I will always worship the elephant faced Siddhi Vinayaka who provides whatever we wish for
The saints, the demon clans of Yaksha and Kinna worship him. The entire universe knows about Ganapathy. He resides at the centre as the root and basis for existence in the body (the centre of மூலாதாரச் சக்கரம்). He has a sweet meat made of steamed rice.
The saints and the learned worship Him. The fourth day of the moon in Bhadrapada (August-September) is Vinayaka Chaturthi, the day of Ganesha’s birth. He holds the noose, the goad in his hand and has a fan and a royal umbrella. He has a peaceful and divine face devoid of anger and gory. Younger brother of the son of Rohini, Krishna worships Him (For info – On the advice of Narada, Krishna worshipped Ganesha to rid himself of the undeserved disrepute he acquired when the Syamantaka gem was lost. (Pl ref https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syamantaka for the story on the Shyamantaka gem). He is the son of Lord Siva and Parvathi. He is the elder brother of Guruguha (pen name of the composer) . He looks after the welfare of devotees by providing the wealth they need. He is radiant and has four hands
The Tamil Classic “Peria Puranam” narrates the incident of Sundaramurti Nayanar immersing 12000 gold coins in the river Manimutharu at a place called Thirumudukundram (near Viruthachalam, Cuddalore) and retrieving gold from the Kamalalaya tank at Tiruvarur and taking the help of this Vinayaka to assess its purity as per the directions of Lord Siva. Hence the Ganesha on the banks of the Kamalalaya Tank in Tiruvarur got the name Mattruraitha Vinakayar (Vinayaka who assayed)
This Kriti is in praise of “Mattruraitha Vinakayar (மாற்று உறைத்த விநாயகர் – Ganesha who evaluates gold and assess its purity) whose shrine is on the banks of the Kamalalaya Tank in Tiruvarur.
Please protect me the elephant faced Great Ganapathy, the provider of intellect and remover of obstacles.
You are worshipped by the Vishnu, the father of the Lord of Cupid (Manmatha), Brahma and Indra. You reside by the Lotus Tank. You have tender legs and hands like the stem of the water lily. You are the elder brother of Guruguha (Lord Subramanya & the pen name of the composer). You are the son of Lord Siva
The gold assayer and the lord of obstacles with lotus feet and moon on the forehead wears white garments and is praised by human beings and Gods. He has a protuberant belly and holds a water lily, his own tusk, a noose, a goad and steamed sweet meat in his hands. He is the boat that enables humans to cross the oceans of births. His nature is to be the root of the universe (cause). He is the embodiment of immense joy with a radiance brighter as thousand Suns. He is praised by the poets. He rides on a mouse and is worshipped by assembly of gods. He is the abode of eternal liberation.
I constantly salute the son of Gauri, the devotee of Vaasudeva who uses a snake as a couch. He is the Lord of the group of attendants of Shiva . Lord Indra and the Devas serve him. He wears a snake as a garland and is worshipped by sages. He holds his favorite sweetmeat (of liberation). He has an elephant face. He destroys the unlimited ego garva of Lord Chandra (moon). He grants happiness to those who bows to Him and protects His devotees who pray Him. He removes the obstacles fir our liberation.
I consider myself as extremely fortunate to make an attempt to understand the Dance of the Yuga from a three dimensional (Literary, Music and Dance) perspective. My learning has been immense. There is only one to thank – The Lord Himself. What better way to conclude these set of blogs than with a composition by Lalitha Dasar made universally popular by the legendary Carnatic Musician Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagawathar and later on by Dr KJ Yesudass.
I surrender to the holy lord of the town created by Lord Guru and Lord Pavan (Guruvayur). The Lord is Sri. Krishna, who is dark like the rain bearing cloud and lives in the cattle rearing village (Gokulam). He is worshipped by Narada and Shiva and is the is protector of the three worlds. He is worshipped by Brahma and Indra ,shines greatly holding a flute and gives happiness to the damsels of his village. He cannot be defeated and is very magnanimous. He as pretty as hundred Gods of Love (Manmatha). He is a never ending source of mercy and is like the Chakora bird to the moon like face of Radha. He is the divine brother of Parvathi.
With its eyes flaming and its breath emitting deadly poisonous fumes, generatingintense heat all round, that serpent lord, bit Thee hard, but finding Thee unmoved,wrapped itself tightly around Thee, who hath unlimited power and strength. Quiteamazing, indeed.
Meaning in Tamil
கண்கள்அனல்கக்ககொடுவிடக்காற்றுவெளிமூச்சென
கடும்வெப்பம்சூழகடித்திட்டான்காளிங்கன்!
கடுவிடம் பயனுறுமோ மாயவனிடம், கண்ட மறுகனம்
சிக்கெனப்பற்றி சுற்றிவளைத்தான்சின்னக்கண்ணனை
Sanskrit Sloka 7
अविलोक्यभवन्तमथाकुलिते
तटगामिनिबालकधेनुगणे।
व्रजगेहतलेऽप्यनिमित्तशतं
समुदीक्ष्यगतायमुनांपशुपा: ।।७॥
English Transliteration
avilOkya bhavantamathaakulite
taTagaamini baalakadhenugaNe |
vrajagehatale(a)pyanimittashataM
samudiikshya gataa yamunaaM pashupaaH || 7
Meaning in English
The Gopa boys and the cows were waitng on the banks were getting worried andrestless, when they did not see Thee, and went to the bank of the river Yamunaa. In the houses in Gokula also the Gopas saw hundreds of evil omens and they also rushed towards Yamuna.
Meaning in Tamil
கண்ணனைக்காணாமல்கடுந்துயர்கொண்டு
ஆநிரையும்ஆயர்ரபாலகரும்நதிக்கரைசென்றனர்
ஆயர்பாடியில்இழிசகுனம்பலகண்டு
ஆயரும்விரைந்தனர்யமுனைநதிநோக்கி
Sanskrit Sloka 8
अखिलेषुविभोभवदीयदशा–
मवलोक्यजिहासुषुजीवभरम्।
फणिबन्धनमाशुविमुच्यजवा–
दुदगम्यतहासजुषाभवता॥८॥
English Transliteration
akhileShu vibhO bhavadiiyadashaa
M avalOkya jihaasuShu jiivabharam |
phaNibandhanamaashu vimuchya javaat
udagamyata haasajuShaa bhavataa || 8
Meaning in English
Oh Lord ! Seeing Thy condition, all of them, overcome by grief, decided togive up their life in order to save Thee, when, all of a sudden, Thou, freeing Thyself from the deadly grip ofthe serpent, rose above the waters, smiling casually.
Meaning in Tamil
மாயவனைக்காணாமல்மாளாத்துயர்கொண்டு
மாண்டிடுவோமெனமக்கள்உறுதியிட்டநேரம்தனில்
மின்னலெனஅரவுப்பிடிவிடுத்துகுறுநகைதனைகொண்டு
யமுனைநீர்உள்ளிருந்துஉதயமானான்மேகவண்ணன்
Sanskrit Sloka 9
अधिरुह्यतत: फणिराजफणान्
ननृतेभवतामृदुपादरुचा।
कलशिञ्जितनूपुरमञ्जुमिल–
त्करकङ्कणसङ्कुलसङ्क्वणितम्॥९॥
English Transliteration
adhiruhya tataH phaNiraajaphaNaan
nanR^ite bhavataa mR^idupaadaruchaa |
kalashi~njita nuupura manjumila
t karakankaNa sankula sankvaNitam || 9
Meaning in English
Then Thou mounted on the hoods of the serpent king and danced with Thy delicate beautiful feet. The gentle sound of the anklets mingled beautifully and rhythmically with the tinklings of the bangles on Thy wrists.
Meaning in Tamil
சின்னஞ்சிறுபதங்களின்சிலம்பொலியுடனே
கைவளைகாப்புகள்குலுங்கொலிகலந்து
அழகியமென்மலர்பாதகங்களுடன்
நாகமகுடமேறிநாட்டியம்ஆடினான்நாராயணன்.
Sanskrit Sloka 10
जहृषु: पशुपास्तुतुषुर्मुनयो
ववृषु: कुसुमानिसुरेन्द्रगणा: ।
त्वयिनृत्यतिमारुतगेहपते
परिपाहिसमांत्वमदान्तगदात्॥१०॥
English Transliteration
jahR^iShuH pashupaastutuShurmunayO
vavR^iShuH kusumaani surendragaNaaH |
tvayi nR^ityati maarutagehapate
paripaahi sa maaM tvamadaanta gadaat ||10
Meaning in English
As Thou performed the dance, the Gopas rejoiced, the sages sang hymns, and the gods showered flowers. O Lord of the Guruvaayur temple! Such that Thou are, save me from the severe illness.
On this auspicious day of Bhoomi Puja for the Ram Mandir at the birth place of Lord Sri Ram (05th August 2020), here is my humble offering – a translation of the epic bhajan by Goswami Tulsidas “Sri Ramachandra Kripalu Bhaja mana” in my mother tongue Tamil.
Audio Link
Pl listen to TM Krishna immersing himself in Yamuna Kalyani (Yaman Kalyan) praising Sri Ramachandra
“O Mind ! Pray to compassionate Ramachandra who destroys the great fears of life. With eyes like a new lotus, with a face like a lotus and feet like a crimson lotus.
With boundless splendour like innumerable cupids, he is as beautiful as a new blue cloud . I bow to that groom of Janaka’s daughter, who is like a lustrous white lightning in his yellow garments.
I bow to the Sun-like friend of the wretched, destroyer of the demons dynasties. Son of the Raghu dynasty, root of joy, gladdens the Kosalas, son of Dasharatha.
Beautiful with a crown on his head, earrings, and mark on his forehead and limbs generously decorated. With long hands to his knees, holding a bow and arrow, winner of the battle with khara and dhUshaNa.
Thus says Tulsidas “He who pleases the minds of Shankara and Adisesha, who has contempt for the wicked things like desire, please dwell in the lotus of my heart”
Prabhu's Ponder 