Varahavataram
An in depth
analysis of this line, “kaNNan adiyiNai emakku kaattum veRpu”,
generates the experiences of Swami Desikan on the ten incarnations taken by the
Lord of Tiruvenkatam. As Tiruvenkatam is Varaha Kshetram, we will start with
Varahavataram. 'Kannan' refers to Varaha Perumal; as in Tamil, "Kann"
means "Bhumi", this line it refers to Varahavataram in which, Perumal incarnated as Varaha to uplift the Earth which
had been hidden under the ocean by Hiranyakshan. After defeating Hiranyakshan,
and saving Bhumi, Perumal rested in Venkatachalam where He asked Garudazhwar to
bring His sporting grounds called "Kreedadri" from Sri Vaikuntam;
thus, He turned Tiruvenkatam into Varaha Kshetram.
"Kann"
in Tamil also means "gnanam". Varaha Perumal is called as
"Gnanapiran" because, He gives us the right knowledge to attain
Moksham. In the following Mudhal Thiruvandhadhi pasuram Sri Poigai Azhwar
eulogizes Varaha Perumal as the guiding light shining forth with the right
knowledge which shows us the way to attain salvation.
Unak kurampaiyin uLpukku iruLneekki,
jn~aanach chudar_koL_ee naaLthORum, Enaththu
uruvaa ulakidantha oozhiyaan paadham,
maruvaadhaarkku uNdaamO vaan
Lord
Varaha is the bestower of the right knowledge which is required by us
to reach Parama Padam. He is the one, who not only destroys our
ignorance but, also gives us "mathi nalam (knowledge with bakthi)" as mentioned in the following Thiruvaimozhi pasuram , which is essential for us to attain salvation.
uyarvu aRa uyar nalam* udaiyavan yavan avan*
mayarvu aRa madhi nalam* aruLinan yavan avan*
ayarvu aRum amarargaL* athipathi yavan avan*
thuyaraRu sudar adi* thozhuthezhu enmananE! (2) 1.1.1
The
name “Kannan”, thus reminds us of Varaha Perumal who gave us instructions through
Bhumi Piratti on how His devotees can attain Him with ease, by just offering to
Him “poo maalai” (flower garland) and “pa maalai” (anthology – a collection of
songs). Varahavataram was the seed for the incarnation of Bhumi Piratti as
Godai Nachiar in order to give us upadesams in the form of Thiruppavai.
Varahavataram
teaches us about prapatti through Varaha Charama slokam. The two slokams called
Varaha Charama Slokams, support the Dwaya manthram and the Krishna Charama
slokam rendered by Lord Parthasarathy in the Bagawad Geetha.
Varaha
Perumal promised Bhumi Piratti that, ‘Oh Bhumi Devi! When my devotees realize that, this entire universe is my
body (sarIram) because it cannot exist independent of me and they know me as the one who is eternal because I do not have
births or deaths, thereby when they understand that, I am their sole saviour and
surrender to me with firm faith, while they are still healthy and meditate upon
me as the cause of all, and knows me as the Supreme Controller who commands from within, as the
only one who is fit to be worshiped, as the one who is omnipresent and the one
who is always near them, then, I will think about them when they are facing
their last moments on Earth, when due to the distress they face while dying,
their mind slips into oblivion and they lie in a comatose state like a log or a stone; I will go to them and lead
them by the archirAdhi maargam to my abode called parama padham and bless them
to enjoy performing eternal service to me.’
Thus,
Perumal has allayed our fears about being able to focus our minds on Him on our
death bed. He has promised to remember His devotees on their death bed. Swami
Desikan has examined the purport of the Varaha Charama Slokam in one of the
chillarai rahasyams called, ‘Rahasya SikhAmaNi’.
Later,
Perumal also appeared as Lord Srinivasa and through His posture, pictorially
depicted Varaha Charama slokam. To this day, all devotees to Tirumala must
first visit the shrine of Varaha Perumal before paying their obeisance at the
shrine of Lord Srinivasa for the pilgrimage to be counted as being complete.
The
Vishnu Sahasranamam sthothram praises Perumal as “MahA VarAhO GovindhO”. The
Govinda namam follows the maha Varaha namam. Sri Varaha Perumal is “Govindan”. The word “Go” means Earth and “Vindan”
means rescuer. Sri Varaha Perumal is glorified as the “rescuer of Earth”. He
not only rescued Earth but, He also gave us simple, easy to follow instructions
so that we too can be rescued by Him from this ocean of samsara. Varaha Perumal
stands on Tiruvenkatam hills as Lord Srinivasan to pictorially reiterate the
import of the Varaha Charama Slokams.
Thus,
through these lines, Swami Vedanta Desikan praises the holy hills of Tirumala
since they reveal to us the divine feet of Lord Varaha which are our sole refuge
as per the promise made by Perumal in the Varaha charama slokam.
Continued On:http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2015/10/venkatanathanum-thiruvenkadamudayanum_13.html
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