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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00040 Mar 2004

 
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 Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha
Sri Nikamnatha Maha Desikaya Namaha
Sri Adi Van Satakopa Yatheendra Maha Desikaya Namaha
Sri Van Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatheendra Maha Desikaya Namaha

Five forms in one

Episode II: 

In the second episode, a devotee born in a ?Panar? family which was rated as 
?Panchama? who was not permitted to set foot in Srirangam soil. They are 
minstrels who sing in praise of Lord Narayana carrying with them a stringed 
instrument and dance in ecstasy. The devotee of this episode expressed his deep 
piety to Lord of Srirangam by singing continuosly without anyinterruption on 
the banks of the river Cauvery. He believed that his voicewould be heard by 
lord Ranganatha and that he would receive His grace one day.

The practice in Srirangam was as of now to fetch water everydayfrom Cauvery by 
Archakas in big containers for ?Thirumanjanam? of Lord. One fine morning the 
priests from Srirangam temple as per practice came to the river and saw ?Panar? 
in trance and dancing with ecstatic pleasure completely oblivious of the 
surroundings. The Holy Brahmins on seeing theuntouchable Panar, requested him 
orally and by clap of hands to move away from the spot. Panar did not budge as 
his mind was in tune with the infinite seeking His bliss. Exasperated by 
Panar?s nonchalance and the obdurance, one of the priests aimed a stone which 
hit him on the forehead. Unmindfulof the wound and the profuse bleeding, the 
Bhaktha was in full excitement being engaged in his prayers and his mind having 
transcended the limits of universal ambit. However after a while he came back 
to normal state and kept away from the Brahmins of the temple to enable them to 
collect the holy water. On entering the sanctum
sanctorum, the Archakas were bewildered to notice blood in the forehead 
ofArchamurthy of Lord Ranganatha. They felt that an act of profane had been 
committed and prayed to Lord to forgive them for any blunder on their part done 
wittingly or unwittingly. Lord Ranganatha through the Archakas spoke that the 
stone aimed at the devotee had hit HIM also and ordered that Panar be brought 
to the temple by the Archaka, whose name was Loka Saranga, by carrying him on 
his shoulders to honour the commitment of the panar not to step into the Holy 
place. Accordingly, Loka Saranga went to the banks of the Cauvery where he 
found Panar in a rapturous mood and disclosed to him all that had happened in 
the Temple. The initial reaction of the panar was a resistance to the proposal 
demonstrated by his running away from the place. After persistent pleading 
panar agreed to the request.

On reaching the inner precincts of Lord Ranaganatha, Panar began singing 
spontaneously the hymn ?Amalanathipiran? with nine verses following, where he 
reaches the lofty heights of devotion unequalled in its content and expression. 
Having been carried away by the appearance of the lord he declared that those 
broad black eyes with red streaks and unique glow in them had overwhelmed him. 
He further added unequivocally that the eyes which have seen the nectar in 
physical frame will not see another thing. Enchanted by the string of songs 
sung with deep devotion and conviction that the Lord drew Panar towards Him. He 
is called ?Thirrupanazhwar? also ?Amalanathipiran?. Panar disappeared and 
joined the Archa who was ?Vibava? in action.

This article was written by Late. Sri. L.P.Sampath Iyengar

Comments and feedbacks are welcome to suprajaiyengar@xxxx




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