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A new ambition

From the Bhakti List Archives

A. Bharat • December 13, 1998 


Dear BhAgavatOttamAh

I would like to share some beautiful thoughts in regard to
to SrIranganAtan which arose today during the Bhagavadvishaya 
 kAlakshepam of SrI BhUvarAhAchAriAr SwAmigal.

People always hanker after things they can't normally
get;and the Lord is no exception.He is aVApta-samasta-
kAma and the consort of Sri Lakshmi Herself.But He
repeatedly gets the desire to do the type of menial
jobs His bhaktAs do.

He wants to run errands for people and drive vehicles
for others.Since His position either in Paramapada or
as the Lord of Ayodhya did not allow Him to indulge his
whims,He took care to  take birth as only a part-time
kshatriya in DwApara yuga.And He did achieve his desire
to be a messenger and a charioteer.

But here again He did not behave the way people in high
positions do in this world.They as a rule do these things
in secret eschewing all publicity.But He was lacking in
subterfuge;He was too innocent.Sri AlavandAr calls Him
"mugdha". He was like a child with a new toy;He wanted to 
show it to everyone.When He ran errands,He insisted on
telling everyone He was a messenger and whose messenger
He was-
"perunilattAr innAr dUdanenna ninrAn" says Tirumangai
AzhwAr.
When He was a charioteer He did it before the eyes of
the whole world-
"PArtham rathinam AtmAnam cha sArathim sarva-lOka-sAkshikam
chakAra." says SwAmi EmberumAnAr.

Now His latest ambition is to be porter.He in fact mooted
the idea to Arjuna himself: "Look,transfer all your burden
to me .I'll carry it. you can
walk freely.Transfer your luggage from your head to mine.
And just walk behind me swinging your free hands.I'll lead you to
Heaven."

But he did not find any takers in DwApara yuga.But that
has not stopped him from trying in Kaliyuga also.He has
established various branch offices and accosts us all
daily with the same plea.But we are like those suspicious
people who wouldn't entrust their luggage to the porter
in case he runs away with it.So we tell him,"Don't bother
we'll carry our own luggage." And send Him off disappointed.

Then He remembered an incident which happened a long time ago
in ChitrakUta; when Bharata came with a request which did not
find favor with RAma.Bharata immediately lay down before Him
and said "I will not get up unless you relieve my burden."
(The only difference being that here the Lord wants take on
our burden) And Rama had no alternative but to tranfer Bharata's
burden to His PAdukas.

Why not try this method with the SamsAris,He thought.And promptly
lay down in SriRangam saying,"I will not get up unless every
samsAri goes to Parampadam!" Unfortunately we are too subtle for
Him.His tactics have the same chance of success with us as it
had with samudra-rAja.But the difference is this.Periya PerumAl
in Srirangam does not flare up and call for his bow to punish us 
as RAma did when Samudra rAja failed to turn up.Instead
He tries to win our sympathy by exhibiting His intense longing
for us; and He keeps lying there and waits and waits and waits..

Now for the original passage from the AmalanAdibirAn VyAkhyAnam
of Sri Azhagiya MaNavALa pPermAL NAyanAr:

(Arangatt-aravinaNaiAn) " < SEshE purastAt SAlAyAm yAvan mE na
prasIdati> enRu- SrI BharatAzhvAnai vaLaippu kkiDakka viTTu
ppOndu kaDarkaraiyilE vaLaippu kkiDandA ppOlE, samsArigaLai
ppeRRAlalladu pOgEnenRu vaLaippu kkiDakkirAn.Chakravarthi
ttirumaganai ppOlE mudalil SaraNam pukku mugam-kATTAviTTavARE
 enRu SIRumavar allar. ARRAmayai kkATTi SaraNam
pukku kkiDakkumavar ivar"

Let us meditate on His intense longing for us which is the sole
and single cause of our Salvation.

EmbermAnAr TiruvadigalE SaraNam!

aDiyEn
Bharat