Tuesday, December 2, 2014

“Kaisika Dwadasi” ~ significance and greatness of 'Kaisika puranam" - ThirukKurungudi divyadesam


"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