"ஊன் மல்கி மோடு பருத்தவனுக்கும்.....
நினைந்து, நினைந்து உள்கரைந்துருகி இளைத்தவனுக்கும்' நடந்த சத்திய போராட்டம்
“கைசிக புராண மகாத்மியம்.”
(the battle of wits beween a Rakshas who got fat eating meat and the baktha
who became leaner living thinking, and singing
paeans of God all the time)
Today [14th
Dec 2013 is an all important day for Srivaishnavaites– ‘shukla
paksha’ dwadasi of the month of Karthigai. [shukla paksham is the waxing
phase of Moon and dwadasi is the 12th day – the day following
Ekadasi]. Today is “Kaisika Dwadasi”. In Divyadesams, most importantly at Thirukurungudi, Thiruvarangam
and in Thiruvallikkeni – ‘kaisika
puranam’ is read before the Lord. ~ if you
wondering of the significance of ThirukKurungudi…. Do read on ….
சங்கினோடும் நேமியோடும் தாமரைக் கண்களொடும்;
செங்கனி வாயொன்றினொடும் செல்கின்ற தென்நெஞ்சமே.
Swami Nammalwar describes
this Divyadesa Emperuman thus – that upon seeing His most beautiful
thirumeni, Azhwar’s thoughts are with the Emperuman and he cannot think
of anything else….. it is the divyadesam hailed as most proximate to Lord
Mahavishnu’s abode of Sri Vaikundam [~calling distance from here~] – the most
sacred place located around 40 kms from Thirunelveli…… 11 km from the seat for
Thennacharya Sampradhayam “Nankuneri aka Vanamamalai – Thirusirivaramangai” and
on the other side lying closer is another divyadesam called ‘ThiruvanParisaram
[Thirupathisaram]’.
It is “ThirukKurungudi” located
on the foot of the Mahendra Hill on the Western Ghat. Here is the most
majestic temple of Azhagiya Nambirayar Thirukovil ~ sung by
Periyazhwar, Thirumazhisaippiran, Thirumangai Azhwar and Swami
Nammazhwar. The famous ‘Kaisika puranam’ is
associated with this temple and is read on ‘shukla paksha’ dwadasi of the month of Karthigai, known as ‘Kaisika
Dwadasi.
The
World exists on promises and fulfillment of them and the story of Nam Paduvaan
only describes the greatest virtues of those devoted and committed to the
kanikaryam (service) to Lord. The ardent devotees of Sriman Narayana will
never err or sin in life. There cannot be a better example than
that of ‘Nampaduvaan’. The story of Num Paduvaan can be best summarised
as “the fight between ‘Padi Ilaithavan and Pasiyale Ilaithavan’ [one who leaned
by fasting in the vratha of Singing paeans and one who was starved off
food]. Legend has it that on every Kaisika Ekadasi day, Nampaduvaan,
an ardent devotee of the Lord Maha Vishnu used to do Namasankeerthanam
for Emperuman at Thirukurungudi. This Nampaduvan Charithram was narrated
by Sri Varaha Perumal to Bhoomi Pirarttiyar in Varaha puranam.
The gist of the story as heard from Sampradhaya Periyarvargal and as heard
at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam (read out by Dr MA Venkatakrishnan) is given here
:
Nampaduvaan,
a great bhagavatha at Thirukurungudi used to observe ‘jakratha vratham’ without
sleeping full night singing the glory of the Lord and thinking only about Him.
‘Ninainthu nainthu ul karainthu urugi’ ena he keeps singing the glory of Lord
Sriman Narayana. This went on for many more years…..
One
particular year while on the way to the temple of Thirukurungudi,
(Malai Nambi sannathi atop Mahendra parvatham), situate on the hills in dense forestry; where
even today ordinary mortals find it somewhat difficult to access, Nampaduvan
was confronted by a Brahma Rakshas. This Rakshas who has been starved off food,
tells Nampaaduvaan that he would devour him. Nampaduvan humbly requests that he
has the duty of nama sankeerthanam. Nampaduvan pleads with the rakshas that he
would return back after his vratham and darshan of Kurungudi Nambi. The rakshas
naturally was not prepared to believe and asks whether in this material
World would come back as food
‘when death is certain’ and asks : is there any possibility that a deer
could escape after it was caught up by a lion ?
Nampaduvan
has nothing else in life but his sincere devotion to Lord Nambi. He promises
that he would indeed return; he mentions of the various sins that he would get,
if he were not to return. He tells the Rakshas that the World revolves on
Sathya, the truth and if he were to act against his dharma, he would be getting
the results of worst sins; some of which are stated to be : ‘taking food
without taking bath on important days such as Sashti, Amasvayai,
Chathurthasi’; ‘reclaiming the land donated’; ‘to differentiate between
self and the visitor when eating food’; ‘chasing away the herd of cows when
they are thirsty’ ~~.. and more….
When he
says that he has been rendering this for 10 years, the brahmarakshas says that
it had been without food for 10 days and is so hungry that it immediately wants
to devour the flesh and blood of the devotee. Nampaduvaan finally
convinces the rakshas to release him for a while. With intent will, he
goes straight to Thirukurungudi temple renders pasurams on Sri
Vadivazhagiya Nambi; Kaisikam
is a kind of music composition (called பண் in tamil)
Completing
his vratham with the singular determination, he returns as stated back to
Brahmarakshas. While returning Nampaduvan is interrupted by Thiruk
Kurungudi Nambi Himself in the disguise of an old man advising him to take
alternate route escaping the rakshas. Nampaduvan firmly tells that he
will keep his promise, would stand by his dharma and would go back to the
rakshas. He even says that if the rakshas is not found in the appointed
place, he would further go in search of the rakshas. Such is his
commitment that he indeed fulfills his vow and presents himself before
the Brahma rakshas.
The
Brahma rakshas is startled by the return of Nampaduvaan and offers to free him,
if he were to transfer the fruits of his
dharma; Nampaduvaan retaliates saying that he had agreed to offer himself
and is for the taking. Awe struck the rakshas asked for the palan(fruit)
of the pasurams Nampaduvan had rendered; then least the fruits of song rendered
during one yamam [a measure of time] and in the series of discussions
that went on rakshas wanted at least the palan of the last kaisika pan.
It gets
revealed that the Brahmarakshas was a vidwan by name Soma Sharma who was
cursed by Devas arising out of his ahankaram. He also incurs soola dosham
as he dies without completing a yagna. Despite all this, the palan of pun (the
song) relieves him of the curse. This
occurred thousands of years ago and few hundred years ago, on Kaisika
Dwadasi day, Sri Parasara Bhattar chanted kaisika puranam before Lord
Ranganatha; a tradition continuing till
date with the descendants of Bhattar remndering the puranam on kaisika dwadasi day at
Srirangam.
This
morning it was read out in characteristic manner by Sri U.Ve M. A.
Venkadakrishnan Swami at Sri Parthasarathi Swami temple.
It is stated that the story of Nampaduvaan is in the 48th chapter of Sri Varaha
Puranam,; explains and emphasizes the importance of singing the glory of
Lord Sriman Narayana. Sri Varaha Purana is considered
one of the major eighteen Mahapuranas.
It is
believed that those who go to temple on this holy Kaisika Dwadasi day and read
‘kaisika purana’ will be showered with munificence of Lord…. For us
hearing the Kaisika puranam in Divyadesam nearer will give us all benefits of a
good pure happy life ; those who hear ‘kaisika purana’ will get His choicest
blessings and perhaps all of us who read and think of Nampaduvaan and Lord
would also be getting the bountiful blessings of Lord Sriman Narayana,
A few years ago, Sri
Parthasarathi Perumal used to visit Vasantha Uthsava Bungalow as it was ‘Vana
Bojana Uthsavam’….. now the Bungalow is not there ~ so also the Uthsavam. There was periya mada veethi purappadu in which
‘Sthothra Padam’ – Thadi Panchakam (of Sri Kurathazhwan); Stothra Rathnam (Sri
Alavanthar); Yathiraja Vimsathi (Swami Manavalamamunigal), Purva Dinasarya (Sri Erumbiappa) were
rendered. Varthamana Sri Mudaliandan Swami - Sri
U.Ve.K.K.V.A.Ramanujam Swamy embellished the goshti. Here are some photos of Lord Parthasarathi
taken on Kaisika Dwadasi Purappadu at Thiruvallikkeni, today i.e., 14th
Dec 2013.
Azhwar Emperumanaar Jeeyar
Thiruvadigale Saranam.
Adiyen Srinivasadhasan.
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