GITA 11.48

GITA 11.48

SRI VARAHA MOORTHY

We are visiting Kshetrams in Tondai Naadu. Presently, we are in Tiruvidavendhai. The Lord is gracing as Sri Varaha, Moolavar and Sri Nitya Kalyana Perumal, Utsavar. Sri Thayar in separate sannidhi is Sri Komalavalli Nacchiyar [ஸ்ரீ கோமளவல்லி நாச்சியார்]; while Sri Thayar along with the Moolavar, is Sri Akilavalli நாச்சியார் [ஸ்ரீ அகிலவல்லி நாச்சியார்]. Earlier it was told that this Kshetram is connected with marriages. We will first worship the Lord Sri Varaha, Moolavar.

SRI MOOLAVAR SRI VARAHAR

The Lord is appearing in a sturdy form. He is lifting Sri Lakshmi on His left hand. Her two feet are across the chest of the Lord. The Lord is holding Her Two feet, by His right hand. She is reclining on His left arm. The Lord has His right foot firmly on the ground. In the garbha gruha of this Kshetram, the Lord appears with one foot only on the ground. The Lord's left foot is bent and raised and is placed on Adisesha's head. Adisesha and his wife are supporting the Lord's foot by their heads. The Lord took a mammoth form of Sri Varaha. The image was so huge that great mountains like Meru, Himalayas, etc., were like pebbles caught in between the toes in the hoof of Sri Varaha Avatar. His face clearly tells the Upadesam [preaching उपदेस], He is making to Sri Thayar. In Varaha Purana, the Lord preached Sri Bhudevi; while here, the Lord is preaching Sri Sridevi. What did He preach? He preached Sri Thayar, an easy method for devotees, Her children, to reach Him. He wanted Her to propagate this to all. People should chant and sing His names, always remember His actions and offer flower at His feet. He assured that He would offer them Moksham. Thus the Lord is gracing with Sri Lakshmi on His left, and preaching Her in Upadesa Tirukkolam[உபதேச திருக் கோலம்]. Now we can worship Sri Utsava Moorthy.

SRI UTSAVAR SRI NITYAKALYANA PARUMAL 

Utsavar is Sri Nitya Kalyana Perumal. Why Nitya Kalyanam [Daily marriage]? Daily, the Lord's marriage is celebrated. Long ago there lived a sage called Kalava [காலவ]. He married the daughter of sage Kuni. They were blessed with 360 daughters! Sage Kalava was worried as to how to get so many daughters married and so he visited many Kshetrams and prayed to the Lord. Finally, he reached Tiruvidavendhai. The Lord, pleased at his devotion, appeared as a Bridegroom and married each one of the sage's daughters every day, throughout the year. The Lord married 360 daughters on 360 days! Since He married daily, He is called Sri Nitya Kalyana Perumal. That is why, those for whom marriages are not getting done, arrive at this Kshetram and their prayers are answered. One unique feature of the Lord is that we could notice a black mark [pottu பொட்டு], on the right cheek of the beautiful face of the Lord. It is like the dot marked on bridegrooms in marriages. Here, this mark is naturally found and not artificially made. It is as though the Lord is a Bridegroom always! There is an inner meaning to this. As per the sampradaya and as told in Vedas, the Lord is the only Male - Purusha. All other souls are females. The Lord as the Bridegroom marries all these girls every day. Attaining Moksham is the Marriage. Though we are afraid of death, we should not. Attaining Moksham after death is that the Lord as Bridegroom, takes along the brides - our souls - to His abode in Vaikuntam and this we say as attaining Moksham or Mukti. Like for brides, this Universe is the birthplace [பிறந்தகம்] and Vaikuntam is Destination [புகுந்த வீடு or புக்ககம் ]. Those who desire to get married, follow a convention. The person desiring to get married comes here and after worshipping receives a garland of the Lord and wearing that, the person has to go round the sannidhi Nine times. After worshipping again the Lord, the person should preserve the garland in his/her house till marriage, which would happen shortly. After marriage, the couple again visits the sannidhi and after worship, hang the garland on the branch of Punnai [புன்னை] tree, the Kshetra Vruksham of this temple. This convention is followed and we can see many devotees following it regularly in the temple. Some get Kalyana Utsavam for the Lord, performed. Almost daily we can see Kalyana Utsavam. Now we will see sloka 49 in Gita:

ma te vyatha ma ca vimudha-bhavo
drishtva rupam ghoram idrn mamedam
vyapeta-bhih prita-manah punas tvam
tad eva me rupam idam prapasya

"You have been perturbed and bewildered by seeing this horrible feature of Mine. Now let it be finished. My devotee, be free again from all disturbances. With a peaceful mind, you can now see the form you desire."

The Lord asks Arjuna not to get worried and assures peace with fear removed. He assures to grace him with His usual image. Ma te vyata = let your [Arjuna's] fear vanish, ma ca vimudha-bhava = perish [Arjuna's] perturbed feelings, [because of] idrn = such, ghoram = frightening, mama = My [Sri Krishna's], rupam = image [of Viswaroopam], drishtva = having seen [by Arjuna]. The Lord says that Arjuna, having seen the very frightening Viswaroopam of the Lord, got fear and perturbed mind, and He assured that all those fears and turbulence would be removed. In the second half of the sloka, the Lord states that Arjuna would be able to see the ever pleasant image of the Lord, as Sri Krishna. Vyapeta-bhi = fear vanished, prita- mana = mind full of love, tvam = you [Arjuna], puna = again, tad eva = that same, me= My [Sri Krishna's], idam = this, rupam = [pleasant] image, prapasya = see. Again see, does not mean that the Lord is again showing His Viswaroopam to Arjuna. This is not possible as in the First half of the sloka, the Lord agrees to ward off the fear Arjuna felt having seen Viswaroopam. He is, therefore, assuring Arjuna, to show His image familiar to Arjuna and which would not kindle fear in Arjuna. Arjuna felt fear having seen Viswaroopam; but, for us, we get the fear of seeing the World -Viswam- worsening every day. We see the World and get fear and our minds are perturbed. Arjuna got fear of having seen the Lord associated with the World. Thus by seeing the Lord as Sri Krishna, both types of fears are extinguished -The fear arising at the way things are going in the World, at the elimination of peace in the World and at the Lord in Viswaroopam. We are assuaged, once we remember the encouraging words of the Lord. Those practising yoga and with an uplifted mind, might not be afraid of the Lord, even in Viswaroopam. This is possible only if we train our mind to see Brahman in Viswaroopam, as done by some great persons. Though the Lord addresses Arjuna, we have to understand that the Lord is addressing every one of us. Our fears are worse than Arjuna's. That is why we have to visit temples like these and worship the beautiful Lord and get our fears of samsara eliminated. Just like Army displays flag march to assuage the fear in bomb exploded area, by worshipping the Lord in temples like here, our feelings would be soothened. By visiting temples, our worries like sage Kalava had, are reduced. In Srimad Ramayana, Sri Sita meets Anasuya. Sri Sita told that Her father Janaka was deeply worried at Her not getting married, even after She reached marriage age. Anasuya asked Sri Sita as to what Her age was at that time. Sri Sita replied that She was already Six years old and Her father was worried! Though this was the situation of that past, even now within the Laws in force, many do not get married in time, due to mismatch of horoscopes, defects in Horoscope, etc. All such problems are resolved here. By worshipping the Auspicious image of the Lord Sri Nitya Kalyana Perumal, all worries and perturbances are driven away. Sri Krishna also, in the same way, is assuaging the feelings of Arjuna, by showing him, His pleasant form as Sri Krishna. 

                                                                                         (continued)