These are my own perceptions,as they occur in my mind and the insights,the interpretations and my understanding the subject matter, are there, for the public discussion..............

Sunday, November 30, 2008

GURUVAYURAPPAN-The ONLY wonder of the World

"Yat Trailokya Maheeyasopi Mahitam,Sammohanam Mohanat,
Kantam Kanti Nidanatopi Madhuram,Madhurya Duryadapi,
Saundaryottaratopi Sundaratharam,Twat Roopam ASCHRAYATOPI, ASCHARYAM Bhuvane Na kasya kutukam,Pushnathi Vishno Vibho"

The many wonders of this world, either the Natural ones or the man-made ones,the likes of Niagara Falls, Taj Mahal,Great Wall of China, the Leaning Tower of Pisa,etc. always inspire us. They are really wonderful. Our Land is full of such wonderful things. Then imagine the Goloka, the Vaikunta Loka, how beautiful it will be with the presence of Lord Narayana on His Ananda Shayanam seemingly sleeping with full Aanandam, happiness, though actually doing the sustaining duty of the entire Jagat. With Lakshmy Devi doing the Padaseva and other Queens doing the Chatra and Chamara Sevas, and all the other Devatas doing one or the other kind of services to Him. Even it's imagination itself gives us the Param Aanandam and the Lord Himself the Personification of Aanandam, Aananda Murthy, would have enjoyed this celestial aanandam. But ask Him, He says "...........Mad Bhakthah Yatra gayanti tatra thishtami Narada." He is happy only where His Guna Ganas, Hymns, are sung. So He searches for such places where the Bhagavatams are chanted every day and comes down from His Heavenly Abode and stays in Guruvayur !! Isn't this the most wonderful thing to hear ? He comes down from His Abode to see His Bhakthas on this Bhooloka Vaikunta on the Earth. God's coming down to earth is known as Avataranam, or taking Avatars. And of all the Avatarams, the Avataram of Lord Guruvayurappan is the most Wonderful one, as in this Avataram the Lord appears as it's said in the Srimad Bhagavatham. With Shanku, Chakram, Gadha and Padmam in His each hand. Bhagavatham says it's a Adbuda Avataram......" Twam Adbudam Balakam Ambujekshanam............" Bhagavatham further says the new born is similar in Roopam to that of the Vaikunta Vaasi Narayana."...........Devakyam Deva Rupinyam.....". A wonderful Avataram which Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiripad was tempted to write as "........Aascharyathopi Aascharyam....". This Para Brahma Roopam of the Lord Guruvayurappa for Whose Sakshatkaram, the Munis and Tapasviis are undertaking Tapas, Yagnas, and other Poojadi Karmas for many Janmas,is there for us to see with our own naked-eyes in this Temple at Guruvayur. A wonder of this World !!!
After the birth, Lord Krishna enacts many unhuman Leelas at the young age. Killing Puutana and other Rakshasas at a tender age, lifting the Govardhana Hills for seven days, showing the whole Universe in His mouth to mother Yashoda, killing the Kuvalaya Peedam elephants, liberation of Uncle Kamsa, the Raasa Creeda with the Gopies of Vrindavana, to say a few. All these Leelas were witnessed by the Vrajavaasies, yet they could not see the Brahmam in the young Krishna, instead they believed Kanhaya was their Loving Baby. That is the biggest Surprise, aascharyatopi aascharyam !! Even Brahmaji could not find the Paramatma in Krishna is, another wonder. Guruvayurappa puts the curtain of His Maya around every one to hide His Super-human Leelas, so that He can enjoy the life of a common Vrajavaasi in the earth. What a wonder !!!

King Kamsa was afraid of his death, that is why he was always dreaming of Krishna, he was afraid that Krishna may come any day and kill him. He was doing the Anusandhanam of the Lord always. He sent his collegues, asuras and rakshasas to kill Krishna, yet he did not want to go himself and try to kill Krishna because he was afraid of Krishna killing him in the encounter. However he was always thinking of Krishna, though in fear, Lord Krishna liberated him at the end. How surprising it is ? Perhaps Kamsa was already knowing that Krishna is the Param Brahmam and he wanted all his friend to get liberated by Him before he himself gets to that end. Wonderful isn't it !! It is like the Gopies who were crying in the separation of Krishna when He went to Madhura from Vrindavan. They were deep in their Viraha Dukham, though they did not want to go to Madhura with the Lord. They remained .......
"Thanmanaskah Thadalapah, Thadwicheshtah Thadatmikah
ThadgunanevaGayantyo Natmagarani Sasmaruh."
How wonderful it is ? When Uddhava went to Gokul to teach Gnanam to the Gopies, he came to know what Bhakthi is, he took the lesson from them. And was very much attracted by their love to Krishna and had to remark...................
"Vande Nandavraja sthreenam Padarenum Abhishnashah,
Yasaam Harikathodgeetham Punaathi Bhuvana trayam"
Lord Krishna's Nama Sankeertham is the best and easiest way to get the Liberation from this Samsara Chakram.

To attain the God's proximity one has to do the penance with clean hearts,which in this Kali yuga with our own sense and mind complexes as adulterated as any other worldly materials, seems to be impossible to do. And to do the Yagnas etc. we need to get pure articles which again will be difficult to get. And then how can we get to the Bhagawan, in this Yuga ? The Shastras and Puranas have given us the most simple way to attain the God as they clearly state that the Nama Samkeerthanam of the God is the best way to realize the Bhakthi in us and it will lead to the God. So it's so wonderful to live in this Kaliyuga as we can so easily attain the God with such ease, isn't it wonderful. It is said that Guruvayurappa's name has more power than He, Himself.
So even if we are not able to go to Guruvayur for any reasons, we still can get the Darshan of the Lord in our hearts, if we can keep the hearts clean and pure without any impurities such as Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Mada, Matsarya etc. and chant His Names and His Leelas,and His Aananda Roopam is sure to come to our Hearts and it will always remain there as long as we keep the hearts clean. A wonderful way to gain the Lord.

"Krishna Guruvayurappa"

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Kunti Sthuti--A True Self Realization

" Krishnaya Vaasudevaya, Devaki Nandanaya cha, Nandagopa Kumaraya, Govindaya Namo Namo"

According to Lord Sreekrishna this world is very dangerous and is with full of calamities,yet we prepare with plans to enjoy this worldly life unknowing that this world's nature itself is nothing but calamities. Whereas the realization of God is the bliss,without any traces of such calamities. So it is the essence of meaningful life that we should not get disturbed by the calamities surrounding us which anyway will be around us, suffering such unavoidable misfortunes,we should march forward in search of the eluding self realization which can take us nearer to the God. Furthermore, if we can, we have to ask God to give us those calamities all the times, so that we can think of Him all the times, as Kuntidevi did ask Lord Krishna.....
" Vipatassantu na sasvat, Tatra tatra Jagat Guroh" Bhavatho Darshanam Yat syat, Apunar Bhava Darshanam"
Kuntidevi even thought that is the way for the Liberation from this Sansara Sagara, as we do,we pray God only when we have some pains. We have seen people call "Ayyappa" "Ayyappa" when they have ,even a slightest discomfort in their bodies. And when these difficulties persist on our mortal body and when this body is about to depart from us,if we can still call the God's name,then our Moksham from this worldly life is assured. There will be no Punarjanmam, "Rebirth" for this realized soul.The realized souls think when they are in agonies they are truly blessed by the Lord. Even the Bhagavat Sakshatkar is not actual blessing for them. Parikshit Maharaja has seen the Lord even before his birth,when he was in his mother's womb, but he did not think it as His Kripa, but when the snake Takshak was about to bite him and he was about to die, he thought the Lord has showered His blessings on him, when he said .............................................
" Siddhosmi Anugrihitosmi Bhavatha Karunatmana,
Sravitho yachcha me Sakshat Anadhi Nidhano Hari"........
, He knew that this body which will never be permanent can be taken away by Thakshak,but the soul which has no birth or death can not be touched by him and hence he said that he is blessed by the Lord now.He is blessed by the Atma Gnan, due to Bhagavan"s Kripa.

We are very much attached to our spouses, children, friends, relatives and other hitekars. We take equal parts in their hours of joy and even get disturbed by their sorrows. We are even more attached to our own bodies, we nourish them at all the times. But according to Lord Krishna's Geetha, the actual meditation starts with detachment of all these, with unloading all these agendas. Krishna says ".......Gatasu agathasumscha Nanushochanti Panditah". He says this body is not you, you are neither born nor dead, you are "anaswaram" which has no decay at all. The aging and it's illness and decay are the climbing stones of your Moksham. That He brings in such discomforts to the bodies so that one can get his mind set for the fact that your soul is immortal. And that is the actual Atama Gnan one has to acquire. At the old age when the ears are not hearing, eyes are not seeing and the legs are not helping one walk, and one is totally bed-ridden, slowly one gets the detachment to one's own body, he thinks that enough is enough, it's the time to go now, even his relatives think let the old man go. That is the time when one gets the Self realization and thinks that the Lord has blessed him. That is the actual Kripa from the Lord. So when our neighbor, though Nastik, is flourishing with richness, while we suffer from poverty, we should think the Lord has showered blessings on us and not to him. When he is healthy and we are sick,we should think that He has poured His Kripa on us.He has made us remember that we are not our bodies. He has made us the realized souls. And such realized souls will have no rebirth at all. And that is why Kuntidevi asks Lord Krishna to give her calamities all the times so that she can get permanent detachment from her body. Isn't it wonderful !!

"Namah Pankaja Nabhaya, Namah Pankaja Maline,
Namah Pankaja Netraya, Namaste Pankajamgriye"

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Saturday, November 8, 2008

Sammohanan....Our Guruvayurappan

" Nishkampe Nityapoorne Niravadi Paramananda Peeyusha Roope, Nirleenaneka Mukthavali Subhagathame Nirmala Brahma Sindau, Kallolollasa Tulyam Khalu Vimalatharam Satwamaahusthadatma, Kasmanno Nishkalastwam Sakala Ethi Vachastwat Kalasweva Bhhooman"

Sree Guruvayurappan is the Poorna Avataram of the Brahmam ,Who is very difficult to think of, in one particular FORM. The Vedas and Upanishats could not even indicate to us, which is the form of God. Or we should conclude that the Absolute Brahmam is Nirgun, Nirakar, the Formless.The Devotees ,who always have the Names of God and His Forms in their minds, will find it difficult to do Bhakthi to the Formless God. The Saguna Brahmam is said to be the Amsavataram of the Nirguna Brahmam, but our Guruvayurappan is the Poorna Avataram of the Brahmam and He is the Saguna Vigraham of the same Nirguna Brahmam. This fact is verified as and when we visit Guruvayur. Only one look at the beautiful Divya Vigraham of the Lord will be sufficient to learn that. He is so attractive that we loose our hearts to Him on the spot. We feel we are the Gopies of Vrindavana and fall in love to the Lord on the first sight. We wonder how lucky the Gopies were and why it was possible for them to have played the Raasa with Lord Krishna in the divine atmosphere of the Vrindavana. The Devotees who are always on the Simran of Guruvayurappa, have His Roopam always on their minds and Lord Krishna is on the minds of all those who remember Him in any way possible. He gives the Darashan as and how they deserve.
"Mallanamasanir Nrunam Naravaraha:, sthreenam smaro moorthiman,
Gopanam swajano, Asatam kshithibujaam,Shastha swapitroho sisuhu:,
Mrityur Bhojapate: Virada Vidushaam, Tatwam Param Yoginam,
Vrushneenam Para Devateti Viditho, Rangam Gathamha: Sagraja:"
This is How Lord Guruvayurappa gave His Darshan to those people in Madhura when He was invited by Kamsa Maharaj for the Yagna in Madhurapuri. But He was totally attracted by the people present in Kamsa's Darbar, how they liked Him or were charmed by Him is clear from this slokam :
" Pibhanta eva chakshurbhyam, Lihanta eva jihwaya,
Jihranta eva nasabhyam, slishyanta eva bhahubihi:"
It is believed that the Nirguna Param Brahmam Has taken the Avataram of Lord Guruvayurappan in order to give His devotees the Form to wordhip with and the most beautiful form at that. And once we are in front of our Guruvayurappa, we can not but.......pibanta eva chakshurbhyam !!! That is what Melpathur Narayan Batathiripad wrote in his Narayaneeyam......".....Netraihi: shrothraischa peetwa Parama rasa sudham, Bhodhipure rameran". His devotees are drowning in the Paramanandam , in the total Bliss, just seeing His charm by their naked eyes !!

Lord Shiva is said to have the most beautiful Roopam among the Devatas,that is why we say...Satyam, Shivam, Sunderam. He was called the Sunderesan at the time of His wedding with Madurai Meenakshi Devi. He had burned the Kama Devan with His Third Eye and hence was not attracted by any Kama. He had no attraction towards anything. But our Guruvayurappan had attracted Lord Shiva when He took the Mohini Avataram. So charming was He, that Lord Shiva fell for Him. So it's no surprise that His devotees are attracted by the Lord .

So our Guruvayurappan can attract all the Devatas including Lord Shiva as well as all His Devotees. But it's a wonder that He can even attract His enemies. During the Rama Avataram, He attracted every one even when He was in the forest with no Princely materials. All the Maharshies of Dandakaranya fell on His feet and even the Rakshasas were attracted by Him. Shuurpanakha was very much charmed by His beauty that she immediately wanted to marry Him. She made many attempts in this regard but failed miserably. Lakshmana disfiguared her and she was very angry and went back to Ravana to tell him to punish Rama for what she met with. Ravana asked her who is Rama and how he looked like. Shuurpanakha should have told all the bad things about Rama but He was so enchanting to her that she could not talk ill about Rama. She said...
"Diirgha Baahuh Vishalakshah Chiira Krishna ajina ambarah,
Kandarpa sama ruupah cha Ramo Dasharatha aatmajah"

Such is the charm that Rama had in her mind that she could not have told other than that Rama is similar to the Love God....Kandarpa sama ruupah !!

And how Vali found Rama to be, as attractive by His Roopa Saundaryam as well as His Guna Chathuryam ,kuliinah...born in the highest Kulam of Yadu as well as Raghu, sattva sampannah....having all the Satwa Gunas, tejasvii....radiating the Tejus, Vibant, charitavratah....having all the highest Charitras and also holding them as His Vratas, karunavedii ....the embodiment of Karuna, merciness. Rama also was prajaanaam hiteratah....He alsways thought good of all His devotees and Subjects
, So when Shurpanakha was attracted by the Lord's Roopa Lavanyas, Vali found Him charming due to His Guna Madhuryas. In all the cases our Guruvayurappa is the most Summohanan, as Melpathur Bhattathiripad said...."....Summohanam Mohanat", He is the Magnet even for other Magnets.

It is not at all surprising that our Guruvayurappan, with His Barhaa Peedam, broad forehead, Lotus like eyes, beautiful Nasikas, Makara Kundala Karnas (ears), Geetha flowing Madhura Adharam, Chubby cheeks, long neck, broad shoulders, long arms with shanku, chakra, gadha and Padmam as Abharanas, Lakshmi residing Vaksha Sthala, with Vanamalas, Lotus- popping up Nabhi, beautiful Pitambaram clad legs and the ever so soft Padma Charanams is very attractive to His Devotees, but He thinks that His devotees are the most attractive to Him. In the Banke Bihari Mandir in Vrindavan, the priests close the curtains very frequently even as the devotees throng to get Banke Bihari's Darshan. If the curtains are open and if Banke Bihari sees His devotees for longer periods of time, He is charmed by the beauty of His devotees and it is believed that He will go away with the Devotees !!!! That is why the curtains are closed very often. The Lord thinks that His Bhakthas are more attractive than Himself !! But to us He is.....

" Yat trailokya maheeyasopi mahitam,SUMMOHANAM MOHANAL,
Kantham kanti nidanathopi madhuram, Madhurya duryadapi,
Saundaryotharathopi sundaratharam,Twadroopam ascharyathopi,
Ascharyam Bhuvane na kasyakuudugam,Pushnathi Vishno Vibho"

Hari Om, Rama Krishna Hari.