Venkataramana

 

200124 SharngapaNi on Garuda

 

Vishnu on Adisesha

 

Vishwaroopa

 

Vishwaroopa - Details

Sarngapani on Garudavahana

 

Srinivasa

 

Malayappa Swamy

 

Tiruppavai 21

 05-01-26 | Ramayana , Bhaghavata , Gopika , Tiruppavai

Nappinnai opens the door and comes out to meet the gopikas.  

She explains the delay: “I did not ignore your appeals. I was waiting for the appropriate time to recommend you to the Lord.”  Nappinnai also joins the group.

The Gopis were elated.  They sing glories of their Lord.   

Andal: “O’ Krishna! You are the son of Nandhagopa who has an immeasurable treasure of generous, gigantic cows that pour forth copious milk in huge vessels.  What a fortune!*

“You are Paravasudeva (creation)!  You are the Vyuha murthy (in milky ocean)!  You are the Vibhava avataras (Rama / Krishna)! You stand as deities in temples (archavatara)! You are Antaryami (ensconced in our hearts). Yet you were born here amongst us to make us realise who we are.    

“Your enemies seek refuge in you — not finding solace in all three worlds**.  We have come to seek refuge in you, attracted by your infinite noble qualities.
___________________________

Notes:

*Here, the cows are symbolic of the generous acharyas.  
A confused Arjuna becomes Krishna’s disciple and surrenders to him.  The generous Krishna listens to him patiently.  Then he comforts Arjuna with his wisdom on the human predicament and the resolution thereof.  

** When in exile, Rama was taking a nap in Sita’s lap.  Kakasura (Indra’s son Jayantha), in the form of a crow, hurt  Sita by pecking her bosom and drawing blood.  Enraged, Rama took a blade of grass, empowered it with the Brahmastra and threw it at the crow for his unforgivable fault. The crow went around the three worlds for protection and ultimately surrendered at Rama’s feet.

Tiruppavai 20

04-01-26 | Gajendra , Bhaghavata , Gopika , Tiruppavai , Devi

Andal’s efforts to wake up Devi and Krishna resulted in silence.

She thought again.

She tries to wake up Krishna first.

“O’ Lord! Krishna! You should protect us even before harm comes our way, just as you prevent the trembling of the thirty three devas* due to fear of their enemies.

“O’ valorous one! You are upright towards those who seek refuge in you. O’ Pure one! You have equanimity towards all, but cannot tolerate any ill-treatment towards your devotees.” (Gajendra and Prahlada)

No response. Andal understands that one has to approach Krishna only through Devi’s intercession.

She addresses Nappinnai:

“O’ beautiful and elegant lady! O’ Mahalakshmi!! Wake up! Give us the fan and a mirror, required to serve Krishna.

“Also wake up your dear husband Krishna! Help us perform our vow related ceremonial bath and bless us with eternal servitude.”

—————
*(The eight Vasus, eleven Rudhras , twelve Adhithyas
and the two Asvini devathas)

Tiruppavai 16

 31-12-25 | Ramayana , Bhaghavata , Gopika , Tiruppavai , Guru and Devotee

Andal and the gopikas now reach the mansion of Nandagopa. They see a dwara-palaka (gate-keeper) at the entrance.

Andal asks him to open the bejeweled doors of the mansion and allow them in. “O’ Nayaka! We are here to sing Krishna’s glory and awaken him. He has already assured us yesterday, that he would give us the tools required for our vow.

“He is a mayavi — with a hue of dazzling blue-sapphire. But we can manage to read his thoughts. We know him. Please grant us entry.

“Please don’t send us away with trivial excuses. We are simple cowherd folk who have come to you with a pure heart. And don’t make us unlock the door and find our way in. You should hold our hands and take us where we should go.”

(Notes for the seeker):

The Acharya is the dwarapalaka. Andal addresses him as Nayaka — one who leads people. The doors are our ahamkara and mamakara (‘me’ and ‘mine’). The lock to the doors are the meanings of the mantra, which will be initiated by the Acharya.

Andal says “Krishna has already assured to protect all those who seek his protection — In the Rama avatar when he accepts Vibheeshana’s surrender and proclaims: “Anyone who surrenders to me completely, will be assured of protection.” And so also in the Bhagavadgita, Krishna tells Arjuna — Maam ekam sharanam vraja.)

(Andal wakes up the gopikas and goes on to wake up everyone until Krishna. But the dwara-palaka was not woken up. Can he ever sleep?)

Kaisika Ekadasi and the story of NampAduvAn

Nampaduvan, was a Bhagavatha (devotee of Vishnu) born in an underprivileged family. He used to fast and sing praises of Vishnu in the Kurungudi Nambi temple every ekadashi.

Once, while on the way to the temple, he was stopped by a fearsome Brahma Rakshas (demon). The Rakshas had not eaten food for several days. It caught Nampaduvan. Nampaduvan did not resist, but appealed to the Rakshas to allow him to have darshan of Sri Nambi and complete his prayers, before offering himself as food.  

Famished, the rakshas refused to let him go. Then Nampaduvan takes an oath that if he did not come back, he would bear a multitude of grave sins. When he declared the last sin, the rakshas was shaken.  “Let that sin befall on me, which accrues to those who say Narayana is equivalent, or inferior to other devathas.”  The rakshas lets him go.

After completing his musical prayers, Nampaduvan started walking back. An old man appeared before him (it was Lord Nambi). He told Nampaduvan to take another route to save his life. Nampaduvan, insisted on obeying dharma. Nambi smiled and blessed him. Nampaduvan returned to the Rakshas.

Rakshas was moved when Nampaduvan offered himself to the Rakshas.  It narrated its own story.  He was Soma Sharma, a Vedic scholar in his previous birth. He incurred a curse due to his arrogance and some mistakes made during a yagna (ritual). 

The Rakshas then asked Nampaduvan to give the merits accruing from his musical prayers for it to be liberated.  Nampaduvan refused, saying that he sang to Narayana with devotion and never sought any reward for it. 

Brahma Rakshas felt he was doomed to live in his fierce form. He begged for the merits of at least the last verse, in the raga Kaishika.

Nampaduvan relented. He offered the rakshas the fruit of the last song in praise of Nambi.  The Rakshas was transformed into his original form and liberated.

This was narrated by Sri Varaha to Bhumidevi in the Varaha Purana.

Ksheerasagara Shayana

 

Trivikrama

 

Akhilandakoti Brahmanda Nayaka

 

Garuda Vahana

 

Govinda

 

Selvapillai Sri Ramapriyan

 

Srinathji

 

Padmavasini

 

Nityanapayini

 

Nityanapayini

Always the constant companion of Sri Vishnu.  Drawn on the occasion of Garuda Panchami