Swamy Parasara Bhattar the son of the great Acharyar Swamy Koorathalwan ardent devotee of Lord Ranganathar had immense love for the Lordships.
Once Swami Parasara Bhattar was going to have darshan of Lord Ranganathar at Srirangam. He saw few mendicants singing in the street and seeking alms.
Their faces were glowing with joy .
Bhattar thought how fortunate these mendicants were who could have the prasada left over by the vaishnavas that was offered to the Supreme Lord .(Shesha Prasada) .
He thought that there cannot be anyone more blessed than these people who were just under the shelter of the Supreme Lord always …
He instantly composed a sloka whose meaning goes like this ..
A man even if he becomes a King Emperor , is not contented .
Thinking of the momentary ephemeral joys and expecting that it would be better to experience permanent joys , aspires to have an earthy body even in heaven .
Further , looking at the royal glories of Indira he wishes to take the position of Indira. ..
On another side , Indira may aspire to take the position of Parama Shivan and ParamaShivan may look at the position of Brahma , being the first person well versed in all vedas and creator of this world.
Brahma may think it would be better to leave this world and gain wisdom by being a mukthpurusha …
The Mukthapurusha may aspire to become Nityasoories in Srivaikuntam.
The Nityasurees would aspire to better go to Srirangam and become a mere alms seeker at the entrance of the Supreme Lord’s temple .
They would imagine that mere sparsha of the offerings to LORD is elixir (which have been offered to the Supreme Lord as shesha prasada .).
My LORD !!
how great was your affection to the meek seekers of your help .
You who with a mere thought are capable of creation , preservation and destruction of this thought , came running to the help of an elephant which in some corner of the vast world sought your divine help when it was caught in the jaws of a crocodile .
My Lord !!!
After arriving in fractions of few seconds , you showered your affection , by holding and gently patting the feet of the fortunate elephant , feeling sorry for the injuries inflicted on the elephant and seeking apologies for the inability to help a devotee before the wounds were inflicted ….
One morning , Swamy Parasara Bhattar was reporting to the temple to carry out his duties as Chief Priest .
A devotee who was some what skeptical came out of the temple and informed Swamy Parasara Bhattar silently that a stray dog had entered into the temple and therefore a group of people were conducting Saanthi Homam and Purification ceremonies to purify the inner precincts .
Swamy understood that the group had some personnel benefits in carrying out the ceremony .
Bhattar instantly composed a sloka and submitted under the lotus feet of Supreme Lord whose meaning ..
Oh , Supreme Lord !!
A shanthi homam is being performed under the pretext of a stray dog entering this holy shrine .
You know !! That event however did not happen .
Oh Lord !!
What are You going to do now ?
…………….with this lowest creature that arrived into your holy shrine ..
and sees you very often ?
What kind of purification ceremony are you going to get done to sanctify ?
That was the devotion of Bhattar for the Supreme Lord Ranganathar
Once Bhattar was asked by one of his dear disciple , whether he would indeed like to go to Sri Vaikuntam .
Swamy replied with emotion ..
Definitely ” Yes , I would travel to Sri Vaikuntam and have the darsanam of Lord VaikuntanAthan to satisfy my curiosity .
Adiyen would whether
HE is as opulent , gracious , enthralling and captivating as our Supreme Lord Ranganatha .
And If Lord VaikuntanAthan does not match up to my expectations , I would return right back to Srirangam by jumping from the sky and land here and continue to serve our Supreme Lord Rangan .
Swamin …
Adiyen has no interest in the sastras declaring that there is no return to this earth for one , who reaches Sri Vaikuntam ” .
Sri Paraasara Bhattaaryas Sri Rangesa Purohitah | Sri Vatsaanga Suthas Srimaan Sreyase Mae Asthu Bhooyase ||
Adiyen Ramanuja dasan
Pics Credits : Advanced devotees of Lord who shared these pics in social media
