Srimadh Bagawatham - Matsyavataram

Continued From:  http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/11/srimadh-bagawatham-vamanavataram-part-5.html

Matsya Avataram:

http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/00313/matsya_avatara.htm

 

Next Sukacharyar narrated the Lord’s Matsya Incarnation.

Satyavratan was the king of the Pandya country. Everyday he performed sandhya Vandanam at a river bank. One day he found a very beautiful fish. It was very small in size and it fell in to his water pot. 

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The king didn’t have a heart to release it back in to the river where it might be eaten by other big fish. The king took the fish to his palace and placed it inside a beautiful bowl containing water. The following day the king went to visit the fish and to his surprise the fish had out grown the bowl.

‘Dear king please move me to a bigger container,’ requested the fish.

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The king realized that it was no ordinary fish. He moved it to his palace pond. The following day he went to visit the fish and was amazed to see that it had even out grown the pond.

‘This pond has become very small for me. Please take me back to the river in which you found me.’

The king with the help of his men drove the fish to the river. He set it free in the river. The next day the king went to the river bank.and to his utter amazement the fish had grown so large that it acted as a dam blocking the flow of the water.

‘I find it difficult to live in this river. Please take me to the ocean.’

The king had the fish taken to the ocean. As the fish was released in to the ocean it once again addressed the king.

‘There is an impending deluge which will submerge all the lands. Gather the Saptha Rishis, everything that is good in a boat. Seven days from now I will meet you here. You will easily recogonize me because I will have one horn on my forehead. Tie the boat to my horn. I will tow your boat safely through the deluge water till the water ebbs.’

http://www.krishna.se/Art/matsya.html

The king started preparing for the deluge. He collected all the seeds, animals and people and along with the Saptha Rishis waited for the fish to appear. Soon the boat started to rock in the ocean. The great Fish appeared with one horn on its forehead. The king tied the boat to its horn. As the Fish started to pull the boat, the sky turned dark. At first water came down as drizzle but soon started to pour down accompanied by thunder and lightening. There was no sign of land anywhere. The Fish continued to pull the boat safely through the deluge waters. Finally the sky lightened and land was seen. The Fish brought the boat to the safety of the shore. The place where the boat was anchored is called as “navabandhana” and is a peak in the Himalayas. The Fish revealed to the king as Lord Vishnu. The Lord installed the king as the next Manu called as “Vaivasvatha Manu”. We live in the period of this Manu.

Esoteric Meaning:

The water in the pot represents knowledge and the small fish represents Paramatma present within the knowledge. Slowly Perumal grows in the mind of the knower and finally delivers the knower safely across the ocean of samsara.

Continued On:http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/11/srimadh-bagawatham-ambarisha-charitram.html

Srimadh Bagawatham - Vamanavataram Part 5

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/11/srimadh-bagawatham-vamanavataram-part-4.html

Piratti doesn’t like it when Perumal destroys people. She was very unhappy when He killed Hiranyakashipu during Narasimha Avataram. Therefore Perumal promised her that He will give people additional chance. This is why in Ramayana He let Ravana retire from the battle field when Ravana ran out of weapons and He gave 100 chances to Shishupala.

One of His names is Srishaha but it does not just mean the Lord of Lakshmi but per Parasara Bhattar the name means the one who is controlled by Sri is Srishaha. Perumal didn’t want to kill Mahabali since Bali was the grandson of His dear devotee Prahaladan. Mahabali was also a great devotee of Lord. As Mahabali took the kingdom of Devendra, Aditi did saranagathi requesting Perumal to help her sons. Perumal had to help Aditi since she performed saranagathi and yet He had to protect Mahabali as well. Therefore Perumal decided to seek alms and came in the form of a dwarf called Vamana to the yagna salai of Mahabali seeking donation. When Perumal placed His thiruvadi (3^rd step) on Mahabali’s head, Prahaladan was very agitated; he came running towards Perumal and asked Perumal how he could do such a thing?

Perumal replied that, ‘why do you look agitated? I am only blessing Mahabali!’

Prahaladan said, ‘Of course I know you are blessing Mahabali but I have a bone to pick with you! When you killed my father Hiranyakashipu did you ever think of blessing me in the same manner in which you are blessing my grandson?’

‘I did bless you! I placed you on my lap and placed my hand on your head to bless you!’

‘That is why I am not feeling happy! You placed your hand on my head but why didn’t you place your divine Thiruvadi on my head?’

‘I did place my Thiruvadi on your head when I measured all living creatures with my 1^st step.’

‘Then why did you place your Thiruvadi on Mahabali’s head once again?’

‘Because He didn’t realize that I placed my Thiruvadi on His head with my 1^st step. He requested me to place my Thiruvadi on His head once again.’

‘You have proved that you are partial by honouring Mahabali twice by placing your Thiruvadi on his head twice!’ Thus even Prahaladan felt jealous of Mahabali.

Trivikrama Perumal did not cheat Mahabali but conferred upon Mahabali His blessings by placing His Thiruvadi upon the head of Mahabali. With His previous two steps, Perumal also placed His Thiruvadi upon the heads of all living creatures to bless them even if the creatures did not seek Perumal’s blessings. Such is the compassionate nature of Trivikrama Perumal! In fact at Tirukovalur, Perumal holds His disc in His left hand and the conch in His right hand to indicate to Mahabali that He did not come to kill Mahabali but only to bless Him. Lord Tadalan at Seerkazhi is a mirror image of Lord of Tirukovalur.

Thus we can see that Perumal honoured Mahabali and conferred upon Bali the most Supreme blessing.

Perumal in Surya Mandalam is called as “Uthi” which means that He is not affected by any sins. Hence the name “Uttapa” refers to the name of Perumal and indicates that He is above all sins. In Thiruparkadal He is called as Uttharan & during Trivikrama Avataram as Uttaman. The names Uttharan & Uttaman are the comparative/superlative degree of Uthi.

Thus the third Thirupavai Pasuram also explains about Paduka Prabhavam since this pasuram speaks about Perumal placing His thiruvadi on Bali’s head. Swami Desikan stated that any yagam performed without realizing that it is performed for Paduka Devi is a waste!

Andal lists the pala shruthi of chanting the name of Lord Trivikrama in the following lines.

theenginRi naadellaam thingaL mum maari peydhu

The entire region will be blessed by beneficial rains. An example of beneficial rain is shown by the following story. Once a potter finished making a batch of pots; he went to the temple and prayed that the weather should remain sunny so that his pots could dry properly. At the same time a farmer had finished sowing seeds in the same village; the farmer also went to the temple and prayed for rain so that his seeds could germinate. Thus if it rained the potter would be ruined and if the weather remained dry the farmer would be ruined. Thus beneficial rain would bring prosperity to everyone by raining at the appropriate time and thus helping both the potter as well as the farmer.

Moral of Trivikramavataram:

This narrative mentions the importance of obeying ones Acharyan. Bali lost his wealth because he disobeyed his Acharyan and Sukracharyar lost his eye sight for trying to interfere with a donation.

Esoteric Meaning of Trivikramavataram:

The three strides of land represents a small place in Bali’s mind. Sukracharyar as an Acharyan points our Perumal to Bali; Sukracharyar’s curse is actually a benefit which makes Bali lose only his materialistic wealth. By granting a small place in the mind to begin with, Perumal grows in the mind of the knower and occupies every thought of the knower thus delivering the knower from samsara.

Continued On: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/11/srimadh-bagawatham-matsyavataram.html

Srimadh Bagawatham - Vamanavataram Part 4

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/11/srimadh-bagawatham-vamanavataram-part-3.html

http://anudinam.org/2013/08/18/ekadasi-trivikrama-alankaram-at-choolaimedu-sri-prasanna-venkatesa-perumal-temple/

Did the Lord cheat Bali by asking him to give Him land equal to three strides measured by His tiny feet and the moment Bali agreed by becoming very tall?

He didn’t cheat! He was just a child and He grew-up very fast! Some children do grow-up very fast! He felt small because He had to seek alms from Bali but the little child felt elated when Bali agreed to His request. As He was feeling very happy, He no longer felt small and hence grew tall!

He measured the Earth and the heavens with His feet which Bali donated to Him. He placed His feet on Bali’s head and claimed Bali to be His third stride. He gave the Earth & Heavens to Devendra. He sent Bali to Patala Lokam! Of all the worlds Patala Lokam is the most beautiful and the most enjoyable world! It is a misconception that Patala Lokam is engulfed in darkness. It is a very beautiful world and better than Devendra’s Swarka Lokam. Lord Trivikrama informed Bali that even Devendra was not aware of the wonderful qualities of Patala Lokam. Trivikrama donated the beautiful Patala Lokam to Bali Chakravathi. Trivikrama crowned Bali as the king of Patala Lokam. There was a beautiful palace in Patala Lokam ready to be occupied by Bali Chakravathi. Bali was taken by surprise when He saw the palace door keeper; because the door keeper was none other that Lord Vamana Himself! He was gaurding Bali’s palace. He was standing there holding His divine weapons in each of His beautiful four arms! His radiance illuminated the entire Patala lokam! He was shining like a thousand Suns! He claimed Bali as His own with His third step. As Bali became His property, He personally protected Bali just like the way in which a bride groom protects his bride after receiving her hand in mariage. He gave the Earth and the heavens to Devendra but He never gave Bali to Devendra! He could have handed down Bali as a slave to Devendra but instead He kept Bali to Himself. Bali became His cherished treassure. He gaurded Bali and protected Him from evil influence. You can also say that He gave Himself to Bali. The Rishis perform severe penance trying to catch a glimpse of Him; but, Bali obtained the grace of Paramatma very easily! Bali could see the beautiful Lord shining like a blue sapphire everywhere in Patala Lokam! Bali obtained the priceless blue sapphire for giving up the Earth and heavens to Devendra. Isn’t this equivalent to trading a lemon for a diamond?

Perumal in the form of Vamana Murthy to this day stays outside Mahabali’s mansion in Patala Lokam guarding him. Once, prior to Ramavataram, Ravanan decided to go on a rampage and annex all the kingdoms. He arrived at Patala Lokam and asked Vamana to move so that he could find Mahabali.

Vamana said, ‘Stop! You are not allowed inside to see my master.’

Ravanan looked at the short security guard and laughed mockingly. He said, ‘Dwarf make way I have to see your master!’

‘My master is no ordinary man! He even made donations to Lord Vishnu. Step away before you are hurt.’

‘I will make you move!’ said Ravanan and tried to push past Vamana.

Vamana tapped Ravanan with His stick and hurled Ravanan like a football making him fall inside Lanka.

The same Lord Vishnu was also present as the commander in chief of the Devas called as Upendra when Ravana waged war against the Devas, Devendra asked Upendra to help them. Perumal threw His disc at Ravanan but the disc came back to Perumal’s hands without harming Ravanan as Perumal did not hurl the disc with the intention of harming Ravanan. He only pretended to participate in the war against Ravanan.

‘I am sorry,’ said Upendra, ‘I cannot help you since I have to respect the boon granted by Brahma upon Ravanan.’ Saying so Perumal walked away without helping the Devas.

He did not destroy anyone during Vamana Avataram. He didn’t do samharam but sought alms knowing very well that people may speak ill of Him and claim that He cheated. Therefore He is Uttaman.

Continued On: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/11/srimadh-bagawatham-vamanavataram-part-5.html