Brahmotsavam - Garuda Sevai (Day 3 Morning) @ Kanchipuram Varadarajar Kovil

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Dr.NVS

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Kausik Sarathy" <vishnusarathy@yahoo.com>
Date: May 31, 2015 7:11 PM
Subject: Brahmotsavam - Garuda Sevai (Day 3 Morning) @ Kanchipuram Varadarajar Kovil
To: "Andavan Yahoogroups" <andavan@yahoogroups.com>, "Sriramanuja" <ramanuja@yahoogroups.com>, "Srirangasri" <srirangasri@yahoogroups.com>, "Sri Vaishnava Dubai" <srivaishnava_dubai@yahoogroups.com>, "Divya Desam" <divya_desam@yahoogroups.com>
Cc:

Namaskaram,

It gives adiyen immense pleasure to scribble about the most famous / attractive Vahana purappadu of Brahmotsavam, yes the Garuda Sevai. Tomorrow @ Perumal kovil would be an action packed day. There are a lot of events lined up starting with Garuda Sevai followed by Sri Narashima jayanthi and Hanumantha vahanam in the evening and culminating with Namazhwar sattumurai.

 

Be sure to reach very early in the morning and make arrangements to stay the whole day, you would enjoy every moment and cherish the moment for many years to come.  

 

Garudan is addition to performing his kaimkaryam as Emperuman's vehicle is also known as veda swaroopam. Swami Desikan had prayed to Garudan in Aushada giri in Thiruvendhipuram, who gave the Swami the moola mantharam and the deity of Lakshmi Hayagrivar.

 

Before our Varadar flies out of the Rajagopuram, we get to have glimpse of Doddayacharya sevai. During this sevai, our lord is shielded from our views for a short while with two kodai's. To understand / enjoy this we need to go back in time.

 

Some 450 years back, one devotee by name Doddayacharya lived in the temple town of Sholingar and was engaged in kaimkaryam to Lord Narashima. Yes the same Doddayacharya swami who wrote a commentary on Vedantha Desikan's Satadhooshani, called Chandamarutham. He was very attached to Varadar of Kanchipuram. He never used to miss the Garuda sevai of Devathirajan during brahmotsavam. One year due to advanced age was not able to make the trip to kanchipuram. He was disturbed and on the day of Garuda sevai while having his bath in Thakkan kulam (local pond), early morning, he expressed his inability of not being perumal kovil and felt dejected.

 

At that time in kanchipuram our Perumal was about to leave the kovil. On not seeing his devotee amongst those assembled, our lord expressed his desire to leave Kanchipuram to give his dharshanam in sholingar. The priests on the vahanam were instructed by our Perumal to shield him with kodais. At this very moment the acharyan, in sholingar, had the vision of Varadar in Garuda sevai in all its glory.

 

To commemorate this event, even today, our lord is hidden from public view for a short time. Later a temple was built on the banks of thakkan kulam, which is being maintained by his descendants even today. Make a note to take their blessings the next time you visit Sholingar.

 

The kreedam adorned by Devathirajan during Garuda sevai is called thanga toppagaram. This thiruabarnam gets to adore our Lord only once a year. If not for anything, utleast for this we need to be there. Please don't miss this when you have dharshan tomorrow. Varadar after the ride is also attached to enhance your pleasure.

 

Tomorrow the prabhada ghosti would recite moonRaam thiruvanthaathi and the following pasuram is so apt for Garuda vahan purappadu.

polinthirukaNda kaarvaanil minnEpOl thOnRi            2338

malinthu thiruviruntha maarvan,

polinthu garudanmEl koNda kariyaan kazalE,

therudanmEl kaNdaay theLi. 

 

Vardar performed a miracle during one of the Garuda sevai purappadu and was witnessed by none other than Robert clive, shall share the details when I describe Nachiyar thirukolam on 5^th day.

In my next mail I would try to share the little things I know when our lord would bless us as Rama.

 

Andavan thiruvadiya charanam

Perundevi sametha Devathirajan thiruvadiya charanam

 

Dhasan,
Kausik Sarathy

File Photo courtsey Sri. Kesavabashyam and Friends @ Kanchi