GITA 10.7
We are in Tiruthertriyambalam. It is Sri Lakshmi Arangam, known as Tiruthetriyambalam, which means raised place. Sri Senkamalavalli Thayar is in a separate sannidhi.
|
SRI SENKAMALAVALLI THAYAR |
Today's [6th August 2008] lecture is from this sannidhi. The Lord graces as Sri Ranganatha or Sri Pallikonda Perumal. We shall worship first the Thayar and then the Lord. Moolavar Lord is in reclining pose with Sri Sridevi and Sri Bhudevi near Him. Utsavar is with right hand in abhaya mudra and left arm holding the mace.
|
UTSAVAR SRI SENKANMAAL |
In the upper arms discus and cnch are held. Thirumangai Alwar addresses as Sri Senkanmal. Senkan means [lotus] red eyes. Mal means crazy. He is crazy after Alwar and such devotees. The main entrance to the temple is beautiful. Then we see the bali peetam. Then,we see the sannidhi for Garuda. As we go inside we see maha mandapam and artha mandapam. Then we come to the garbha gruha. As we go round we can see the vimanam. This is called Veda vimanam or Sruthimaya vimanam.
|
VEDA VIMANAM |
The Vedas are like an umbrella for the Lord. We reach Sri Senkamalavalli Thayar sannidhi. Earlier, we visited Thirumanikkoodam. At that time part of a story was told. When Rahu and Kethu were harassing Surya and Chandra, they hid themselves in Surya pushkarini and Chandra pushkarini, respectively. In Thirumaikkoodam, the Lord removed the fear of Chandra. To remove the fear of Surya, the Lord graced at the Surya pushkarini in this Kshetram, Tiruthetriyambalam. The Lord appeared here to Surya and removed Surya's fear and so it is called Surya pushkarini or Anantha pushkarini. Near the Lord, Sri Sridevi and Sri Bhudevi are there. Once the Lord started off to finish the asura Hiranyaksha. Sri Sridevi and Adisesha expressed their difficulty to be away from the Lord for such a long time. So, the Lord appeared as Sri Senkanmal and made Sri Sridevi be near Him and also used Adisesha as the reclining bed. Thus they were consoled and this is evident in Thirumangai Alwar's pasuram. Alwar saw the Lord as Sri Varaha, in a mammoth size. He says that the Lord grew to such a gigantic size, that in the anklet [கழல்] worn at the feet, mountains Meru, Himalaya, Vindhya, etc., were used as gem stones to give sound as the Lord walked! Sri Varaha had lotus like eyes say Vishnu Purana and Nammalwar. Sri Varaha dug out Sri Bhudevi and embracing Her, placed Her between His tusks.
Swami Ramanuja says that the birth, death, living, action, inaction and everything of every living being are dependent on the Lord. This we saw in the last three slokas. Now the 7th sloka:
etam vibhutim yogam ca
mama yo vetti tattvatah
so ’vikalpena yogena
yujyate natra samsayah
"One who is factually convinced of this opulence and mystic power of Mine engages in unalloyed devotional service; of this, there is no doubt."
The Lord explains what will happen to that person, who understands the Lord and His 'vibhuti'. Etam = thus created, mama = My [Sri Krishna's], vibhutim = [Sri Krishna's] vibhuti or property, yogam = [Sri Krishna's] auspicious qualities, yo = he, who, tatvata = really or truly, vetti = understands, so = that person, avikalpena = unshakable, yogena = Bhakti yoga, yujyate = attains. That person, who understands the true nature of the wealth and auspicious qualities of the Lord, attains unfaltering or steady Bhakti yoga. Atra = in this [proclamation], na samsaya = there can be no doubt. The Lord tells what we should understand about Sri Krishna. When He says mama or Mine [Sri Krishna's], it is not the mere Cowherd image the Lord has. Arjuna should not underestimate Sri Krishna as a mere Cowherd or Chariot Driver for him; but to understand that He is the Ultimate God, the Consort of Sri [Sriyapathi], Lotus-eyed [Sri Pundarikaksha], the Abode of all auspicious qualities, unalloyed with any, not even the smallest and slightest, bad qualities and He is the Lord of all the Universe and Sri Vaikuntam. Vibhuti word will be repeated many times from now on. Bhuti means wealth or property. Vibhu means commander. So, vibhuti means the Proprietor of property at His command. That means all are His subjects and behave as per His command. Yogam here means the abode of all auspicious and good qualities; opposed to all the bad qualities. Why should the Lord state that he who understood His wealth and qualities, properly? Can anyone understand them improperly? Assuming the Lord as equal to any other; considering Him one among the Three; thinking that His greatness has come to Him from someone else; thinking that He has one of the duties of the three; etc.- these are all improper thinking! One may think He has no qualities. Or, He has qualities like someone else. To assume that the Lord has no auspicious qualities or, to assume that He has bad qualities or, He has no qualities at all or, to assume He is like us or, He is also born and dies [like us]. All these thoughts or assumptions would only reveal that one has not understood the Lord properly. Understanding that there is none equal or superior to Him; He is the root-cause of the Universe; repository of all auspicious and good qualities; He can not be affected by any bad qualities; He treats all equally; He is the Lord; He is the Father, Mother and every other intimate relation to us - these are thinking properly. Such a person will get firm devotion in Him and will be steady in Bhakti yoga. This is what the Alwars also say. They might have encountered hardships. Even then they will never abandon Him. Just like a child, even when beaten by its mother, cries clinging to her feet only; Bhakti in these persons is not going to be shaken, just because some sufferings are there. This person will never think that the Lord has been partial and so he is undergoing bad health or meeting problems in the family. He will continue to show the same intense devotion to the Lord. This happens only when the person has properly understood the Lord, His wealth and His qualities. The Lord categorically declares that this statement can never be doubted. We will now take leave of this Kshetram and proceed to the next.
(continued)
No comments:
Post a Comment