Thiruvallikkeni Varadhar Garuda Sevai ~ பிறவிக் கடலுள் நின்று நான் துளங்க

இப்பூவுலகத்திலே மானுடர்கள் : -  நான், என்னுடையது, எனது குடும்பம், எனது குழுமம் என ஸம்ஸார மண்டலத்திலே   கிலேசங்களுடன்  அலைகின்றனர்.  துக்கங்களை கேட்கும் போதெல்லாம்,  கஷ்டங்களை பார்க்கும்போதெல்லாம் என்னை யார் காப்பார் என புலம்புகின்றனர். 

Till a few months ago, the killer roads were affecting mankind in a big way – there were so many road accidents – killing and maiming people.  Now things are different, though one sees almost regular traffic back on the roads of Chennai sans Public transport – the Metro buses.  Also bigger trucks and buses of Educational Institutions and those ferrying employees are seen less.  Corona virus – Covid 19 has affected people in a very big way.  Besides the Virus, stress anxiety, uncertainty of future, lurking fear of the disease, economy and others are taking a heavy toll of supple humans. 

On Mar 9, 2020, local dailies reported that a 45-year-old man tested positive for Coronavirus -  making him the first person in Tamil Nadu to be reported of having the disease.  He was a resident of Kancheepuram, and  had returned to India from Oman.  His symptoms included a fever and cough. When he started developing difficulty breathing he consulted a doctor and was referred to a hospital in Chennai. When his uneasiness persisted, he was moved to the isolation ward in the Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital opp to Central Railway station.   His samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for testing soon after and the results confirmed him to be a Corona victim.

Life has changed totally since !  the  number of coronavirus infections in the world crossed 15 million, according to Reuters tally. There are now 15,009,213 cases of Covid-19, at least triple the number of severe influenza illnesses recorded annually. The country worst hit by the pandemic is the United States, followed by Brazil. At least 616,000 people have succumbed to the disease. India, the third ranked country, reported 37,724 new cases of the novel coronavirus and 648 deaths in the 24 hours ending 9 am Wednesday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. This took the country’s tally to 11,82,915, including 4,11,133 active cases, 7,53,050 recoveries and 28,732 deaths.

President Donald Trump reiterated India was second after the United States in testing samples for Covid-19. “We’re going to be over 50 million tests,” Trump said at a news conference Tuesday, adding that the “second country is India with 12 million (tests)”. According to a tally released by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Wednesday, India had conducted nearly 15 million tests.

The lax attitude of the residents of Chennai has contributed to the spread.  Two hours away from the capital Chennai, the temple town of Kanchipuram oozes architectural and cultural excellence from all corners. The  ‘Silk City’ is amongst the seven most sacred cities of India. Having once served as the capital of notable dynasties like the Pallavas – it is a city known for Temples and weaving.  Like everything else, the Kanjeevaram silk also has legends woven around it. The vivid colours, opulence and sartorial elegance, its richness still holds fort as one of the top choices for the bridal ensemble.   Dotted with magnificent shrines, intricate stone carvings and rich history, the extraordinary temples of Kanchipuram are absolute wonders.  The lockdown has  reportedly left jobless some 30,000 skilled weavers who make the iconic silk saris of Kancheepuram.

Like a ship caught in stormy ocean signalling in distress, I stood shivering in the ocean-of-birth and was lamenting and crying towards God. With exceeding grace and divinity, HE  heard me and came to me, with a conch and discus in hand and became one with me.  .. He is my eternal saviour says Swami Nammalwar.

In the grand Brahmothsavam, each Vahanam, every purappadu has its  own charm, yet, if one were to ask the most majestic and most crowd-pulling ones,  it would be Thiruther and Garuda vahanam. !!  .. .. ..  The Brahminy kite  is considered to be the contemporary representations of Garuda.  The annual brahmothsavam of Sri Varadharaja Swami occurs in Vaikasi every year. At Thiruvallikkeni, there would be purappadu once a day only -    day 3 is   the famous Garuda Sevai – when Lord is taken in procession on vahanam of Garuda also known as Periya Thiruvadi.  The very darshan of Lord Varadha Rajar on Garudan will rid us of all evils.  The glorious darshan would provide us immense confidence to fight everything  be it Corona or mental stress – here are some photos of Varadhar Garuda Sevai on 21.5.2016.

ஆவாரார் துணையென்று   அலைநீர்க்கடலுள் அழுந்தும்

நாவாய் போல்,  பிறவிக் கடலுள்  நின்று நான்   துளங்க,

தேவார் கோலத்தொடும்   திருச்சக்கரம் சங்கினொடும்,

ஆவாவென்று   அருள்   செய்து   அடியேனொடுமானானே.

கஷ்டங்களில் இருந்து என்னை காப்பாரொருவருமில்லையேயென்று கதறிக் கொண்டு, அலைகள் ஆர்ப்பரிக்கும்  கடலினுள்ளே அமிழ்ந்துகிற சிறு படகு போல  நானும்  சம்ஸாரக்கடலினுள்ளே சிரமப்படும் வேளையில்  - எம்பெருமான் ஸ்ரீமன் நாராயணன்  தனது, திவ்யமான வடிவோடும், திருவாழி திருசங்குகளோடும்கூடி எனக்கு அருள் செய்து   என்னோடும் கூடினான்.  இவ்வளவு எளிமையான எம்பெருமான் எனக்கு துணை இருக்கும் போது - அவனது பக்தர்கள் ஏன் கவலைப்பட வேண்டும் !  ~ என வினவுகிறார் ஸ்வாமி நம்மாழ்வார்.

adiyen Srinivasadhasan [Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar] 22.7.2020