BG 16.16

Kasi was ruled by a King; but he and his queen had no child. So, the queen visited this place [Tirupati] and after bath in the pushkarini, prayed Lord Sri Govindaraja, for a child. The Lord agreed to grant her, if she could give Him something in return! When the queen inquired what He wanted, the Lord said that in return she should give a piece of land. She replied that since she was also ruled by the King, she has to get permission before offering the land. The Lord then said that if that was so, He also had to consult the Lord Sri Srinivasa at Tirumala to grant a child to her, as They mutually consulted before granting any! From this we understand that both Sri Govindaraja and Sri Srinivasa are same! The Lord arrived from Sri Vaikuntam, and is representing the Lord there, as Sri Srinivasa in Tirumala. Similarly, representing Sri Ksheerabdi Natha in Tirupparkadal [Milk Ocean], He is Sri Govindaraja, reclining at Tirupati. ' Sri Vaikunta virastaya swami pushkarini thate, ramaya ramamaanaya venkatesaya mangalam' - is the mangala sloka of Lord Sri Venkatesa. 'Esha narayana sriman ksheerarnavaniketana: Naga paryanka mudristya chapato maturam purim'. Thus the Lord at Sri Vaikuntam is at Ksheerabdi [Milk Ocean] and also here as Sri Govindaraja! Since all can not go up the hills, the Lord, out of mercy, is at Tirupati as Sri Govindaraja. He is atop the hills, so that hunters and animals could worship, He is here for citizens! Since we chant Govinda while climbing the hills, it is obvious that both Sri Srinivasa and Sri Govindaraja are same! In the last lecture we also saw that Sri Andal has mentioned Sri Govinda in Three pasurams in Tiruppavai.



Today's [28th May 2009] lecture is from Sri Pundareekavalli Thayar [ஸ்ரீ புண்டரீகவல்லி தாயார்] sannidhi. Both Sri Padmavati and Sri Pundarrekavalli, indicate lotus flower. The Lord's divine feet are lotus like; from His lotus like navel emerged a lotus flower, in which is seated lord Brahma; His hands are lotus like; His face and eyes are lotus like; above all, Sri Mahalakshmi is seated on lotus in His chest! She is gracing as Sri Pundareekavalli in this temple. One can expect His protection only when She is with Him. We now see the large Vahana mandapam, where all vahanams are parked. Why does the Lord come in procession on Vahanams? That would instill confidence in the devotees that the Lord would protect them. If required He would arrive on Hanuman or Garuda or Elephant or horse, and protect the devotee. Near this vahana mandapam is the sannidhi of Swami Koorattalwan, who composed the Pancha Stavam and who was a noble disciple of Swami Ramanuja. Opposite is the sannidhi, where Madurakavi Alwar and Swami Anantalwan are gracing. Both of them were born in Chittirai - Chitra [சித்திரை-சித்திரை]. Both of them preached and followed that Acharya was God. Already we have worshiped Sri Govindaraja, Sri Parthasarathy and Sri Andal. Nearby we find the sannidhis of all Alwars. Behind, is the sannidhi of Sri Kalyana Venkatesa Perumal. Now we will see sloka 16:

anekacittavibhrāntā mohajālasamāvṛtāḥ
prasaktāḥ kāmabhogeṣu patanti narakeśucau 16.16

At the end, all these people reach Naraka, says Sri Krishna to Arjuna. These Asura quality persons, do all wrong things and think of doing wrong things only; and, before they could think what they had done, their end comes and they reach Naraka, to suffer. As a result of all papa committed, they reach very ugly and frightening Naraka. Aneka = many, citta = thoughts, vibhranta = [as a result] pushed into. Thinking that the Lord is there to protect us, will be only thought we would have and we would not be straying in many thoughts. These Asura quality persons think that they were responsible for themselves, for their wealth, for their success, etc., and so entire responsibility is vested on them. With such haughtiness, they think of various ways to protect them and their properties and these thoughts make them astray. Such worries and thoughts make them, moha = delusions, jala samavrta = surrounded or immersed. Worries would lead to delusions. With wrong objectives, they do wrong things and find them unsuccessful. Again they try the same wrong methods and continue to suffer failures. Since they do not realize they are in the wrong track, they continue same wrong ways. Slowly, worries and delusions surround them. Finally, these persons become wicked persons. The amassed past papa, would make them to tread the wrong paths and continue. Ravana became a slave to Kama [lust]. He desired to have Sri Sita and continued all wrong ways. His objective was wrong and to succeed in that he tried all wrong ways. He ordered Mareecha to fool Sri Sita. He himself went in the guise of sanyasi to fool Her. He tried to fool Her, by cutting the head of an imaginary Sri Rama. He also tried to fool Sri Rama, by killing imaginary Sri Sita. Thus a wrong objective, makes the person to seek all evil methods. Prasakta = devoted in, kamabhogesu = cheap and illegal enjoyments, asucau = in flthy and frightening, narake = hell, patanti = [they] fall into. With evil objectives, persons like Ravana, pursue evil designs and acquire enormous papa. Before they could realize what had accrued to them, they meet death and are pushed into Naraka, as a consequence of the papa accumulated! Evil designs make us to have continuous planning; we should avoid them and with single objective of serving the Lord, we should have singular thought and lead simpler life. We should never complicate our otherwise simple life. The Lord does not expect much from us. With mind in Him, we get the quality of Devas and lead simple life. Instead, these persons not only have evil aims, but also have a false pride that they were responsible for all pomp and show they exhibited.