GITA 1.14

GITA 1.14

We are at Sri Udaiyavar (Ramanuja) sannidhi in Srirangam. Sri Ramanuja was born in 1017 A.D. in Sriperumbutur, near Madras (Chennai). He travelled all over Tamilnadu to propagate Sri Vaishnava philosophy and died in Srirangam. His mortal body is buried here, as ordained by Sri Ranganatha. Earlier this was the Vasantha Mandapam of Sri Ranganatha. Today we are going to see Gita slokas from here. If we are able to enjoy Gita, credit goes to Sri Ramanuja, who propagated its significance. In Gita, the First Chapter is called Arjuna Vishada Yogam. In this Chapter Arjuna expresses his profound grief. 

Yesterday we saw sloka 14, in which it was described that Sri Krishna and Arjuna were seated in the great chariot drawn by white horses. It was a captivating sight to see them both. It shook Duryodana's heart. From that chariot both of them blew their conchs. Sound of conch resembles the pranava sound 'Aum'. It is the foundation for mankind. The sound from Sri Krishna's conch, Panchajanya, reverberated like the 'Aum' sound. This is what we are going to see in today's 15th sloka:

pancajanyam hrsikeso

devadattam dhananjayah

paundram dadhmau maha-sankham

bhima-karma vrkodarah

Then, Lord Krsna blew His conchshell, called Pancajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhima, the voracious eater and performer of Herculean tasks, blew his terrific conchshell called Paundram.

Here, the blowing of their respective conchs by Three persons is described. Sri Hrishikesa, that is Sri Krishna blew His conch Panchajanya. Arjuna blew his conch Devadatta. Bheema blew his conch Paundram. Hrishikesa means one who had conquered all sense organs. Hrishi means sense organs like eyes, ears, etc. Easa means controller. That is Sri Krishna controlled his sense organs. But that is a superficial meaning. It is not a wonder that Sri Krishna controlled His senses. Even some of us are able to control senses. Then is it a wonder that the Supreme Being is able to control senses? He, not merely controls His senses, but even the sense organs of His devotees. We go to worship Sri Ranganatha, When we look at His divine feet, we are so captivated that our eyes refuse to shift. When we look at His divine eyes, our sight gets nailed. Tondaradipodi Alwar says that when he went to worship Sri Ranganatha, his body started melting away. He developed goose-bumps. Sri Ranganatha is reclining with His head in East direction, feet in the West, back to the North and looks at South. We see His divine image, we eat His prasadam and we smell the Tulasi (basil) leaves that adorned Him. All our organs are involved in Him. In Ramayana, Valmiki while describing the beauty of Sri Rama, says that with His charm, Sri Rama attracts simultaneously,  the eyes and minds of all the viewers! Similarly, Tirumangai Alwar says while worshiping Sri Sauriraja Perumal in Tirukkannapuram. He says that after seeing Him, he prefered  to leave the eyes there itself as after seeing Him, the eyes should not see others, as they are all worthless! 

Thus all our organs are controlled by Him and so He is Sri Hrishikesa. The advantage is that our senses will not drift away on mean things, and would be immersed in Him! 

So Sri Krishna blew His conch Panchajanya. Here in this Udayavar sannidhi, we can worship the large and beautiful  Conch of the Lord. Exactly opposite this sannidhi is the Chakkarattalwar Sannidhi.

There we can worship the Chakra (Sudarsana) and here the Conch (Panchajanya).

Why the Conch emblem on Sri Udayavar sannidhi? Because Sri Ramanuja, like the conch, broadcasted the principles of Vedas and the Gita. Panchajanya has some specialities. Sri Andal in Her Nacchiyar Tirumozhi, has sung 10 hymns only for the Panchajanya. She asks the Conch as to how sweet would be the divine mouth of the Lord! Whenever Sri Krishna wanted to make sound, He would take the Panchajanya to His mouth and while blowing His divine saliva would fall into the Conch. What an experience! Whenever Panchajanya felt hungry, he would go near the mouth of the Lord; and, when he felt asleep, he would rest on the left palm of the Lord! It is like some persons who take food in the inn (dharmasala) and sleep in the patio of the inn! They have no work to do! Similarly is the Panchajanya.

The Discus, Sudarsana, on the other hand, can not dream of kissing the Lord! That is why Sri Andal glorifies Panchajanya. She says none can equal Panchajanya for its intimacy with the Lord and so is the most fortunate! Discus has to leave the Lord sometimes on missions. But the Conch does not ever leave the hands of the Lord. That is why in all hymns where both the Conch and the Discus are mentioned, Sri Andal first mentions the Conch, as it is special! 

Sri Nammalwar sings in Tiruvaimozhi about Srirangam:

 kangkulum pagalum kaN thuyil aRiyAL *kaNNanIr kaigaLAl iRaikkum  

sangku chakkarangkaL enRu kai kUppum *thAmaraik kaN enRE thaLarum   

engnganE tharikkEn unnai vittu? ennum *irunilam kaithuzhA irukkum 

sengkayal pAy nIrth thiruvarangkaththAy! *ivaL thiRaththu en seyginRAyE?     (7.2.1)

This song is composed by Sri Nammalwar imagining himself to be a woman (Nayika bhava). Here also he mentions the Conch first and then Discus, in the Second line! While praising the Lord of Thentiruperai, one of the Nava Tirupati Kshetrams,Sri Makara Nedunkuzhaikadar, Sri Nammalwar mentions 'vellaichuri sangodu aazhiyendi..'. Again Conch first and then Discus! Thus everywhere Panchajanya gets preference! It got the name as it grew in the  body of demon Panchajanya. Dhananjaya (Arjuna) blew his conch Devadatta. Bheema is called Vrikothara, wolf bellied. He blew his conch Paundram. Bhima- karma = capable of doing gigantic deeds. We will see in the next lecture what others did after these Three blew their conchs.

                                                                        (continued)