SRIMAN NARAYANA, SRI LAKSHMI AMMA (DAYA DEVI) AND THE HOLIEST OF HOLY WORKS OF THE REVERENTIAL AZHWARS ( MYSTIC SAINTS ) OF THE SOUTH OF INDIA. ( Part 8 / 21)
Sri Tirumalai Azhwar Part 8 of 21
Our most beloved Tirumalai Azhwar, most popularly known as Bhaktisaarar, ( meaning of Bhaktisaarar over brimming with pure devotion to the point of merging with our most beloved Lord Sriman Narayana) has one of the most exalted position in the list of sri vaishnava acharyans and is very close to our divine consort. It is said, that whatever our beloved azhwar conveyed as a desire to our lord , our Lord Sri Krishna would do exactly that and happily listened to every of azhwar's most loving plea.
Our azhwar had one very special quality he was ABSOLUTELY fearless, well versed with all the types of yogas and his relation with our dearest Lord Sri Govinda was very much like Arjuna and Lord Sri Krishna. It is a greatest marvel that our dearest PARMAATMA is closest to every jivatma and never bothers about his supreme most position that of the creator of the entire worlds, he is so easily accessible is what one learns of his relation with our most beloved Azhwar.
This point can be illustrated, when once , the local king was highly displeased ,when our most beloved Azhwar's disciple did not comply with the wishes of the king, when he was asked to sing praises about him. The king in anger banished him from his kingdom. Our dearest azhwar could not think of separation from his loving disciple so he too started leaving the kingdom but whilst he was making an exit , he in a very matter of fact , not even as a request, conveyed to our lord Sri Govinda who in the form of Divya Mangala Vigraha in reclining position on adiseshan, to also leave with them fully convincing our lord that without both of them how would our lord bear their separation .
Immediately, on hearing our dearest lord too rolled his serpent bed and started moving with our azhwar, the fact that our lord is also leaving plunged the entire kingdom into pitch darkness. The king realized his folly and immediately requested our dearest azhwar to return back and our most beloved creator of the entire cosmos Lord Sri Govinda too accompanied our adoring azhwar back . BEYOND ANY HUMAN WORDS. AMAZING! JUST IMAGINE THIS MOST CELESTIAL SCENE WHEN OUR LORD SRIMAN NARAYANA AND OUR AZHWAR ARE WALKING TOGETHER AND EVEN MORE HEAVENLY IS THE FACT THAT OUR MOST BELOVED LORD SRI GOVINDA'S CLOSENESS TO HIS MOST LOVED DEVOTEE THAT DESPITE THE FACT HE IS THE ONE AND ONLY UNPARALLELED CREATOR , HE FULLY OBEYS WITH EACH OF OUR WISH.. THIS IS ONE OF THE HAPPIEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE TOO, WHILE I WAS READING THE WORKS OF OUR AZHWARS WITH TEARS FLOWING, AT OUR MOST BELOVED LORD'S HEIGHT OF COMPASSION AND MOST SUPREME LOVE.
This is one of the biggest learning , I had, that our Bhaktisaarar treated our dearest Madhusudhana as his sarvaswam ( ALL IN ALL), his only best friend and almost commanded our lord, ISN'T IT SO, MY DEAREST BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WON'T OUR LORD LOVE US THE MOST WHEN WE ARE VERY INTIMATE TO HIM ?. DOESN'T EACH ONE OF US , LOVE OUR MOST LOVED ONES TO BE VERY CLOSE TO US, SHARE THEIR VERY CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS WITH US, SO ALSO OUR DEAREST OF DEAR LORD SRI GOVINDA HE LOVES US THE MOST WHEN WE ARE VERY WARM AND FRIENDLY TOWARDS HIM FOR HE IS VERY SURE THAT THIS PIOUS STATE BINDS US WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MULTI HUED SILKEN THREAD ETERNALLY WITH HIM.
THE MORE WE DISTANT OURSELVES FROM OUR MOST BELOVED CREATOR AND OUR MOST ADORING LAKSHMI AMMA, THE FARTHER THEY WILL GET AWAY FROM US, THIS IS WHAT I LEARNED FROM OUR BHAKTISAARAR. HIS EVERY DIVINE WORD IS A TOTAL CONFIRMATION THAT WITH OUR LORD HE IS AS HE WOULD BE WITH HIS DEAR MOST FRIEND AND DOES NOT HESITATE TO SPEAK HIS MIND AT ALL.
The following additional distinct divine features of his devotional writings:
- Our dearest azhwar's guru is our most beloved PEY AZHWAR. Tirumalisai azhwar, before fully getting immersed in srivaishnavism , researched and practiced the various other religions prevailing during his time. One day, he met our most exalted Pey azhwar, who was watering a sapling up side down, from a can with numerous holes in it , seeing this our Tirumalisai azhwar commented to Pey azhwar, how is it possible to plant a sapling in this ridiculous manner to which our PEY azhwar replied ,yes, it is just like his taking to numerous religions and praying to different Isht devatas who will never be ever in a position to grant him moksham ( permanent salvation) for they do not have the power at all since they too are jivatmas under our most beloved Lord Sri Krishna/ SRIMAN NARAYANA.
Our Tirumalisai azhwar being a very frank and learned scholar kept arguing with PEY Azhwar and after a great heated discussion fully understood that our dearest of dear Lord Sri Krishna is the SOLE AUTHORITY IN THE ENTIRE WORLDS WHO CAN GRANT US PERMANENT LIBERATION AND NONE ELSE. OUR BHAKTISAARAR WITHOUT WASTING A SINGLE SECOND IN FULL ECSTASY LOVINGLY DANCED AND SANG THE GLORIES OF OUR BELOVED CREATOR SRIMAN NARAYANA AND BECAME A VERY STAUNCH SRI VAISHNAVITE FROM THAT MOMENT ITSELF.
HE PROUDLY PROCLAIMED TO THE ENTIRE WORLD ABOUT THE ABSOLUTE SUPREMACY OF OUR SUPER MOST PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD SRIMAN NARAYANA AND WOULD GO TO ANY EXTENT TO ESTABLISH THIS UNDISPUTED FACT. THE DIVINE NAMES OF OUR DEAREST SRI GOVINDA AND THE MOST POWERFUL ASHTAKSHARA MANTRA " NAMO NARAYANA" IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACON LIGHT THAT WILL SAIL US HERE AND HEREAFTER. THE DWAYAM MANTRA SRIMAN NARAYANAM CHARANAM SHARNAM PRADHAYE, SRIMAN SRINARAYANAYA NAMAHA, AND THE CHARMA SLOKAM SARVA DARMAAN WILL ONLY BIND US TO OUR DIVINE CONSORT. THESE MANTRAS ARE THE PROTECTIVE AMULET THAT WILL SHIELD US FROM EVERY NEGATIVITY AND PREVENT US FROM SINKING IN THE CRUEL CYCLE OF BIRTH AND DEATH.
- Tirumalisai azhwar, has in very great detail, written about the auspiciousness of all the manifestations of our lord Sri Krishna like SriMatsya, SriKoorma, SriVaraha, SriNarsimha, SriVaamana , SriTrivikrama, Sri Raama etc like our most adoring azhwars have. All our twelve azhwars have self experienced the wonderful leelas (loving sport and past time) of our Lord Sri Govinda and have gone into the zenith of their devotion and they felt , that they have been present with our dearest lord Sriman Narayana when he was enacting each of his magnificent appearance on our dearest mother earth and hence they could literally feel everything our dearest lord Sriman Narayana underwent, the countless troubles he suffered at the hands of the evil doers.
OUR LORD SRI KRISHNA DID ALL THIS ONLY FOR HIS MOST LOVED DEVOTEES, HIS UNMATCHED COMPASSION FOR EVERY OF HIS CREATION WHEN HE SO LOVINGLY FORGAVE EVEN THE GRAVEST OF GRAVE SINNERS, THE LIKES OF RAVANA, HIRANYAKASHAPU AND SO MANY OTHERS, HIS GREATEST QUALITY OF NOT ONLY FORGIVING BUT ALSO IMMEDIATELY FORGETTING TOO ACTS OF OMISSION, NUMEROUS FAILINGS AND THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF EVERY JIVATMA WHETHER THEY ARE HIS FRIENDS OR FOES, ONLY HE AND OUR MOST BELOVED LAKSHMI AMMA CAN LOVE THEIR CREATIONS TO AN INFINITY STATE, NONE ELSE.
THEIR VERY QUALITY (TATTVA) IS THEY KNOW NOT ANGER EVEN WHEN PROVOKED, THEY KNOW NOT HOW TO PUNISH AND REPRIMAND, THEY ONLY KNOW HOW TO OVERLOOK THE BIGGEST OF BIG FAULTS OF THE ATOM LIKE JIVATMAS IN THEIR INFINITE MERCY, GRACE , BLESSINGS AND THEIR FATHOMLESS STATURE.
NOTHING IN THIS ENTIRE WORLDS CAN MATCH A BILLION AND ANOTHER BILLION AND SO ON OF OUR LORD SRI KRISHNA AND LAKSHMI AMMA'S UNDISPUTED BRILLIANCE, AS THE SOLE CREATOR OF ALL THE WORLDS AND HENCE THEY ARE THE SUPREME MOST, REST ALL ARE SUBSERVIENT AND NEED TO DO PRAPATTI (UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER) AT THEIR LOTUS FEET FOR THIS IS THE ONLY CELESTIAL ROUTE THAT CAN ENABLE US TO REACH AND ATTAIN OUR DEAREST CREATORS DIVINE MOST LOTUS FEET.
- Our dearest Bhakti saarar's only concern and doubt was ,when our lord measured all the worlds with his most divine lotus feet, when he keeps running to rescue his devotees, DOES NOT HIS MOST BEAUTIFUL SOFTEST OF SOFT DIVINE LOTUS FEET PAIN? HE IS HIGHLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENDLESS PAIN HIS DIVINE LOTUS FEET IS SUBJECT TO AND THIS HE CONVEYS TO LORD SRI RANGANATHA OF SRIRANGAM WHO IS FOREVER MOST REVERED IN HIS RECLINING POSTURE.
On hearing our most beloved azhwars anxiety at our lord's ache and agony , Lord Sri Ranganatha, the king of all the worlds raises himself in a sitting posture but immediately our azhwar begs him to recline and that he fully understands even our most beloved king Lord Sri Krishna needs rest at least for few hours and his most loving assurance to Lord Sri Krishna that he will forever gently massage his lotus feet to ease our lord of his pain if he gives him an opportunity and that he would do it very tenderly.
WHAT A HEIGHT OF BHAKTI AND WHAT A LIGHTENING RESPONSE FROM OUR LORD WHEN HE ACTUALLY GETS UP TO GIVE A COMFORT FEELING TO HIS BELOVED DEVOTEE THAT HE IS NOT TIRED. I HAVE NO WORDS AT ALL ON THIS BUT TEARS OF LOVE OVER BRIMMING THAT OUR LORD IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SO SELFLESSLY CARE FOR US SO MUCH TO ENSURE EACH ONE OF US IS HAPPY, HENCE RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING, HUMBLY STATED SUCH DEVOTION, SO MUCH CLOSENESS, AND DEEPEST AFFECTION ONLY OUR BHAKTISAARAR CAN DEMONSTRATE.
CAN WE ,AT LEAST, ONE IN A BILLIONTH FRACTION EMULATE OUR MOST BELOVED BHAKTISAARAR'S DIVINE MOST DEVOTION AND FOREVER BE A RECIPIENT OF OUR LORDS GRACE? JUST NOW ,WE WILL MAKE IT OUR TOP MOST PRIORITY TO RUN AT A LIGHTENING SPEED TO OUR LORD AND OUR DEAREST LAKSHMI AMMA AND EASE THEM OF THEIR SUFFERING AS THEY HAVE ALWAYS DONE FOR US AND FOR AT LEAST ONE MOMENT FORGET OUR INCONSEQUENTIAL OR TRIVIAL PROBLEMS AND VERY TENDERLY TEND TO OUR LORD SRI KRISHNA'S PAIN WHICH HE HAS SO SILENTLY BORNE ON BEHALF OF US, WITHOUT REVEALING TO ANY OF US.
THIS IS ONE QUALITY WHICH AGAIN AND AGAIN EMPHATICALLY PROVES THAT HE IS OUR MOST BELOVED CREATOR WHO WILL BEAR EVERYTHING FOR US. RECIPROCATION IS AN ATOM LIKE WORD FOR SUCH A BENEVOLENT ACT OF OUR DEAREST OF DEAR LORD SRI GOVINDA. UNFLINCHING ETERNAL LOVING SERVICE WITH REVERENTIALLY JOINING OUR HANDS AND BOWING UNTO THEIR LOTUS FEET IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN SHOW OUR GRATITUDE AND LOVE FOR OUR CREATOR LORD SRI KRISHNA.
4.Our most loving azhwar pleads with our lord Sri Govinda to enter into the minds of all the jivatma and guide them eternally from doing unrighteous acts which will be the sole cause of their separation from our creator. Our Azhwars love for our dearest Lord Sriman Narayana is beyond any human words but also his greatest care for each of us, is clearly witnessed in his plea for all of us too to attain our PARMAATMAN,Lord Sriman Narayana.
He is more concerned about our redemption then his own which only goes to show why azhwars are the most evolved mahatmas who have attained Lord Sri Krishna. Their highest of high achievements too would not be highlighted by our adoring azhwars , their every waking hour is only to lovingly serve our divine consort and to beg our lord and lakshmi amma to grant salvation to each of their creation and to seek forgiveness on our behalf, and hence they are revered and accorded the highest stature by our dearest lord Sri Govinda and our dearest mother Lakshmi amma. Those of us ,mere mortals, who selfishly draw close to our lord for self gratification find no joy here and forever are caught in misery and penury.
- Above all , our loving azhwars have poured their heart in their divine writings with the strictest adherence of our scriptural injunction, their nectarine words are just like our Lord Sri Krishna's message to the whole world through his own divine mukhakamalam, our azhwars writings have the greatest parallel to Sri madh Bhagavad Gita, Srimadh Bhagavada purana, the very core essence of our holiest of holy vedas etc. It is only because of their monumental efforts, we who do not have sufficient knowledge of our divine scriptures, are able to understand the very core purpose of our existence.
Our azhwars have decoded our creator Lord Sriman Narayana's divine message to us in the most simple language which a common person too can grasp without any difficulty and have everlastingly gifted with the greatest love and care ,for each one of us ,to reach our beloved creator Lord Sriman Narayana and our beloved mother Lakshmi amma. Their divine service is a sweetest nectar for which we have to surrender unto their lotus feet, imbibe , absorb and implement each of their golden precious verses and set an example that their colossal works have been well acted upon by us and that too only for our benefit and our redemption.
The moment when our most adoring azhwars come to know that each one of us have followed their divine writings, they would be the happiest, for they did not crave a needle worth delight for themselves. The sole purpose of our lord Sriman Narayana having sent them to our dearest mother earth is for our deliverance, if we make our dearest of dear azhwars glad , there is nothing in all the worlds to purify our lives and this in turn will quickly enable us to reach our divine consort who are impatiently and very lovingly waiting for us.
COUNTLESS SALUTATION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO OUR DEAREST SRI TIRUMALISAI AZHWAR. MAY HIS MOST DIVINE GLORIES AND GRANDEUR REACH ALL THE WORLDS AND MAY HIS DESIRE TO ETERNALLY SERVE OUR LOVING LORD SRI KRISHNA AND OUR MOST BELOVED MOTHER LAKSHMI AMMA BE OUR ONLY MISSION HERE AND HERE AFTER.
OM TAT SAT
SRIMAN NARAYANAM CHARNAM SHARANAM PRABHADYE. SRIMAN NARAYANA NAMAHA.
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAAMA HARE RAAMA RAAMA RAAMA HARE HARE.
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