"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)
Tomorrow [3rd Dec 2014]
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 Ekadasi”. In Divyadesams, most importantly at Thirukurungudi, Thiruvarangam,
Thirukachi 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 on earlier occasions 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)
ThirukKurungudi Malai Mael Nambi sannathi
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.
Every
year on the Kaisika Dwadasi day the puranam is 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 will be 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) would be rendered. This year I am away
planning a visit to another Divyadesam.
Sharing my happiness on the ‘Kaisika Dwadasi’ day with all my near in
this post embedded with a great photo of Thirukurungudi Nambi here :
..and
here is a photo of Sri Parthasarathi Perumal ‘kaisika dwadasi’ purappadu taken
a couple of years ago.
Azhwar
Emperumanaar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam.
Adiyen
Srinivasadhasan.
No comments:
Post a Comment