This incident took place 30 years ago . The Annual Brahmotsavam for Lord Varadaraja was being celebrated with piety and fanfare at the temple town of Kancheepuram.
The big day “Garuda Sevai” is conducted in Kancheepuram in the Tamil month of Vaikasi is of special significance.
The Lord of Lords was showering his abundant mercy on all the devotees assembled . A staunch devotee of Ahobila Jeeyar was fortunate to undertake the divine service to hold and carry the Royal umbrella that overspreads on the Lordships as the procession proceeds in the streets of Kancheepuram.
The festive mood is a fortune to watch . The procession was lead by the Temple Elephant , a cow , a horse and the fire crackers specialists . Few thousand thronged to witness the Lordships in escastcy .
The drummers and pipers followed behind them. Adhyapakas reciting Divyaprabhandam chants proceeded .Then followed the fortunate bearers of Lordships on their shoulders. The dandikas which they carried joyfully walking amidst emotional joy of singing…
Govindaa ..Govindaa ..Varadaa .
Govindaa ..Govindaa ..Varadaa .
Govindaa ..Govindaa ..Varadaa ….
was reverberating all around pulling all the starving souls nearer …
Behind them were the pundits chanting vedic hymns .
On the Pandal the Archakas stood close to the Lordships and behind the gaily decorated deity on the dandika stood the disciple who was a bit old , solemnly holding the stem of the pole carrying the spotless canopy that spread shade and splendor over the magnificent Lord who was pouring abundant mercy on the devotees who were thronging multitude.
The bearers of the divine Lordships out of devotion ran , sometimes walked , triumphantly displaying the weighty divine encumbrance on their shoulders .
The Priests had to balance themselves and handle the stage with caution perched in precautionary standing .As they proceeded after a brief halt in front of a devotees house the disciple devotee noticed an electric wire in front of him that was posing as an obstruction to the royal umbrella he was holding .
Before he could raise any alarm the dandikas ran fast as a result the electric wire pushed the Umbrella . The umbrella is a very heavy structure and before he could really manage he along with the umbrella were about to tumble down .
Helpless though he was ..his sincere devotion to Acharya made him think to recite the holy hymn Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalambam Strotram so that Prahalada Varadar would give him HIS helping hand .
As he did not have that much time , confused he decided to utter the holy name ..Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalambam and thus completely surrendered to the Lord
This train of thoughts occurred in split of seconds before he could hit the ground and miraculously he landed gently as if by a parachute his firm grip on the pole in tact .
Tears of joy rolled in his eyes .He stood awe in shock as nothing happened as he imagined . The Umbrella was intact and Lord was gracefully smiling at him .
His instant prayer recitation of one line gave him instant succor …
Jaya Jaya Prahalada varada
Jay Jay Lakshmi Narasimha
Adiyen Ramanuja dasan
Pics courtesy : Anudinam.org /Google images/varavara muni
videos : hindutara
Adapted from Narasimha Priya Magazine
