GITA 7.36

GITA 7.36

SRI CHATRAVATA NARASIMHA

Thirumangai Alwar says that lions would follow the tracks of elephants, and watch their movements  from behind bamboo bushes. By doing so lions would judge whether it would be possible to take on the elephants or not. Commentators say that the lions not merely see the tracks of elephants, but also judge what the elephants were upto. In case they were going to worship the Lord of Ahobilam, the lions would not harm them. In all these pasurams, the Alwar talks of elephants, lions and tigers, why? To make us understand that in this Kshetram, even animals are devoted to Him. Today's [25th April 2008] lecture is from the sannidhi of Sri Chatra Vata Narasimha. Chatra =umbrella or shade, vata = banyan tree [ஆலமரம்  ]. Here the Lord is seated but Hiranyakasipu is not on the lap. After finishing the Demon king, the Lord was in great anger. At that time two Gandharvas - Haha and Hoohoo- who excelled in music wanted to please the Lord by singing. So, the Lord, a great lover of good music, is seated listening with the left lower arm beating the metre. Nammalwar says the Lord is in ragas and metres. Right lower arm is in Abhaya mudra and the upper two arms are holding the discus and conch. 
We will conclude this Chapter 7, with the last sloka, 30, here. In this sloka He says that both Aiswaryaarti and Bhagavallabharti have to follow the three things of brahmam [objective], adhyatmam [avoidables] and karmam [means]. Also in this sloka, He is to tell certain things common to all the three types of devotees.

sadhibhutadhidaivam mam
sadhiyajnam ca ye viduh
prayana-kale ’pi ca mam
te vidur yukta-cetasah

"Those who know Me as the Supreme Lord, as the governing principle of the material manifestation, who know Me as the one underlying all the demigods and as the one sustaining all sacrifices, can, with steadfast mind, understand and know Me even at the time of death."

The first line is for the Aiswaryaarti and the rest of the sloka is about the common feature for all the types of devotees. Mam = I [Sri Krishna], ye vidu = those who understand. 'Those' mentioned here, is different from 'those' [kaivalyaarti] mentioned in the last sloka. In this sloka, He refers to the Aiswaryaarti. Aiswaryaarti should understand the Lord with adhi bhuta [आदि भूत] and adi deivam [आदि देवं]. What do these mean will be explained in due course. This part of the sloka states what the aiswaryaarti has to do. Adi yagnam is an attribute of the Lord and this should be understood by all the three types of devotees. Yajnam means yadha devapoojayam- that is all worship of God is yajnam or yagyam. It means all daily and occasional karma. This was explained earlier also. Daily sandhyavandanam and Pancha maha yagya, etc., are all deva pooja. In our daily household routines, we inadvertently kill many insects- at the grinders, broomstick, etc. To ward off any penalty for such killing we are supposed to perform this Pancha maha yagna viz deva yagna, manushya yagna, pithru yagna, brahma yagna and bhootha yagna. Performing all such yagnas and our mandatory duties are denoted by the word adhi yagnam. These are to be carried out by all the three types of devotees. Some feel that after attaining gyana marg, there is no necessity for doing our daily routines like sandyavandanam or occasional like tharpanam. This is not acceptable on two counts. Firstly, none of us has gone anywhere near Gyana marg as stipulated in Shastras. If anybody has realised such Gyana yoga, might at least ponder over whether to perform the prescribed duties. But almost all of us are not in that category and so we have to follow all these rituals. It is useless to debate whether to do those duties or not. As an example, if volunteers are called for listening to atman perhaps very, very few will turn up. But if we call volunteers for physical service like preparing garlands, or cleaning the place, many will rush in. So we are all prepared for any physical service. So karmas are always with us and we can not relinquish them. It is wrong to assume that we need not perform tharpanam or shrarddham, and mere chanting of His names is enough. Next, He says another common requirement for all types of devotees. Prayana kale = during the [last] journey. For all the three types of devotees, when about to end their life in this world. Pi = even then. Mam = I [Sri Krishna], te = they [all the three types of devotees], vidu = should know. Here when He says even when in the death bed, it means that we are to never forget Him and continue it in the last journey also. It is not correct to say that we remember Him only at the last minute and forget Him during our normal life. For prapannas [who have performed the Ultimate syrrender] are guaranteed Moksham, even if they do not remember His name in the last moments. Even the person who has reached Gyana yoga also can not avoid karma. Cetasu = mind, yukta = with this thought. Each of the three types should think this way and leave this world. Which way? is not explained in this sloka but would follow. We have seen Eight of the Nava (Nine) Narasimha.

                                                                                                    (continued)