SrI swamin:
adiyen is delighted to read your article on "Kan
Kodukkum Perumal" on DevaPerumal. Really it is
wonder full. Most of the facts are new to adiyen
except the Kooratalwan's vaibhavam. Thanks for your
valuable comments on HIM: Adiyen is devotee of
pErarulAlan. Often adiyen is thinking about his
beautifull face and fond of HIM: If you know any
details of where to get book on Varadharaja Sthavam
with Tamil meaning adiyen is blessed to receive it.
adiyen
senthil.b
--- In Oppiliappan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, sadagopaniyengar
<sadagopaniyengar@xxxx> wrote:
>
> Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya
nama:
>
>
>
> "Kan Kodukkum Perumal"
>
>
>
> "Vendittrellaam tarum vallal Manivannan" is how Sri Nammazhwar
describes the Lord. Whatever we ask, the Lord is ready to give us the
same and much more, however exalted be the boon we seek. He endows us
with whatever we need during our mundane sojourn and once we perform
Prapatti, He takes us to his own eternal abode, never to return to
the quagmire of Samsara. And this, only Emperuman can do, say the
Shastras-"Moksham icchet, Janaardanaat".
>
>
>
> Though it is true that Emperuman is waiting in the wings to take us
away to Paradise once we seek the same earnestly and adopt an
appropriate strategy therefor, still, during our worldly life, we
approach Him for so many baubles and trinkets, which appear important
to us from time to time. It may be riches, social status, pass in an
exam, good health or relief from disease-we ask for all these and
more from the Lord, who obliges readily, but with a tinge of sadness
that we seek from Him not the permanent but the puerile.
>
>
>
> Of these, one of the major praartthanas that people make is freedom
from crippling diseases that afflict them periodically. When they are
unable to obtain relief from mundane physicians, they run to the
Divine Doctor. While Emperumans at most of the divyadesams (like
Vaidya Veeraraghavan of Tiruvallore) are General Physicians, to whom
you can take any illness for cure, there are among them specialists
in specific disciplines too, who are experts at ridding us of
specific diseases. For instance, for curing mental disorders,
worshipping Sri Nrisimha of Cholasimhapuram and Srinivasa of
Gunaseelam is held out to be extremely effective.
>
>
>
> Likewise, to whom can a person rush, in case of problems with his
eyesight? Especially when the sight is totally lost, which specific
Emperuman can we pin our hopes on, for regaining the same? People who
are not conversant with the Sampradaya would advocate worshipping the
Sun god, forgetting the fact that he himself derives his origin and
power from the Lord's eyes ('Chaksho: Sooryo ajaayata'). However,
those steeped in the Sampradaya would definitely prescribe a visit to
Hastigiri, the exalted abode of Sri Varadaraja of Kanchi. It is He
who is the most wonderful of ophthalmologists, capable of curing the
most severe of eye-disorders, including blindness from birth. And
many are those who have benefited from His ministrations, as is
evident from the long list of satisfied patients. For those who need
proof, let me recount the various instances catalogued by Sri
Srivatsankachar Swamy, in his comprehensive and compelling commentary
on Sri Varadaraja Stavam.
>
>
>
> Students of Tamizh literature would definitely be conversant with
the name of Andhaka Kavi Veeraraghava Mudaliar. As his sobriquet
indicates, he was totally blind. Legend has it that it was only after
he worshipped Sri Varadaraja at Hastigiri that he regained his
eyesight in full and expressed his undying gratitude in the form of a
literary tribute. This is a fairly recent instance of Sri Varadan
displaying His expertise as a restorer of sight.
>
>
>
> And within the last two hundred and fifty years, we have another
case of blindness being cured miraculously by Devapperumal. There
would be precious few in the Sampradaya who have not heard of
Arasaanippaalai Sri Venkataadhvari Kavi-he is the renowned author of
fourteen beautiful works, principal among which are the Visva
Gunaadarsa Champoo, Lakshmi Sahasram and Raghava Yadaveeyam. Visva
Gunaadarsam is a unique and imaginative work, recording the
observations of two Gandharvas as they fly over the earth seeing
places and people. Of the two, the Gandharva named Visvaavasu sees
merit and goodness in almost all of the Lord's creations, while the
other, Krisaanu, finds only shortcomings in all that falls in his
sight. However good be the subject, Krisaanu has only cynical and
caustic comments to offer. Because of such adverse comments about
even sacred things and holy men, it is said that the author Sri
Venkataadhavari lost his eyesight.
>
>
>
> Repenting having incorporated such disparaging remarks even as a
matter of fiction, Sri Venkataadhvari paid obeisance to Perundevi
Tayaar and Perarulaala Perumal at Kanchi, composing a thousand verses
known as Vishnu Sahasram (including 200 on Devapperumal alone) and
another thousand verses on Sri Perundevi, known as Lakshmi Sahasram.
These works display deep devotion, excellent poetic imagery and
unparalleled ingenuity with wordplay. Pleased with the devotion,
Tepperumal made the poet see again, living up to His reputation as a
restorer of lost sight.
>
>
>
> The rich and hoary lore and legends that abound on the subject of
Sri Varadaraja's expertise in eye-care include one on how He bestowed
eyesight on a famous proponent of Dharma Shastras, known as Likhita.
Sankha and Likhita were twin brothers, who lived at Tirumukkoodal and
made the propagation of Dharma Shastras their life's mission. The
younger brother, Likhita, was blind from birth, though this did not
affect his acquisition of scholarship, aided by his elder brother.
However, Sankha did feel extremely bad about the handicap and advised
the younger one to pray with devotion to Devaadiraja, supplementing
the brother's supplications with his own. Placing implicit faith in
the elder brother's prescription, Likhita prayed with all the
sincerity he could muster, his mind's eye fixed on the fabulous form
of the Lord, as described in the Scripture. And lo and behold!
Likhita could suddenly see all the wonderful sights he had missed
since childhood. Moved beyond measure by the Lord's mercy in
restoring his eyesight, Likhita went immediately to Kanchi and
feasted his eyes for long on the glorious form of Perarulalan, his
newfound sight clouded by a film of tears.
>
>
>
> By far, however, the most well-known instance of a person regaining
his lost sight at Kanchi, is that of Sri Koorattazhwan. As we know,
Kulottunga Chozha was a die-hard Saivite, totally intolerant of other
faiths, who made it his pastime to harass and terrorise scholars of
other beliefs, forcing them to accept the supremacy of Shiva. And
when the call came to Sri Ramanuja to attend the royal court, Azhwan,
who feared harm to his master from the barbaric ruler, spirited away
Sri Ramanuja to Karnataka and went himself to Kulottunga's court,
posing as Ramanuja and clothed in his ochre robes. When the king
predictably asked the Acharya to sign on the dotted line, accepting
Rudra's supremacy, Azhwan refused point-blank and, instead, put forth
well-reasoned arguments based on the Shruti, Smritis, Itihaasas and
Puranas, in favour of Sriman Narayana being the Parabrahmam. The
enraged ruler, forever blind to the truth, ordered Azhwan's eyes to
be gouged out: but before the sentence could be carried out, Azhwan
himself tore his eyes out and flung them before the king, as he did
not want to live on with eyes that had sighted the cruel bigot.
>
>
>
> After the king's demise, when Sri Ramanuja returned from
Tirunarayanapuram and Azhwan from Tirumalirumsolai and the two met at
Srirangam, Ramanuja was extremely sad at Azhwan's loss of sight. He
led the protesting Azhwan to the sannidhi of Sri Varadaraja at Kanchi
and commanded him to compose a stotram on the Deity, seeking return
of sight. Thus was born the beautiful Varadaraja Stavam,
incorporating the essence of our Sampradayam and portraying the
glories of Perarulalan in 101 scintillating slokas. The moment the
23rd sloka was uttered, Azhwan got his vision back and feasted his
eyes for long on the magnificent form of his Acharya first and
thereafter on that of Devapperumal. Azhwan accepted the return of
eyesight with the proviso that it should serve him only when he
looked at Sri Bhashyakara and Varadaraja and he would otherwise
continue to be blind. It was also Azhwan's magnanimous wish that
Naalooraan, Azhwan's erstwhile disciple, who betrayed his Acharya to
the king, should also attain the same exalted state as Azhwan himself
did due to the Lord's blessing.
>
>
>
> Here is the beautiful sloka, on uttering which Azhwan is reputed to
have been blessed with the faculty of sight-
>
>
>
> 'Neelamegha nibham anjana punja syaama kuntalam anantasayam tvaam
>
> Abja paani padam ambuja netram netrasaat kuru Kareesa! sadaa me'
>
>
>
> 'O Lord of Karigiri! Please bless me with vision, so that I may
feast my eyes constantly on your glorious form, which resembles a
dark rain-bearing cloud, with jet-black curls on your majestic head,
eyes, hands and feet similar to just-bloomed, beautiful red lotuses,
reclining on the soft snaky bed provided by Adisehsa!' prays Azhwan.
>
>
>
> The significance of this episode would not have been lost on
readers. Azhwan and Sri Bhashyakara met at Srirangam. If Ramanuja
wanted to get Azhwan his sight back, it would have been logical for
him to have taken his disciple before Sri Ranganatha (who was
available locally) and prayed to Peria Perumal for the same. Instead,
we find the Acharya taking Azhwan all the way to Kanchi and
Varadaraja. It is amply evident from this that it is the Lord of
Kanchi who is to be applied to, for matters relating to sight.
Perhaps Sri Ramanuja came to this conclusion after hearing Sri
Alavandar's tribute, in which he attributes to Devapperumal a
penchant for effecting miraculous cures, enabling those born blind to
see, the congenitally deaf to hear, the lame to run and the infertile
womb to yield infants-"Yasya prasaada kalayaa .andha: prapasyati,
sutam labhate cha vandhyaa, tam Devadevam Varadam sharanam gatosmi"
>
>
>
> One more instance of Sri Varadan curing congenital blindness is the
case of Sri Harita vaarana Bhritya, reported to be the grandfather of
Sri Tirukkacchi Nambi. This we come to know from Sri Koorattazhwan's
account in his Sundarabaahu Stavam. Though the stotra as such is
addressed to Kallazhagar of Tirumaalirumsolai, Azhwan recounts this
episode of Sri Varadan blessing a person, born blind, with the light
of sight. Here is the relevant slokam-
>
>
>
> 'Haritavaarana Bhritya samaahvayam Karigirou Varada: tvam
apoorvikaam
>
> Drisam alambhaya eva hi Sundara! Sputamadaascha para: shatam
eedrusam'
>
>
>
> Crowning all these instances is the one recounted in Sri
Mahabharatam, by the Lord Himself. Describing the glory of the Kesava
naama to Arjuna, Sri Krishna narrates the story of a Maharshi, who
lost his eyes while still in the mother's womb, due to a curse from
Brihaspati. Due to the dark world he lived in without sight, he came
to be known as "Deergha Tamas". After birth, the child developed deep
devotion to Devaadi Raja of Kanchi and through constant utterance of
the Kesava naama, eventually gained his eyesight, leading to his
being renamed "Gothama". "Hence I am known as Varada and
Kesava"("Evam hi Varadam naama Kesava iti mama Arjuna!") says the
Lord in the Sriman Narayaneeyam of the Shanti Parva of Sri
Mahabharatam.
>
>
>
> These are only six of the several instances where Varadan has been
responsible for various persons gaining/regaining their eyesight.
>
>
>
> Is it any wonder then, that Swami Desikan adoringly calls Him "Kan
kodukkum Perumal" ("Kacchi tanil kan kodukkum Perumal vandaar"--
Tirucchinna Maalai")? In saying so, however, Swami Desikan would
appear to have expanded the idea to include not only physical vision
("oona kan"), but also the vision of wisdom ("Gyaana kan").
>
>
>
> Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri
Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
>
> dasan, sadagopan
>
>
>
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> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
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