THE WRESTLER AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EYES

Pillai Uranga Villidasan was a powerful wrestler. Not just any ordinary wrestler but one of very high standing. Almost all the wrestlers in the Chola Kingdom used to pay him a ‘protection fee’.

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A Famous Wrestler was majestic in his looks and a terror to his rivals naturally .There was a beautiful lady in the village Ponnachi. (Pon in Tamil means gold.) Every one who saw her swore that she richly deserved her name. Her complexion, came closest to the yellow metal. She was slightly on the plumpy side. Her dance-like walk, her height and her dimpled cheeks made her the much-acclaimed beauty in her village. But the most prominent feature of her face was her eyes , very large, round and from which you cannot take your eyes off.

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Ponnachi’s beauty was at least as well known as Villi’dasan s prowess. Villidasan was a very good man and had never abused his strength or position. And yes, he was the most eligible, most sought after bachelor in his town. As it would happen in love stories, he heard of Ponnachi’s beauty and set out to see her, more out of curiousity than anything else. Once he saw her eyes, he could not think of anything else. As if possessed he sought her hand in marriage, something which Ponnachi was only too eager to give. Villidasan was virtually consumed by his love for the damsel.

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He stopped fighting and was thinking of nothing else other than his lady love. Villidasan and Ponnachi got married on an auspicious day. Their married life was most blissful  in karmic world , which never ended. They had been married for years. Still to Villidasan Ponnachi was the most beautiful woman in the world with the most beautiful eyes. It was spring time. Festival time at Capital town of Srivaishnavisim , Srirangam. Vasanthotsavam. Ponnachi wanted to see the festival.

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To Villidasan her slightest whim was a Royal Command. He made elaborate arrangements to ensure a comfortable travel for Ponnachi. She was borne in a palanquin till the main street of Srirengam where she had to get down and walk. Ponnachi got down from the palanquin. Villidasan who was standing nearby was stunned by her beauty. She was dressed up in an exquisite silk saree. What captivated his attention even after years of marriage was her eyes. Villidasan could not take his eyes away from hers. As she started to walk towards the temple, Villidasan did the unthinkable. He was walking backwards facing her, unable to see anything else but her large eyes. Those who saw this amusing sight giggled. Some even laughed out aloud. Villidasan gave a damn to what others thought. After all Ponnachi was his lawfully wedded wife and what was wrong in seeing her eyes? Ponnachi was half consumed by shyness and half by pride. She too loved her husband so much that she did not have the mind to object to his act, though she knew that it made people laugh behind their backs.

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This strange procession – Ponnachi walking forward, Villidasan walking backwards, and the palanquin bearers and the retinue following Ponnachi – was nearing the temple gate. On the other side of the street, a very great saint was walking away from the temple followed by 1000 of his disciples. The name of the great saint was Swamy Ramanujacharya. Swamy Ramanujacharya was amused by the strange sight..

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Ponnachi walking towards the temple followed by her retinue and Villidasan walking backwards unable to take off his eyes from those of his beautiful wife! The great saint was moved on seeing this wonderful sight. He inquired about the couple and then sent word to Villidasan asking him to come and meet him in his Ashram alone.Swamy Ramanuja had decided to do something about that. Now why should Swamy Ramanuja do something about Villi’dasans love? As a spiritual Master of people he instinctively knew that Villi’s love was quite unique.

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If only Swamy  Ramanujacharya could make people love something as intensely as Villidasan did, yes, he would have made a difference in their lives.At the same time if he showed Villi’s love as an example to be followed,then ignorant people might mistakenly think that they also should love Ponnachi. In other words at the present level Villidasan’s love is not a copyable, replicable model. So Sri Ramanuja wanted to first shift Villi’dasans love to something else and then make people understand the greatness of love. And in order to make so many people understand the meaning of love, there is no harm in shifting one person’s object of love. Ramanuja was a highly respected Acharya. So Villidasan was excited  came running to see him in his Ashram as soon as he got his call.It was late in the night. The Srirangam temple would be closed for the day in another half an hour. Swamy  Ramanuja wanted to accomplish his missionwithin that time.

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He asked Villidasan in a sarcastic tone,“Aren’t you ashamed , Villidasan , to be seeing your wife’s eyes, when God’sfestival is on?” Villidasans ’s reply was a correct blend of humility and the force of truth.“Is there anything more beautiful than my wife’s eyes?”Ramanujacharya was waiting for this question. “What will you do if I show something more beautiful than that?”Now Villi knew for sure that there was nothing like that and so hiswords came with confidence. “Then I will fall in love with those eyes. Ponnachi and I will be yourslaves for the rest of our lives.” “Deal. Come with me.” Swamy Ramanujar took Villidasan to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

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The God of Love,Sri Ranganathar, Thiruvarangan, was sleeping in his comfortable snake-bed attended by his Devis. Then the great Acharyatook hold of Villidasan’s hands. The Acharya’s touch sent waves of electric shock in his body. Ramanujar closed his eyes and prayed to the Lord. “Oh, Lord, here’s is an example of perfect love. And thewhole world is steeped in misery unaware of this kind of love. I want the people to know that there is something like this love and that every one of us is capable of it. For that you need to give these two people to me. “I know that these two people are as precious to you as your Devis and are holier than the holiest scriptures ever written on you. I promise you my Lord, I’ll give them the reverence they deserve. Now please, LORD Ranganatha show the beauty of your eyes to this man of love.”

A selfless prayer!

Two loving souls standing before Him! Ranganathar was helpless!

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He had to grant the Acharya’s wish. And the great Lord, whose eyes are not to be seen even by the highest of Devas and the wisest of Rishis, whose Feet cannot even be touched by Vedas and all the knowledge in the world, opened his most beautiful eyes for Villidasan to see. Villidasan was awe-struck; no he was love-struck. The sight lasted for a fraction of a second. Villidasan instantly fell in love with those large, beautiful eyes, for which nothing in the world is even a pale comparison. Villi prostrated at Sri Ramanujar’s feet proclaiming his slavery to the saint. 

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Swamy Ramanuja lifted him as a loving father would lift his loving son.  Swamy Ramanujar’s eyes were so full with tears, his heart so full with love that for a few seconds he could not talk.

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Villidasan continued to be in a state of ecstasy. If God decides to show His eyes even for a nanosecond, the effect will last for centuries, extending into millions of life –times, for ever, for eternity and even thereafter. When he went back to Ponnachi that night and told about his experience, she was also transformed. She did not whine that her husband had found out another object of love.

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She was ecstatic because she was the loving wife of a man to whom even the Great God had shown His eyes. The next morning Pillai Uranga Villidasan gives away his possessions, erects a small hut near Swamy Ramanuja’s Ashram and starts living there along with Ponnachi serving Swamy Ramanuja the entire life ….

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Sri.Pillai Uranga Villidasar thiruvadigale sharanam.
Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

Pictures : Courtesy: Google

Adapted from a divine post shared by an advanced devotee

LORD SRINIVASA AND SWAMY TIRUMALA NAMBI

Tirumala Temple is a famous Srivaishnava Temple of Lord Venkateswara located in the hill town Tirumala of Andhra Pradesh. The temple is built on the Venkatadri hill, one of the seven hills of Tirumala, and hence is also known as the Temple of Seven Hills   .

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The temple is the richest and the most visited place of worship in the world.The temple is visited by almost  50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily .

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The  Tirumala  temple   was not the salubrious and convenient place we know as   it is today. Tirumala was a  forest  laden ,rough and rocky terrain and the upkeep of the temple in those days must have been a terribly daunting and unwelcome task. During those hard days there lived a great devotee  Swami Tirumala Nambi in Tirumala Hills at Tirupathi .

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Swamy  Tirumala Nambi was a great religious scholar in his own right but out of own  choice decided to devote his entire  life to “theertha-kainkarya” ( service of bringing water from Papanasanam for worship of Lord of Seven Hills) at the Tirumala .

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He dedicated his entire life to the services of the Lord and in LORDS devotional service . His entire lifetime was spent living in a small hut on the hills and worked out of it while tending to, maintaining and administering the temple of his beloved  LORD ‘Tiruvengadamudaiyan’       ( Lord Venkateshwara ) .

 

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 Swami Tirumala Nambi used to bring water from Papanasam situated at a distance of about  8 kilometers from Tirumala for the daily puja. He was old but never allowed his age to interfere in his services .

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Lord out of his abundant compassion , wanted to grace his devotee for the great  service (kainkaryam ) taken up by him.

One day when Tirumalai Nambee was walking towards the temple sanctorium from Papanashanam  water falls with a pot of water ,Lord appeared before Tirumalai Nambi in the attire of a fowler  and addressed  Swami Tirumala Nambi as Thatha ( Grandpa) . Nambi  was surprised with the address by the  fowler.

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On turning he found an attractive and handsome fowler who demanded him for water to quench his thirst .

Nambee was taken aback and refused to give water intended for the Holy bath (Abhishekum) of the Lord and politely marched ahead .

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The mischievous fowler he was followed Tirumala Nambi , slowly pierced the pot with a stone , and drank the water which oozed out of the pot.  

Swami Tirumala Nambee was very sad that he could not fulfill the daily service to LORD .

He said to the fowler about his old age and hardship in once again bringing the water that would make HIS LORD wait and as such delay in the service .

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The fowler said …

Grandpa ,

Don’t worry !

I will show a place nearby for you to collect water for the services . 

Saying this ,he discharged an arrow at the hillock near by in the sky , and lo torrents of water came gushing from the place hit by the arrow..

The fowler commanded that the water for the Lord’s puja should thenceforth be brought from Akasaganga and disappeared. The new fountain is now called Akasaganga .

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 Thirumala Nambee  was convinced that the fowler was none other than Lord Srinivasa himself . Swamy Tirumala Nambee  performed various kainkaryams such as Akasaganga Theertha Kainkaryam, Thomalaseva, Mantrapushpa Kainkaryam, Saathumurai, Thirumanjanam and Vedaparayanam. Hence he was called as “Acharya Purusha” of Tirumala Temple.

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In honour of this humble but most noble ‘teertha-kainkaryam’ that Nambi institutionalized in his times, his heirs and progeny until this very day have been allowed to perform the same service in the temple as matter of hereditary right.

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The descendants of Swamy Tirumalai Nambi are known today as “Tirumala kumara-s” or “thOzhappachAri-s”.

 

There is a historical evidence that Tirumala Nambi lived in Tirumaaliga, South Mada Street, Tirumala.

 

The temple shrine of Sri Tirumala Nambi that stands today in the south-eastern corner just below the overhead pedestrian walkaway that leads from the Q-complex to the main temple.

 

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Now the descendents of Tirumala Nambi are managing the temple at this place where the Utsavar and Moolavar deities of Acharya Tirumala Nambi is housed.

 

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Tirumala Nambi, was one of the five  Acharyars of Swamy  Ramanuja. He was his maternal Uncle who taught the essence of Srimad Ramayanam.

Photos : Courtesy : Google Pics uploaded by several advanced devotees

Swamy ThirumalA Nambigal Thiruvadigale sharanam

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Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

‘Sri Alwarnath’ the ‘lord of the alwars’ temple at Puri

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It is said that Swamy Ramanujar visited the temple during his Orissa visit.  Swamy   was delighted to  have darshanam of chaturbhuja ( four armed) Lord  Sri Maha Vishnu, with conch, discus, mace and lotus flower. It is also believed  by the locals that he glorified  the deity  as ‘Sri Alwarnath’ or the ‘lord of the alwars’ giving the message of Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya. The place which housed Lord  Alwarnath hence also came to be known as Alwarpur. And today the words have been shortened with  passing time, the temple known as Sri ‘Alarnath’ or ‘Alalanath’ and the place called ‘Alarpur’ .Sri Ramanujar established the Embar Mutt at Puri.

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On reaching Puri, Swamy Ramanujar  began to interact with the local priests and scholars. His divya tejas attracted people and soon he found many devotees submitting to the legendary  sampradaya . Swamy  decided to establish a monastery to be headed by Sri Govinda . Govinda was also fondly called Embar ,  hence the mutt came to be known as ‘Embar mutt’.. This Embar mutt is located right outside the Puri Jagannath temple.

 

 

 

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Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu  used to stay  at Alarnath during anavasara period of Lord Jagannath.


Anavasara is the two weeks period when Lord Jagannatha take rest in isolation from the rest of the world ,  post the  annual bathing festival (Snana Yatra).( another divine leela ) .

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After Snana Poornima, ritualistic bathing of the idols of Jagannath, there is a popular belief that the deities get fever. For a period of 15 day the deities do not appear before public. The deities remain in the Anasar house and appear a day before Puri Rath Yatra ……
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day and post Snana Purnima in Jyeshta month (May – June), there is no darshan of Lord Jagannath and other deities at the Puri JagannathTemple for 15 days.

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This 15-day period of Anavasara (no darshan) at Puri JagannathTemple happens before the Rath Yatra.
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There is a popular belief that Lord Jagannath during this period manifests as Alarnath Dev at AlarnathTemple in Brahmagiri, which is about 23 km from Puri. During these 15 days, devotees visit the Alarnath temple at Brahmagiri in large numbers.

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Legend has it that Lord Jagannath manifests into the Alarnath Dev during the fortnight.


Sri Chaitanya maha prabhu visualised the appearance of Lord Jagannath in Alarnath and spent a long period in worshipping the lordships here.

 

 

 It is believed that those who cannot worship Lord Jagannath during his stay in the sick chamber can get the blessings of Lord Alarnathjee if they visit this temple. During this period the temple servitors offered holy rice porridge, known as ‘Kheer’ ( Akkaraadisil ) in local language, to the lord. During the present anavasara period of every year thousands of devotees visit this temple to get the blessings of Lord Alarnath and to taste the mahaprasad ( famous holy ‘Kheer’).

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Here one can have darshan of LORD with chaturbhuja .Lord holds chakra in his upper right hand, Lotus in his lower right hand, Conch in his upper left hand and club in his lower left hand. Garudazhwan , kneels at the feet of the deity with his hands folded in prayer position.

Lord Krishna’s queens Rukmini and Satyabhama also give darshan inside the temple. The Deity of Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu also gives darshan to the devotees .

There is a stone slab before the LORD which bears impressions from Sri Chaitanya’s body.


When Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu first lay in full respect in front of Lord Alarnath, the stone below Sri Chaitanya maha prabhu melted from His blissful touch.

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Photos : Courtesy : Google
Srimathey Ramanujaya namah
JAI JAI JAI JAGGANATHA

Please check the travel details of Jagganath Puri dhaam  in this link

 https://kazhiyurvaradanblog.in/2015/01/01/jaya-jaya-jagannatha-sacira-nandan/

 

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