You are here: SriPedia : Oppiliappan : Sri Venkatesa Ashtotthram Home  Index  VarAha : Home  Nama List :  CD&Donation  Credits

Sri Venkateswara Ashtotthram 

Prev   ::   (pranavam) Tyakta Vaikuntta lokaya SrI VenkatEsAya nama: - 15   ::   Next

Guess the name of the perumal and Check the answer
15) Tyakta Vaikuntta lokaya nama:
 
The normal habitat of the Paramapurusha is Sri Vaikunttam or Paramapadam,
where He reigns in all splendour, adulated constantly by the Celestials ,
who wait on Him hand and foot, constantly drinking in His incomparable beauty.
However, this Lord, out of His infinite mercy for grieving mortals, descends to
this world time and again, assuming various avataras, for protecting the good,
destroying evil and re-establishing Dharma on a firm footing. 
 
Marvelling at Emperuman's leaving His illustrious abode of Sri Vaikunttam
and being born in this mundane world as one among us lowly mortals, 
assuming forms human and sub-human, Sri Nammazhwar says,
"ennindra yOniyumAi pirandAi imayOr Talaiva!" 
 
It is this Lord, who has forsaken Vaikuntta this lokam to shower us all
with mercy and has taken permanent residence on the banks of Swami Pushkarini
at Tirumala, says the Mangalam--
 
"Sri Vaikuntta viraktaya Swami Pushkarini tate
Ramaya ramamanaya Venkatesaya mangalam"
 
"Maayaavee paramaanandam tyakvaa Vaikunttam uttamam
Swami Pushkarini teere Ramayaa saha modate"
is another sloka, from Varaha Purana, which conveys
the same purport.
 
Emperuman much prefers a sojourn in our worlds, even the life of a cowherd
to the rather boring Sri Vaikunttam, where nothing exciting ever happens, says
Sri Nammazhwar--"divattilum pasu nirai meyppu uvatti".
 
It would thus appear that the Lord prefers the fast and rather dangerous life that
we mortals live, meeting with aplomb the numerous messengers of death dispatched
by Kamsa, to the staid and placid life of Paramapadam. He much prefers the company of
sinning mortals who afford Him full opportunity for displaying His essential traits of
forgiveness and compassion, than that of Nitya Suris of Sri Vaikunttam, all of whom,
being paragons of virtue, require little of the Lord's aforesaid qualities.
 
It is to be noted that even in Sri Ramavatara, Emperuman readily sacrificed
the comforts of the Ayodhya palace for a sojourn in the inhospitable jungles,
all for Asritha rakshanam--
 
"Tyakta Saketha vasaya Chitrakoota viharine
Soulabhya paripoornaya satvotriktaya mangalam"
 
The Gaaruda Purana confirms that Tiruvenkatam is indeed dearer to Emperuman,
than His other exalted abodes like Svetadveepam, Vaikunttam, Soorya Mandalam etc.--
 
"ati preeti: MahaaVishno: tatra Venkata bhoodhare
 Sveta dveepaat cha Vaikunttaath Bhaanu mandala madhyata:"
 
It should not be construed that since the Lord has come down to Tirumala,
Sri Vaikunttam is devoid of His presence. He is definitely capable of residing at
both Paramapadam and Tirumala, simultaneously. And He considers the hills,
dales and mandapaas of Tirumala so dear that He is ever enamoured of its environs.



Donate by credit card via PayPal