Ananthazhvan the great devotee of LORD VENKATESHWARA was preparing to come down to the south in order to attend a festival in lower Tirumala along with his disciples there. He took leave of the Lord of the seven Hills. He was accompanied by many devotees .
Walking down the seven hills amidst the devotees was time consuming due to the forest terrains path those days .
Swamy could see his disciples were tired and feeling hungry . He looked for a rivulet en route for distributing and honouring the prasadam When the vessel was opened , much to the surprise of everyone ,. they found the prasad was swarming with ants.
Swamy Ananthazhwan recollected Sri Kulasekhara Azhwars pasuram on the sanctity of the Thiruvengadam hills . ( Azhwar pleads Lord to get association of the LORD in any animate or inanimate form in the Holy hills .
He begins with Oh Lord , amongst the devotees here in this sacred hills may adiyen be blessed to become a bird near to the pond , else a fish in the pond , else a golden vessel of the aradhana which is constantly serving you , else a flower at your lotus feet , a tree and finally a stepping stone near your sanctorum .
Swamy Ananthazhvan advised his disciples they should not deprive those ants of the enviable distinction they had of their being eternally on the seven Hills. Swamy said each of the animate and inanimate being in the sacred Tirumala hills were Nityasooris who are constantly in service of the LORD .
It will be an offence to disturb their satsangha . With due respects to the little ants all of them trekked back to Tirumala hills and left the ants .The next day they once gain came down to Tirupathi to attend the festival .
For the great devotee even ants were Nityasoorees serving the Lord .
Kuleshekara zhwars pasuram
chediyAyavalvinaigaLthIrkkumthirumAlE
NediyAnE vEnGkatavA! Nin kOyilin vAchal
adiyArum vAnavarum arambaiyarum kidaNthiyanGgum
padiyAyk kidaNthu un pavaLa vAyk kAnNbEnE
Oh LORD SRI VENKATESHA!
You are the only one who can eradicate my karmAs. Adiyen want to be like the stepping stone at the entrance of your sannidhi where your great devotees, dhevas , gandharvas and humans long to seek your darshan. . Adiyen wish to lie as your door step where devotees,celestials and heavenly dancers wait in order to see your coral lips constantly……………………………..
Adiyen Ramanuja dasan..
Pics : Courtesy Google pics
