INTRODUCTOIN TO SREE KRISHNA AND RAMA KARNAMRUTHAMTHERE ARE TWO BEAUTIFUL AND DELECTABLE STOTRAS ON KRISHNA AND RAMA BY SRI LEELA SUKHAR OF KERALA AND ONE OF THE FORMER PEETATHIPATIS OF KANCHI SANKARACHARYA'S LINEAGE RESPECTIVELY .ON THIS V DAY OF DHATHU SAMVATSARA NAAVARATHRI . LET US MEDITATE ON THESE TWO MASTER EULOGIES ON SRIMAN NARAYANA.BOTH THE AUTHORS WERE OF SAIVITE FAITH AND WERE EXEMPLAARS OF THE FAMOUS ADAGE ON SAMA RASAM KNOWN AS "ANTHA: SAAKTHO, BAHIRSAIVO, VYAVAHAARESHU VAISHNAVA: “The author of Sri Krishna KarnAmrutham is Bilva Mangalar(AD 1220-1300 ). He was a contemproary of Swami Desikan (AD 1268-1369). Since he described with great joy the leelas of Krishna like Sukha Brahmam, the author of Srimad Bhagavatham, he came to be known as Leela Sukhar. He belongs to the tradition of great devotees of Krishna of Kerala such as Narayana Bhattadhiri, theauthor of Sri NarayaNeeyam , Poonthaanma and Vasudeva Nambhhodhri and other great scholars of the Dasama skhandham of Srimad Bhagavatham .In his early life, Bilva Mangalar was very fond of a Deva Daasi by the name ChintAmaNi. She teased him once about his scholarship in VyaakaraNam, Naatakam and Alankaara Saastram and told him that if he had one thousandth of the affection for Bhagavaan, he would easily save his life. That was the turning point for Bilva MangaLar. He thanked Lord Krishna for deflecting his obsession with ChintaamaNI towards Him and immersed himself in Krishna chintanaa. He started his masterpiece called Krishna Karaamrutham with the slokam :“CHINTAAMANI JAYATHI SOMAGIRIR-GURURHMEH ".There are 328 slokaas in this masterwork and every one of them is a Karna Ranjani . He concludes with the last slokam with the passage:“LEELAASUKENA RACHITAM TAVA DEVA KRISHNA KARNAAMRUTHAM VAHATHU KALPA SATAANTAREPI”.He prays to the Lord and says: “May this work of Leelaasukhaa be a nectar to the ear of the hearer and be that way for the span of time beyond one hundred kalpam( Chathur yugam) ."There is a tradition to worship Krishna as Gopaala Sundari.The mantram for that murtham has 33 beejaaksharams and is made up of Sri Rajagopaala Mantram's 18 letters and the 15 letters of Sri Pancha Dassakshari of Sri Vidyaa. Infact, the Lord of Raja Mannargudi (Dakshina Dwaarakai), Sri Rajagopalan is meditated upon as Sri Vidya Raajagopalan and is said to have Sri Chakram under the lotus feet of his archaa murtham at this temple. His alankaaram as Mohini (Madana Gopala Sundari) during His Brahmothsavam iswell known .Sri Leela Sukhar worshipped this Madana Gopala Sundari formOF THE Lord of Gokulam ( Dhyana Slokam 3-104 of Krishna Karnaamrutham ) .One of the descendants of Kaamakoti peetam known as Bhodendra Saraswathi was a great believer in Sri Rama Naama Siddhaantham . He abdicated his position as the head of the mutt and retired to a village known as Govindapuram near KumbakoNam and created the slokas of the delectable Sri Rama KarNaamrutham. He was a predecessor to Saint Thyagaraja and his successors, who spread Rama Naama Siddhaantham on the banks of Cauveri. He attanied Jeeva Sammadhi in the sands of Veera Sozhan river,a branch of Cauveri flowing near his village.Let us meditate on one slOkam each from the two Karnaamruthams. The words chosen in these verses are in simple Sanskrit and full of the spirit of a Bhaktha's yearning and search for the Lord"s Darsana Sowbhaagyam.HEY DEVA HEY DAYITHA HEY JAGADEKHA BHANDHOHEY KRISHNA HEY CHAPALA HEY KARUNAIKA SINDHOHEY NAATHA HEY RAMANA HEY NAYANAABHIRAAMAHAA HAA KADHAA NU BHAVITHAASI PADHAM DHRUSOHRMEHKrishna Karnaamrutham 1.40(O Deva Deva! O Object of my supreme affection! O the friend of the Universe! O Krishna! O Lord who melts with compassion over the welfare of your devotees! O ocean of Mercy! O Lord of mine! O delight of my eye, who warms my heart! Alas! I am suffering without your darsanam. When are you going topresent yourself before me ? )HEY RAAMA! HEY RAMANA ! HEY JAGDEKHA VEERA !HEY NAATHA ! HEY RAGHUPATEH ! KARUNAALAVAALA!HEY JAANAKI RAMANA ! HEY JAGADEKHA BANDHO !MAAM PAAHI DHEENAM ANISAM KRUPANAM KRUDHAGNAM IISri Rama KarNaamrutham --4. 18(O Raama! O Beautiful one! O the supreme (Hero) warrior of the World!O Lord of mine! O the chief of the Raghu race! O ocean of mercy! O delight of Sri Janaki! O the true friend of this universe!Please save me , the ungrateful wretch ! )The beauty of individual slokas of both the Karnaamruthams is overpowering. I will quote and comment briefly on them in subsequent postings.----------------------------------------------------------------------------SRI KRISHNA KARNAMRUTHAM OF LEELA SUKHAR (1220-1300 CE):This is one of the greatest anubhavams of KrishNa Bhakthi in general and that of VeNu Gopaalan in particular. There are many slOkams that are evocative of PeriyAzhwAr's paasurams on the veNu Nadham of Gopaala-Krishnan here. adiyEn will quote now two slOkams from LeelA Sukhar's KrishNa KarNAmrutham:pallavAruNa-paaNipankaja-sangivENu-ravAkulampullapAdala-paadalIparivAdhi-paadhasarOruhamullasan-madhura- dhyuthi-manjaree-sarasAnanamVallavee-kucha-kumbha-kumkuma-pankilam Prabhum-AsrayE--SlOkam 1.9The rapture of reciting this slOkam saluting the VenugOpaala Svaroopam defies translation. The visualization of the Lord with His tender creeper like fingers playing the flute for His dear Gopis as prathyupakAram for their devotion is magnificent.In the final slOkam to be reflected upon, adiyEn has chosen the one , where LeelA Sukhar hits the vedic stride and declares that everything is KrishNA for him:prEmadham cha mE kaamdham cha mEvEdanam cha mE Vaibhavam cha mEJeevanam cha mE Jeevitham cha mEDhaivatham cha mE Deva naaparam(Meaning): Oh VeNugOpAlA! You are the One who fills me with love; You are the One , who fulfills all my desires. You are the One, who blesses me with true Jn~Anam. You are indeed my entire wealth. You are my Life. You are my aayus(days of my life).I do not consider any other God as equivalent to You.Comments on the Nithya Youna Tatthvam of Lord KrishNaThe 14th century KrishNa Bhakthar(Leela Sukhar) recognizes this KisOra (Child-Youth) Tathtvam as:" akhila UdhAram kisOra aakruthi asthi". Yes, there is the form of little boy, who is generous to all the worlds. He has in His hands "Hastha-nyastha apavargam"(He has in His hands the boon of Moksham for those who seek refuge in Him). He is known for His "PrOnmilan nava-younam" (growing stage of Youth in its freshness).LeelA Sukhar visualizes this eternal Youth in his mind and salutes Him:mukulAyamAna nayanAmbhujam vibhO:muraLI-ninAdha makarandha-nirbharammakurAyamANa-mrudhu-gaNDa-manDalammukha-pankajam manasi mE vijrumbhathAM--SrI KrishNa KarNAmrutham: 1.6The beauty of this eternal youth is enjoyed by LeelA Sukhar: His beautiful eyes resemble a fresh bud of lotus; He has soft and reflecting cheeks and His lotus like mouth is filled with the honey of vENu Gaanam (Flute Music).The beauty of this eternal youth that bewitches the people of this world and the DevAs is saluted by LeelA Sukhar in yet another lilting slOkam:samucchvasitha YOUANAM tarala saisavAlankruthammadhacchuritha lOchanam madhana-muktha-haasAmruthamprathikshaNa vilOkanam praNaya peetha vasI mukhamJagathraya vimOhanam Jayathi maamakam jeevanam--SrI KrishNa KarNAmrutham : 1.87(Meaning) : My Lord's Youvanam is growing and His form as a child is slowly sliding away. His eyes are filled with the wonderful intoxicating beauty of budding Youth and displays smiles filled with kaama rasam .His nectarine smile and looks are changing every minute to become insatiable in anubhavam and bewitches all the three worlds . May that life force of mine be victorious forever!.Celebrating the anubhavam of this Nava Youvana, Nithya Youvana Parama Purushan , Leela Sukhar says:Madhuram Madhuram VAPURASYA VibhO:Madhuram Madhuram vadhanam MadhuramMadhugandhi mrudhusmitham yEthadhahOMadhuram Madhuram Madhuram Madhuram--Sri KrishNa KarNaamrutham: 1.91My Lord"s nithya Youvana ThirumEni (Vapu :) is sweeter than the sweetest. What a wonder! His beautiful face is sweet reminiscent of the sweetness of Honey. His shining smile is sweeter than any thing that one can experience.This KrishNa Tatthvam is indeed Sweet, Sweet and Sweet!Sri Leela Sukhar goes on to describe what this sweet KrishNa Tatthvam is to him as referred to earlier :prEmadham cha mE kaamadham cha mEvEdanam cha mE vaibhavam cha mEjeevanam cha mE jeevitham cha mEdhaivatham cha mE DEva naaparamOh Lord of Gods! Thou art the One, who blesses me with Vaathsalyam-filled devotion to You. Thou art the One, who fulfills all my desires. Thou artthe One who blesses me with true Jn~Anam. Thou art the One who blesses me with all wealth and auspiciousness. Thou art indeed my life and life breath I do not know of any God except You."SIKHIPINCHAM" on Lord KrishNA’s tessesWhat's the Sanskrit name for peacock feather worn in Lord Krishna's head?What's the significance of the same?"Sikhipincham” is one of the names for Peacock feather worn in Lord's headHe is saluted as "Sikhipincha-moulinE Nama:" This Sikhipincham is a sign of victory for our Lord as the Guru (SikshA Guru). The great KrishNa bhakthar, Leela Sukhar (1220-1300 C.E) from Kerala visualized this SikshA Guru form of Bala GopAlan in the very first slOkam of Sri KrishNa KarNAmrutham: SikshA Guru is one, who tests the sishyan out for his qualifications and true desire for learning and then accepts him as well as blesses that chosen sishyan with true Jn~Anam .The second line of that slOkam is:“SikshA-gurusccha BhagavAn Sikhi-pincha Mouli: Jayathi”.BhagavAn KrishNa is revered as the most adorable Tatthvam in the form a small child (Baala GopAlan). The peacock feather with its multiple colors( Mayil KaNNu ) is part of the beautification (AabharaNam, alankAram) . He is a Jagan Mohanan.He does not really need any aabharaNam for beautifying Him; theseaabharaNams gain a status of distinction by sambhandham with His Divine Suddha Satthva ThirumEni . He charms every one with His divine beauty (From the Gopis to His Mother YasOdha PirAtti and the whole world and its beings). Mother YasOdhA decorates his bluish black wavy tresses with Peacock feather (“Barha utthamsa kuntalalabharam ") to celebrate her son's unsurpassable soundharyam.He decorates also His beautiful assembly of hair with the wild flowers that His grateful playmates (GopAs) bring Him. He adorns the Laangali Pushpam (the flower of the shoot from the coconut tree) over His ears (lAngalee karNapooram); on His hair, he fixes the Mayil Peeli (Barha Utthamsa sphuritha chikura: in Swamy Desikan's words) in His hair; He adds a red pushpam known as Bhandhujeevam (Semparutthi Flower).He adorns a lovely KunthumaNi Maalai (yellowish beads with a black face) around His neck (gunjA-Bhatthaam laLithAm haara yashtim urasi dhArayan).In the uras ( Chest region) is KunthumaNi Maalai ; in the Siras is the Peacock feather ( Barha Utthamsa sphuritha Chikura: ) .Thus this playful child-Lord has many aabharaNams and alankArams (Chithra aakalpa: vichithra alankArams) to captivate the onlookers and steal their hearts. He is the unique and incomparable embodiment of youthful beauty (JagathAm yEka abhirAma adhbhutham ) in the words of Leelasukhar).The peacock feather in His hair and the Flute in His hands are the lakshaNamfor Lord KrishNa as a child . That is why He is saluted and meditated as“Madha-SikhaNdi SikhaNda VibhUshaNan “(One adorning the feather of a proud peacock). As He walks down in the streets of BrundhAvanam, these beauty marks become His defining features (lakshmANi). His dark, dense and wavy (curly) hairs are the right home for the multi-hued, iridescent peacock featheraccording to the KrishNa Bhakthar , LeelA Sukhar : "pinchAvatamsarachanOchitha kEsa pAsam " . His "muktha vEsham” (delectable appearance) starts from the dark hair assembly adorning the peacock feather as a decoration (BhahuLa chikura bhAram Bhaddha pinchAvathamsam), travels downto his beautiful forehead like the ashtami chandran, descends down to the dark eye brows , long eyes , which are moving briskly scanning which of His bhaktha kOtis are there ; once He recognizes them , his red lips reminding one of the ripe BhimbhA fruit extend a sweet smile of recognition and welcome .Describing the Lord's beauty as He walks down the streets of uncle Kamsan's capital , Mathurai , His beauty is maddening everyone .The citizens of Mathurai ask each other: Who is this Jagan Mohanan? His peacock feather (chandraka bhUshaNam), His distinguishing mark gives them the clue. The peacock feather is the aabharaNam of choice for Him (Barham naama vibhUshaNam bahumatham). It is also a gOsha uchitha bhUshaNam (Fit for the kulam of cowherds), who spend a lot of time in the forests grazing their cows. This is also the play ground of the beautiful male peacocks that strut about displaying their iridescent feathers. KaNNan's hue is like that of a dark blue kind resembling the rain bearing cloud. Peacocks spread their feathers at the sight of the dark bluish-black rainy cloud .When they have the darsanam of the NeelOthpala hued KaNNan, they are reminded of the monsoon clouds and dance before Him with spread feathers . At the end, they offer some of their choicest feathers to Him as a samarpaNam just as the lions ofAhobilam do by offering the ivory tusks of the elephants that they haveoverpowered. Our Lord accepts these feathers of peacock offered by them with Bhakthi and places it on His black tresses as an aabharaNam. That explains in my imagination as to how the Peacock feathers landed on our Lord's chikuram The TaitthirIya Upanishad passage comes to our mind:“rasO vai Sa: , rasam hyEvAyam labdhvA Aanandhee bhavathy "(His whole form is an embodiment of bliss principle; one attains eternal bliss through the taste of that Aanandham).During this Vijaya Dasami day, let us reflect on the peacock featheradorning Lord , who is the safe haven for all of us as the SaraNAgathaRakshakan and celebrate Him as Sri LeelAsukhar did:SrungAra rasa sarvasvam Sikhipinchcha vibhUshaNamangeekrutha narAkAram aaSrayE bhuvanAsrayam--- KrishNa KarNAmrutham: I.92He is the perfect embodiment of SrungAra rasam (SrungAra rasa sarvasvam);That SrungAra rasam is enhanced by the peacock feather adorned as a special aabharaNam (Sikhi-pincha vibhUshaNam); He has incarnated as a human being out of His own will (angeekrutha nara aakAram). We seek His protection as he is the refuge for the entire world (bhuvanAsrayam aasrayE).LEELA SUKHAR EXPLAINS THE UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ADORING GOPIS AND KRISHNAN THIS WAY:The great KrishNa Bhakthar, who enjoyed Bala KrishNan in this intimate way isLeelA Sukhar of Kerala . In Sanskrit slOkams known for their MaadhUryam , Leela Sukhar conversed with the Lord and named his conversations as Sri KrishNa KarNAmrutham .LeelA Sukhar saluted this ParamAthMA incarnating as a sisu at Gokulam as" akhila udhAram kisOra aakruthi:" (That effulgent Jyothi, which gives everything to everyone seeking his refuge appears as a little boy).He recognizes KrishNan as " pasu paala paala parishadh VibhUshaNam' (the cherished aabharaNam for the cowherd kulam).He saluted KrishNan as the embodiment of the phalan of all his puNyams (mattha-soubhAgya BhAjAm math puNyAnAm )and as the limit of the bhAgyams of the Cowherd kulam ( Vraja BhAgya Seema).LeelA Sukhar explains the unique relationship between the adoring Gopis and KrishNan this way:"Vraja Yuvathi haaravali Marakatha naayaka mahA MaNi”(The center emerald piece in the necklace of pearls (gopis).The chEshtais as Baala KrishNan earn from Leela Sukhar the name dhUrttha Swamy (the head of the group of those, who cheat).The full slOkam is worth enjoying:Oshtam jigran sisurithi dhiyAchumBithO vallaveebhi:KaNDam gruhNan aruNitha padhamgADamAlingithAnga:IdhOshNA lajjapadham abhirumsannangam aarOpithAthmADhUrtha SwamI harathu dhurithamdhUrathO BaalakrishNa:II(Meaning): May this emperor of cheaters chase away all of our paapams quickly! May this BaalakrishNan kissed by the gOpis on the assumption that He is a mere child, May this digambharan embraced tightly by the young ladies of gokulam such that He is red at all those points from the tightness of their grips, May this kapata naataka soothradhAri sitting on the lap of the gOpis enjoying their endearments and covering His private part (lajjaa padham) shyly with His hand, May He destroy all of our paapams!The GopikA RamaNa GopAla chakravarthy and His tattvam is saluted by Leelaa Sukhar in a very revelatory slOkam:thvayi prasannE mama kim guNEnathvyapprasannE mama kim guNEna?rakthE virakthE cha varE vadhUnAmnirarthaka: kumkuma pathra bhanga:Here LeelA Sukhar says that the Lord's grace is the central factor to realize His anugraham and our gunams are not important in this matter.Thvayi PrasannE guNEna mama kim = when You come in front of us, what is the use of our attributes?thvyapprasannE mama kim guNEna? = when You do not present Yourself , what is the use of my GuNams?VadhUnAm varE rakthE = when the married woman has her husband's lovekumkuma pathra bhanga:nirarthaka: kim ?= there is no need for her to seek the help of kumkumam , flowers and beetle leaves to enchant him .VadhUnAm varE virakthE , kaumkuma pathra bhanga: nirarthaka: = when the husband's love is not there , what is the use of Kumkumam , beetle leaves and flowers ?In another moving slOkam, LeelAsukhar describes his KrishNa chaithanyam this way:yatha kaapi nisheedhya YaadhavaKula-utthamsasya Kamsadhvisha:smAram smAraagham harAmitadh alam manyE kim anyEna mE?(Meaning) I sit somewhere quietly and think of the Yadhu Kula sirO-bhUshaNam, KrishNan, the sworn enemy of Kamsan. Those intense thoughts about Him are enough for me to chase away my paapams. What is the use of the other karmAs?With a slOkam devoted to the celebration of SaraNAgathi Tathvam , adiyEn concludes this tribute to KrishNa BhakthALs like OotthukkAdu mahAn , LeelA Sukhar(3.49) :Saranam asaraNAnAm SaaradhAmbhOja nEthramniravadhi madhurimnA neela vEshENa ramyammarasara paratanthra smEra nEthrAmbhujAbhi:Vraja yuvathibhi: avyAth Brahma samvEshtitham(Meaning) May KrishNA, who is the protector for all those, who have no recourse, May that KrishNA with the beautiful eyes similar to the lotus thatblossoms in autumn season, May that KrishNa delectable with His enchanting blue hue, May that KrishNA , who is bound by the arrows of love of the young girls of Gokulam and surrounded by them , May that Para Brahmam protect us without any other recourse!Sarvam KrishNArpaNam asthu!
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