Sir,
May I humbly suggest another instance? -. His staying in the abode of Akrurar
forsaking the royal hospitality of Duryodhana and partaking the simple meal
given by Akrurar.
Adeyan
K. Raman
sadagopaniyengar <sadagopaniyengar@xxxx> wrote:
Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
The Simmering Sores
All are agreed that it is the KrishnAvatAra in which the Lord displayed the
maximum degree of accessibility or Soulabhyam. There is absolutely no
competition to the Boy Wonder from any other Emperuman, in this regard. The
closest rival, Sri Rama, having been born a Prince and the scion of the
IkshvAku dynasty, had little occasion to display Soulabhyam, though He did try
valiantly many a time. Not that He was averse to exhibiting this virtue, but as
Sri Bhattar was wont to remark, His calling did not permit a full-blown display
of this endearing trait. Sri Krishna is thus the sole avatara, where Soulabhyam
was the name of the game. Though every single action of the bewitching boy had
accessibility writ large over it, yet there are some of His deeds, which have
come in for special mention from Azhwars and Acharyas.
Take for example His growing up in the midst of lowly cowherds- would any
Parabrahmam worth its name be willing to be seen in the company of cattle,
leave alone tend to them lovingly? Whither His exalted stature as the Master of
all Worlds, and whither a lowly cowherd! We are simply unable even to imagine
the Paramapurusha, surrounded by the Celestials and basking in their adoration,
rejoicing in the boisterous company of unlettered urchins. What a come down for
Him, from being the object of adulation of distinguished sages and saints, to
being called all sorts of names (" VeNnai undAn ivan endru Esa nindra
Emperuman") by ignorant Gopis!
It doesn't stop with His just growing up among dealers in dairy products. He
has to get tied up to the pestle by an irate mother, angered beyond measure by
constant complaints of thievery. Again, would the Parabrahmam consent to being
tied up to a grindstone like any mortal mischief-monger? It must indeed have
been an ironical sight, the Liberator of all from eternal bondage, Himself
being immobilised and imprisoned, that too by an ordinary cowherdess! "Etthiram
uralinOdu iNaindu irundu Engiya eLivE" marvels Sri Nammazhwar, and wonders
again at the incredible Soulabhyam of the Lord getting beaten up by Gopis for
stealing butter-"Ayar kouzhundAi avarAl pudayuNNum en mAya pirAn".
Another endearing display of accessibility is the Lord taking on the role of a
messenger, bearing a note from the PAndavas to the Kauravas. As a last ditch
effort to avert war, the Pandavas' war council decides to despatch a courier to
the Kauravas, with a final request for the restoration of their share of the
kingdom. And whom do they chose for the "prestigious" job? None other than the
Supreme Lord, who also willingly consents to act as a mere messenger. No job is
too menial for the Lord, if it is on behalf of His ardent devotees. "Pancha
PandavarkkAgi vAyurai toodu chendru iyangum en thuNai", "innAr toodan ena
nindrAn" says Thirumangai Mannan- Instead of His original identity of being the
Paramapursha, it appears that the Lord preferred to be known as "PAndava
Dootan".
As if to display His readiness to perform the bidding of His devotees willingly
and without protest, the Lord again does something which crowns all other
displays of Soulabhyam-
Throughout the Kurukshetra war, he acts as the charioteer of Arjuna. What a
lowly occupation to adopt-that of an ordinary driver, piloting the vehicle as
per the master's wishes! Constantly at the beck and call of the master, taking
the chariot from spot to spot as per his instructions, battling with the
spirited horses, taking care of them at the end of the day by bathing them,
feeding them and ensuring that they had adequate rest (while having little rest
Himself), his delicate tirumEni bathed in sweat and encrusted with the dirt of
the battle field-all these formed the daily routine of the Lord during the days
of the Kurukshetra war. The beautiful hands, which held the divine discus and
the milk-white conch, now had only the horsewhip to hold. The curly, jet-black
hair, the envy of even women, was covered with a thick coat of grime. The
normally broad, brilliant and beautiful eyes were now half-closed with fatigue
and battle-weariness. The Paramatma, to whom the entire world offered its food
before partaking of it, now had to feed the horses first, before He Himself had
a few morsels. While Arjuna was ensconced regally in the chariot, the Lord
stood on the ground holding the reins, like a lowly servant-"PArtthan tan tEr
mun nindrAnai ...TiruvallikkENi kandEnE" says Sri Thirumangai Mannan.
It is this endearing form that the Lord sports at ThiruvallikkENi. Adding
injury to insult, He willingly bore the brunt of almost all the stinging arrows
aimed at Arjuna by his rivals, but for which the PAndava would hardly have
survived the battle. He blocked many a murderous weapon aimed at the master
with His own tirumEni, shielding Arjuna from certain death many a time, and
acquiring innumerable indelible scars on various parts of His torso, as a
result .
In the process, the Lord's beautiful countenance, often compared to a lotus in
full bloom, was riddled with arrow wounds. Even to this day, the Lord is to be
seen with this pock-marked thirumukha mandalam at ThiruvallikkENi, bearing
testimony to His boundless love for his bhaktas and His readiness to do
anything, but anything, to please His devotee. The battle-scars must have been
so severe, that they still appear to be festering, despite the passage of
thousands of years. The beholders' eyes brim with tears whenever they look at
the Lord's visage, with all those simmering sores attesting to His eagerness to
protect and preserve those He loves and those who love Him, even at a great
personal cost.
Srimate Sri LakshmINrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana
Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
Dasan, sadagopan
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