GITA 11.28

GITA 11.28

We are in the sannidhi of Sri Ualagalanda Perumal [ஸ்ரீ உலகளந்த பெருமாள்] in Big Kanchipuram. Even though the Lord is called Sri Ulalagalanda Perumal and the Image of the Lord is large, Alwars have praised Him as Sri Ooragatthan [ஸ்ரீ ஊரகத்தான்] only. This name occurs in Thirunedunthandakam. Tirumangai Alwar has praised the Lord as Sri Ooragatthai in Kacchi [Kanchi]. Both Tirumangai Alwar and Tirumazhisai Alwar have composed pasurams on the Lord here. To know why this place is called Ooragam, we have to see another temple. Emperor Maha Bali was humiliated and sent to the netherworlds [Patal lok], by the Lord. But Maha Bali wanted to worship the Lord. Since the Foot of the Lord touched his head, he had this noble idea. The Lord conceding to his prayers appeared as a huge Serpent

. Uragam [உரகம்] in Tamil means snake. This name got transformed to Ooragam and the Lord as Sri Ooragatthan. In this temple, the Lord appears as a great Serpent and the idol is in the form of a relief on the wall. This the Lord did to grace Maha Bali in Satyavrata Kshetram. Devotees offer pal payasam [பால் பாயசம்], a sweet porridge made of milk and rice, to the Lord here. Many devotees find their prayers are responded in their favour, here. The pushkarini here is Sesha Theertham [சேஷ தீர்த்தம்] or Naga theertham [நாக தீர்த்தம்].

SESHA THEERTHAM

 Vimanam is called Pushpakoti vimanam [புஷ்ப கோடி விமானம்]; compare this with Punyakoti vimanam in Sri Varadaraja Temple.

PUSHPAKOTI VIMANAM

 On one side the Lord is seated as Sri Paramapada Nathan and on the other side, Sri Narasimha is gracing. Utsavar is in standing pose with right hand showing Abhaya and left hand holding the mace.

SRI ULAGALANDA PERUMAL

 With discus and conch and with Sri Ubhaya Nacchiyar, the Lord is gracing the devotees. If we consider the Utsavar as Sri Vamana, Moolavar could be Sri Trivikrama.

 We have to see slokas 28 and 29 together. The universe is created and destroyed and this cycle goes on. Destroy means it is not total annihilation nor the matter is lost forever. One matter changes into another. Seed transforms into a plant. Besides atman are everlasting and can never be destroyed, and this was clearly established by the Lord in Chapter 2. Here, only the bodies get destroyed. This war is planned by the Lord to reduce the burden of Mother Earth. With the existence of Kamsa, Duryodana and other evil persons, Sri Bhudevi's burden had increased. This is one of the reasins of the Lord's Avatar in Mathura. Eliminating evil persons is also one of the purposes of the Avatar of the Lord. These people die because of their past karma and the Lord is not displaying any cruelty to them. In Brahmasootram [பிரம்ம சூத்திரம்], Veda Vyasa tells 'vaishmya naidrunyena sapekshtvat' - the Lord never possesses unmerciful quality. The Lord is granting results for the papa/punya of the karmas [actions] of people. Arjuna is seeing all entering the huge mouth of Viswaroopam. Drona, Bhishma and Duryodana, and others are all getting destroyed by the Lord. Unless Arjuna sees this, he will not get the conviction that while he was only a tool in the war, the Principal Player was Sri Krishna. Alwar says in the pasuram unnitthu matroru deivam thozhal [உன்னித்து மற்றொரு தெய்வம் தொழாள்], the Lord, as a mere Chariot driver, got the Pandavas victorious. He has used Arjuna as a mere tool to act in His plan. Also, this appearance is not transient like the rainbow nor a magic show. In a magic show, what we see is not real; but an illusion is created. Here, the Lord wants to establish every act of Him as real and true. The Lord is showing both the good and bad paths. The wrong path is shown with its consequences, to act as a deterrent. Besides the body only is destroyed and atman remains for ever. Therefore, we have to understand that the Lord is doing all these out of mercy only. Arjuna sees all bad persons getting destroyed. Some from his side are also getting destroyed. We had seen slokas 26 and 27 yesterday and today we see slokas 28 and 29. In some editions between these pairs of slokas, some more slokas are seen. Those slokas are not authentic as neither Swami Sankaracharya nor Swami Ramanuja had commented and so those slokas should be avoided. Now sloka 28:

yatha nadinam bahavo ’mbu-vegah
samudram evabhimukha dravanti
tatha tavami nara-loka-vira
vishanti vaktrany abhivijvalanti

"As the many waves of the rivers flow into the ocean, so do all these great warriors enter blazing into Your mouths."

Just like water from all rivers flow and mingle in the ocean, Arjuna sees Drona, Bheeshma, etc., are all going into the mouth [in Viswaroopam]. Yatha = just as, bahava = large, ambu-vega = flood of water, nadinam = [all] rivers, samudram eva = towards ocean, abhimukha = as aim, dravanti = flowing, tatha = similarly, ami = these, nara-loka-vira = human warriors of earth, vishanti = reach, tava = Your [Sri Krishna's], abhivijvalanti = blazing, vaktrani = mouths. Just like all rivers with plenty of water rush towards the ocean and mingle, all these Kings and fighters are all rushing into the bright mouths of the Lord. By this example, we have to understand some features. By flowing into the ocean, does the water get destroyed? Names of the rivers such as Kaveri, Tambrabarani, Ganga, etc., are lost. Thus, name and form might be destroyed; but the entity, such as water, remains. Similarly, the names and images of Bheeshma, Drona, etc., might be lost, but their atmans remain forever. Secondly, can the water of the river be ever prevented from reaching the ocean? No. Similarly, all atman have to reach the Lord. We can never prevent this final goal. An ocean is single, while rivers mixing into it, are many. All reach the same ocean, Similarly, persons from the Kauravas or Pandavas reach the same Lord. Ocean's level remains the same whether many rivers flow into it or not. The Lord is unaffected by the persons reaching Him or not. To bring out these only, Arjuna cites the example of rivers flowing into the ocean. Now sloka 29:

yatha pradiptam jvalanam patanga
vishanti nasaya samrddha-vegah
tathaiva nasaya vishanti lokas
tavapi vaktrani samrddha-vegah

"I see all people rushing full speed into Your mouths, as moths dash to destruction in a blazing fire."

Just like moths flock at a lamp and get destroyed, these people rush to the Lord, considered as the Lamp of Yadavas [ஆயர் குல அணி விளக்கு], and get destroyed. Yatha = just as, pradiptam = well lit lamp, jvalanam = glowing fire, patanga = moths, samraddha-vega = speedily , vishanti = rush, nasaya = get destroyed. Tathaiva = likewise, nasaya vishanti = to get destroyed, lokas = people [of the world], tavapi vaktrani = [in] Your [Sri Krishna's] mouths, samrddha- vega = with considerable speed. In one lamp many moths will rush in and die. Similarly, many Kings and warriors rush into Sri Krishna. The lamp does not invite insects to fall into it. Sri Krishna also did not tell these people to get destroyed in Him, but they themselves rush into Him. With many insects falling into it the lamp is not extinguished. Similarly, the Lord is unaffected by these people rushing into Him and getting destroyed.

                                                                                                 (continued)