We are at the sannidhi of Sri Lokanayaki, the Queen and Consort of Sri Thadalan. She is also called Sri Mattavizhkuzhali [ஸ்ரீ மட்டவிழ் குழலி]. Alwar says that the flowers decorating the hair of Sri Thayar is fragrant and honey oozes out of them. She is closely associated with Sri Trivikrama. We may have a doubt. Emperor Mahabali acquired all the three worlds from Indra. Indra prayed to the Lord for regaining his lost wealth. The Lord appeared and decided to regain the property by donation from the Emperor. He was in the bachelor [பிரம்மச்சர்யம்] stage as begging for donation was undignified for married ones. Swami Vedanta Desika says that since Sri Lakshmi never leaves Her place on the right chest of the Lord, He used deer skin to cover His chest. Brahmacharis or bachelors, are expected to use deer skin on their sacred thread [பூணூல்]. This way the Lord hid His identity as a married one and also avoided the grace of Sri Lakshmi on the Emperor, as he was to lose all his acquired wealth. Sri Vamana arrived at the yagna site and demanded three steps length of land, from the Emperor. So, His right arm was extended to recieve [ dhana hastham]. When the Emperor agreed, He grew to gigantic form and with the right foot, first step, He covered all the Universe. Then He raised His left foot upwards to measure entire upper worlds as the second step. With one more step remaining, the Lord asked which was the place, for the next step. We can see Sri Thadalan, asking for that remaining one step by showing one by His left arm. Thirumangai Alwar traces this in his pasuram 'oru kuralai' [ஒரு குறளாய்..]. We can appreciate the numbers 1,2,3,etc., in this pasuram. Utsava Moorthy graces with upper arms holding discus and conch, lower right arm in abhaya mudra and left lower arm holding the mace. He is accompanied by Sri Lokanayaki Thayar. Pushkarini is Sanka Chakra pushkarini. Vimanam is Pushkalavartha vimanam. Now we will see the 12th sloka. In the 11th sloka, the Lord mentioned how people mistake His simple appearance of human form and deride Him, without understanding His true Majesty. He further explains in sloka 12, that such people are not going to attain any benefits. What is the result? is explained:
moghasa mogha-karmano
mogha-jnana vicetasah
rakshasim asurim caiva
prakritim mohinim sritah
"Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demonic and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities, and their culture of knowledge are all defeated."
Mohinim = capable of confused or deluded; that is wrong impression about the Lord will be in them. Sritah = attain, rakshasim = rakshasa behaviour and rakshasa births, asurim = asura behaviour and asura births. That is those who attain these behaviour or births will not understand the true image of the Lord and will get confused. Arjuna asks, but there are many who perform yagna and pooja, will they not attain their desires? Vicetasa = true understanding will not be. That is in the last sloka He mentioned some as muda or fools. They will never get the proper understanding of the Lord. How are they? Mogha= wasted desires [amogham = utilised or not wasted]. Sri Rama's arrows are called amogham, as they were never wasted and every arrow did its assignment without fail. But here these persons' desires will never be fulfilled. Because they have no true understanding of the Lord. But they do some karmas like yagna or pooja. Every karma we do, we should know for whom that karma was dedicated to and who would grant the desired results. Our actions also should be sincere. For example, jyotishtahomam is being performed. The person doing should know it is dedicated to Indra. But he should also realize that the results are to be granted by the Lord residing as Antharyami in Indra. Without this knowledge that karma will never get the person attainment of the desired result, namely status of Indra. Here not properly understanding means understanding with great contempt or maliciousness. Mogha karmana = wasted karma. They do not understand He is the yagna, He is the holy fire, etc. Mogha gyana = wasted knowledge; that is wrong and mistaken understanding. Greatest person is mistaken as ordinary; Donor is mistaken as beggar. Emperor mistook the Lord as a bachelor. We should know that the great Sri Trivikrama appeared as Sri Vamana. These people thus do not properly understand because of rakshasa and asura behaviour.
2 comments:
I have a doubt; is it also not said that even if we do not understand a mantra or sloka and recite it, we would get the benefit of reciting that? The example, that I have heard, is how a brahmachari says "Bhavati Bhiksham Dehi" and even when he does not realize its meaning, he finds his vessel with rice. As the people who hear him say that know what it means and offer him "Bhiksha"
Again, I am not an authority.But try to interpret in this way. It is with malice knowledge or vipareetha gyana, that if we do a karma, we are not likely to get the results. Examples are Hiranyakasipu,Ravana,etc. It is correct, as per Newton's Third law, every action will have its effects, but some might not be what we desired.
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