Srivaishnava Network

There is any number of musical instruments. There are stringed instruments like the VeeNA, the Violin and the YAzh. There are percussion instruments like the Mridangam, the Ghatam, the KanjirA etc., which help in adhering to TALAm or layam, which is supposed to be the Father of Music, while Shruti is the Mother (“Shruti mAtA, laya: pitA”). And there are Wind instruments like the nAdasvaram and the Flute, which emit sweet sounds through the controlled play of wind through seven strategically placed holes in a cylindrical wooden device. Of these, one might say that the Stringed Instruments are man-made, while music derived through the other two forms is very much present in nature. The rhythmic lapping of waves against the banks of a river represents Nature’s own unvarying TALam, keeping beat to some cosmic music. Similarly, the Wind, whistiling through tunnels and trees, plays a unique tune, with a melody all its own.

Of all the instruments, perhaps the simplest is the Flute, which consists merely of a cylindrical bamboo tube, with holes drilled in at intervals. It doesn’t need any tuning or adjustment, as other instruments do, before they are ready for a performance. The Flute is an ever-ready device, ready to pour out melodies the moment the player’s mouth is put to it. There has been a plethora of vidvAns who have won acclaim, playing one instrument or the other. In particular, the Flute can boast of any number of virtuosos, who have succeeded in holding appreciative audiences spell bound for hours together. The apparently effortless ease with which melodies can be made to flow out of this simple, cylindrical tube appeals to the imagination of all music-lovers. Tiruvalluvar too, while listing melodious devices, thinks of the Flute first and foremost “Kuzhal inidu, YAzh inidu enbar tam makkaL mazhalai chol kELAdavar”.

Obviously, the Flutists have a rich and hoary tradition, like other exponents of music. It would be interesting to discover who started the lineage of flutists, who have contributed so much to the entertainment of audiences. Speaking only of mortals, the earliest player of the VeeNA we can recount is the Rakshasa Ravana (though we hear of celestials like Sarasvati and NArada keeping constant company with the instrument) bestowing an undying stigma on the instrument.

The Flute, on the other hand, has no such dishonour to live down; on the contrary, it is perhaps the only instrument which can claim the unique distinction of having been played by the Lord Himself. Have you heard of Emperuman using any other musical instrument? Have you come across any mention in the Scripture about the Veena, the nAdasvaram or the YAzh having been played by the Lord? Thus, the Flute appears to be the only musical device to have had the eminent good fortune of having Emperuman as one of its exponents. We might also say that Sri Krishna was the first ever player of this instrument, since there appears to be no mention about the flute, in earlier literature.

It is thus clear that the first ever musical maestro to adopt the Flute as His instrument of choice, was none other than the Lord. We are therefore curious to know what His performance was like. The Shruti tells us that the Lord is adept at whatever He does and is the Master of all that exists. As if to prove this true, Emperuman’s portrayal of a Musician, and a Flutist in particular, was magnificent beyond measure.

Before we embark on a critique of the Lord’s concert, we should find out the nature of the instrument He handled. We are told that the Lord’s flute was made of the finest of bamboo, neither too old nor too tender, perfectly seasoned and ideal for the production of the most marvellous of melodies. We have this on the authority of Swami Desikan, who mentions this in GOpAla Vimsati “adharAhita chAru vamsa nAlA:”. This, in turn, is based on Sri Tondaradippodi Azhwar’s pasuram in Tiruppalliezhucchi, confirming that the Lord’s flute was made of beautiful bamboo “vEynkuzhal Osaiyum vidai maNi kuralum eettiya isai disai parandana”. This flute is described as “divya vENu” by Swami Desikan; the divine device of bamboo, to denote its capacity to produce mesmerising melodies. And the Lord is described as “divya vENu rasika:” to denote His fascination for the flute.

Before going into the quality of the Lord’s music, we should first ascertain the reaction of His audiences, which would give us a fair idea of His talents in the field. Music in general, irrespective of the exponent, appeals to our aesthetic sense. Even a VidvAn of mediocre talent is able to hold people’s ears, while ones with even a little expertise are able to impress audiences. It is therefore no wonder that those endowed with real talent enthral their listeners. However, even their capabilities stop with human audiences and cannot exercise sway over bestial ones.

There appears to be no word, adequately descriptive, which is capable of portraying in full the enthralling effect the Lord’s music had on listeners. Sri Periazhwar considers the melodiousness so alluring, that he devotes all of ten pasurams “nAvalam periya teevinil vAzhum nangaimeergAL”. Without any prelude, Azhwar comes straight down to the task of describing the melody, and tells us that the same is unprecedented, unheard of ever before or after “idu Or arpudam kELeer”. It is significant to note that all the ten pasurams have a single theme, viz., extolling the music emanating from the Lord’s flute.

Young girls, yet to enter their teens, hearing the divine tunes, were so enchanted, that they rushed towards the source of the music involuntarily, with each individual part of their budding physiques aflame with passion and totally out of control with delight, to surround the Flutist, forming a colourful garland. Due to the sudden physical change, their dresses, worn tight around their waists, automatically slipped and their hair, worn in a comely coiffure, tumbled down. Becoming totally dishevelled, they ran homewards again to restore their physical and mental composure, holding their trailing dresses in their hands, but unable to prise their eyes away from the bewitching figure and their ears from the melodies emanating from Him.

One might consider such a reaction from unlettered and impressionable GOpIs, who are hardly connoiseurs of good music, to be nothing extraordinary. Let us see then, how the delightful damsels from DEvalOka, to whom music and dance are the daily occupation, were affected in this regard. The moment the bewitching tunes fell on their ears, these boundlessly beautiful young women from Paradise rushed to Nandagokulam, their minds mad with delight, their eyes filled with tears of joy, their carefully done-up hair coming down in a cascade with the flowers therein scattering all over GOkulam, and pearls of sweat adorning their blooming faces. When the captivating strains of the flute reached IndralOka, RambA, oorvasi, TilOtthama and MEnaka, who were the acclaimed virtuosos of music and dance, hung their heads in shame, acknowledging their abject defeat before the overpowering performance of the Lord. Tumburu and NArada, who had hitherto considered themselves unparalleled in their performance with the VeeNA, threw away their instruments in disgust and despair, the moment the enthralling melodies from Sri Krishna’s flute fell on their ears. Professional singers of the celestial breed, known as KinnarAs, vowed never to touch their respective musical devices, despairing of ever gathering up the courage to perform before audiences who had heard the bewitching strains emanating from the Divine Flutist even once. A similar fate befell the GandharvAs, who had music and dance as their reason de etre? these maestros were simply shamed into silence.

The Havis offered in the YAgAs and YagyAs forms the staple food of the Celestials, conveyed to them by the sacrificial fire. However, when the Lord’s lilting tunes reached the DEvalOka, the dEvAs forgot all about the Havis and rushed to the earth (which they normally despise), to surround the Boy Wonder, like bees attracted by honey-filled flowers. The BhAgavata Purana tells us that even exalted dEvatAs like Brahma, Shiva and Indra, hypnotised by the celestial strains, bowed their heads and minds in supplication and appreciation “savanasha: tat upadhArya surEshA: Shakra Sharva ParamEshtti purOgA:”

Was it only the human and celestial races which were rendered spellbound by the magnificent melodies of the Lord’ No, says Sri Periazhwar, citing the conduct of dumb birds, bees, cows and deer. The moment they heard the mesmerising music, birds left their nests and flocked to the source of the strains, where they fell to the ground at the Lord’s feet, listening with rapturous attention. The bees nestling in the vanamAla worn around His neck buzzed with bliss, providing an apt accompaniment (Shruti) to the vENu gAnam. Whole herds of cows surrounded Sri Krishna, their heads down in attention, ears unmoving and legs giving away due to the overwhelmingly delightful experience. Whole herds of deer, listening raptly to the Flutist, completely forgot their grazing. Such was the overpowering bliss occasioned by this divine music that they even forgot to swallow the portions of grass they had already imbibed and stood like statues, with half-chewed grass and saliva dribbling down their chins from their gaping mouths “maruNdu mAn kaNangaL mEygai marandu, mEynda pullum kadai vAi vazhi sOra”. It was as if these beasts were proving VaLluvar’s dictum, “sevikku uNavillAda pozhudu siridu vayittrukkum eeyappadum”. So motionless were these deer as to resemble lifeless paintings, rather than living, breathing creatures “ezhudu chitthirangaL pOla nindranavE”. Srimad BhAgavata Purana depicts the same captivating scene in what is almost a translation of Azhwar’s sree sookti:

“VrindashO vraja vrishA mriga gAvO vENu vAdya hrita chEtasa ArAt
danta dashta kabalA dhrita karNA nidritA likhita chitram iva Asan”

It was not only living beings which were affected by the Lord’s concert; even lifeless trees were so delighted to hear the strains thereof, that they started secreting honey, in an endearing _expression_ of their enjoyment. Moved by the melodies, Flowers in full bloom fell to the ground on their own, imagining themselves to be adorning the Lord’s lotus feet, while up-growing shoots of plants bowed their heads automatically, as if lending their ears to the enchanting tunes emanating from the Lord’s kuzhal. Swift-flowing rivers slackened their pace and became almost motionless, with gentle waves dancing to the tunes of the Lord’s celestial song. Providing a majestic TALam were the clouds, which, enthralled by Sri Krishna’s melodies, gently sprinkled Him with light, fragrant showers of appreciation, moving along with Him to provide a protective canopy. The BhAgavata Purana wonders at the strange effect the Lord’s song had on living beings and non-living things; while living beings became mesmerised and motionless with bliss, acquiring the characteristics of non-living things, the latter exhibited behavioural traits common only in sentient beings.

It was not only the enthralling music flowing from the Lord’s lips that caused all this commotion; His mesmerising posture, with His left chin bewitichingly bent to rest on His left shoulder, the bow-like eyebrows dancing up and down, keeping beat to the music, His beautiful stomach filled with air to be blown into the flute (appearing to be still pregnant with all the worlds He had swallowed during the Cosmic Deluge), the corners of His coral lips touching the appropriate places and channelling air into the correct hole to generate various svarAs, the long and beautiful fingers holding the flute in place, His broad , black and lotus-like eyes dancing mischievously with a life of their own, mirroring emotions appropriate to the theme of music, His long, jet-black and curly hair moving in time with the low and high notes, resembling the dance of a peacock with its feathers in full display and His holy feet crossed in an endearing posture, with one foot resting firmly on the ground and the other raised slightly to display the glorious symbols (shankham, chakram, gadA, padmam, chariot, flag etc.) adorning the sole.

It is this peroformance, which was a treat as much to the eyes as to the ears, that made all sentient and non-sentient beings and objects forsake whatever they were engaged in and listen in rapturous attention to the Lord’s concert. It was as if the entire universe had come to a stand still, as if in a hypnotic trance. Nothing moved, nothing wanted to move, when the distinguished performance was in session. None had ears and eyes for anything else but the VENugAnam and the MuraLIdhara. Their ears were inundated by the facile flow of fabulous music and their wide-open eyes with the entrancing spectacle of the Lord’s endearing gOpa vEsham.

It is this captivating scene and enthralling melody that Azhwar recaptures for posterity in his ten pasurams. He is so filled with the blissful experience that he issues a clarion call to the entire JambUdvIpA to share the same “nAvalam periya teevinil vAzhum nangaimeer! Or arpudam kELeer”. “puviyuL nAn kaNdadOr arpudam kELeer!”.

GOpIs were under strict orders from their parents to avoid Krishna’s company. And as obedient offspring, they did stay at home, though their hearts very much throbbed with love for Him. However, the moment the strains of MuraLIdharA’s flute came wafting with the wind, the very same GOpIs threw all controls to the wind and ran to where the Lord was holding court on the sandy banks of the Yamuna, drawn to Him despite themselves, like fireflies to the lamp. It was the melody of Sri Krishna’s pAdukA which augmented the sweetness of His kuzhal, says Swami Desikan in Sri Paduka Sahasram:

“Guru jana niyatam tat gOpikAnAm sahasram
Dinakara tanayAyA: saikatE divya GOpa:
Vasam anayat ayatnAt vamsa nAda anuyAtai:
Tava khalu PadarakshE! TAdrusai: manju nAdaI:”

There is extraordinary similarity in the depictions of the Lord’s enthralling vENu gAnam, between Sri Periazhwar Tirumozhi and the 35th Chapter of the Dasama Skanda of Sri BhAgavata Purana, so much so that the two appear to be translations of each other. This only goes to show that the thought processes of those who come under the spell of the Lord, is identical, with language never a barrier for expressing their blissful experience.

The Flute triumphs over the PAnchajanya in its relishment of the Lord’s fragrant lips. While the Shankha is raised to the lips but occasionally, the VENu enjoys a much more prolonged association with the coral lips of Krishna, during all His scintillating musical performances. It is for this reason, perhaps, that Sri Periazhwar devotes ten pasurams to the Flute’s blissful experience, compared to His distinguished Daughter’s pasurams devoted to the PAnchajanya, beseeching the same to tell Her the taste of the Lord’s perfumed lips “karuppooram nArumO, kamala poo nArumO.. MAdhavan tan vai suvayum nAttramum…sol Azhi veN sangE”. However, Sri Andal realises Her oversight later in Her NAcchiAr Tirumozhi and beseeches Her friends to treat Her fever of separation from the Lord, by showering Her with Krishna’s saliva flowing through His flute ” nedumAl oodi varugindra kuzhalin tuLai vAi neer koNdu kuLira mugatthu tadaveerE”.

The Lord uses any number of strategies to attract and retain the affections of errant human beings. The bewitchingly beautiful tirumEni He sports during avatArAs, the endearing qualities He displays when dealing with mortals, the occasional exhibitions of His supremacy through enactment of apparently impossible acts; all these are but various tactics the Lord employs to entice wayward mortals, so that they come under His influence and forsake their usual life of sin and sorrow. The Lord’s vENu gAnam too would appear to be one of His numerous strategems to this end, which, according to Sri Periazhwar’s accounts, met with resounding success. His bewitching music is a net with which He catches elusive chEtanAs, says Azhwar “amuda geeta valai”.

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

Dasan, sadagopan

All of us eat to live, the primary purpose of food being sustenance of life. It is needless to expand on the importance of food, as the skipping of even a single meal makes us feel the gnawing in the stomach. We hear of mahAtmAs who go without food for days, months and years together, intent solely on communion with the Ultimate. We hear of the impossible penance performed by Sri Dhruva, barely out of infancy, and others elder to him, involving fasting for long periods of time.

All these do not appeal to us, since they are associated with foregoing food, for which we have developed a voracious appetite. We have become like the Romans, who lived to eat, who were gourmets of the highest order and considered savouring the innumerable culinary delicacies as the principal mission of their lives. It is rumoured that they would gorge themselves with the finest the cook had to offer for the day, till they could eat no more. However, undeterred by the filled stomach rebelling against any more intake, they would forcibly vomit whatever they had imbibed, to make room in their monstrous bellies for more food.

Knowing full well that prescribing prolonged fasting as a means of cleansing the physique and psyche would not be palatable to gluttons like us, Sri Tirumangai Mannan generously concedes that we need not undertake continuous and extraordinary fasting as did Sri Dhruva. In fact, he says that we need undergo no form of arduous physical inconvenience, as the Lord doesn’t expect it of us-

“oon vAda vAda uyir kAvalittu tAn vAda seyyum tavam seyya vENdA”.

(This of course doesn’t mean that we can give up the occasional fasting ordained on pitru dinam, Ekadasi etc.)

To people like us who cannot give up eating and that too in style, for long periods of time, Sri Nammazhwar prescribes an easy way out–think of whatever you eat or drink with gusto, as verily the Lord Himself-”uNNum sOru, parugum neer, thinnum vettrilai yAvum KaNnan emperumAn endru”. (Though Azhwar’s real purport is that we should regard the Lord as the source of all sustenance, enrichment and pleasure), this appears to us to be much easier, for when do fast occasionally, the thought of our empty stomach and anticipation of the break-fast precludes any thought of the Lord, for which purpose the entire exercise is intended. The term “upavAsam” which signifies fasting, literally means “to live near”, indicating that when we forego food, we are supposed to substitute it by thoughts of the Paramatma and His auspicious attributes. Hence when we fast, we are said to be mentally nearer to the Lord. What happens in reality is quite the opposite: on days of fasting, some people gorge themselves with different varieties of tiffin, avoiding rice religiously, while there are some who eat nothing but all sorts of fruit, as “PhalAhAram”.

In such cases, “upavAsam” takes on a new (and unintended) meaning altogether, as the person lives not near the Lord, but near food itself in various forms.

In reply to his son’s query as to the nature of the Ultimate, VaruNa tells Bhrigu Maharshi that Food is verily to be regarded as the Brahmam (“annam Brahma iti vyajAnAt”). VaruNA adduces reasons for this tenet; it is from food that beings acquire the ability to live, flourish and procreate. Thus the life cycle of every being is dictated by availability of food, without which no existence is possible. It is for this reason that the Upanishad enjoins upon us to earn as much food as possible (“annam bahu kurveeta”), so that not only do we provide for ourselves adequately, but are also able to offer succour to the poor and needy.

“aham annAda:” says the same Upanishad, echoing the seeker’s claim that he is the one who partakes of food. The Shruti considers this so significant that it repeats the statement twice more. We are unable to find anything profound about a person calling himself the consumer of food, for, that is what we all do and with regularity. However, the Food meant by the Shruti here is an entirely different item, unlike any menu offered anywhere in the world.

It is to the Paramapurusha that the emancipated soul refers as Food, when he calls himself the Eater (“annAda:”). We must remember that once the liberated Atma reaches Paradise, it spends all its time in blissful enjoyment of the Lord and His innumerable auspicious attributes. The Lord thus forms a fabulous food – for the eyes, ears and for the other faculties of the MuktAtmA, who enjoys the Lord endlessly and in myriad modes. And it is out of the ecstasy born out of this unique experience that the Shruti repeats itelf”aham annAdO aham annAdO aham annAda:”

Azhwars too characterise the Lord as a delicacy of the highest order “amudam” “en amudam” “ArAvamudam” “amizhdilum Attra inian” “enakku tEnE palE kannalE amudE” etc. Thus it is the exalted resident of Srivaikuntam whom the Shruti quotes, when it says “I am the consumer” and what he consumes is nothing but the Lord and His auspicious attributes.

There is one more sentence in the same Upanishad, which confers a benediction that the person becomes the possessor of food as well as its consumer “annavAn annAdO bhavati”. We are unable to discern anything profound in this, for anyone who has a lot of food, would indeed consume it. Hence is it not enough for the Shruti to bless us with food, leaving its disposal to those eminently trained for the same, like us. Should it separately indicate that we would also become consumers of food?

We have to remember that not a single syllable of the Shruti is redundant, nor does it believe in tautology. We find in several cases extremely wealthy persons, endowed with all that can be desired in the way of riches, pitifully unable to indulge their palates, when it comes to food. Diabetis, heart disease, ulcers of the stomach and numerous other ailments lie in wait to pounce upon the rich and unwary, condemning them to a life-time diet of salt -less porridge (“kanji”) or sugarless coffee and tasteless meals, even though their servants might be eating with gusto their own simple but tasty repast. Thus, it would appear that it is not merely enough to possess a thing, but one has also to be fortunate to consume and enjoy it. And this is what the Upanishad refers to when it speaks of a person being “annavAn” as well as “annAda:”.

If we take the term “annam” to refer to the Parabrahmam, after the Shruti vakya “annam BrahmEti vyajAnAt”, we would arrive at the formulation that one should become the possessor of Brahmam and enjoy it too. The significance of this too doesn’t strike us at first, till we recollect the history of Sri VasudEva and Sri DEvaki. Though this couple had the unimaginable good fortune of begetting the Paramapurusha, they had to part with Him on the very night of His birth. It is Sri Yasoda and Sri NandagOpa who derived the maximum pleasure and bliss from the Divine Toddler, as the foster parents. Thus, though the former couple were “annavAn’s”, their fortune did not extend to being “annAda:”, prompting Devaki to cry out in jealousy “nandan pettranan nal vinai illA nangaL kOn VasudEvan pettrilanE”. Hence the benediction of the Upanishad that one should not only be the possessor of food, but also be healthy and fortunate enough to consume it.

When the Shruti blesses us to possess as well as consume food, when Sri Kalian waives requirements of prolonged fasting, etc., do they mean, ipso facto, that we can eat anything, any number of times, anywhere? Does it mean that there need be absolutely no control over the quantum, content and frequency of our intake?

The same Shruti prescribes the number of meals per day for various classes of beings “TasmAt dvirahnO manushyEbhya: upahriyatE, prAtascha sAyamcha” “Trirahna: pasava: preratE, prAta: sangavE sAyam”.

It is clearly enunciated here that human beings should confine their meals to two, one in the morning and one in the evening/ night. This appears to rule out the mid-day meal imbibed during “lunch” time, the tiffin taken in the evening, as well as the innumerable cups of tea and coffee that are poured in during the day. When we seek confirmation of this, we find that the same Shruti prescribes “parishEchana mantra” only for two meals a day “satyam tvartEna parishinchAmi iti prAta:” in the morning and “RitantvA satyEna parishinchAmi iti sAyam parishinchati”. It therefore appears to be pretty clear that only two meals per day are the permissible quota, for human beings. The Shruti also tells us that it is only animals, which are entitled to eat thrice a day (which doesn’t speak much of people like me).

The Upanishad also has a few vital tips about food. For one thing, it tells us never to be critical of or to refuse food “annam na nindyAt, tat vratam”. The next time we say we don’t like this item of food or that, we would do well to remember this dictum. This would perhaps include wasting food too; the next time we leave something uneaten on our plate, or force food upon our already satiated guests or children with the mistaken impression that it constitutes hospitality, we should think twice.

And on the days of the annual shraddham for one’s late parents, one is supposed to fast till its performance and also after consuming “pitru sEsham”. Consumption of coffee or tea, not very desirable even on ordinary days, is totally taboo on the day of the ceremony, either before or after the shrAddha.

On that day, the normal rule of two meals doesn’t apply and one is supposed to go without the normal night meal. Consumption of “bhakshaNam” in the night doesn’t appear to have the sanction of the Shastra. This is because the bhAgavatas who bless us by officiating in the shrAddham as VisvEdEva, Pitru and Sri MahAvishnu are exhorted by us to eat well, so that hunger doesn’t affect them in the night, necessitating another meal “yathA rAtrou kshut na bhavEt, tathA bhunktvA”.

When we expect that those who officiated in our karma should go without food that night, is it fair for us to eat again? Considering that “ShrAddham” is that performed with absolute dedication (“shraddhayA kartavyam iti shrAddham”), non-adherence to the aforesaid simple rules might well vitiate the entire proceedings and result in our forefathers made unhappy, while the entire exercise is aimed at pleasing them.

Sri Kulasekhara Perumal says he would have no truck with those obsessed with food, to the exclusion of everything else “uNdiyE udayE ugandOdum im mandalam tannodum kooduvadillai yAn”. He perhaps refers to those who indulge themselves in excesses, as far as food is concerned: eating more frequently than is prescribed, eating items which are specifically proscribed, eating on days or parts of days on which fasting is recommended and eating before offering the food to the Lord.

It is here that compendiums like Swami Desikan’s “AhAra niyamam” come to our rescue, laying down in detail what can and cannot form part of our menu. It is compliance with these dicta regarding intake, which made our elders enjoy rude good health even in their advanced years and it is the non-adherence to these simple rules that is the cause of many an ailment in our generation. By our elders’ standards, most of what we eat today would probably come under the category of “Junk Food”, affording nutrition to neither our physique nor our soul. Recognising the importance of good nourishment and its capability to prevent and cure disease, millenia before our present day doctors did, the Upanishad terms Food a panacea for all ills “tasmAt sarvoushadham uchyatE”. It would therefore appear that while Food for thought is always welcome, the same doesn’t apply to food for the palate.

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

Dasan, sadagopan

“Kalou sankeertaya KEsavam” says a sloka, pointing out that what is gained in other YugAs through elaborate YAgAs and YagyAs, through intensive penance involving excruciating physical hardship (“oon vAda vAda uyir kAvalittu tAn vAda seyyum tavam”) or through devotion of an impossibly high order, can be achieved easily during the Kali Yuga through the mere chanting of the Lord’s hallowed names. It is with this in mind that Mahrshis and Acharyas have composed innumerable stotrAs incorporating these holy names, so that humanity can redeem itself from its waywardness and strive for emancipation, by reciting these paens of praise on Emperuman. It is for this reason again that the Achamanam, which is an indispensable prerequisite of all vaidika karmAs as well as a purificatory ritual, entails the utterance of fifteen of these sacrosanct appellations, so that the intended KarmA is performed effectively and confers on one the desired fruits. The efficacy of the Bhagavan nAmA needs hardly any proof’but if proof were indeed required, we only have to look at the life histories of BhAgavatAs like Droupati, ajAmiLa, GajEndrAzhwan, PrahlAda, Dhruva and innumerable others, who have derived instant but everlasting benefits from the utterance of the Lord’s name.

When we explore the vast maze of the Lord’s names, in search of one we could choose for facile recitiation, we find ourselves bewildered by the wide variety of nAmAs available. There are those extolled by the Shruti, those chosen as favourites by Maharshis (“Rishibhi: pari geetAni”), those acclaimed by Azhwars, those enumerated by the itihAsAs and PurANAs and so on. There are simple ones like “GOpAla:” whose purport is easily comprehensible and complex ones like the NArAyaNa nAma, on which volumes have been written detailing the wealth of wisdom hidden in each of its syllables.

However, we of this jet age, characterised by paucity of time for anything spiritually constructive and with the cropping up of innumerable obstacles for the performance of even simple karmas like Sandhyavandanam (“shrEyAmsi bahu vighnAni”), would prefer for constant recitiation, a name of the Lord which has full efficacy and potency, while at the same time being Short and Sweet. This being the age of Fast Food and fast everything, in devotion too we would prefer something brief but effective. Being VaidikAs basically, we would also like the particular tirunAmam to be enshrined in the Shruti, knowing fulwell that it is the ultimate recognition of legitimacy. Being vortaries of Ubhaya VEdAnta, we would also like the nAmA to have the stamp of approval of Azhwars (“sishta parigraham”). And being avowed Democrats, we would like the name to be in popular parlance too, reflecting the choice of the people. Not being scholars (speaking for people like myself), we would find it best if the name is easy to pronounce, not some tongue-twister like “PraNatArtiharavarada:”. And last, we would like to adopt this nAmA for pleasurable recitation, as a constant thread of consciousness running through all our thoughts and actions, without being encumbered by the numerous restrictions accompanying mantrAs like the ashtAksharam, the DvAdasAksharam or the Shadaksharam. What we want is not a hallowed Mantra, but a sweet name for experiencing personal bliss through constant contemplation.

After a prolonged but pleasurable search, we do come up with such a tirunAmam, which suits all our requirements to a “T”. Like a child scouring the Departmental Store for a particular rare toy which it had seen with a neighbourhood kid, we too emit a hoop of joy at the discovery of the nAma, which we were in search of.

“Hari:” is one of those names of Emperuman, which sits short and sweet on the tongue. Its single syllable makes it easy for pronunciation even by children and those uninitiated in Sanskrit. And its very utterance produces an extremely sweet sensation on the tongue, like sugar candy. Where other longer Bhagavan nAmAs can be recited once, within the same span of time, this Hari nAmA can be uttered thrice or more. If we accept that the recitation of a holy name earns us merit and the more we do this the more merit we accumulate, then the Hari nAmA is the obvious choice for us, letting us score fast through greater recitation, due to its extremely short structure. It earns us a “sixer” every time, where other tirunAmAs afford us mere measly “singles”.

The Hari nAma has an extremely close and multi-faceted association with the Shruti. In fact, all VEda pArAyaNam begins with this name of the Lord “Hari: Om” and ends with it too. Anyone who recites the VEdAs, irrespective of his sect or denomination, invariably commences the exercise with the aforesaid prelude and concludes also with the same. Why should this be so? When there are any number of deities and any number of their names, why should the Shruti insist on being heralded by the Hari nAma in preference to any other? In fact, when we look into the SamhitAs, we find that Agni and Indra dominate, as far as frequency of reference is concerned. So why doesn’t a Vedic recital commence and conclude with a mention of those demigods?

Scholars say that matters mentioned in the beginning and the end (“upakramam and upasamhAram”) of any work, are a fair indication of the contents of the same. If we take Srimad Ramayana for instance, it begins with the question of Sri Valmiki about the possessor of certain auspicious attributes and Sri Narada?s identification of Sri Rama as such. The rest of the epic is but an elaboration of the kalyANa guNAs of the Lord, which were indicated in the very first Sarga. We find this to be so in other major works too. And the Shruti is no exception, for when its recitation commences with the Hari nAmA and concludes with the same, it is an extremely significant indication that the contents too are but eulogies to the holy Hari, the various rituals described therein being ways of His worship. Each individual word and syllable of the Vedic lore is but a direct or indirect reference to this hallowed tirunAmam.

With so many dEvatAs around, why should the Shruti pay a special tribute to this Hari, so much so that the entire body of Vedic Verses is one glorious and continuous eulogy to Him? The reason is not far to seek, for it is the Lord who has been of succour, whenever the Shruti has been in distress. When it was stolen by Madhu and Kaitabha, it was Sri HayagrIva who battled with and destroyed the demons and restored the VEda rAsis to BrahmA, so that the process of Creation could continue uninterruptedly.

It is Sri Hari who brings forth Chaturmukha BrahmA at the beginning of every creative process and endows him with Shroutic wisdom essential for the performance of his task. The Shruti itself attests to this?

“YO BrahmANam vidadhAti poorvam, YO vai VEdAnscha prahiNOti tasmai”.

It is the Lord who proudly proclaims His inalienable association with the Shruti and asserts that it is He and He alone who forms the ultimate wisdom which is to be garnered therefrom “VEdaischa sarvam aham Eva vEdya:” And above all, the Vedas, as the highest of PramANAs (sources of knowledge), have necessarily to speak only about the Parabrahmam, the highest of all entities, viz., Emperuman Sri Hari.

These are but a few samples of the multi-faceted and deep-rooted connection the ParmAtma has with the Shruti, which is adequate reason for the latter to begin and end with Hari nAma sankeertanam.

It’s all very well to say that the Hari nAma is intoned at the commencement and conclusion of VEda PArAyaNam, however, does the actual tirunAmam find mention in the vast body of Vedic lore? For, if it forms a mere prelude, without any specific reference to the same in the contents, the aforesaid contentions cannot gain popular acceptance. The answer to this question is Yes, for, how can the Veda ignore the holy name of the Lord, whose tiruvadi it wears as a glittering and prized crown.

If one were to search for one Prasna (chapter) of the available eightytwo in the Yajur VEda, which is of the extreme essence, the recital of which would tantamount to a pArAyaNam of the entire body of Vedas, one would definitely plump for the Third Prasna of the TaittirIya AraNyaka. It is this Prasna which conclusively showcases to us the identity of the Paramapurusha, which it doesn’t often refer by name elsewhere. It is this Prasna which tells us who exactly is the BrahmAm, the Sat, the AtmA etc., who is held out to be the Supreme Being.

For, it is this Prasna which houses the Purusha SUkta, which in turn has been acclaimed to be the essence of and the most significant part of the entire Vedic wisdom “VEdEshu Pourusham SUktam”. Almost immediately after declaring Sriman Narayana, with His Consorts Sree and Hree, as the Parama Purusha (“Hreescha tE LakshmIscha patnyou”), the AraNyaka pays a tribute to Hari “Harim harantam anuyanti dEvA:, Visvasya IsAnam vrishabham matInAm”.

This mantra tells us that all the thirty-three crore and odd demigods follow, worship and adulate Hari, the Destroyer (“harantam”). It is this Hari who is held out to be the Lord of all Universe (“Visvasya IsAnam”).

To expectant readers, this must come as indeed a disappointment, to learn that the much-touted Hari is after all a Destroyer, with all the attendant stigmas. Such an Emperuman can hardly endear Himself to us, when His principal function is that of destruction. However, it is not for nothing that elders have time and again emphasized that Veda vAkyas should be understood only with the aid of explanations and clarifications provided by the Smritis, itihAsAs and PurANAs, which collectively form the “UpabrhmaNA” for ascertaining the profound purport of the Shruti.

“Hari: harati pApAni dushta chittai: api smrita:
anicchayApi samsprishtO dahati Eva hi PAvaka:”

It is this sloka which tells us that though Sri Hari is indeed a destroyer, what He destroys is our accumulated baggage of misdeeds, our sins which are the root cause of all suffering in this samsAra. It is to this Hari that Sri Andal refers, when She assures us that all sins, past, present and future, would be effectively annihilated like so much dust in a raging fire “pOya pizhayum pugu taruvAn nindranavum teeyinil doosAgum”. Shastras tell us that the very contemplation of the Lord is enough for us to become pure and rid of all stigma accumulated over several lifetimes. And the Hari nAma has this cleansing effect, whether or not one utters it with the full realisation of its potency, says the aforesaid sloka, citing as example the fire which scorches one, whether or not the victim has knowledge of its properties.

Not only does a VEda pArAyaNam commence with the Hari nAma, but the beginning of every day should be with the same, say the Ahnika granthAs. It should be the very first word we utter after waking up. Thus Hari nAma sankeertanam should be our very first act every day, the mahA mantra to fortify us for the challenges the day would hold. And it is to be uttered not once or twice, but seven times “Hari: iti saptakritva ucchArya”– and in three groups of two each, ending with a single utterance at the end – says Swami Desikan in Sri VaiNava Dinachari:

“Vari iruL azhi vazhi manam varum uNarvodu
Karigiri maruviya Kariyavan adiyiNai
Parivodu paravu nal adiyavar pazhavurai
ariyari ariyari ariyari ariyE”

Here, the words “nal adiyavar pazha urai” are significant, for this brings out the hoary tradition of reciting the Hari nAma immediately after waking up every day. This is borne out also by Sri Andal’s sreesookti:

“veLLatthu aravil tuyil amarnda vitthinai
uLlatthu koNdu munivargaLum yOgigaLum
meLLa ezhundu ari endra pEraravam
uLLam pugundu kuLirndElOr empAvAi”

It follows from the aforesaid that the daily Hari nAma sankeertanam should be accompanied by contemplation of Hari too, in His primordial form of VyUha VasudEva, in apparent slumber on the exquisite snake bed. And that this is the practice of ancients and revered ones, is shown by the words, “munivargaLum YOgigaLum”. The loud intonation of the Hari nAma, simultaneously by numerous Rishis and yOgis, fills the entire area with a reasonant reverberation which is at once pleasing to the ears and acts as an immediate cleansing agent for the soul, relieving it of the heat and dust of SamsAra.

We have heard that we should remember the GajEndra MOksha episode, immediately after waking from sleep. And we are told that simultaneously Hari nAma sankeertanam should be made. Is there a connection, or is it just an insignificant association?

Just as there have been numerous avatArAs of the Lord, in the form of Sri Nrisimha, Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, etc., Sri Hari too is an avatara. The Lord, in His infinite mercy, takes any number of avatArAs, of which ten have been catalogued just as a sample, as the DasAvatArAs. There are many more, like the HayagrIva, the Hamsa, etc., which do not figure in the ten, but are nevertheless acknowledged and eulogised by the Scripture. That of Sri Hari too is an avatAra, much glorified by Srimad BhAgavata PurANa, Azhwars and Acharyas.

Azhwars, especially, have lost themselves in the Soulabhyam, Rakshakatvam and Paratvam displayed in this avatAra and the Divya Prabandas are replete with references to the same.

The principal mission of this avatAra was the protection of beleagured Gajendra, who, after battling valiantly with the crocodile (which grasped his leg and tried to draw him into the pond, where the embattled elephant had gone to pluck lotus flowers to offer to the Lord), threw up his mighty trunk in despair and trumpeted loudly for all heavens to hear, seeking succour and a Saviour. And in his hurry and desperation, the elephant forgot to mention the ParamAtmA by name and just cried out “AdimoolamE!” (The Primordial Cause). However, just as a letter addressed to the President of India reaches him despite the lack of his name and address, Gajendra’s appeal too went straight to Emperuman, other lesser deities disowning the appellation and knowing not what to do:

“nakra AkrAntE kareendrE mukiLita nayanE moola moola it kinnE
nAham nAham nachAham na cha bhavati puna: tAdrusO mAdrusEshu
ityEvam tyakta hastE sapati sura gaNE bhAva soonyE samastE
Moolam yat prAdurAseet sa disatu BhagavAn managaLam santatam na:”

The Lord, answering to the sobriquet “Adimoolam”, rushed instantly to the elephant’s rescue, unmindful of His clothing being in disarray due to the tearing haste He was in. And, though He was astride Garuda, the personification of speed, the Lord’s anxiety made Him spur the divine bird on, resulting in indelible footmarks in the Bird’s sides (“tvat anghri sammarddha kiNAnka shObhinA”). It was as if the Lord was running, despite travelling on a winged wonder that was VainatEya “TArkshyam Aruhya dhAvan”

It is this episode, this avatara of the Lord as Sri Hari, that we are told to remember and contemplate, immediately after getting up from bed every day, along with Hari nAma sankeertanam, adhering to Sri Andal’s dictum, “vAyinAl pAdi manatthinAl chintikka”.

This Hari avatAra has been the subject of many an ecstatic outpouring by Azhwars. For instance, Sri Tondaradippodi marvels at the Lord’s soulabhyam in answering the call of a mere elephant, while exalted deities like BrahmA and Rudra are not rewarded with the Lord’s dharshan, even after aeons of penance (laced, however, with ahamkra)–

“PeN ulAm sadayinAnum Piramanum unnai kANbAn
eNNilA oozhi oozhi tavam seidAr veLgi nirpa
viNNulAr viyappa vandu Anaikku andru aruLai eenda
KaNNarA! Unnai andrO kaLaikaNa karudumArE”

Thus the Hari nAma’s efficacy is beyond description. If it is capable of conferring divine protection on a mere dumb pachyderm, who could not even spell out the nAmA with clarity, need we elaborate on its potency, when uttered with full knowledge of its glory and with even a semblance of devotion. The mere utterance of this tirunAmam confers upon the devotee such merit, as could be earned through philanthropic acts of unimaginable dimensions, performed at puNya kshEtrAs like VArANasI, KurukshEtram and NaimishAraNyam, says the Scripture:

“VArANasyAm KurukshEtrE NaimishAraNya Eva cha
datttam syAt tEna yEnOktam Hari: iti akshara dvayam”.

Thus Sri Hari appears to be a specialist in the destruction of our sins, whether or not we utter His hallowed name with devotion. When Sri PeriyAzhwar issues a clarion call to the Lord to rid us of the chronic and crippling malady of SamsAra, it is perhaps to Sri Hari that he refers “MaruttuvanAi nindra MAmaNi vaNNA!”. It is this holy Hari who appears to be the Divine Doctor, the one physician whom we can trust to cure us of all physical and spiritual ills that have plagued us for long. This is confirmed by Sage VyAsa “oushadham JAnhavI tOyam, vaidyO NArAyaNO Hari:”.

And what does Dr. Sri Hari look like? Just as we think of Sri Rama always with a bow at the ready, Sri Krishna with a flute in His hands, does Sri Hari have some special features? Yes, says the following sloka, describing His glorious form, resplendant with an arrow, a sceptre, the PAnchajanya shankha, the magnificent bow SArnga, a KEtaya to ward off opponents’ missiles and the Magnificent Mace, KoumOdakI, with one palm held up in the comforting “abhaya mudrA”, promising protection to all those who approach-

“AbibhrANO rathAngam sharam asim abhayam shankha chApou sakEtou
Hastai: koumOdakIm apyavatu Hari: asou amhasAm samhatEr na:”

And it is to this Sri Hari that Sri Nammazhwar pays the ultimate tribute, in the very last of his nectarine outpourings in Tiruvaimozhi:

“avA ara soozh ariyai ayanai aranai alattri
avA attru veedu pettra Kurugoor SatakOpan sonna”

This would appear to be a direct translation of the nArAyaNa anuvAka vAkya,

“sa BrahmA sa Shiva: sEndra: sOkshara: Parama svarAt”, and, by implication, shows up our Hari as the Parabrahmam. It is significant that while Sri Nammazhwar begins his Prabandam with a generic appellation (“uyarvara uyar nalam udayavan yavan avan”.), without indicating the tirunAmam of the Lord of his choice, Azhwar shows his hand at the end with the mention of the Hari nAma, indicating clearly who occupies his thoughts constantly.

Time to stop, says the page indicator, telling me that I am on the sixth page and past the three-thousand-word mark. “Your title is again a misnomer, as the article is neither short nor sweet!” observes my daughter, looking to its length. It’s no fault of mine, for, though the name is short and sweet, its glories are innumerable and defy description.

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

Dasan, sadagopan

RAkshasAs, as a race, are demoniacal. All one tends to associate with them are cruelty, torture and all sorts of murder and mayhem. They have always been a clan of marauders, with more brawn than brain and making a profession out of opposing the divine dispensation. They are always against the Lord and His devotees, always on the look out for opportunities of causing harm to the latter, in any and all ways. The very word “RAkshasa” brings to our mind a RAvaNA, a HiranyAksha, a Hiranyakasipu and others of their ilk. At the mere mention of the word, our mind’s eye picturises a meaty hulk with bulging, blood-red eyes, a tangled mane of hair falling over the shoulders, long and sharp protruding teeth resembling those of a predator and a body which is a veritable moving mountain of flesh, invariably dark in complexion, with a terrifying and blood-curdling roar passing for a voice. And, somewhat inexplicably, all the pictures of Rakshasas that I have seen, either on TV or in films, were with stripes of VibhUti on their foreheads.

It is easy to conclude from the aforesaid that RakshasAs, without exception, were a gang of rogues and murderers, who couldn’t bear the sight or thought of good things happening. However, when we peruse the VAlmIki Ramayana, we find several exceptions to the aforesaid stereotype picture that is painted of a RAkshasa. We are told that there were several Rakshasas in Lanka who were well-versed in the Vedas and were constantly reciting the same-“SvAdhyAya niratAnschaiva yAtudhAnAn dadarsa sa:”. The houses of some of these worthies were reverberating with the sound of Mantras—“sushrAva japatAm tatra mantrAn rakshO grihEshuvai”. Several were engaged in the performance of YagyAs and were attired accordingly—“dIkshitAn jatilAn mundAn gO anijAmbara vAsasa:” Sri Hanuman is also able to find among the residents of Lanka, those with beauty of physique and character—“nananda drishtvA sa cha tAn surUpAn nAnA guNAn Atma guNAnuroopAn”. Their wives too impress the Vanara VIrA so much with their good hearts that he describes them as “mahAnubhAvA:”, “vishuddha bhAvA:” etc. They are also extremely attached to righteous conduct, finds Sri Maruti—“dharmaparA:”. Many of the inhabitants of Lanka performed appropriate hOmAs during amAvAsya, PourNamAsya etc. (like Darsam, PoorNamAsam etc.). These Rakshasas were profound patrons of the arts and Lanka was filled with bewtitching music emanating from various instruments as also from the sweet shAreerams of their women.

Having said enough to establish that RAkshasAs were not entirely beyond redemption and that there were indeed exceptions to the general rule of their being bad, I should now do justice to the caption of this piece by dwelling on a Right-thinking Rakshasa. Readers would invariably except me to write here about the most obvious specimen of decency and Dharma that was to be found in Lanka—Sri VibhIshaNa. Indeed, it appears difficult to think of anyone else as rooted firmly in righteousness as this brother of Ravana, with his fearless espousal of the right path despite very real threats to his life and limb and his bold decision to leave all his earthly possessions, his princedom and all his loved ones, to cross the seas and surrender at the Lord’s lotus feet—“tyaktvA putrAmscha dArAmshca Raghavam sharaNam gata:”.

However, I would not be obliging readers by doing the obvious and writing about Vibhishana. The Hero of this piece is quite different. Though it is difficult to picturise him as a right-thinking person, he is indeed one, as Sri Valmiki demonstrates through his own words. The amount of adulatory references to Sri Rama, emanating from this Rakshasa, exceed the tributes paid by many of His admirers. Indeed, this worthy uses so many imaginative similies to describe the Prince of Ayodhya, that even the Lord’s regular devotees would have to hang their heads in shame. The encomiums heaped upon the distinguished son of Dasarata, emanating from this unusual source, make one wonder as to whether he was indeed a Rakshasa, or born in the clan due to some mix-up at BrahmA’s creative factory.

“RAmO vigrahavAn dharma: sAdhu: satya parAkrama:”—Sri Rama is indeed righteousness personified and is the best of people, with proven prowess. Whom do you think is the author of these eloquent words of tribute to the Prince of Ayodhya? None other than MArIchA, who is the centerpiece of this article.

Enraged by the indignity meted out to sister ShoorpanakhA, Ravana seeks the help of MarIchA for the abduction of Sri Mythili, to wreak revenge on Sri Rama. The elder Rakshasa’s elaborate reply and homilies to Ravana have been chronicled by Sri Valmiki in considerable detail and each individual word of Maricha is worth its weight in gold.

From Maricha’s accounts, it would appear as though he is the fittest person to tell us about Sri Raghava’s bravery, prowess in war, tolerance and mercy, of all of which he (Maricha) has been either a target or a beneficiary. In fact, the Prince of Ayodhya’s very first encounter with enemies involves Maricha, SubAhu and a host of others, when they arrive in force to create hurdles to Visvamitra’s yagyA. Mistaking the Prince to be a mere toddler playing with a bow and arrow, when Maricha attacks, all that the Lord does is to let loose a single sharp arrow, which not only renders the rakhsasa senseless, but the momentum of which also carries him hundreds of miles afar, flinging him deep into the ocean. Readers must appreciate the strategy behind the RamabANA’s sparing this rakshasa, when all the others accompanying him are annihilated. Keeping in mind the important role the rakshasa was to play later on, Sri Rama spares him with a warning shot, so to say.

The Rakshasa has a second encounter with the Prince, when he runs into Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Sri Mythily during their initial sojourn in the DandakAraNya. Misled again by appearances and failing to recognise in the deer-skin-clad Sri Rama the Prince at whose hands he had almost met his nemesis, Maricha attacks again, in the form of a deadly deer with lethal horns, intent on his habitual pursuit of killing and consuming RishIs and dharmAtmAs. Again, the RAmabANa, while putting paid to his equally blood-thirsty accomplices, spares Maricha, with a sound thrashing.

Thankful to the Lord for having spared his life twice, Maricha turns over a new leaf and leads a life of penance and renunciation, adhering to the right path atleast towards the sunset of his life—

“sharENa muktO Ramasya kathanchit prApya jIvitam
iha pravrAjtO yukta: tApasOham samAhita:”

It is at this juncture that Ravana seeks out Maricha, for abetting the abduction of Mythili. And Maricha, trying hard to dissuade DasagrIva from the foolhardy endeavour, uses the opportunity to sing the praises of Sri Rama in delightful detail. He tells the ill-fated Ravana that the one the latter was mistaking to be a puny mortal to be easily triumphed over, was in fact a warrior of matchless magnificence and peerless prowess. The similes employed by Maricha are choice ones, portraying vividly the various and glorious aspects of the Prince of Ayodhya.

“Rama is verily the Master of all these worlds, just as Indra is for the dEvAs”, begins Maricha, recounting the fame of the Prince of Ayodhya.

“He is verily the Furious Fire (“RAmAgni:”), having unfailing arrows as its leaping tongues, fed by the magnificent bow and sceptre, which form the fuel, and totally unappraochable to opponents intent on attack.”

“ Sri Rama is indeed the God of Death personified, with a terrifyingly gaping mouth represented by His splendorous bow Kodandam, sharp and lethal arrows forming the deadly tongue, weilding a sceptre that verily is a lasso capturing resisting victims and spelling death with every action of His”.

Maricha uses several beautiful adjectives to describe Sri Ramachandra’s glorius attributes, uttering each syllable with apparent relish—“MahAveeryam, guNOnnatam, MahEndra VaruNOpamam, DharmAtmA., Narasimha:, Padmapatra nibhEkshaNa:. SrImAn, BAlachandra:, aklishta karmaNa:,” etc. If the complimentary references made by Maricha are strung into a verse, they would indeed form a fitting accolade to the illustrious son of Kousalya.

Maricha is also aware of the glory of SitA PirAtti and tells Ravana that one who has Her at His side could never be won over, for His glory would be immeasurable—“apramEyO hi tat tEjO yasya sA JanakAtmajA”. She is like the blazing fire, unapproachable by others—“deeptasyEva hutAsanasya Sita sumadhyamA”. The rakshasa is aware too of the inseparability of the Divine Duo, likening Piratti to the brilliance of the Sun, which can never be separated from its possessor—“PrabhAm iva Vivasvata:”.

Sri Rama is in Maricha’s constant contemplation and forms the unvarying subject matter of his thoughts, both due to the terror occasioned by the former’s deadly arrows, as well as the pleasure it affords the Rakshasa to think about the splendorous divine form with the matchless attributes. Like the seasoned BrahmagnAni, he is able to see the Lord in everything that he sets his eyes on—

“Rama bhootam idam sarvam araNym pratibhAti mE”. He sees not one Rama, but thousands of Him, filling all directions, the earth and the skies above—

“api Rama sahasrANi bheeta: pasyAmi Ravana!”.

He sees Sri Raghava in every tree and shrub of the forest he lives in—

“VrikshE vrikshE cha pasyAmi cheera krishNAjinAmbaram
girheeta dhanusham Ramam pAsa hastam ivAntakam”

Maricha is blessed to see the Lord not only while awake, but even in his sleep—

“Ramam Eva hi pasyAmi RakshasEsvara!
DrishtvA svapna gatam Ramam udbhavAmi vichEtana:”

So much obsessed is the rakshasa with Sri Rama that all words beginning with “Ra” remind him only of the Prince of Ayodhya—

“RakAra AdIni nAmAni Rama trastasya Ravana!
RatnAni cha rathAschaiva trAsam sanjanayanti mE”

What an exalted state, which every aspiring seeker would covet! To see the Lord in anything and everything one sets sight on, to hear the Lord’s sonorous and stentorian voice in all sounds that fall on one’s ears, to have Him inhabit one’s thoughts constantly and without intermission, in waking and in sleep, to have each and every word in the lexicon remind one only of Emperuman, to know His prowess in all its glory and to think, breathe, hear and do everything with the Lord as constant companion!

If this is not what Brahma gnAnam is all about, what else could it be! It is an entirely different story that all this constant contemplation of the Lord was caused in Maricha by his mortal fear of DAsarathi—irrespective of the causative factors, we must admit that the rakshasa attained a state which would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for any devotee to even think of, leave alone achieve.

There are two entities who claim to know the Lord’s glories in all their immeasurable extent- the first is the VEda Purusha, who claims with confidence to know the Lord for what He is—“VEdAham Etam Purusham mahAntam” says the Purusha Sukta. The other is Maharshi Visvamitra, who too employs almost similar words to display his close acquaintance with and knowledge of the Paramapurusha—“aham vEdmi mahAtmAnam Ramam satya parAkramam”. And there is a third too, a totally unlikely entity, none other than our Maricha, who says he knows Sri Raghava in all His glory—“ aham tasya prabhAvagya: na yuddham tEna tE kshamam”. All these three knowers stand on an equal footing, in that they know not the true extent of the Lord’s magnificence, but know it to be immeasurable and beyond description.

The dialogue between Maricha and Ravana can rank very well with other conversations of scriptural renown as those between Sri Bhishma and Sri Yudhistthira (resulting in the Sri Vishnu Sahasranama stotram) and the one the latter had with Sri Vidhura—for, all these serve to bring out the many-faceted splendour of Emperuman and His auspicious attributes.

Maricha’s monologue covers a lot of ground in social, political and personal ethics and is a treat to the discerning reader. Maricha prefaces his long sermon to Ravana with the remark that holds good even today—that quite a lot of friends and relatives could be found, who tell you only what you want to hear, what is pleasing to your ears, irrespective of its being truthful or otherwise. On the other hand, there is none to voice bitter truths or hard options, and even if there were to be some such honest person, he would find no takers or listeners—

“Bahava: purushA RAjan! Satatam priya vAdina:
apriyasya cha pathyasya vaktA shrOtA cha durlabha:”.

One might wonder—if Maricha was indeed a reformed rakshasa, cured of all his bestial nature, why should he consent to assuming the form of the golden deer and enable the abduction of Piratti by Ravana? Does this not prove that one’s essential nature never changes, whatever be the lessons life teaches one? Can a tiger ever change its stripes? And so on.

The truth of the matter is that Maricha was able to discern the inexorable hand of fate pulling him towards his end. He was aware too that if he didn’t oblige Ravana, it would mean immediate death at the hands of the cruel asurA. He knew too that to obey Ravana would mean certain death at the hands of Sri Rama, who would definitely not spare him for a third time. So Maricha found that his fate was sealed, with death a sure end-product of whichever option he chose. And he preferred to die at the hands of one whom he admired most and whom he considered a “vigrahavAn Dharma:”. He says as much to Ravana too—

“MAm nihatya tu Ramascha na chirAt tvAm vadhishyati
anEna krita krityOsmi mriyE yat ariNA hata:”

And when, as expected, Sri Rama’s arrow pierces his heart, Maricha lets out a cry, “HA SItA! HA LakshmaNA!”. Whatever be the motive behind these utterances, the Rakshasa has the Piratti’s tirunAmam on his lips and that of mahA bhAgavata Lakshmana, which must have ensured for him a place in the heavens above, though Sri Valmiki is silent on this. If the parable of ajAmiLa is any indication and it is true that he was taken to the VishnulOka merely for calling out to his son Narayana (and not the Paramapurusha Narayana) while on his death bed, it would appear that the efficacy of Bhagavan nAma is such as to ensure emancipation, irrespective of the intention behind its utterance—as such, Maricha too should have attained the good worlds inhabited by meritorious mortals.

This is not an eulogy to an unendearing asura, but a tribute to the Lord who is able to enthrall and entice even hard-core offenders and die-hard demons like Maricha. Inscrutable indeed are the ways of Emperuman, in bringing habitual offenders to the path of righteousness—He attracts some through His bewitching form, some through His magnificent kalyANa guNAs, some others through His prowess. In the case of Maricha, the Lord did it through the very basic human emotion of fear, making the asura so terror-stricken as to find the Lord anywhere and everywhere, to see Him in every object, while awake as well as when asleep.

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

Dasan, sadagopan

If there is something all scholars agree upon, it is the need to get out of the unending cycle of SamsAra. Everyone is born, lives out his or her lifespan, accumulating more and more of merits or sins through their good and bad deeds, and when the time comes, passes away. The matter, unfortunately, doesn’t end there. The person is reborn with another body, name and ambience, to experience the fruits of his earlier Karma. In the process of deleting some portion of the Karma, we perform actions which lead to a fresh accretion of the benumbing baggage, thus entangling us interminably in a cycle of births and deaths, out of which there doesn’t appear any way. Caught in the bewildering catacombs, we keep going round and round in the maze, lost forever and wandering without direction.

It would be interesting to find out when and where it all began, to discover which particular act of ours, shrouded in the distant past, was responsible for our taking the initial birth, that has in turn led to a million others. And any such act or abstinence could have been done only by an embodied soul. If we already had a body when we performed the initial and entangling act that formed the very first millstone in the crippling baggage that we now carry, then what was the act that brought our very first body into existence? In other words, which came first—the body which performed the Karma and led to more births, or the Karma, which forced us into the maximum-security prison that is the body? Without a body, no Karma would have been possible: equally, no praAkrita sharIram would have been there, had it not been for some Karma, which necessitated it. This is akin to the famous question, which came first, the chicken or the egg, the seed or the sprout?

Shastras tell us that both Karma and Births are timeless—“anAdi”—without a beginnning and an end. Swami Desikan speaks of the “anAdi karma pravAham”, likening the baggage of deeds, good and bad, to a swift-flowing river, apparently without an origin, which sweeps us all inexorably away in its torrents. Sri Bhashyakara too mentions the “anAdi avidyA sanchita ananta asakya visramsana Karma pAsa pragathita:”, likening Karma to an eternal bondage that is impossible to unravel. And it is the aim of all religions, all sects, to show us a way out of this apparently interminable entanglement.

The Scripture, which is but the luminous signpost set up by the Lord to guide us on to the right path, lists no less than 32 Brahma VidyAs, most of them difficult if not impossible to practice, as a way out of this morass of SamsAra. Our Acharyas, in all their mercy, have shown us the NyAsa vidyA or Sharanagati as the panacea for all ills hounding us from time immemorial and as a way out of the not-so-merry go-round of Janma—MaraNa chakram.

There is thus no difference of opinion that Liberation represents freedom from births, deaths and attendant Karma pAsam. All Azhwars and all Acharyas have fervently prayed to the Lord to rid them of the crippling and constant SamsAra chakram. Sri Nammazhwar terms this “pirandum setthum nindru idarum pEdamai”. Sri Tondaradippodi calls this an absurdity—“avattamE piravi tandAi arangamAnagaruLAnE!”. Considering that life, though it appears long, is in fact too short for us to undertake any serious endeavour for emancipation, Azhwar beseeches Emperuman to spare him any further births—“AdalAl piravi vENdEn aranga mA nagaruLAnE!”. And relief from such births is considered to be the ultimate fruit anyone could aspire for. The Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram, for instance, tells us that none who recites the Stotra with sincerity and devotion, would be subject to births, deaths and attendant maladies—“janma mrityu jarA vyAdhi bhayam na Eva upajAyatE”. Sri Nammazhwar is in a hurry to leave these mortal coils and to attain the state of birthlessness—“koovi koLLum kAlam innum kurugAdO!”. The Lord is equally eager to rid Azhwar of mundane shackles—“viNNulagam taruvAnAi viraigindrAn”. Sri Kulasekhara Perumal too expresses extreme distaste for births, even if blessed with robust health and unimaginable wealth—“oonEru selvatthu udal piravi yAn vENdEn”.

The unanimous chorus from all those in the know of things thus appears to be to rid them of the phenomena of births and deaths.

Amidst all the voices praying in unison for Liberation and freedom from further births, we hear a lone voice raised in dissent, which seeks to be born in this world again. No, it is not the voice of a philistine who seeks to return time and again to this earth to immerse himself in the puerile pleasures this world has to offer. When you look up to see who it is that prays for a birth, when all other devotees of distinction crave freedom from SamsAra, we find that these are the dulcet tones of no less a personage than Sri Kulasekhara Azhwar. It is he, of all people, who insitsts on being born in this despicable world. “AdalAl piravi vENdum” appears to be his refrain, in total disagreement with the rest of the elite club of divine minstrels.

It is not only that this Azhwar craves mundane births, but the things as which he wishes to be born are also extremely trivial—a tree, a fish, a bird and so on. We are quite surprised—first of all, no one in their right mind would seek to be born again in this world of sorrow and sadness, which has nothing to offer anyone except pain and punishment. Secondly, even if a birth here were inevitable, one would choose an exalted janma like that of an Emperor who would never lack anything, a beautiful damsel with all the world at her feet, a scholar of repute with the masses looking up to him for enlightenment and so on—never as inanimate objects like trees and rivers or lowly life forms like the fish and the bird. We wonder why Azhwar should crave for birth as such humble beings, when he was already a King of no mean bravery and accomplishments (“SEralar kOn”).

When we go through the fourth decad of Perumal Tirumozhi, we find that there are indeed reasons, and verymuch valid ones at that, for the lowly births that Azhwar craves for.

“”VEnkatatthu KOnEri vAzhum kurugAi pirappEnE”
“MeenAi pirakkum vidhi udayEn AvEnE”
“SheNbagamAi nirkkum tiru udayEn AvEnE”
“Venkata malai mEl tambakamAi nirkkum tavam udayEn AvEnE”
“KanArAi pAyum karutthudayEn AvEnE”
“neriyAi kidakkum nilai udayEn AvEnE”
“padiyAi kidandu un pavaLa vAi kANbEnE”

We find that all the births that Azhwar craves for are connected with the glorious Tirumala, where the Lord reigns supreme as the VEnkatEsa, venerated by mundane mortals and the immortal celestials alike. Azhwar is so enamoured of this king among hills which forms the abode of the Lord of the Lords, that he would prefer any odd birth, as even the lowliest of low beings, on Tirumala, rather than being the most exalted Emperor elsewhere. He deems it his eminent good fortune to be born in the divine hills as a mere fish, which would keep the “KOnEri” (the Lord’s tank) clean of moss and algae, clean for the Lord’s tirumanjanam and for the ablutions of His devotees. He considers himself to be blessed to be born as a flowering shrub on Tirumala, so that he might contribute to the Lord’s floral adornments. He would similarly prefer the janma of a step right opposite Emperuman’s sanctorum, so that the holy feet of all the devotees leave their imprints on him. He would deem it a huge favour if he were permitted a birth as the pathway across the seven hills, sanctified by the stepping of millions of devotees.

The common thread running through all these births the Azhwar seeks is therefore Tirumala—he considers any birth on Tirumala, however lowly it is, to be the highest of prizes. He doesn’t really mind what the janma is, as long as it is in the hills of VEnkatam—“Emperuman pon malai mEl EdEnum AvEnE”. And as we already saw, it is Azhwar’s kainkarya ruchi, that insatiable appetite for service to the Lord, that makes Kulasekhara Perumal seek all these births, while other Azhwars seek a relief once for all from the Janma Chakram.

And when we look hard enough, we find other Azhwars and Acharyas too refusing to leave this world, with all its failings, for the incomparably greener pastures of Sri Vaikuntam. Sri Tirumangai Mannan would rather stay on in this mundane morass and perform kainkaryam to the arcchA moorthies at various divyadesams, than hanker after the distant and unseen Sri Vaikuntam and ParamapadanAtha (“ErAr muyal vittu kAkkai pin pOvadE!”).

Sri Alavandar, for instance, prefers a birth as a mere worm (below which one possibly cannot go, in the totem pole of existence) inhabiting a crevice in the household of mahAtmAs whose only delight is in kainkaryam to the Lord—vis-à-vis such good fortune, he spurns a birth even as the Chaturmukha BrahmA, renowned as the Creator—

“tava dAsya sukhaika sanghinAm bhavanEshu astvapi keeta janma mE
itara AvasatEshu mAsma bhoot api mE janma ChaturmukhAtmanA”

Not to be outdone, Sri Bhattar deems it a privilege to be born as a lowly dog living off the streets of Srirangam, rather than being an exalted celestial steeped in pleasure—

“na jAtu peetAmrita moorcchitanAm nAkoukasAm nandana vAtikAsu
RangEsvara! Tvat puram AsritAnAm rathyAsunAm anyatamO bhavEyam”

And we have Swami Desikan swearing to the Lord of Hastigiri that he would much prefer to stay on in this world and SamsAra, witnessing the Lord’s utsavams to his heart’s content, rather than ascend to Sri Vaikuntam—

“Satyam shapE VaraNa saila nAtha! Vaikunta vAsEpi na mE abhilAsha:”

A poet of more recent times too follows the foot steps of the great ones mentioned above, by praying to the Lord for a birth as a mere blade of grass in the hallowed BrindAvanam (“pullAi piravi tara vENum,BrindAvanam adil oru pullAi piravi tara vENum”), so that Sri Krishna’s tiruvadi or atleast that of one of His cows or calves, steps on the grass to make it more fortunate than the celestials.

We therefore find that Azhwars and Acharyas are not very particular about a birthless berth at Sri Vaikuntam and all that it stands for, if they are able to attain the infinite pleasure of kainkaryam in this mundane world itself, with all its maladies. They were prepared for births as lowly as those of a fish, a dog or even a worm, if it meant opportunity for performing incessant and intimate kainkaryam to the Lord or His devotees. When Sri Nammazhwar seeks ceaseless service at the tiruvadi of TiruvEnkatamudayAn for all time to come (“ozhivil kAlam ellAm udanAi manni vazhuvilA adimai seyya vENdum nAm”), he doesn’t incorporate a stipulation limiting the duration of the kainkaryam till the time comes for ascent to Paramapadam. Left to himself, Azhwar would have perhaps lived on in this leelA vibhUti itself, delighting in continual service to Tirumalayappan, rather than be elevated to the Promised Land. It was the ParamapadanAtha, who couldn’t bear separation from the Azhwar anymore, who took the latter to His own abode.

We thus find as much rationale in the fervent prayers of some, “AdalAl piravi vENdEn”, as in the diametrically opposite demand of some other devotees—“AdalAl piravi vENdum”.

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

Dasan, sadagopan