GITA 11.51

GITA 11.51

SRI STHALASAYANA PERUMAL TEMPLE, MAHABALIPURAM

We are in Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram, one of the Thondai Naadu Kshetrams. In Sri Vaishnava literature, this Kshetram is known as Tiru Kadalmalli (திருக்கடல்மல்லை). This is also the birthplace of Bootatalawar [பூதத்தாழ்வார்], Second among Alwars. There lived a sage Pundarika, who was deeply in the devotion of the Lord. Once he wanted to see the Lord in the ocean and offer the flowers he had brought. He was told that the Lord was inside. Without further question and in deep devotion he started emptying the ocean water using his palms! Whether that was feasible or not, was not thought by Pundarika, as he was in deep devotion and he believed that by emptying the ocean the Lord would appear. The Lord took pity on him, and in the guise of an old man, He approached Pundarika and begged for food. Pundarika said that he was busy and could not offer. The Old man offered to bail out water until Pundarika went and fetched food for Him. Pundarika agreed and after some time brought food for the Lord, in the guise of the Old man. To his surprise, he did not find the Old man, but the Lord reclining on the floor. Since the Lord was reclining on the ground [stalam स्थलम in Sanskrit], the Lord is known as Sri Sthala Sayana Perumal [ஸ்ரீ ஸ்தல ஸயந பெருமாள்]. We might wonder, how a person, not even having the basic knowledge that the ocean could never be emptied, could ever think of seeing the Lord? But the Lord makes Himself seen [dharsan] only for those devotees, who are immersed in Bhakti, who can not think of anything else and mad after Him.

 This is what Sri Krishna has been telling in many slokas. The Lord tells Arjuna that He gave His darshan not because Arjuna did something for that, but out of His love for Arjuna alone. We will now see sloka 52. In sloka 51, Arjuna told the Lord that after seeing the Lord in the pleasant human form, his fear and confusions were over and that he had reached his normal composure. Now, the Lord replies:

sri-bhagavan uvaca
su-durdarsham idam rupam
drstavan asi yan mama
deva apy asya rupasya
nityam darshana-kanksinah

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear."

The Lord tells Arjuna that He had reverted back to His earlier Form for Arjuna to see. To see this Form, Devas were waiting always. They were not blessed with that Image, but Arjuna was lucky to see the Lord. Lord Brahma, lord Shiva and all Devas are wondering how the Lord was appearing to sage Pundarika. Su-durdarsham = very rare auspicious view, yan = that, mama = My [Sri Krishna's], idam rupam = this image, drstavan asi = having seen. That is, that Image of the Lord which is desired to be seen by others, has been seen by Arjuna. For others, it is yet to happen, while for Arjuna it has already happened. All others are longing to see and do not know when that luck would befall on them. Asya rupasya = This image's [view], deva apy = even Devas are, nityam = daily or always, darshana-kanksina = longing to see. All Devas are waiting daily to have a glimpse of the Lord's view, Arjuna got. Nityam can be interpreted in Two ways. Daily or always, Devas are waiting to see the Lord's image. Or, Devas are longing to see the image always. Even if they see once, they desire to see again and again, endlessly. But by the grace of Lord, Arjuna got the view very easily. Upanishads say that the Lord makes Himself appear to those whom He loves. Arjuna is thus one of those loved ones. We now understand that it is not that easy to get a glimpse of the image of the Lord. Only with His blessings, one could be lucky to see His image. We may wonder, how this is difficult? After all, if we go to the temple and in mangala harathi [மங்கள ஹாரத்தி], we see the Lord so easily. But that is not the Darshan. His darshan should stimulate us. It should eliminate our ignorance, kindle our true knowledge [மெய்ஞானம்], Bhakti should begin and grow. His image has the power to get all these done in us. Alwars and sages get these unfamiliar feelings when they worship the Lord. We never get such feelings. This is what the Lord tells Arjuna, that if his devotion was proper, then He would make Himself seen like that. When we go to the temple we should have only devotion in our mind and with that, we should worship Sri Thayar, and after getting Her blessings, we should worship the Lord with the mind only thinking of His greatness and His actions. We should remember the pasurams or stotrams of that Kshetram composed by various Alwars and Acharyas, and spend our time in the temple. That Bhakti is called aikanthika aatyantika bhakti [ஐகாந்திக ஆத்யந்திக பக்தி]. Bhakti devoid of any other thoughts. For such a devotee the Lord shows His true form. Mere going to temple will never fetch His grace. The Lord Himself sows Bhakti and nurses it to grow. Then we can view His image. Just as He showed Himself to sage Pundarika, He will show Himself to us. In the temple in Mahabalipuram, the Lord is in a huge idol and is reclining; and at His feet is sage Pundarika.

                                                                                                     (continued)