In the last few episodes of Sri Venkatesha Vaibhavam we were blessed to enjoy the stories behind the descent of the seven hills through Sri Ramanujamji’s lectures. Now let’s continue to enjoy the glory, grandeur and majesty of Srinivasa Perumal based on the discourses about the leelas of Lord Sri Venkateshwara by Sri Poornimaji, given at Sri Aishwarya Srinivasa Perumal Temple @ Namadwaar Houston in December 2022.
Srinivasa Perumal’s Compassion on Thondaiman Chakravarthy
In the previous episode in this series, we enjoyed the story of how Srinivasa Perumal revealed His beautiful, four-armed ‘chaturbhuja’ form to the emperor Thondaiman. Filled with reverence and awe, Thondaiman repeatedly prostrated to Bhagavan. He was overwhelmed with Bhagavan’s compassion, who out of His own accord appeared in his dreams to bless and reveal Himself. Sri Swamiji in one of the Madhurageethams describes this quality of Bhagavan. He sings, “mElE vizhundu aruL seyyum shrInivAsan” – Lord Srinivasa, who out of His own accord comes and showers His grace upon all!
Emperor Thondaiman glorifies Perumal saying, “You are the treasure house of causeless mercy!” (nirvyAja kAruNyam nidhistvamEvam)
Srinivasa Perumal is pleased very easily. He is delighted when a devotee lovingly offers little tulsi leaves or even a simple deepam made of millet flour. In the Padmanabha Swamy temple of Tiruvananthapuram, golden lotuses were offered by the King of Tiruvannthapuram at His Feet.The king took great pride in offering those golden lotuses. But the very next day when he came to have darshan of Perumal, he found that there were a few tulsi leaves at His feet above the golden lotuses that he had offered. He was not very happy to see this. That very night Bhagavan appeared in his dream and His feet were bleeding. Shocked to see this, the king enquired, only to understand that it was actually the golden flowers he had offered, with their sharp-pointed petals, that had caused this. It was the soft tulsi leaves offered by another devotee that had actually soothed and medicated the wound. Ashamed and filled with remorse, the king fell at the feet of this devotee.
Sweet and simple worship touches and pleases Bhagavan. Sri Poornimaji also shared a story of a potter by name Tirukurumbuaruthanambi. He lived in the lower hills of Tirumala. His daily ritual before starting the day’s work was to offer small lotuses made of clay to Srinivasa Perumal. Once Thondaiman was very surprised to see these small clay lotuses present at the sanctum of Srinivasa Perumal. Perumal disclosed that it was Thirukurumbuaruthanambi who was submitting this daily from his dwelling and the all-compassionate Bhagavan was accepting it in His home – Tirumala. Bhagavan only sees the tender, loving heart of the devotee.
Srinivasa Perumal said to Thondaiman,
“vasham gatOsmi tvayamEva rAjan
vilOkya bhakti tava bhAvapUrnam
tatah prasannOsmi mahidalEsmin
kshemam vidAtum sharanAgatAnAm”
Srinivasa Perumal conveyed that He was very pleased with Thondaiman’s pure heart and had chosen him for this avatara leela. Thondaiman became Bhagavan’s very dear friend. During Sri Rama avatar, Bhagavan cherished His friendship with Sugreeva. Arjuna was Bhagavan’s close companion during Sri Krishna avatar. This very same relationship our Perumal nurtured towards Thondaiman. It’s the chemistry that Bhagavan emotes towards the devotee that establishes the relationship between them.
In Brindavan, Nanda Kishore Dasji’s student disciple, Bondhu, was Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s dear friend. They both spent time in the forest herding the calves. Bhagavan played with him all day and ate the food he offered. However, when Nanda Kishore Das ji eagerly came to the forest to witness this, Bhagavan Sri Krishna refused to manifest in front of him. Nanda Kishore Das ji could only hear Bhagavan’s voice. Bhagavan made it clear that Bondhu was His dear friend, and it was for His friend that He was there and would be visible only to him. It is Bhagavan who chooses this relationship with His dear devotees. Janabai was so dear to Bhagavan Panduranga that He meticulously penned down all her abhangs. Panduranga explained to Gnaneshwar Maharaj, “Jana is swarmed with all household work and has no time to write, so here I am actually carefully making note of her sweet songs.”
Similarly Bhagavan chose Thondaiman as His dear friend. Thondaiman built a temple for Perumal and initiated grand celebrations as per His ordinance. Srinivasa Perumal became the family deity (kuladeivam) for many blessed souls, which is why Periyazhwar says,
“emmanA en kuladeivamE ennuDaiya nAyakanE” –
“You are my means, You are the goal to attain and You are my Supreme refuge
Who will have this great fortune of belonging to You!”
Periyazhwar, soaring in gratitude and joy, prides himself and the other blessed devotees who belong to Lord Venkateshwara, to whom He is Their Lord.
In one of the Madhurageethams, Sri Swamiji too questions Bhagavan Krishna,
“yArukkutthAn kiDaikkum – kaNNA
unnai pOl oru deyvam”
He exclaims, “Who can attain a Lord like You, dear Krishna!”
That was the attachment all devotees had for Srinivasa Perumal and Bhagavan was their sole protector! Srinivasa Perumal promised to be available always for Thondaiman. Bhagavan resided in the hills of Tirumala while Thondaiman ruled the region of Thondaimandalam. The hills of Tirumala were haunted by an asura Simhada and all the sadhus were tormented. Reminding Thondaiman of his intimate bond with Srinivasa Perumal, the sadhus came to him seeking divine protection. These sadhus were actually devas in disguise. Hearing this, Srinivasa Perumal blessed Thondaiman with all His five divine weapons – His Sudarshanachakra (discus), Shaarnga (bow), Nandaki (sword), Gada (mace), and Panchajanya Shankha (conch) to fight against the asura Simhada. Bhagavan also sent an army of devas and the attendants of Bhagavan along with Thondaiman. A ferocious battle ensued between Thondaiman and Simhada. Thondaiman with Bhagavan’s bow and arrow burst away all the boulders hauled by the asura and using Bhagavan’s Sudarshanachakra destroyed Simhada.
Very humbly Thondaiman returned and submitted all the weapons at the feet of Bhagavan. Srinivasa Perumal ordained Thondaiman to throw the weapons in and around Tirumala and the places where these weapons were dropped became various holy rivers (theerthA).
Since Srinivasa Perumal was now without His divine weapons, later during Sri Ramanujacharya’s period, different groups of people claimed the deity in Tirumala to be their deity, according to their faith and beliefs.This caused confusion and resulted in feuds. Some claimed Him to be Lord Shiva, some Devi and some as Lord Muruga. All vedic reasoning of Sri Ramanujacharya fell on deaf ears. Finally, Sri Ramanujacharya suggested that all groups place the weapons and symbols of their respective deity and close the doors of the sanctum. In the morning, whichever weapon the Lord adorns will determine who He is. Sri Ramanujacharya prayed all night imploring Bhagavan to take up the shankha and chakra and reveal His Divine Self. Perumal answered the Acharya’s prayers. Everyone was dumbfounded and realized the Lord in Tirumala was indeed Lord Sri Venkateshwara, our Srinivasa Perumal Himself.
Nithya Balasubramaniam, Pleasanton, CA
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