sri Krishnan Swamy) should also get the power to lecture appropriately. With prayers at His Divine feet, we will start this lecture serial. 

I am presently standing in front of the divya desam (kshetram) Tirukoshtiyur.

There are 108 Divya Desams (sacred temples) according to Sri Vaishnava philosophy. Among them Tirukoshtiyur is important. Alwars' Nalayira Divya Prabhandam (4000 sacred hymns of Alwars) is recited in Sri Vaishnava temples. In that the compilation Tirupallandu and Periyazhwar Tirumozhi, hymns sung by Periyalwar, are recited first. In that the first poem of Periyazhwar Tirumozhi is:

vaNNamaadangkaL suuzh thirukkOttiyuur
kaNNan kEsavan nambipiRanthinil
eNNeysuNNam ethirethir thuuvidak
kaNNanmuRRam kalanththu aLaraayiRRE.

This is sung in praise of the Lord of this place Sri Sowmyanarayana Perumal.

  

This place is also known as Goshtipuram and Tirukkottiyur. This is the place, where Brahma, Vishnu and Siva assembled to discuss how to protect the devotees. Since They assembled as group (Goshti), this place got the name Goshti puram or Tiru Koshtiyur. The Lord of the temple (Moolavar) is gracing in a reclining position. He is gracing as Sri Sowmya Narayana or Sri Sowmya Damodara Perumal or in short Sri Sowmyan. The Lord is also known as Sri Madhavan. Alwar while describing this temple tells, to stimulate our thoughts, that the water drunk and clothes worn by those, who never utter the Divine name of this Lord, as sinful. Can there be better way to express the greatness of this Lord? The Lord graced here for the sage Kadamba as Sri Naraka Nathan, to dispel all miseries. These are greatness of this ancient temple. We may get a doubt as to how this Kshetram and Gita are related? Why Tirukoshtiyur is selected for start of this lecture serial? 

The great Acharyas of our country, Bharat, namely, Adi Sankara, Ramanuja and Madwacharya have written commentaries on Gita. Of these, it was the time when Sri Ramanuja  was living in Srirangam. He was born in 1017 A.D. and lived for 120 years, that is till 1137 A.D. He wanted to learn the significance of Gita. He wanted to understand the 66th sloka of Chapter 18 of Gita, known and renowned as charama sloka by everyone, and Ashtakshara mantra  or Tirumantram (Om namo narayanaya). He learnt that Sri Tirukkottiyur Nambi, a renowned scholar in these subjects, lived in this Kshetram. So, Sri Ramanuja walked all the way from Srirangam to this place (about 46 miles/76 KMs) and enquired here as to where Sri Tirukkottiyur Nambi was living. From that point till Sri Nambi's house Sri Ramanuja went on prostrating at every step. From this we can understand the greatness of the person he was seeking as teacher and of subjects he wanted to learn. Meeting Sri Nambi, Sri Ramanuja requested to teach him Tirumantram and Gita. Sri Nambi did not agree immediately. He advised him to come to him after he became more eligible. Like this Sri Ramanuja was turned away 17 times. But on his 18th mission, Sri Nambi yielded and taught Sri Ramanuja, the significance of Tirumantram and Gita. Sri Ramanuja was told, after he learnt everything, that he should teach others following the same code (and not freely teach everyone without knowing the learner's sincerity and maturity). Though Sri Ramanuja agreed, after leaving Sri Nambi, he came to this temple and prostrated before the Lord. Then he thought that the essence he learnt from Sri Nambi was such a great treasure that could uplift those who learnt and followed, and so ne thought that it should not remain a secret, known only for very few, but to be propagated to a larger audience. So, Sri Ramanuja selected some of the people who had some knowledge and taught them what he learnt from Sri Nambi. Enraged on hearing that Sri Ramanuja was teaching others, Sri Nambi came to Sri Ramanuja and questioned as to why he flouted his instructions on teaching others. Sri Nambi also warned Sri Ramanuja that disobeying guru's instructions would push Sri Ramanuja into Naraka (Hell). After prostrating Sri Nambi and apologising, Sri Ramanuja told that he was aware that disobedience of guru's instructions would push him into naraka, but he would welcome Naraka for himself, if all those people he taught would get salvation and get Moksham.  Immediately, Sri Nambi realised the greatness and the compassion Sri Ramanuja had and embraced him and conferred the title 'Emperumanar'. We are now at the sannidhi of Sri Emperumanar.

Next to this, is the sannidhi of Sri Ramanuja's Acharya Sri Tirukoshtiyur Nambi:

Moolavar                              and               Utsavar:

It is customary in this temple to first worship these Acharyas before worshiping the Lord. 

After looking at both Acharya and Disciple, we can appreciate the connection between this place and Gita. The exposition of Gita and the charama sloka was done in this Kshetram. Therfore, it is God's blessings that the starting lecture of this serial is from this place. Thus, what was preached as Gita by Sri Krishna is available with valuable commentaries by Acharyas and we enjoy them. From now on we will meet daily to understand Gita and its greatness. The Lord has appeared on this Earth in many avatars (incarnations). However, Sri Krishna Avatar is considered special, becauseHe preached Gita. Gita is part of the epic Mahabharata. It has 18 Chapters and 700 slokas. Gita was born to clear doubts in a confused Arjuna. Therefore, Gita will benefit all those who are in turmoil. In our life we face daily some dilemma or the other. Many difficulties crop up. To get relieved from all these, Gita will standby to assist. Like for Arjuna, everyone can benefit from Gita and be happy. Therefore, it is essential that Gita lectures are listened to by all in all families. 

                                                                                    (continued)