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Thiru NaRaiyoor - part xx - pakshi rAjan ursavam

From the Bhakti List Archives

vasanthi • March 18, 1997 


Dear bAgwathALs, today the 19 of march the kal garuda sErvai
is being celebrated in nAchiyaar koil. Last year when wrote
the thala purAnam for this temple presented two of the 5 varnanais
of swami desikan from garuda panchAsath. I had then promised to 
present the rest for another garuda sevai. I am preseting two more
of the varnanai now. 
***********************************************************

Sarpa Naasa varNanaai

He squeezes and wrinkles his eyebrows and starts off (flying)
flocking like a thunder bird and trembles the sky and earth
both at the same time. With his round shaped eyes, and bent 
charming (nErthiyAna) pointed nose, sharp nails and canine 
like sharp teeth, he served the Lord as the victorious chariot
(in Srimad bAgwatham and during gajEndra mOksham and narakasura
vatham). Seeing such Garuda, the snakes attempts to run away and he 
pecks them easily. Such garudan must save us from the dangers.


Due to his (garuda's) relationship as the brother of aruNan, 
Indra gained some guts and pleaded to garuda to spare the
snakes that he (indra) uses to mount the horses in his chariot
known as indra vAhanam. Shiva is worried in himself that if
garuda will take away the naan or tang or string of the bow
known as siva danus. Lord Vishnu also *kindly* told him to keep
his eyes off adiseshan, HIS bed. Thus the garudan who is capable of 
destroying all the nAgAs may also be merciful to us.


When he sees his refelction in the siro rathnam the precious
stone on the sirus or head of the snakes, he thinks that they
are using their "padam" in a defensive posture to save themselves
from him. Thus he shows mercy for them. At the same time When 
he moves around, his shadow also moves paralell and he doubts that
there is another garudan coming to compete him and gets angry and
comes pounding. Such Garudan must nullify the pApa rAsis 
(sinful fate) of us. 


Due to his long breathing the stars and the galaxies have been 
sucked in, and they fall on his face due to this suction created 
by his breathing. While they fall they arrange themselves similar 
to a pearl necklace with several strands in it. Due to his 
powerful flocking the ocean water was split and he appeared between 
such split waterfold as if he is residing in a cave. His sharp eye
sight with very long focus served as a messenger for his teeth to
spot the snakes. He uses his body to compress his hip (a typical
bird movement when they take off and fly) and flock and jump and
thump on them. Such garudan must save us.


He flies between pAthALa lOkam and Brahma lOkam very rapidly
and suddenly charges like a thunder fall  and touches the
thershold of pAthALam without anyone to challange or hinder him
from his rapidly changing course. Such Garudan must remove our
garpa vaasam in karmas. 


He splattered all the siro rathnams or the precious stones on
the head of snakes. He sharpens his curved beak on the 
turtle's shell that is stronger than mountains, and rushes
fast to harvest those snakes who are created like a cultivated 
crop on the soils of pAdhALa lOkam. Such Garudan must teach us
good conduct. 

On seeing his rapid speed certain nAha paththinis had premature
delivery or akAla prasavam. From a small atom to lord brahma
shivered, and all the oceans were agitated, and everywhere the loud
noise
was echoed when he was flocking rapidly.
 The sharp ears of snakes were deafened.
The hills extended upward not bearing the decibals of vibrations
created by this noise and poked open the curtain of the sky. Such rapid 
speed must bless us.


The sea opened and never closed again. Due to lightening speed of
his flocking the sun rays couldnot cross the barrier posed by the
speed of the flocking and hence sun rays could not penetrate to 
pAdhAlAm. (He is faster than light !) In this situation, Garudan
appeared as if the kasturi concentrate or lava of kasturi was painted
on him due to the coating of all the poisons oozed out by the snakes
he captured in his beak. And with this kOlam or appearance he
returned to his place as his realtives were praying and receiving him.
Such Garudan should save us.


All his realtives compete among themselves and pray him in a chorus
and unison voice and the dEva gaNas that are essential for 
the booloOgam plead for their life. Sarpa rAjan offers him " I will
send one snake per day" and garuda accepts such offer and 
the compassion thus is born in the mind of garudan who is the
brother of arunan. Such garudan must save us.


All the bones of the snakes are crushed and heaped in one place, and
in a nearby another place the blood is overflowing and all the skin
are peeled off and the special stones are scattered all around. And 
in such a place each day one snake arrives as per the turn 
and he plays around sometime with such snake for sometime. 
Such Garudan, must provide us the welfare and wellbeing in our 
lives.


alaNkAra varNanai

The snakes are featuring his body as its jeweleery and amsams that
constantly present all over his body. adiseshan and kuligan are his
left and right bracelets (2). Vasuki is his holy thread or poonul (3).
dhakshagan is his waist band (4). kArkodan is his aaram (5). On his
left and right ears padma mahApadmar are the kuNdalams or thOdus (7). 
sanka pAlan is his kreetam (8). Such Garudan must save us.

Inside their head the poison is spread as the oil on the head or the
padam and the thread or thiri like tongues are there and the precious
stones glitter. WIth such appearances the snakes always shake their
head in sway similar to taking "aarthi" for garudan. Such snakes must
fulfill our wishes.


The snakes that are his Abaranams appear to taste the amirtham that is
hidden and spread all over his body. Such snakes are pressed as they
cling onto his body with a feeling of animosity and shyness as well. 
When the pathni rudrai hugs garudan with love, these snakes are pressed
further. Such snakes must be there for our good. 


On the several studded stones or special rathnams the snake 
sanka bAlan appears in reflection in several folds and 
as many moorthis. Due to this he appears as if he is ready to
save his inam or clan of snakes that are living in puRRus.
As simialr to the "sarath kaala mEham" that surrounded the
golden mountains he must provide us all the kshEmams.


The karNa paasa rays of garudan that defeats the snakes and make 
them to coil themselves and shrink themselves similar to a kuNdalam.
Such snakes open their mouth slowly to breath. This appearance and their
reflection from the mirror like beak of garudan and such appearances
looks as if they attempt to hide somewhere. Such must remove our faults.


The snake that appears like a garland on his chest circles its tail
and head and features with its stone in their head. Its belly is white
and other places are black and mixed in color. All over garudans body 
there are scars due to the vajrAyudam and such scars are like uneven
bumps and dips in his skin. These snakes rub on these bumps and dips 
and are lying silently as if they are sleeping. Such snakes must get rid
off
our sins.


The snake that features as his poonal changed its colors and always 
sleeps in happiness due to its association with the garlands that are
on garuda's chest and are inflated and blown out each time he 
breathes in and out. Such snake must reduce our fear to nil.


One of the sarpam that is appearing as his bracelt, thought his
arms was the strong branch of a sandalwood tree. The association with
the lava of kumkumam of rudhrai sukeerthis, made it long for 
the fragrance and dances with its padam and makes it thus look
beautiful. Such snake must destroy our paapa raasis.


The snake that is adorning the waist appears to hug his waist in 
sorrow due to its relatives inside his stomach and also due to 
quenching his hunger that made him ate all his relatives. Such snake
breathes long and such must keep our causes of samsAra  away.


The snake that is pressed onto his red colored dress, with its
precious stone and due to the glittering light of the waist band appear
more reddish as similar to reflection of a lightening through the 
evening clouds around vindya mountains. Such must bear with our
naturally occuring faults that are boundless.

      
Sri pakshi Rajan thiruvadikaLE charaNam
Sampath Rengarajan
    
Note : there is an analysis that is coming out of this
that I will present later.