GITA 11.16
 |
| TIRUPPADAKAM RAJA GOPURAM |
We have come to worship the huge idol of the Lord in Tirupadakam [திருப் பாடகம்]. The Lord's Image is very huge. From the name of this Kshetram, we can understand how great He is. In the Thondai mandalam [தொண்டை மண்டலம்] region in Kanchi is situated this important Kshetram. Padu [பாடு] in Tamil means very large and great. Agam [அகம்] means place. Being a very great place and associated with Sri Sridevi Nachiyar, this place is called Tirupadakam. The Lord is gracing as the Messenger of Pandavas [Sri Pandava Dhootha ஸ்ரீ பாண்டவ தூதன்]. He is in a seated pose. Very large idol. In the seated pose, in 25 feet height, perhaps this is the only Kshetram. In this Thondai region, in close proximity, the Lord graces in Sitting, Standing and Reclining poses, in Three Kshetrams. In that in Tirupadakam, the Lord graces seated. As we enter the temple, we see the tall dwajasthambam. After that on the right, we see Matsya pushkarini [மத்ஸ்ய புஷ்கரிணி].
 |
| MATSYA PUSHKARINI |
The Lord took Matsya avatar. We have heard of fish in pushkarini; but here the pushkarini itself is in fish [matsya] form. After this we cross maha mandapam, Ardha mandapam and then reach the small garbhagruha. But as Sri Pandavadhootha, the Lord is occupying the entire garbha gruha. From Mahabharata epic, we will try to understand why the Lord has arrived here and why He is called by this name. Duryodhana refused to part with Pandava kingdom. Pandavas requested Lord Sri Krishna to act as their emissary. Sri Krishna was too eminent and there was no necessity for Him to act as messenger. But He agreed to act for the sake of Pandavas. He need not have acted as Chariot Driver, yet He did for Pandavas. The Lord left Upaslavya, to Hasthinapura, where Kauravas were reigning, and planned to, at least, get Five villages for Pandavas. Pandu, the father of Pandavas had Two wives -Kunti and Madri. The First Three of the Pandavas - Yudhishtra, Bheema and Arjuna - were born to Kunti, while the other Two - Nakula and Sahadeva -were born to Madri. Sahadeva told Sri Krishna that they were not knowing how this war would end; nor they or Kauravas were interested in war. But, Sahadeva said that, Sri Krishna was interested in the battle being fought. So, he said that the only way to stop the war, was to bind Sri Krishna so that He was unable to move! In the guise of an Ambassador, Sri Krishna had planned to finish off the demons like Kauravas! In Villi Bharatham [Tamil rendering of Mahabharata in poems], the author says that Sahadeva was firm in his opinion that the Lord wanted to wipe out Kauravas and make Pandavas, the rulers of Hasthinapura. Sri Krishna asked Sahadeva whether he could bind Him? Sahadeva said that it would be possible if the Lord so desired; otherwise not. Sri Krishna agreed and Sahadeva was able to bind the Lord by a garland; and the Lord could not get Himself freed! He then requested Sahadeva to free Him! Sri Krishna, as the Emissary of Pandavas, entered Hastinapura. Meanwhile, there was consultations among Dridarashtra, Duryodhana, Sanjaya, Vidura, etc. Duryodhana expressed that when Sri Krishna came, He should be arrested so that He would not be able to act as Ambassador for Pandavas. Vidura and Sanjaya controlled their laughter at this statement. They thought that Duryodhana was talking nonsense. But in this mad proposals, Dridarashtra exceded his son, by saying that instead of arresting Sri Krishna, they could bribe Him with Money and other needs! He thought he could make Sri Krishna as their emissary, by bribing! If one was a fool, the other was the greater fool. Sanjaya told Dridarashtra that instead of giving bribes to Sri Krishna, he could as well give merely Five villages to Pandavas and avoid a war. Dridarashtra was prepared for illegal bribes but not for the honest return of at least a portion of Pandavas' property. But if Dridarashtra had agreed [to Sanjaya's suggestion for Five villages to be made over to Pandavas], we would not be having Sri Pandavadhootha, in Tirupadakam! It is our good fortune that Dridarashtra did not change his mind! Duryodhana planned as he suggested. He got a deep pit made in the Assembly hall; posted strong wrestlers inside the pit to capture Sri Krishna when He fell inside. He covered the pit by false materials and carpet. A throne was placed on the top so that Sri Krishna would sit on that and it would crash into the pit, where the wrestlers would arrest Him! It was a mad idea. Tirumangai Alwar laughs at this plan of Duryodhana and says he was crueller than a cobra! Sri Krishna entered Hastinapura. People were mesmerized; everyone stopped the actions they were doing. A mother stopped feeding her child. A cook stopped cooking. Sages, who were performing yagna, stopped. Sri Krishna entered the Assembly hall and Duryodhana, offered Him the specially erected throne to sit. The Lord said that after all He was a mere Cowherd and would prefer to sit in a corner! Duryodhana compelled the Lord to sit on that throne he had arranged. Normally, anyone would smell suspicion, if too much compulsion was made. Sri Krishna knew every act and plan of everybody. So, He reluctantly agreed and occupied the seat. The floor below started cracking and was collapsing. But the Lord instantly, enlarged Himself with a very huge form and the wrestlers below were all crushed below the pit. Sri Krishna challenged Duryodhana to fasten Him and walked out of the Assembly. This happened when the Lord acted as a Messenger for Pandavas, long ago. But how the Lord came here? If it was a large, Viswaroopam of the Lord, He should have been standing only. Why is He seated here? We have to trace an incident which took place after Pandavas. Arjuna's son Abhimanyu married Uttara [உத்தரை] and they had a child Parikshit [பரீக்ஷித்]. He had a son Janamejaya [ஜனமேஜயன்]. We have heard in Srimad Bhagavatam, that King Parikshit was cursed by the son of a sage and was bitten to death by a snake. King Janamejaya, was angry that his father died because of snake bite and so, he decided to perform one sarpa yaga, by which all snakes would be eliminated. As he was performing that yagna, many snakes died, and sage Vaisampayana approached him to stop the yagna and narrated Mahabharata story. But Janamejaya had an unfulfilled wish to see the Viswaroopam of the Lord. Hearing about Satyavrata Kshetra [Kanchi], he came here and meditated. The Lord accepting his prayers appeared as Sri Pandavadhoota and in in a huge form. The Lord thus graced Janamejaya and sage Haritha here.
 |
| SRI PANDAVADHOOTA PERUMAL |
One leg is folded while the other is stretched. One can see even the nails of the toes! In many places even the Lord Himself would be the size of the foot of the Lord here! The right hand is in Abhaya mudra and the left hand is pointing to His divine Feet, for us to surrender. One can see the intricate sculpture, in the ornaments, garments, etc., on the idol. By viewing the Lord here it ould make us to understand and visualize sloka 15, we are to see. Everything can be seen on this Divine idol of the Lord and this is what Arjuna says, in sloka 15:
arjuna uvaca
pasyami devams tava deva dehe
sarvams tatha bhuta-visesa-sanghan
brahmanam isam kamalasana-stham
rsims ca sarvan uragams ca divyan
pasyami devams tava deva dehe
sarvams tatha bhuta-visesa-sanghan
brahmanam isam kamalasana-stham
rsims ca sarvan uragams ca divyan
"Arjuna said: My dear Lord Krishna, I see assembled in Your body all the demigods and various other living entities. I see Brahma sitting on the lotus flower, as well as Lord Shiva and all the sages and divine serpents."
(continued)
No comments:
Post a Comment