Gajendra Moksham Garuda
Sevai at Thiruvallikkeni 2019
Lord
Athi Varadhar would head back to His resting place ‘Anantha saras’ – back home
at Thiruvallikkeni ‘Kairavini Pushkarini’… the pond of Lily – ‘allikkeni’ from
which the place itself derives its name was active today as hundreds were standing on the steps to witness
depiction of a great philosophy.
Collage of Thiruvallikkeni & Thirumayilai (pic Badrinath
vasudevan)
Miles
away the Nation’s decision was termed as
a morally repugnant issue – it was Botswana Govt lifting shooting ban on
elephants. The southern African nation,
which is home to 130,000 elephants -- more than anywhere else on the continent
-- imposed the ban in 2014 to help declining numbers recover from poaching and
shrinking habitats. .. but recently, Botswana's government scrapped the ban,
shrugging off criticism from some environmental groups and conservationists. It
cited increasing conflict between humans and elephants, as well as the need to
monetize conservation efforts. "Conservation is in our DNA. We have never
been reckless. Our responsibility towards conservation has not changed, but our
responsibility to the people has not changed as well," said the minister of environment, wildlife and tourism
in a press conference on Thursday in the capital, Gaborone. He maintained the
ban had always been temporary. Earlier this year a cabinet group in Botswana
recommended elephant culling and a factory to can elephant meat. The proposals
drew a major backlash.
On the greatest day
of the Nation (Independence Day 15th Aug 2019) occurred grand purappadu at Thiruvallikkeni
…… even a
child would know having heard so many times the puranic legend of ‘Gajendra
moksham [salvation of elephant Gajendra]’ ~ whence Sriman Narayana 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 Sriman Narayanan, 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.
கானமர் வேழம் கையெடுத்தலறக்கராவதன் காலினைக் கதுவ,*
ஆனையின் துயரம் தீரப்புள்ளூர்ந்து சென்று நின்றாழி தொட்டானை,*
Today is ‘Yajur Upakarma’ too !! Gajendra moksham also explains that one who
falls under the divine feet of Lord [prapathi – surrender] seeking salvation
will surely be taken care of. The re-enactment of Gajendra moksha takes place
during the full moon in the month of Aadi.
During Theppothsavam, Lord Varadha Rajar 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. Here are some photos of Garuda vahana
purappadu
~adiyen Srinivasa
dhasan
15.8.2019.
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