RE: Question :BhagavAn svayam - 2

From the Bhakti List Archives

• August 31, 1998


Dear Bhaktas,

I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Sriman Anand Karalapakkam 
for sharing with us a wonderful explanation on Bhagavan. In it 
he notes that any sufferings that the Lord undergoes in his Leelas 
are most painful to his Bhaktas. Our Azhwars are unparalleled in this 
respect. Any thought of pain to the Lord caused them unbearable 
distress. Let me point out a few instances to illustrate this fact. 

Sri Kulashekara Azhwar was hearing a narration of the Ramayana in 
his court in the company of Bhagavatas. The narrator related the 
episode of Lord Rama singlehandedly fighting the 14,000 Rakshasas 
at Janasthana. The moment the Azhwar heard that Rama was alone in 
his war against the 14,000 Rakshasas, he was greatly concerned and 
immediately ordered his army to rush to the support of the Lord!
Such was Azhwar's affection for his Abhimana Daivam. Only when 
the narrator said that Lord Rama returned victorious from his 
battle with the Rakshasas did the Azhwar calm down. 

When all pray for various benefits and seek boons 
from Lord Narayana, NammAzhwar out of great concern for the Lord 
asks: "Who is there to serve you? What can I do to relieve your 
fatigue caused by covering the entire Universe with two paces? 
You must be fatigued by your battle with the 14,000 demons. 
Can I not press your tired feet and relieve you of the pain?
Oh Lord Krishna people have plotted against your life from your 
very birth! What can I do to save you?" What a wonderful nectarian 
Anubhavam!

Tirumangai Azhwar was deeply distressed by the condition of the Lord's 
resting place and right then decided that he would build a Temple 
for the Lord (Srirangam Temple). When his pleas for help from 
influential people fell on deaf ears, we are all aware of the means 
he adopted to serve the Lord. So great was his concern for the Lord 
that he was prepared to relieve the Divine Couple (who appeared as newly 
weds) themselves of their valuables!

If worship, recitation of Vedam, Stotrams and Prabandhams, and 
scriptural knowledge do not translate into Vatsalyam and concern 
for Our Archa Murthis it is absolutely useless! 

Namo Narayana,

Muralidhar Rangaswamy





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