BG 11.16

We have come to worship the huge idol of the Lord in Thirupadakam [திருப் பாடகம்]. The Lord's body is very huge. From the name of this Kshetram we can understand how great He is. In the Thondai mandalam [தொண்டை மண்டலம்] region in Kanchi is situated this important Kshetram. Padu [பாடு] in Tamil means very large and great. Agam [அகம் ] means place. Being a very great place and associated with Sri Sridevi Nachiyar, this place is called Thirupadakam. The Lord is gracing as Messenger of Pandavas [ Sri Pandava Dhootha ஸ்ரீ பாண்டவ தூதன்]. He is in seated pose. Very large idol. In seated pose, in 25 feet height, perhaps this is the only Kshetram. In this Thondai region, in close proximity, the Lord graces in Sitting, Standing and Reclining poses, in Three Kshetrams. In that in Thirupadakam, the Lord graces seated. As we enter the temple, we see the tall dwajasthambam. After that on the right we see Matsya pushkarini [மத்ஸ்ய புஷ்கரிணி]. The Lord took Matsya avatar. We have heard of fish in pushkarini; but here the pushkarini itself is in fish [matsya] form. After this we cross maha mandapam, ardha mandapam and then reach the small garbhagruha. But as Sri Pandavadhootha, the Lord is occupying the entire garbha gruha. From Mahabharata epic, we will try to understand why the Lord has arrived here and why He is called by this name. Duryodhana refused to part with Pandava'sKingdom. Pandavas requested Lord Sri Krishna to act as their emissary. Sri Krishna was too eminent and there was no necessity for Him to act as messenger. But He agreed to act for the sake of Pandavas. He need not have acted as Chariot Driver, yet He did for Pandavas. The Lord left Upaslavya, to Hasthinapura, where Kauravas were reighning, and planmed to, at least, get Five villages for Pandavas. Pandu, the father of Pandavas had Two wives -Kunti and Madri. The First Three of the Pandavas - Yudhishtra, Bheema and Arjuna - were born to Kunti, while the other Two - Nakula and Sahadeva -were born to Madri. Sahadeva told Sri Krishna that they were not knowing how this war would end; nor they or Kauravas were interested in war. But, Sahadeva said that, Sri Krishna was interested in the battle being fought. So, he said that the only way to stop the war, was to bind Sri Krishna so that He was unable to move! In the guise of an Ambassador, Sri Krishna had planned to finish off the demons like Kauravas! In Villi Bharatham [Tamil rendering of Mahabharata in poems], the author says that Sahadeva was firm in his opinion that the Lord wanted to wipe out Kauravas and make Pandavas, the rulers of Hasthinapura. Sri Krishna asked Sahadeva whether he could bind Him? Sahadeva said that it would be possible if the Lord so desired; otherwise not. Sri Krishna agreed and Sahadeva was able to bind the Lord by a garland; and the Lord could not get Himself freed! He then requested Sahadeva to free Him! Sri Krishna, as the Emissary of Pandavas, entered Hasthinapura. Meanwhile, there was consultations among Dridarashtra, Duryodana, Sanjaya, Vidura, etc. Duryodana expressed that when Sri Krishna came, He should be arrested so that He would not be able to act as Ambassador for Pandavas. Vidura and Sanjaya controlled their laughter at this statement. They thought that Duryodana was talking nonsense. But in this mad proposals Dridarashtra exceded his son, by saying that instead of arresing Sri Krishna, they could bribe Him with Money and other needs! He thought he could make Sri Krishna as their emissary, by bribing! If one was fool, the other was greater fool. Sanjaya told Dridarashtra that instead of giving bribes to Sri Krishna, he could as well give merely Five villages to Pandavas and avoid a war. Dridarashtra was preapared for illegel bribes but not for honest return of at least a portion of Pandavas' property. But if Dridarashtra had agreed [ to Sanjaya's suggestion for Five villages to be made over to Pandavas], we would not be having Sri Pandavadhootha, in Thirupadakam! It is our good fortune that Dridarashtra did not change his mind! Duryodana planned as he suggested. He got a deep pit made in the Assembly hall; posted strong wrestlers in side the pit to capture Sri Krishna when He fell inside. He covered the pit by false materials and carpet. A throne was placed on the top so that Sri Krishna would sit on that and it would crash into the pit, where the wrestlers would arrest Him! It was a mad idea. Thirumangai Alwar laughs at this plan of Duryodana and says he was more cruel than a cobra! Sri Krishna entered Hastinapura. People were mesmerized; everyone stopped the actions they were doing. A mother stopped feeding her child. A cook stopped cooking. Sages, who were performing yagna, stopped. Sri Krishna entered the Assembly hall and Duryodana, offered Him the specially erected throne to sit. The Lord said that after all He was a mere Cowherd and would prefer to sit in a corner! Duryodana compelled the Lord to sit in that throne he had arranged. Normally, anyone would smell suspicion, if too much compulsion was made. Sri Krishna knew every act and plan of everybody. So, He reluctantly agreed and occupied the seat. The floor below started cracking and was collapsing. But the Lord instantly, enlarged Himself with a very huge form and the wrestlers below were all crushed below the pit. Sri Krishna challenged Duryodana to fasten Him and walked out of the Assembly. This happened when the Lord acted as a Messenger for Pandavas, long ago. But how the Lord came here? If it was a large, Viswaroopam of the Lord, He should have been standing only. Why is He seated here? We have to trace an incident which took place after Pandavas. Arjuna's son Abhimanyu married Uthara [உத்தரை] and they had a child Parikshit [பரீக்ஷித்]. He had a son Janameyaja [ஜனமேஜயன்]. We have heard in Srimad Bhagavatam, that King Parikshit was cursed by the son of a sage and was bitten to death by a snake. King Janamejaya, was angry that his father died because of snake bite and so, he decided to perform one sarpa yaga, by which all snakes would be eliminated. As he was doing that yagna, many snakes died, sage Vaisampayan approached him to stop the yagna and narrated Mahabharata story. But Janamejaya had an unfulfilled wish to see the Viswaroopam of the Lord. Hearing about Satyavrata Kshetra [Kanchi], he came here and meditated. The Lord accepting his prayers appeared as Sri Pandavadhoota and in in a huge form. The Lord thus, graced Janamejaya and sage Salisa here.



One leg is folded while the other is strtched. One can see even the nails of the toes! In many places even the Lord Himself would be the size of the foot of the Lord here! Right hand is in abhaya mudra and the left hand is pointing to His divine feet, for us to surrender. One can see the intricate sculpture, in the ornaments, garments, etc., on the idol. By viewing the Lord here it ould make us to understand and visualize sloka 15, we are to see. Everything can be seen on this Divine idol of the Lord and this is what Arjuna says, in sloka 15:

arjuna uvaca
pasyami devams tava deva dehe
sarvams tatha bhuta-visesa-sanghan
brahmanam isam kamalasana-stham
rsims ca sarvan uragams ca divyan

"Arjuna said: My dear Lord Krishna, I see assembled in Your body all the demigods and various other living entities. I see Brahma sitting on the lotus flower, as well as Lord Shiva and all the sages and divine serpents."

Arjuna starts praising the Viswaroopam of the Lord. Sanjaya mentioned what he saw in slokas 9 to 13. In sloka 14, Arjuna fell down to pay respect and saluted the Lord. Now, from sloka 15 to sloka 51, we will see what Arjuna saw, how he praised the Lord and his emotional utterings. Deva = using the Universe as a mere playground [Sri Krishna], tava dehe = in Your [Sri Krishna's] body, pasyami = [I, Arjuna, am] seeing, devam = all gods, tatha = likewise, bhuta-visesa-sanghan = the assembly of all living beings [and not merely higher persons like gods], sarvam = everything, brahmanam = [Four faced] lord Brahma, isam = lord Shiva, kamalasana-stham = seated on lotus flower. Lord Brahma was created by the Lord on His navel, which is like a lotus flower. Near him is lord Brahma's son lord Iswara or Shiva. Sarvam rsim = all rishis or sages, divyan = celestial, uragam = snakes like Vasuki. Arjuna says that He saw celestial snakes, all sages, lord Shiva, lord Brahma and all gods on the Body of the Lord in Viswaroopam. He saw all living beings in groups. Without any exception the Lord decided to show everything on His body and Arjuna saw them.