GITA 9.10

GITA 9.10

Sarvopanishado gaavo dogdhaa Gopala nandanaha

Paartho vatsah sudheer bhoktaa dugdham gitaamritam mahat

According to a sloka, Sri Krishna as a cowherd, milked the cow- upanishads, to get the milk -Gita, using Arjuna as a calf. In Gita, the greatness of Bhakti yoga is explained. Especially, in Chapter 9, the eminence of Bhaktas and bhakti yoga are stated. We are to see the 9th sloka of Chapter9 and today [19th june 2008] we are at Thiru Kandiyur, one of the Kshetrams in Chola region.

TIRUKANDIYUR

Here the Lord is Sri Harasapa vimochana Perumal and graces along with Sri Kamalavalli Thayar. 

SRI KAMALAVALLI THAYAR

This place is also called Kamala Kshetram. Here, the Kamala pushkarini, Kamalakruth vimanam, Kamala kshetram, Sri Kamalavalli Thayar and Sri Kamalanathan, make up Pancha Kamala kshetram. Moolavar is called Sri Bali Natha Perumal, as He was worshiped by Mahabali, who was begged by Sri Vamana for land. Utsavar is Sri Hara sapa vimochana Perumal. It is possible that the present name is a mutilation of Kandana + oor. Kandana means breaking. Here breaking happened or the curse, on account of breaking the neck, was removed. Kamalapushkarini is outside the temple in the front. At the back, Kapala pushkarini is there. Once lord Brahma had Five necks and lord Shiva broke one of them. This might have been done here and so, since the breaking happened here, this place was called Kandana+ oor. Another reason is, kantam means neck and lord Shiva is famous for his blue neck [Neelakantan] and so he is known as Kanti and his curse was removed and so this place became Kanti+oor =Kantiyur. Because lord Shiva broke one neck of his father lord Brahma, the broken neck skull stuck to lord Shiva's hand. So, he became Kapali, and with the dhosha [fault] of Brahmahathi [ப்ரம்மஹத்தி தோஷம்]. To remove this skull, lord Shiva wanted anyone to offer food to fill the skull. Earlier, we have seen Thiru Karambanur or Uthamar koil [near Srirangam], where Sri Poornavalli Thayar offered food to relieve lord Shiva of the skull. That place also has Bikshandar koil and a sannidhi for lord Brahma. Lord Shiva to get removed the brahmahathi dosha, came to this place [Thiru Kandiyur] and after a bath in the pushkarini, prayed to the Lord, Who removed the dosha and got the name Sri Hara sapa vimochana perumal [ஸ்ரீ ஹர சாப விமோசன பெருமாள்].

Lord Shiva told His Consort Parvati 'vishnu prasadat susroni tatra narayana sriman maya diktyam prayachita:' - ' I [lord Shiva] was relieved of curse by Sri Narayana'. Therefore the Lord here will relieve anyone of any curse or sin. One doubt may crop up in our minds. After all He is responsible for our errors and He alone removes the ill effects. So, why at all both? He resides as Antaryami in lord Brahma and in lord Shiva. Why, He should cause lord Shiva to break the neck of lord Brahma? Why should He make lord Shiva to go around to get the dosha relieved and finally come to Him and get relieved? Curse as well as relief could have been avoided. By creating a problem and by doing good to relieve, will the Lord also be subjected to good and bad actions? The reply lies in sloka 9 and further.
 Till sloka 8, in this Chapter 9, He told that by His will power everything happens in this Universe. Creation, sustaining and destruction are all by His will power. Arjuna felt that if all happenings - good and bad - are all due to His will power, will not He be affected by these activities? Will He not be accused that for some He is good and for others He is bad? Differences in living create problems. This fault is called vaishamyam. Next fault is naidhrunyam or merciless. Differences we see are due to the Lord and so He could be accused of both these faults. Answer is in sloka 9:

na ca mam tani karmani
nibadhnanti dhananjaya
udasina-vad asinam
asaktam tesu karmasu

"O Dhananjaya, all this work cannot bind Me. I am ever detached from all these material activities, seated as though neutral."

He tells Arjuna that these actions do not affect Him. Tani karmani = all these actions [like creation, destruction and sustaining], na nibhdhanti = do not affect [or, bind], mam = Me [Sri Krishna]. Here, affected does not mean involving in samsaram nor bound by karma nor produce happiness or sorrow. Because such effects are for us when we do a karma. But, not affected means the Lord can not be accused of the faults vaishamyam and naidhrunyam. Though there are differences in creations, He can not be faulted of partiality or mercilessness. Arjuna immediately asks that by saying that these faults did not affect Him, was He not escaping from the accusations? How they do not affect Him? Tesu karmasu = in those activities - that is in creation, sustaining and destruction, asaktam = [Sri Krishna has] no attachment. Because, every atman by his own actions decides his fate and re-birth. The Lord does not do anything in this on His Own. This should be very carefully understood. Many ask questions that when the Lord is responsible for all our actions, how we could be held responsible to face the results? Let us see the reply. Everyone does some karma and experiences the consequences. Our papa/ punya decide our birth. Once born with a body, the happiness and sufferings are to be experienced alternately. So karmas decide to get a body at our birth. Happiness and sorrow are to be experienced by that body. Therefore, our own karmas are responsible and not the Lord. So He creates, sustains and destroys depending on our karma. Differences are created because of our karma. Therefore, His actions are based on our karma. He has no interest in these. What is He to benefit from this creation? Bodies are given to us as a means to sublime to higher levels and reach Him. So, if we do not act in that way and go in the wrong direction, how can He be faulted? Udhaseena-vad = disinterested. That is, He is not on His own responsible for all actions. and remains disinterested.

                                                                                   (continued)