GITA 11.42

GITA 11.42

The Lord has taken many Avatars in the form of Animals like Fish, Boar, etc., or in Human forms such as Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, etc. But, long ago He took the form of a combination of Animal and Human as Sri Narasimha, for the sake of  Prahlada. Now we have arrived at Tiruvelukkai [திருவேளுக்கை], in Kanchipuram, to worship Lord Sri Narasimha. He is called Sri Alari [ஸ்ரீ ஆளரி] by Alwars. Peyalwar and Tirumangai Alwar have praised the Lord here. Velukkai is derived from the words vell [வேள்] + irukkai [இருக்கை]. Vell means King as well as desire. Irukkai means seat. So velirukkai or velukkai means either seat of King [of animals], that is Lion or the Lord desired or decided to stay here and so is seated here. Tirumangai Alwar in his pasuram calls the Lord as Sri Alari. Alari = Aal [man]+ ari [lion]. Alari thus denotes Sri Narasimha. We enter the temple.

TIRUVELUKKAI TEMPLE ENTRANCE

 At the entrance is the pushkarini, Kanaka Saras or Hema saras [கனக (அ) ஹேம ஸரஸ்]. Then we come across the tall Dwajasthambam. Garuda sannidhi is facing the Lord's sannidhi. It is said that Garuda is like a mirror for the Lord. Then we come to Maha Mandapam. On one side we see the sannidhi of Sri Amruthavalli Nacchiyar [ஸ்ரீ அம்ருதவல்லி நாச்சியார்]. Further inside, we see all Alwars and Acharyas. Then we reach the sannidhi of Lord. Moolavar is gracing as Sri Yoga Narasimha [ஸ்ரீ யோக நரஸிம்ஹர்].

MOOLAVAR SRI YOGA NARASIMHA

 There is Utsavar, an exact replica of Moolavar.

UTSAVAR SRI YOGA NARASIMHA

 The Lord is seated with both lower hands stretched on the knees. Those who practice Ashtanga yoga sit like this. It is also called Paryanka bhaddhasanam [पर्यन्कभद्धासनम]. Sitting like this controls the Five breaths of air -prana, apana, vyana, udhana and samana - and Five Gyana and Five Karma organs. Swami Vedanta Desika, in his Kamasikashtakam, says that the Lord has been praised in Upanishads. Kama = desire, asika = seat, and so Kamasikashtakam, Eight verses composed in praise of the Lord here. He says that the Lord is in North as well as in South [sruthinam uttharam bhagam vegavadyascha dakshinam]. The Lord is seated on South of river Vegavati. Swami Desika puns on the word uttharam, which means North as well as the end or top. The top of Vedas is Vedanta, that is Upanishads. So the Lord is in the Sruti [Vedas] uttharam. He says the Lord is seated at His will and He is gracing magnificently. Now we see sloka 43. Arjuna repents that not knowing the greatness of the Lord Sri Krishna, he had called Him by obscure names, like Krishna, Yadava, Friend, etc. He requested the Lord to pardon him. Arjuna is standing in front of the Viswaroopam, like a pebble in front of a mammoth mountain. But the Lord asks why He should pardon Arjuna or anybody for that sake? Arjuna replies, and we can say that he did it on our behalf also. Arjuna says that the Lord has to pardon since there is that type of relationship between the Lord and Arjuna and all of us. Sloka 43:

pitasi lokasya caracarasya
tvam asya pujyas ca gurur gariyan
na tvat-samo ’sty abhyadhikah kuto ’nyo
loka-traye ’py apratima-prabhava

"You are the father of this complete cosmic manifestation, of the moving and the nonmoving. You are its worshipable chief, the supreme spiritual master. No one is equal to You, nor can anyone be one with You. How then could there be anyone greater than You within the three worlds, O Lord of immeasurable power?"

Apratima = without equal, prabhava = glory. There is no one who can be considered a copy of or equal to the glory of the Lord. Asya = this, caracarasya = Universe with moving and non-moving or stationary things, pitasi = [Sri Krishna] is Father. Tvam = You [Sri Krishna], asya = are, pujya = worshipful [by all in Universe], gariyan = supreme, guru = teacher. Father gives the body and Teacher instils Knowledge.Na asti = none, sama = equal to, tva = You [Sri Krishna]. Kuto = how, anyo = any other, abhyadhika = could be excelling [Sri Krishna]. When there is no one equal to the Lord, how could anyone be higher or more Supreme than the Lord? Loka traye pi = even in all the three worlds. Having none equal to Him, the Lord is worshipped by all of the Three Worlds. For all of them, the Lord is Father. Sriman Narayana is Father, Mother, Brother, Husband, Wife, etc. The Lord is every relative to all. But the relationship of Parents is very important. By mentioning the relationship of Father, Arjuna is replying to the question why the Lord should pardon Arjuna. Whatever be the mistake, Parents would never punish the child. By saying worshipful, Parents are to be worshipped. One might have liberty with the parents, but they have to be respected. Prahlada was a child. His father never liked him. His father tortured him; yet, the Lord as his Father rescued him every time. The Lord is also Guru. The Lord was kind to teach Arjuna. Did He do that for any gift from Arjuna? In fact, all Arjuna gave was his mistakes only. Arjuna played with Him and addressed Him disrespectfully. But the Lord took mercy on him and taught Arjuna, such a wonderful Shastra. An Acharya is to be respected more than a father. Three worlds imply all worlds. It could also mean the Three Vedas -Rig, Yajur and Sama. In all these worlds or in Vedas, there is none equal to Him, not to speak of greater than Him.

                                                                                                          (continued)