GITA 9.26
Sriman Narayana graces in Five states. 1. In Sri Vaikuntam as Sri Para Vasudeva, 2. in the Milk Ocean [திருப் பாற்கடல்] as Sri Vyuha Vasudeva, 3. as Sri Rama and Sri Krishna in Vibhava Avatar, 4. residing in everyone as Antharatman and 5. in Kshetrams and temples as Auspicious Idols [அர்ச்சை]. The objective of Vedas was Sri Para Vasudeva or Sri Vaikunta Natha. The Agama, Pancharathram [பாஞ்ச ராத்ரம்], glorifies Sri Vyuha Vasudeva. Manu Dharmashastra and the like, are glorifying Antharyami. Itihasa and Puranas praise Vibhava Avatars. Azhwars' Divya Prabhandam eulogise the Lord in Temples, ie. Archai. For Tirumangai Alwar, the last of Alwars, Archai was his life. His principle was that the Lord in temples is the resort for all to get Moksham. To understand his life, his poems and his place, we are now in Tirunagari Kshetram. He is gracing in an idol form here.
Earlier we saw Sri LakshmiNarasimha in Tiruvaali. Behind the temple here, is the pushkarini- Ilaksha pushkarini (இலாக்ஷ புஷ்கரிணி). It is said that the water is capable of curing any disease and removing sins. The street in front of the temple -sannidhi street- is long and welcomes us. The Rajagopuram - main entrance tower - is ancient and has Seven tiers.
It is majestic, perhaps because it entrancentarnce to worship the Alwar inside!
As we cross this, we reach the second Gopuram with Five tiers. We cross the dwajasthambam and this gopuram to come to the Third gopuram of Three tiers. The Second gopuram was built by Achutappa Nayak and this Third Gopuram was Built by Swamy Narahari Jeer. Crossing this, we come to a long prakaram or corridor. Whenever Tirumangai Alwar returns from a procession, Tiruvandhikappu [திரு அந்திக் காப்பு] will be presented [andhi =evening, kappu = protection].
In this, lit camphor will be shown so that no ills occur [திருஷ்டி சுற்றுதல்]. During Adhyana Utsavam, with all Alwars seated the Lord listens to their pasurams in this mantap. As we enter further, we see Alwar's sannidhi and the sannidhi of Sri Devaraja. It is said that Princes who lived luxuriously, used to add ghee for every morsel of food. Similarly, our Alwar Parakala [Tirumangai Alwar] would add Archai for every stanza! Even while praising the Avatars of the Lord, he would somehow add the Lord of some temple or the other. Of the 108 Divya desam, this Alwar has praised 86. Of these, 47 Divya desam are praised only by this Alwar.
Now we will see 25th sloka. Earlier the Lord said that He grants His devotees, Yoga and Kshema [sloka 22]. But there are other devotees, who worship other deities, though sincerely, by superficially learning Vedas, but not understanding the Vedantas properly. They never realise that it is the Lord, residing in every deity, grants even the inferior requirements. They never know that the Lord is the 'bhokta' or recipient of offerings made in every yagna, they perform favouring any deity. He further tells Arjuna that if a person performs a yagna favouring a god, he will attain that only or reach the world of that god and enjoy for a limited time. When the tenure of that god is over, then that person also has to depart that place and has to be born in this samsaram. With great efforts the person attains the place of these gods and yet, when the periods of reign of those gods end, this person also has to return. For example, one performs jyotish Homa, favouring Indra and seeking Sswarga loka. He gets Sswarga loka. But if, while doing this homa, the person does with the conscience that the karma is ultimately directed in favour of Sri Krishna, the antharatman of Indra, and seeks the Divine feet of the Lord, then the same Jyotish Homa, will grant him Vaikuntam and not the Swarga loka, which is transient and inferior to Vaikuntam. So without changing the karma and not altering the efforts, by changing only the intention, we get different results. This applies to other karmas also and is explained in sloka 25. When we beat a person, we are questioned by law enforcing agents; but the same action of beating, if we do to correct our children, then we gain. So intention or sankalpam, is very important. Now, sloka 25:
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| TIRUMANGAI ALWAR WITH KUMUDAVALLI NACHIYAR |
Earlier we saw Sri LakshmiNarasimha in Tiruvaali. Behind the temple here, is the pushkarini- Ilaksha pushkarini (இலாக்ஷ புஷ்கரிணி). It is said that the water is capable of curing any disease and removing sins. The street in front of the temple -sannidhi street- is long and welcomes us. The Rajagopuram - main entrance tower - is ancient and has Seven tiers.
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| MAIN GOPURAM |
It is majestic, perhaps because it entrancentarnce to worship the Alwar inside!
As we cross this, we reach the second Gopuram with Five tiers. We cross the dwajasthambam and this gopuram to come to the Third gopuram of Three tiers. The Second gopuram was built by Achutappa Nayak and this Third Gopuram was Built by Swamy Narahari Jeer. Crossing this, we come to a long prakaram or corridor. Whenever Tirumangai Alwar returns from a procession, Tiruvandhikappu [திரு அந்திக் காப்பு] will be presented [andhi =evening, kappu = protection].
 |
| TIRUVANDHI KAPPU |
In this, lit camphor will be shown so that no ills occur [திருஷ்டி சுற்றுதல்]. During Adhyana Utsavam, with all Alwars seated the Lord listens to their pasurams in this mantap. As we enter further, we see Alwar's sannidhi and the sannidhi of Sri Devaraja. It is said that Princes who lived luxuriously, used to add ghee for every morsel of food. Similarly, our Alwar Parakala [Tirumangai Alwar] would add Archai for every stanza! Even while praising the Avatars of the Lord, he would somehow add the Lord of some temple or the other. Of the 108 Divya desam, this Alwar has praised 86. Of these, 47 Divya desam are praised only by this Alwar.
Now we will see 25th sloka. Earlier the Lord said that He grants His devotees, Yoga and Kshema [sloka 22]. But there are other devotees, who worship other deities, though sincerely, by superficially learning Vedas, but not understanding the Vedantas properly. They never realise that it is the Lord, residing in every deity, grants even the inferior requirements. They never know that the Lord is the 'bhokta' or recipient of offerings made in every yagna, they perform favouring any deity. He further tells Arjuna that if a person performs a yagna favouring a god, he will attain that only or reach the world of that god and enjoy for a limited time. When the tenure of that god is over, then that person also has to depart that place and has to be born in this samsaram. With great efforts the person attains the place of these gods and yet, when the periods of reign of those gods end, this person also has to return. For example, one performs jyotish Homa, favouring Indra and seeking Sswarga loka. He gets Sswarga loka. But if, while doing this homa, the person does with the conscience that the karma is ultimately directed in favour of Sri Krishna, the antharatman of Indra, and seeks the Divine feet of the Lord, then the same Jyotish Homa, will grant him Vaikuntam and not the Swarga loka, which is transient and inferior to Vaikuntam. So without changing the karma and not altering the efforts, by changing only the intention, we get different results. This applies to other karmas also and is explained in sloka 25. When we beat a person, we are questioned by law enforcing agents; but the same action of beating, if we do to correct our children, then we gain. So intention or sankalpam, is very important. Now, sloka 25:
yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino ’pi mam
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino ’pi mam
"Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me."
Deva vrata = those intending to become a deva [or reach deva loka], devan yanti = [by doing specified karmas for that] attain deva loka. Pitr vrata = [similarly], those wanting to reach pitru [deceased ancestors] loka, yanti = attain [by taking specified efforts] , pitrn = the world of pitrus. Bhutani = groups of bhutas, like rakshasas, gandharvas, etc., yanti = are attained [by performing ], bhutejya = karmas related to such bhutas. One does a karma to reach Indra Loka and worships Indra with the knowledge and intention that Indra is to grant the desire of reaching Indra Loka. But, Yanti = attain, mam = Me [Sri Krishna, in Vaikuntam], mad yajino = [who] perform karma to reach Me [Sri Krishna], api = only. We have to carefully see the meaning of the words 'mad yajino'. A person does a karma to reach deva loka. With the same karma and efforts, but with the intention and worship to the Lord, he reaches the Lord. To reach Him, the Lord is not asking the person to do another karma or alter the efforts; but with same karma and same efforts, one could reach the Lord, if his sankalpam or intention is modified. Arjuna is on the battle field to fight and recover the lost property (kingdom). If it was done with the intention of recovering and enjoying the kingdom regained, then it is objectionable and could bring in sins also. But if Arjuna does it with the intention that it was an order of the Lord and it was his kshatriya dharma to protect, then he would be doing karma yoga and realizing that he would get atman sakshatkaram. Same fight would get him higher worlds and Moksham. The Lord is not asking anyone to change the karma; but only asking them to change the sankalpam. The Lord of this temple is facing West; while Sri Thayar is facing East. Pooja are performed as per Vaikanasa agama of sage Vikanasa.
(continued)
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