GITA 10.41

GITA 10.41

AN OVERVIEW OF THE TEMPLE 

Tiruvenkatam [Tiirumala] and Tirukkovalur are closely connected. That connection, not only is in Alwar's pasurams, but even now continues. Today's [23rd September 2008] lecture is from H.H. Emperumanar Jeer mutt in the sannidhi street. At the end of the long street, is the tall Raja gopuram. As if competing with Sri Trivikrama, the gopuram is tall with 11 tiers. The Emperumanar Jeer mutt is near the gopuram. This mutt was established some 500 years back. In Sri Vaishnava sampradaya, Swami Ramanuja is the prime Acharya. It is an unshakable faith that all his predecessors and his successors reach Moksham because of their association with him. Swami Ramanuja formed 74 Simhasanathipatis. In that list, there was one Swami Tirukkovalur Alwan. He had many disciples and was serving in the temple. There was a village Munpadir, north of Tirupathi in Andhra Pradesh. There, a Vaishnava couple lived and had no children. Once they prayed to Sri Venkatachalapathi to bless them with a child and that they would engage the child in His service. Their wish was to transfer their bhakti and gyana to the child. The Lord blessed them and in the year 1452, in Thei [தை] month and in Mrigasirsha star, a child was born and was christened Ilayazhvar [இளையாழ்வார்], one of the names of Swami Ramanuja. The child grew and learnt all good things. There was the Periya Jeer mutt, established by Swami Ramanuja nearly 1000 years back, in Tirumala. At that time the Jeer was H.H. Yettur Sundaracharya Swami. Swami Ilayazhvar approached the Jeer and learnt everything in sampradaya, Shastras, Prabhandam, etc. By a peculiar design, the Jeer died. The Lord ordained on all those present, to appoint Swami Ilayazhvar as the next Jeer. Accordingly, Swami Ilayazhvar was Jeer for 16 years and served the Lord of Tirumala. Meanwhile, in Tirukkovalur, a stone wall was erected to hide Sri Trivikrama and a Shiva Linga and Nandi were erected; and, it was widely publicised that the temple was a Shiva temple. There was no Sri Vaishnava and it was regarded as a Shiva sthala. In the dreams of Swami Tirukkovalur Alwan, the Lord ordered him to go and stay at Srirangam and return only when the Kshetram became Vaishnava Kshetram. At the same time, Lord Sri Venkatesa ordered the Jeer to visit Tirukkovalur. The Jeer tried to argue with people in Tirukkovalur, to return the temple to Sri Vaishnavas, but in vain. Then, he thought that arguments might not yield results and wanted to prove by some other action. He asked people to construct a lime kiln and challenged that he would enter the burning kiln and meditate inside. If he came out alive, it should be proof that the Lord inside the temple was Sri Vishnu. He accordingly went in and remained there for a long time. The Jeer came out alive. By that time the King who hated Sri Vaishnavas was succeeded by another King, who was not so cruel. The King saw the Jeer coming out radiant with success. All people agreed that the Jeer was divine and with his supervision, all the idols of other gods were respectfully returned to their original places and the stone wall was opened to find Sri Trivikrama. One was reminded of the pasuram tirukkanden, ponmeni kanden,... of Peyalwar! But in spite of efforts, the Nandi could not be displaced. When others reported this, Jeer came to the spot. After observing, he ordered for green grass and when the Jeer displayed it in front of the Nandi, it got up to eat the grass. The Jeer requested Nandi to go to its Master lord Shiva. Nandi told that it wanted to meet the Jeer and then walked its way to the temple where lord Shiva was. From that day all the old [Sri Vaishnava agama] poojas were resumed. The Jeer from there went to Tirukkannamangai and did service to the Lord. Then he served in Sri Mushnam. He also visited Nava Tirupathi and did many notable services. He also visited Srirangam. Again he visited Tirukkovalur, to ensure all pooja were in proper order and then decided to return to Tirumala, where his mutt was. But the Lord appeared in everybody's dreams and ordained that the Jeer should stay, henceforth, in Tirukkovalur as the Head of Sri Emperumanar mutt. A new Jeer was appointed in Tirumala. We are in Sri Emprumanar mutt. The Lord here is Sri Bhogaraja. He is considered to be the reincarnation of the Lord of Thirukkannamangai. We can also worship the First Jeer [Sri Ramanuja (Ilayazhvar) Jeer] in a sannidhi here. This mutt was established in 1521. Now the 25th Jeer is the Head of this Mutt. 

THE 25TH JEER

 

About 10.000 disciples are there. By performing Pancha samskaram, he is establishing the association wit Swami Ramanuja. Only being a servant of the Lord is important and not his caste or creed. He has performed samasrayanam to about 3,000 tirukkulathars [திருக்குலத்தார்]. Jeer of Sri Emperumanar Mutt, Tirukkovalur says:
Sri Krishna preached Bhagavat Gita to Arjuna in the previous yug. In this yug, the greatness of Gita has been told by great elders. In that order, lecturing on Sri Krishna's Gita in this Krishnaranya Kshetram by Sri Krishnan Swami [sri Velukkudi Swami] is very appropriate. This temple has been praised by Four Alwars. This Mutt is being administered by Jeer for the past 500 years. I pray the Substance of Gita, the Lord Sri Ayanar, to bless all with prosperity. 
Now, we will see sloka 41:

yad yad vibhutimat sattvam
srimad urjitam eva va
tat tad evavagaccha tvam
mama tejo-’msa-sambhavam

"Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendour."

The Lord tells Arjuna that by now he would have understood all were His wealth. None of them could remain without Him. Yad yad sattvam = those which are [existing in this Universe], vibhutimat = every one of them might be under the control of some. That is the control of some over all the existing entities in this Universe. Srimad = those which are having radiance or prosperity, urjitam = resoluteness [in all efforts], tad tad eva = all such things, mama = My [Sri Krishna's], tejo = eminence, amsa = fraction, sambhavam = originate, tvam = you [Arjuna], avagaccha = know. So, the prosperity, wealthiness and resolution are all a mere fraction of the eminence of the Lord. Parents order children. King orders subjects. Teacher orders students. All these ordering power of all emanate from a spark of His eminence. That is, when He said He is Vishnu among Adityas, Vishnu or Adityas have some ruling power over people. This controlling power has originated from a fraction of His power. The eminence of Margasirsha [Margazhi] month, is a part of the eminence of the Lord. He mentioned that among luminous entities, He is Sun. This luminance is a fraction of the Lord's luminance. Like this everyone's eminence, determination, wealth, etc., are all but a fraction of the Lord's qualities. We will now take leave of this Kshetram.

                                                                                        (continued)