Thursday 20 October 2016

ANDAL AND NAMPERUMAL








My fond memories from my childhood go back to the time when we were in Sri Rangam. I remember as if it was only yesterday when I went running through the halls of the Ranganatha Swami temple. To me, visiting the temple was like visiting my parents’ house. My mom raised me by imbibing in me that Lord Ranganathan and Ranganayaki Thayar were our parents. To this day, when I enter the temple I have the feeling of “coming home” to my parents. On our way back from the sanctum, I would stop near every bannister designed in the shape of an elephant because I had to ride on them. My dad would help me to climb on top of the stone elephants. When I was on the lookout for stone elephants, I was really searching for Andal the temple elephant. 'There she is,' my parents would tell me. ‘she is standing in the Garuda Mandapam. Would you like to say hello to her?' my dad would take me near her and only at that moment I would realize that she is much bigger than the stone elephants. Overcome by awe, I would try to hide behind my father, but she would gently touch my head with her trunk transporting me to seventh heaven!


Like every citizen of SriRangam, we visit the temple not to seek blessings, but, to say 'hello' to our beloved Lord Ranganathan. We go there to feast our eyes on his "beauty". When someone meets their friend returning from the temple, they never ask whether they had a good darshan but, ask for a description of the Lord's attire; "Is He wearing the Pandyan kondai today? What is the colour of His garment?" The love we feel for Him can't be described in words. He is truly our Lord and hence the name Namperumal". He is the King of not just SriRangam but, the entire Universe. Maharajas in general have elephants in their palaces. When even ordinary Maharajas have elephants, shouldn’t the Lord of the Universe be entitled to having elephants in His temple?  Everything associated with Him is cherished by the people of SriRangam and that includes Andal. The name given to her itself will show the love and respect people have for her as how can anyone think about “Andal” without contemplating on “Namperumal”?

I have fond memories of Andal, walking through the streets of SriRangam. We used to rush outside to welcome her when we heard her bell ringing (
யானை  வரும்  பின்னே  மணி  ஓசை  வரும்  முன்னே  ) and fed her large chunks of jaggery, bananas and water. It was especially fun to watch her take her pick from the coconut palm trees in our garden. She would pull down the leaves with ease, remove just the blades with her trunk, and roll it all up before putting it in her mouth.



People of other religious beliefs ponder over the fate of an animal's soul. They wonder if animals too go to heaven, and if they do, is there a separate heaven for them or will they go to the same place as a human soul. In Sanatana Dharma, we do not have such doubts because we are taught that all souls (jeevatmans) are equal to one another. A jeevatman according to its past karma may take on the form of an animal, bird, human or celestial being. The form taken i.e., the body is just like a dress. The Shape or color of the body may vary, but, there are no differences amongst the atmans. Only the people who do not understand the identical nature of the souls, give in to discrimination based on gender, colour, caste, etc which are but bodily differences.  The equal status given to the souls in which they are equal to one another in every way is termed as “prakara advaitam” in Sanskrit. Hence, animals too are eligible for salvation. Even great sages could take birth as an animal like Jata Bharata who took birth as a deer. The story of Gajendran the elephant shows us without any doubt that the Lord grants moksham to all living beings. As a Hindu we are trained to treat all living beings, including plants with compassion. From snakes to elephants, all living forms are respected. Hence, when we visit Andal to get her blessings, we are not abusing her, but we are showing our respect to the Lord's devotee and we are seeking the blessings of a devotee. When we see her, we are reminded about Gajendran and other elephant devotees of this Yuga like Guruvayur Kesavan. It is a bonus when she recognizes us and nods her head in the most charming manner!








Contrary to popular beliefs, temple elephants are well cared for. The average lifespan of the Asian elephant is only 48 years and that of the African elephant is 60-70 years. The average life span of elephants in zoos is only 17. Guruvayur Kesavan lived to the ripe old age of 72 years – quite long for an Asian elephant! His devotion to Lord Krishna is legendary and it is a well-known fact that he enjoyed serving Lord Krishna of Guruvayur. Even on the day when he ascended to Sri Vaikuntam, he wouldn’t allow any other elephant to take over his duties. It is said that he even had an elephant guru called Padmanaban. It is evident from history that elephants too enjoy performing devotional service. There are many temple elephants in India who live well beyond their life span. The State Governments take good care of the temple elephants. There are even initiatives in place to start old-age homes for aged elephants http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Old-age-home-for-elephants-in-Kerala-soon/articleshow/45173263.cms

 
Andal has caught the attention of many animal welfare societies. These groups can rest assured that the citizens of SriRangam will not allow Andal to face any harm. She is well beloved and is a VIP. She is the princess of SriRangam. She even enjoys well organized vacations with other elephants from Tamil Nadu. She has every right to perform devotional service to the Lord just like people. The focus should be shifted to other animals facing abuse like animals in rodeos and experimental animals like lab rats. If the organizations really care for animal rights, then they should stop the slaughter of cows and other animals for their meat. If training animals is abusive, isn’t it also applicable to training dogs and putting them  on a  lead or seeing eye dogs?

Wednesday 17 August 2016

The Greatness of Sri Ananthazhwan - Part 7

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2016/07/the-greatness-of-sri-ananthazhwan-part-6.html

Photo: https://kmkvaradhan.wordpress.com/2015/02/14/lord-venkateshwaras-pranayakopa-anger-in-love-on-ananthazhwan/



Sri Ananthazhwan Controls His Emotions


Sri Ananthazhwan came to know that Swami Ramanujar was unwell. He immediately left for Sri Rangam with his disciple Nambi Guha Dasar. After traveling for many days, they finally arrived at the banks of the Cauvery but, they did not feast their eyes on the beautiful island, instead, they were met by some Sri Vaishnavas with shaven heads who had just taken a dip in the Cauvery. This sight indicated to them that all was not well at Sri Rangam. Their fears were confirmed when upon inquiry, they were told that Swami Ramanujar had left for Parama Padam.
‘What?’ cried Nambi Guha Dasar. ‘How can we live in this world without our beloved Acharya? What is left for me to live here in this miserable world?’ Sobbing uncontrollably, Nambi Guha Dasar quickly climbed a tall tree with the intention of jumping from the topmost branch to end his life.
‘Come down!’ commanded Sri Ananthazhwan. Even though he was overcome with grief, he mastered his emotions in order to be there for Sri Nambi Guha Dasar. ‘Do you think that you have control over your life? If you really cannot live without our beloved acharyan, you should have died the moment you heard the news but, you are still breathing. Don’t you realize that, even if you jump from the tree, you will only break a limb but not die? If you jump from the tree, you will insult the name of our beloved acharyan. Do you think you will attain moksham after displeasing him?’
Nambi Guha Dasar realized his error and climbed down the tree. Even when faced with immense sorrow when Sri Ananthazhwan was permanently separated from his acharyan, he functioned in such a way that he only pleased his acharyan.

Conclusion


http://anudinam.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/DSC07885.jpg
Photo From: http://anudinam.org/2013/03/05/thirumalai-sri-ananthazhwan-959th-avathara-utsavam/
The sojourn of Sri Ananthazhwan on Earth came to an end on Thiradipooram day. Last rites for him were performed under a maghizham tree in his garden at Tirumala. To this day, Lord Srinivasa visits the tree to offer His garland to the tree in memory of Sri Ananthazhwan. Lord Srinivasa also visits the tree during the Thirunakshatram of Sri Ananthazhwan on Chitra month on the day of Chitra star. The great Acharya won the heart of Perumal with his Acharya bakthi. He was definitely another Madurakavi Azhwar and surprisingly, he also shared the same birthday as Sri Madurakavi Azhwar. He led his life in such a way that every act he performed, taught us the importance of Acharya bakthi and Bagawatha paratantriyam. Let us pray to Sri Ananthazhwan who composed the Venkatesa Ithihasa Mala.

Concluded

Sunday 31 July 2016

The Greatness of Sri Ananthazhwan - Part 6

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2016/07/the-greatness-of-sri-ananthazhwan-part-5.html

Sri Ananthazhwan Becomes Lord Srinivasa’s Acharyan - 2

 



With the permission of the Sri Vaishnavas, Madurakavi Dasan hurried on His way and soon was nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile after a few hours, the Sri Vaishnavas finally made it to the abode of Sri Ananthazhwan. They were surprised to see that there was no one waiting to receive them. They were overcome with worry. They felt concerned about the whereabouts of Madurakavi Dasan. As soon as they arrived at the abode of Sri Ananthazhwan, they were welcomed warmly by Sri Ananthazhwan. ‘Wish I had received intimation about your trip to Tirumala so that I could have been prepared to receive you with due respect.’ 

The Sri Vaishnavas were perplexed to hear the words of Sri Ananthazhwan. ‘What had happened to Madurakavi Dasan? Didn’t He make it safely to His acharyan’s abode?’ They wondered. ‘Did He probably take a short cut through the wilderness and was lost or worst still, had been attacked by a wild animal?’

‘How can it be that, you hadn’t received news of our arrival? Your disciple Madurakavi Dasan met us at Madhurantakam and helped us to reach Tirumala safely. He left us at the base a few hours ago in order to come here ahead of us so that, he could inform you. Where is Madurakavi Dasan?’ asked the panic stricken leader. 

‘Who is Madurakavi Dasan?’ asked Ananthazhwan. His question further shocked the Sri Vaishnavas. 
‘I do not have any disciple called Madurakavi Dasan.’ 

‘How can He not be your disciple? He recited your taniyan!’

‘Could you please recite the taniyan He had sung?’ 

The Sri Vaishnavas repeated the taniyan which had been recited by Madurakavi Dasan. Tears flowed from the eyes of Sri Ananthazhwan. It dawned on the assembly that, Lord Srinivasa Himself had appeared to guide the pilgrims to Tirumala. 

‘How blessed am I to meet you!’ exclaimed Sri Ananthazhwan with tears of joy in his eyes. ‘My abode has been blessed by Bagawathas today who have been helped by Lord Srinivasa Himself!’ 

‘His main intention when He helped us was to show to the world that, He has accepted you as His acharyan. Why else would He state that He was your disciple? Moreover, He has composed a taniyan praising you!’ 

Continued On:http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2016/08/the-greatness-of-sri-ananthazhwan-part-7.html

Sunday 24 July 2016

The Greatness of Sri Ananthazhwan - Part 5

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2016/07/the-greatness-of-sri-ananthazhwan-part-4.html



Sri Ananthazhwan Becomes Lord Srinivasa’s Acharyan

 

The Lord's wish always comes true and He found an opportunity to fulfill His desire when a congregation of Sri Vaishnavas from Sri Rangam decided to travel on a pilgrimage to Tirupathi. They packed groceries to last till they reached Tirupathi but, by the time they reached Madhurantakam, they found out that, they didn't have any food to last them for the rest of the journey. As they were Sri Vaishnavas, they couldn't accept food from anyone who wasn't a Sri Vaishnava or dine in restaurants. They realized the predicament they were in.

'Does anyone have any relatives or friends who can help us?' asked their leader. 

It was soon determined that none of them had any contacts at Madhurantakam or the nearby regions.
'What shall we do? Shall we return to Sri Rangam?’

‘Unfortunately, this is the half way point in our journey. We do not have sufficient groceries even if we turn back.' 

'I can help you.' 

The Sri Vaishnavas turned around to face the speaker. Their eyes fell upon a lad with dark complexion and beautiful eyes. 'My name is Madurakavi Dasan,’ introduced the lad. ‘I am a Sri Vaishnava. I can supply food till we reach Tirupathi.' 

‘Where did He come from?’ asked a few people to their friends. ‘Does anyone remember seeing Him? Did He come with us from Sri Rangam?’

The Sri Vaishnavas were won over by the tejas of the newcomer who was but a lad, but, their leader wished to ascertain that, the lad was definitely a Sri Vaishnava. 

'Thank you for your kind gesture. We will accept food from you if you can tell us your acharyan's name.' 

'My acharyan is the great Ananta Suri of Thiruvengadam.' 

At the mention of Sri Ananthazhwan's name, the people felt relieved. 

‘The Lord has definitely sent this disciple of Sri Ananta Suri to help us!’ They murmured. 

The leader however wished to get proper proof that the young man was really the disciple of Sri Ananthazhwan. 'If Sri Ananthazhwan is really your acharyan, recite his taniyan.' 

The youth without any hesitation recited,' Akhilatmagunavasam ajnanatimirpaham Asritanam susaranam vande Anantharyadesikam (Adiyen bows to Acharya Ananthazhwan, who is the storehouse of auspicious qualities like compassion and wisdom, the one who is capable of dispelling ignorance and is the one who is eligible to accept the surrender of his disciples )' 

The leader smiled. This is not a proper taniyan. You have shown us that, you are not used to reciting taniyans. Where are the lines which mention the acharyan of Sri Ananthazhwan?'

 'Please do not jump to conclusions; I hadn't completed my recitation,' the youth rebuked. He continued to recite the second verse of the taniyan,' Srimath Ramanujacharya Sripadamboruhadvayam Sathutha manga sandaryam Anantharyamaham Bhaje (Adiyen pays obeisance to adiyen’s Acharyar , Swami Ananthazhwan who is the lotus feet of Swami Ramanujar and who is worshipped by SrI Vaishnavas all over the world )' 

‘How beautifully He has recited the taniyan!’ applauded the Sri Vaishnavas. ‘What more do we want? We are lucky that, He has come to solve our problem.’ 

All the others who were gathered there unanimously accepted the help rendered by the lad whose dark complexion and lotus like eyes melted their hearts. The Sri Vaishnavas visited many temples on their way to Tirumala well attended by Madurakavi Dasan. Finally one day, they arrived at the base of the Thiruvengadam hills.
 
‘Adiyen seeks your permission to go ahead of you so that, adiyen could inform my acharyan that you have arrived and help him make all the necessary arrangements to receive you,’ requested Madurakavi Dasan. 

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