GITA 11.23
gita sugita kartavya kim anyah shastra vistaraih
ya svayam padmanabhasya mukha-padmad vinihsrita
ya svayam padmanabhasya mukha-padmad vinihsrita
Sri Krishna Himself preached Gita. By understanding Gita, we understand all others. Without knowing Gita, there is no use in learning others. In order that we should all understand Gita well, Swami Ramanuja wrote detailed commentary, Sri Gita Bhashyam. As a further explanation, Swami Vedanta Desika wrote Tatparya Chandrika. We worshipped Swami Vedanta Desika yesterday. Today's [28th October 2008] lecture is from the temple of Sri Vilakkoli Perumal, nearby. As we enter we find the Dwajasthambam and the striking cleanliness around.
DWAJASTHAMBAM |
The temple built in stones is attractive. As we go around the temple we can see green trees, plants and the exclusive Tulasi garden maintained for the Lord. The Lord is Vilakkoli [lamp light], and so we have to understand Gita in that Light only. Our practice has been First to visit Acharya, then Sri Thayar and finally the sannidhi of the Lord. We have already visited Swami Vedanta Desika's sannidhi. We will now proceed to Sri Marakathavalli Thayar [ஸ்ரீ மரகதவல்லி தாயார்] sannidhi.
SRI MARAKATHAVALLI THAYAR |
The Lord here is Sri Vilakkoli Perumal in Tamil and Sri Deepa Prakasa in Sanskrit. But the place is called Tiruthanka. Than [தண் ] in Tamil means cool and ka [கா] means place. Thus this is associated with Sri Thayar and a very cool and esteemed place. We should not confuse this with Tiruthangal [திருத்தங்கல்], near Srivilliputhur. There the Lord graces in standing pose in many colours. Since Sri Maha Lakshmi stayed [தங்குதல்], that place is called Tiruthangal. But this is a cool place. We first worship Sri Marakathavalli Thayar and receive Her blessings. She shows Abhaya by Her right hand and the left arm is pointing to Her Divine feet. The Lord is like the precious stone marakatham [மரகதம் emarald], in radiating green colour. Sri Thayar is gracing as the appropriate match for the Lord. We have seen part of the history of this Kshetram while visiting Sri Devaraja and in Tiruvekkha. Lord Brahma performed Aswameda yagna. First, he went to Pushkaram Kshetram in North. There the Lord appeared to him in the form of Water. He then proceeded to Naimisharanyam and meditated. There the Lord appeared to lord Brahma as a forest. In order to worship the Lord in Idol form, lord Brahma came to Satyavrata Kshetram. He started his meditation. But Saraswati wanted to prevent his meditation and yagna. Why did she want to prevent her husband's actions? Because lord Brahma performed the yagna with his other wife Savitri. Since she was not properly accorded a place in the yagna, Saraswati decided to prevent the yagna. So, first, she created darkness so that yagna could not be performed. That time the Lord appeared as Sri Deepaprakasa and drove out the darkness. Thus the Lord was a great support for lord Brahma in performing the yagna. The Lord appeared in the Tamil month Chittirai (April-May) in the star Revati.
We will now see sloka 22, in the illumination provided by the Lord Sri Deepaprakasa. Arjuna earlier told that the Lord's radiance was more than the combined brightness of Thousands of Suns. Now, sloka 22:
rudraditya vasavo ye ca sadhya
visve ’svinau marutas cosmapas ca
gandharva-yakshasura-siddha-sangha
viksante tvam vismitas caiva sarve
visve ’svinau marutas cosmapas ca
gandharva-yakshasura-siddha-sangha
viksante tvam vismitas caiva sarve
"All the various manifestations of Lord Shiva, the Adityas, the Vasus, the Sadhyas, the Visvedevas, the two Asvins, the Maruts, the forefathers, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Asuras and the perfected demigods are beholding You in wonder."
(continued)
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