Veda gyan

Welcome to the 19^th issue of Vedagyan!

Srimat Bhagavat Gita

Verse2 Chapter1

sanjaya uvaca
drishtva tu pandavanikam
vyudham duryodhanas tada
acaryam upasangamya
raja vacanam abravit

Sanjaya says, that seeing the formation of Pandavas, Duryodana approaches his teacher Dronacharya and speaks to him.

 It also implies that whenever mind is compelled to submit to a discipline like yoga, first thing that would happen is, the mind will seek the support of the intellect, to ascertain that, its out bound consciousness or earthly consciousness is firmly entrenched and will not be disturbed! As we have seen earlier that Kurukshetra can also mean this body!  

The Story of Sri Andal

Andal was a venerated female Alwar and a Vishnu baktha and an avathara of Bhoomadevi, who married Lord Ranganatha.

She was found as a child by another Alwar Sri Vishnuchitta (one who always thinks of Lord Vishnu) in his garden. He named her Godha. Recall the sloka of Vishnu sahasranama where the Lord Vishnu says that “Who so ever thinks of me always and worships me without break then I take up his welfare as my duty”. Such was the character of Sri Vishnuchitta. As he was a naishtika brahmachari a strict follower of celibacy, he did not get married. So requested the women folk of his neighborhood to take care of the baby.

Years passed and the girl grew to be a handsome maiden! Sri Vishnuchitta used to pluck flowers and stitch them into garland and carry it to the presiding deity Sri Rangamannar. She used to help her father in his routine and in his rituals. She also was an ardent devotee of Lord Ranganatha. When she was young child she used to hear a lot of stories about the exploits of Sri Vishnu and his Avatharas or incarnations and his enchanting personality. Now she had resolved that she would marry only Lord Ranganatha and none else! One day when Sri Vishnuchitta returned from his daily routine he happened to peep into Sri Godha’s quarters. Usually she used to keep the garland ready for Sri Vishnuchitta to carry it to the Lord. That day since Sri Vishnuchitta returned little early he went near her living quarters to fetch the garland from her. What he saw shocked him and he became very nervous and burst into her room and reprimanded her for her conduct. She had actually adorned herself with the garland and stood before the mirror to watch her own bewitching beauty! But she had done this to make sure that the length of the garland is suitable to the deity, as she used to imagine herself as the bride and the Lord as the groom!

Sri Vishnuchitta told her that her act was a grave mistake and should seek pardon from the lord. Saying so, he went out to get a new garland from the flower vendors nearby. He took the new garland and rushed to the temple. He adorned the deity with it; no sooner he looked up the garland broke and fell down. He rushed again and got a new one and that also broke. This went on for several times, Alwar presumed that because his daughter wore it before she had displeased Lord very much. At that time to his utter surprise he heard the voice of the Lord, asking Sri Vishnuchitta to bring him only the garland that was first worn by his daughter! This was not fully comprehensible to the Alwar even then he did what he was told to do.

He went back and told his daughter to make a garland and wear it herself and then give. Then he took it to the deity, this time the garland stood without breaking! Every day passed as it is. Alwar would only carry the garland after his daughter tries it on her. Alwar, as any other parent get his daughter married to a suitable groom and was anxious to search for one. But when he broke the news to his daughter he was in for yet another shock of his life. She told him emphatically that she would only marry the Lord Ranganatha and none else! Startled Alwar explained to her that would be impossible, and the Lord in the present times would not assume physical form to accept her hand. But she countered him saying that Bakthi or devotion to the Lord would make him appear in person. To this argument Sri Vishnuchitta had no counter and accepted it. He added that stead fast contemplation on Lord alone could achieve this objective. He was also afraid that due the tough goal she has set for herself she might even remain a spinster. He wept alone and confessed that he was without any attachment to worldly desires, after Sri Godha came into his life he started showering upon her, the parental affection and now he is confronted with a situation where he can not see her suffer in her life! That very night the Lord Ranganatha appeared in his dream and told him that He would marry Vishnuchitta’s daughter as desired by her and he should go ahead and make all arrangements for the wedding and on the appointed day bring the bride to the temple sanctum sanctorum. There He would personally appear and claim her!

Did He personally appear and claimed her hand? To know, wait for the next issue! 

The man with two wives, the story continues…..

The second wife with two strands of hair heard about the transformation the first wife had gone through and the rags to riches story of her husband. She was infuriated and shook in rage! She at once decided to undertake the journey to the forest herself and get the elusive bewitching beauty and the riches! Lo! She encountered the very same bush that spoke to her in a soft voice!

It told her to fetch a pail of water and quench its thirst! Though she did not pay any attention in the beginning she later listened to the bush! Instead of showing sympathy she grew wild and kicked the bush forcefully and hurled abuses. She shouted that she had been victimized by her husband and would not tolerate any one disturbing her hunt for wealth. Telling this she strode further. She met the snake which requested her to lift it and leave it under the shade of a tree; instead she greeted it with a thud of a stone, causing an injury! Then she came across the horse that requested her to get the horse gram from the nearby field and feed it. She wouldn’t oblige and gave it a thrashing. She finally arrived at the river bank. The river was placid; it spoke to her in a soft voice and beckoned her to move across without whipping the mud underneath. This request fell into deaf ears! She did not heed to the river’s request and just did the opposite of what she was told to do.

She any how reached the other side and there appeared an angel and she told her to stay in the temple and wait for the priest to finish his pooja and partake the food offering left by him after taking bath in the temple tank! The lady looked much disinterested and had determined what to do next. First of all she was hungry. She waited till the priest appeared the moment he stepped into the temple she gave a loud shriek and this frightened him and he ran away without completing his daily routine. Immediately she took away the food that was let behind and gobbled it up! Since she was very tired she immediately fell asleep and slept like a log! Next morning when she got up she had lost those two strands of hair she used to have!! She grew very upset and set out to go back to her village, as nothing had happened.

The river was in spate and she could not cross it, when she attempted she was swept away and was battered and bruised and reached the other bank with torn clothing! She limped back, and was greeted by the wild horse that charged on her and she fell down on the boulders and got injured. No sooner she managed to stand up she was bitten the snake and though she did not die, she experienced excruciating pain; finally she managed to reach the edge of her village where she saw the entire path was strewn with menacing thorns! That pricked her foot and left it profusely bleeding! After all this she reached her village totally worn out and the villagers abused her and did not allow her to come into the town. She had spend her night in the cold and realized that her behavior was responsible for this state of affairs. She repented and sought pardon from her husband and his other wife. They were so nice that they not only gave her food and shelter but also nursed her wounds!

We shall meet in the next issue and discuss more about our great tradition and ethos!