Relishing the Venkatesha Vaibhavam Series
Celebrating the arrival of Sri Aishwarya Srinivasa Perumal in Houston, Sri Ramanujamji, disciple of Sri Swamiji, is taking us on a journey to His divine abode by reminiscing the greatness of Lord Srinivasa and Venkatachalam, based on the divine work – ‘Divyadesa Vaibhavam’ by Paranur Mahatma Sri Sri Krishnapremi Maharaj. This is an ongoing series filled with immense rasa.
This series is available to listen on our Namadwaar E-Satsang YouTube channel at this playlist:https://https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLf2GTja1Pr3P0Yr_AsYTOi9KnzUBlI1sE
We shall now enjoy a few divine droplets from the thirteenth episode of this series.
The Story of Narayanadri
In the last episode, we completed the story of the Vrishabhadri hill. The demon by the name Vrishabasura surrendered to Bhagavan and was liberated on that hill.
A devotee called Gulab Sakhi sings that in Vrindavan, Kaliya had the fortune of having Bhagavan’s feet on his head just by residing there. Such is the greatness of Vrindavan. Similarly, the demon Vrishabhasura had the fortune of being liberated by Bhagavan, just because of the sanctity of the hill (Vrishabhadri).
Often, people ask, “Why should we go to a temple or a Namadwaar, if Bhagavan is there in our own puja room?” The answer to that is, we physically go to such places as a sign of gratitude to Bhagavan for bestowing us with feet.
When defining bhakti, Narada Maharishi says, “Bhakti is nothing but offering back to Bhagavan all that we have been blessed.” Bhagavan has given us feet, so we go to His places. He has given us hands so we try to do some service to him. He has given us eyes, so we try to have His darshan. He has given us ears so we try to listen to His stories. Offering everything back to Bhagavan is indeed bhakti.
Now, continuing with our journey of Tirumala, we now go to the next hill – Narayanadri. Perumal (Lord Venkatesha) is the embodiment of Nara-Narayana avatar so the name Narayanadri, instantly makes us connect the name to Bhagavan. Interestingly though, the hill actually got its name from a rishi (sage) named Narayana.
The rishi Narayana was a great sage who came in the lineage of Vikanasa rishi.
Temples in India are consecrated based on scriptures known as Agamas. Agamas consist of primarily two schools of worship. One is known as Pancharatra. This mode of worship was revealed by Bhagavan himself. The second one is known as Vaikanasa. This path was revealed to Vikanasa rishi, who in turn codified it and gave it to his disciples.
This great Sage Narayana belonged to the lineage of this same Vikanasa rishi.
Sage Narayana came to the hill and did a penance with the sole desire of having the darshan of Bhagavan. Pleased with his penance, Bhagavan too blessed him with darshan.
On beholding the captivating form of Bhagavan, Sage Narayana was lost in the beauty and the magnificence of Bhagavan and did a beautiful stuti. In that, he expressed his inability to adore Bhagavan. The expression of that bewilderment of how he could adore Bhagavan itself became a beautiful adoration.
The compassionate Bhagavan pacified Sage Narayana and reaffirmed that He who is beyond name and form enjoys taking a name and form to be among His devotees. He then instructed the sage to worship Him through the Vaikanasa form of worship.
Sage Narayana followed Bhagavan’s instructions and worshipped Him. The hill where Sage Narayana worshipped Bhagavan and got his darshan is known as Narayanadri.
To enjoy the beautiful stuti by Sage Narayana muni in entirety and the compassionate Bhagavan’s reply, listen to Sri Ramanujam ji’s discourse here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ3aowUKGs0
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