BG 10.11

We have been studying Bhagavat Gita along with visits to various Kshetrams. Gita has many words and the Lord is in every temple as the substance of those words. We are listening to the words and worshiping the Substance. Earlier it was told that in the Thirunangur Kshetrams, the Lord is gracing as Sri Krishna in Three Kshetrams. Today [12th August 2008] we are at one such Kshetram, which is very much related to our study. Gita was delivered by the Lord Sri Githacharya. He sermoned to Arjuna from the seat of the Chariot, nearly 700 slokas of Gita. Though He was the Chariot Driver for Partha, that is Arjuna, He lectured as an Acharya. In the Thirunangur Kshetrams, in one place He is gracing as Sri Partahsarathy. We have come to that Kshetram. Almost all Kshetrams are named after Him. But the Lord always prefers His devotees' to get prominence. Better are the devotees' devotees, than His devotees. The Lord is more delighted to have His devotees' names propagated than His own. This Kshetram is one such with His devotee's name. Yes, we are at Thiru Parthan palli. The Lord appeared before Partha and fulfilled Partha's desire. This temple is slightly off the main route. Going from Sirkazhi to Kaviri poom Pattinam [காவிரி பூம் பட்டினம்], now known as Poompuhar [பூம்புகார்], we reach Thiruvenkadu [திருவெண்காடு]. From here in the west direction at about 3 Km, is this Kshetram. Due to it being away from main route, many pilgrims do not visit this temple. But we have to remember one important sloka, which is well known:
yatra yogeswara krishno yatra partha dhanurdhara:
tatra sreervijayo bhoothirdhruva neethirmathir mama ||
This sloka was told by Sanjaya to Dhridharashta, after the Gita sermon was over. Where Sri Krishna, Yogeswara is, and where Partha is with his bow, there prosperity, victory and wealth are. So, where Sri Krishna and Arjuna are together, prosperity, victory and wealth will be. In the entire 108 Kshetrams, it is only here that there is a separate sannidhi for Arjuna and Sri Krishna also graces along with. Worshiping here will reveal the truth of Sanjaya's words. So, to get Sri: [Wealth], vijaya [victory] and bhoothi [prosperity], we should visit Thiru Parthanpalli [திரு பார்த்தன் பள்ளி].




But how this name came to be for this Kshetram? How Arjuna is here? We have already seen that in these Eleven Kshetrams, the Lord had arrived from other important Kshetrams. The Lord here had arrived from Kurukshetra. Once Arjuna came to down South. He was visiting one by one various temples. When he came here he saw sage Agasthya and others meditating. Arjuna felt great thirst and could not locate any source of water. He requested Agasthya, but unluckily, there was no water in his Kamandalam [water pot]. Agsthya, by his power, could realize that it was a game plan of the Lord and so he advised Arjuna to pray the Lord. Sri Krishna appeared before Arjuna when he prayed and gave him a sword. When Arjuna scratched the earth by the sword, instantly water sprang out. That is why this temple pond -pushkarini - is called Kadka Pushkarini [Kadkam = sword]. Since the Lord appeared here for the sake of Arjuna, that is Partha, this place is called Partthan palli. Palli means temple or place. Sri Krishna ordered Arjuna also to be with Him and so in a separate sannidhi Sri Krishna and Arjuna are gracing. Thirumangai Alwar in the guise of the Lord's sweetheart's mother, has composed 10 pasurams. Every pasuram ends with partthan palli paaduvale [பார்த்தன் பள்ளி பாடுவாளே]. That is the mother tells that 'her' daughter is thinking only of the Lord and she is always singing His names. The temple has a tall main Gopuram. Thirumangai Alwar calls the Lord as Sri Thamaraiyal Kelvan [தாமரையாள் கேள்வன்].It is also one of the Divine names of the Lord here. We enter the garbha gruha, after crossing the maha mandapam and artha mandapam. We will now see the sloka 11. In sloka 10, the Lord told that He grants to them, who perform Bhakti without any reward, His dharsanam. He grants Para Gyanam, for those in Para Bhakti. With Para Gyanam, these people get many advantages and they eventually get Parama Bhakti and get Moksham. He told that He grants this with pleasure. How this dharsanam would be? We are visiting various temples and worshiping the Lord. It is also dharsanam. But the dharsanam mentioned in sloka 10 is slightly different. Here we can see the Lord as He is posing. But in the Para Gyanam or dharsanam, the Lord would converse and play with the devotee. When the Lord took Avatars many would have had these experiences. But that is impossible now. These devotees would be seeing the Lord as though He were physically with them; but it would not be real in the sense we know. This is called in our sampradhaya as dharsana samanakara sakshatkaram. Actual dharsanam would occur in Vaikuntam. This Para Gyanam or dharsanam, would be similar to that and so it is samanakara sakshatkaram. It would be something like a rehearsal for the real dharsanam at Vaikuntam. This view would be available to these devotees whether their eyes are open or closed, and in this earth itself. They will not be able to touch the Lord, but would be able to 'see' the Lord. It is something like an imagination being made to appear as real. We might imagine the Lord by closing our eyes, but that would last only a few seconds and would be overtaken by other worldly thoughts. But the buddhi yogam, Sri Krishna tells in sloka 10, is more real and enduring. No doubt, if we can get this experience quickly and if we can enjoy it for a long time in our life, it would be very pleasing. But, this experience would be felt just before one gets the third stage of Parama Bhakti, when the soul would reach Vaikuntam. So, after the Second stage these persons would not be alive in this world for a long time. Immediately the Lord grants the Third stage. Arjuna had a doubt. To have dharsanam of the Lord, one's mind should be pure. How can He appear in impure minds? What are those impurities? The longing to see worldly things or eat or smell, etc,. are the impurities. how dharsanam can be felt in such a mind? And, even if it is experienced, how can it sustain? As a reply the Lord tells:

tesam evanukampartham
aham ajnana-jam tamah
nasayamy atma-bhava-stho
jnana-dipena bhasvata

"To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance."

Tesam = those without expecting any reward perform Bhakti, anukampena = with [the Lord's] sympathetic blessings, [ kampam = tremour or vibration, anu kampam = sympathise or sympathetic vibration], eva = by that alone, as why his blessings are there can not be understood; He shows mercy or sympathy, because we are His children. Atma = [in such a devotee's] mind, bhava stha = [the Lord] establishes firmly His image and His auspicious qualities, jnana deepam = light of knowledge [about the Lord], bhasvata = illuminates brightly. The Lord ensures that in the mind of these devotees, the knowledge about Him, His image and His auspicious qualities are brightly illuminated. This removes darkness. That is this dispels the impurities Arjuna thought in his doubt. The Lord lights up brilliantly His qualities and image, and in that illumination, all the impurities and darkness are cleared. Aham = I [Sri Krishna], tama = darkness, ajnana = ignorance or infinite time karma and the consequent papa, jam = originated, nasayami = destroy. The Lord destroys the desire for worldly matters, by illuminating in the mind His image and His auspicious qualities. He does it because of the love or Sympathy for the devotee.