Karthigai Thiruvonam 2024 ~ தொட்டபடையெட்டும் தோலாத வென்றியான்

Modern day cinemas and more so, web serials are full of gory violence and killings – one could see wretched scenes of people getting hacked or getting shot with different, different types of guns – Arms galore, dead all over the place.  We read about frequent killings / gun shootings in Western countries – then there are Nations at war where tens of thousands get killed.  

Yuri Orlov, the eldest son of a family of Ukrainian refugees is visiting a restaurant in Brighton Beach where he witnesses a Russian mobster kill two assassins holding Kalashnikov rifles. The incident inspires him to go into the arms trade. After meeting a contact at his temple and completing his first sale of an Uzi sub-machine gun to a local mobster, Yuri convinces his younger brother Vitaly to become his partner. 

The two brothers get their first break during the 1982 Lebanon War, where they sell weapons to both Israeli and Lebanese troops despite seeing the weapons used to commit atrocities. As Yuri prospers, he eventually catches the attention of Interpol agent Jack Valentine. Valentine represents a unique threat to Yuri because he is after recognition, not money, and cannot be bribed. Vitaly becomes addicted to cocaine after a Colombian drug lord forces the brothers to accept several kilos of cocaine as payment. Yuri checks Vitaly into a drug rehabilitation clinic and continues alone. He uses his profits to seduce and marry his favorite model, Ava Fontaine. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Yuri flies to Ukraine and illegally buys Soviet military hardware through his uncle, a former Soviet general who is overseeing the distribution of weapons to the newly formed Ukrainian Army. His uncle dies in a car bombing by Yuri's rival, arms dealer Simeon Weisz. Yuri expands his business to Africa,  .. .. .. 

The above is the storyline of ‘Lord of War’  crime drama film written and directed by Andrew Niccol, starring Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto, Bridget Moynahan, and Ethan Hawke released in 2005. Lord of War follows Yuri Orlov as he enters the illegal arms trade shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, eventually becoming a well known and unscrupulous gun runner.   

In India, possession of arms by individuals is illegal – there is a statute – “The Arms Act 1959’ and according to Sec 3 of the Act  :  No person shall acquire, have in his possession, or carry any firearm or ammunition unless he holds in this behalf a licence issued in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder: Provided that a person may, without himself holding a licence, carry any firearm or ammunition in the presence, or under the written authority, of the holder of the licence for repair or for renewal of the licence or for use by such holder. 

No post on mad race across the globe on arms, ammunition, killings, war or Cinema and its gory representations – arms in the hands of Gods are for protection, Emperuman Sriman Narayana symbolically carries different arms ensuring protection of devotees saving them from evil.

 

6^th Dec 2024 was  Thiruvona nakshathiram in the month of Karthigai and Sri Parthasarathi had chinna maada veethi purappadu.  It was Moonram Thiruvanthathi of Sri Peyalwar   and here is the sarrumurai pasuram (with due credits to Sri Kanchi swami @ dravidaveda.org)

 

Alwar directs us to fall and take the lotus feet of Emperuman.  He with eight hands at Attabujakaram divyadesam in the holy Kanchi – holds victorious eight weapons that have never heard of defeat, He who wields the Chakra that went sparkling towards the proud crocodile, killed it and saved the elephant King Gajendra purely because of his devotion.  Can there be any better refuge than His feet – let us fall and pray to the most benevolent Lord, our only Saviour.

 

தொட்டபடையெட்டும் தோலாத வென்றியான்,

அட்ட புயகரத்தான் அஞ்ஞான்று, - குட்டத்துக்

கோள்முதலை துஞ்சக் குறித்தெறிந்த சக்கரத்தான்

தாள்முதலே நங்கட்குச் சார்வு.

 

திருமயிலை பேயாழ்வார் வாக்கு :  எம்பெருமான் தனது கரங்களில் ஏந்தின  எட்டு திவ்யாயுதங்களை  பற்றிக்கொண்டு நமக்கு அருளும் என்றுமே தோல்வி என்பதே அறியாத ஜெயசீலன். அவ்வெம்பெருமான் திருக்கச்சி திருவட்டபுயகரத் திருப்பதியிலுள்ளவனும், முன்பொருகாலத்தில், நச்சு நீர்ப் பொய்கையிலே, மிடுக்குடைய முதலை வாழ்வுதான் முடியும்படியாக  இலக்குத் தப்பாமல் பிரயோகிக்கப்பட்ட திருவாழியையுடைய பெருமானது திருவடி தாமரைகளே - நம் அனைவருக்கும் சார்வு, பரமப்ராப்யம். 

 
~ adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
7^th Dec 2024