Sunday, August 10, 2014

Gajendra Moksham - Garuda Sevai at Thiruvallikkeni (Triplicane) 2014

Today 10th  Aug is ‘Yajur Upakarma’ and there was grand purappadu at Thiruvallikkeni …… Sure you know the puranic legend of ‘Gajendra moksham [salvation of elephant Gajendra]’ ~ when   Lord Maha Vishnu Himself  came down to earth to protect Gajendra(elephant) from the death clutches of Makara (Crocodile).   It also offers us great learning – the  otherwise mighty elephant too could get into difficulty and in its extreme distress the elephant after testing its power and understanding  its futility, still had the presence of mind to think of  bhatki (devotion) and gnana (spiritual knowledge) ….. the plea of elephant was immediately answered by Lord Maha Vishnu, who came rushing in to protect  His devotee – making the earthly human beings realise that if God does so for an elephant, He sure would protect  all of us too. 

Gajendra the King of elephants, was attacked and caught by a crocodile and death seemed imminent.  Gajendra had been rendering service to the Lord by offering fresh, fragrant Lotus and when he appealed to God to protect him, Maha Vishnu appeared on Garuda vahanam, saving the devout elephant by killing the crocodile with his ‘Chakram’.   It also explains that one who falls under the divine feet of Lord [prapathi – surrender] seeking salvation will surely be taken care of.

The reenactment of Gajendra moksha takes place during the full moon in the month of Aadi.   During Theppothsavam, Lord Varadhar has sarruppadi of  ‘Gajendra moksha thirukolam’. In Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam, Lord Devathirajar (the Moolavar) is giving us darshan on Garuda vahanam – “aanaiyin thuyaram theera pul oornthu sendru nindru aazhi thottanai” [the one who transcended on the bird to wipe out the trouble of elephant] in the words of Thirumangai Mannan. 

Today, it was Gajendra Moksham at Thiruvallikkeni, and Sri Parthasarathi had purappadu in Garuda vahanam.  Normally all Garuda SEvais here are in the morning [this and Garuda sevai of Sri Ranganathar exceptions] …. It rained very heavily ; devotees could have darshan of Sri Parthasarathi Garuda SEvai but there was no veethi purappadu.  Here are some photos of Perumal Garuda Sevai

In 1971 London educated R Nataraja Mudaliar produced and directed  the first silent feature film in Tamil called ‘Keechaka vadham’ ……….. he also made Draupadi Vasthrabaharanam, Mayil Ravana, Lavakusa and Kalinga Mardanam.  The other early pioneer A Narayanan made “Gajendra Moksham” in 1930. 

Adiyen Srinivasadhasan

10th  Aug 2014.



see the rain clouds in the background !!

1 comment:

  1. Adiyen read a good article on the call of of Gajendra to Aathimoolam and the rescue act there of, in a posting by brother Sampath Srinivasan.

    Lord Sriman Narayana during various Avatars exhibited similar Karunyam to those devotees who surrendered and who had utmost faith and confidence that the Lord would deliver.

    Prahlada believed that Lord Narayana is omnipresent and to prove his faith and to save him, he emerged from a pillar.

    When Drauapadi called out Hurudaya Nivasi he immediately came to her rescue.

    Thiruvallikeni Partasarathi Perumal has blessd us with Jagadacharyan Ramanujacahrya, who is ever ready to show the the path to the same Lord Sriman Narayana, Here is song on this topic. Please visit http://srimannarayana108.blogspot.com/2014/03/blog-post.html

    ReplyDelete