Monday, January 4, 2010

Narayaneeyam Dasakam: 13 -- Slaying of Hiranyaaksha

Slaying of Hiranyaaksha


Hiranyaksha was a great devotee of Lord Brahma. He worshiped him for years and in return Lord Brahma gave him a boon. According to the boon no God, human, Asura, devta, animal or beast would kill him. Hiranyaksha started torturing the people on earth as he was assured of his immortality. His powers grew by the day. He was such a giant that mother earth trembled when he walked and the sky cracked when he shouted.


He started harassing devtas and invaded Indra’s palace. Fearing for their lives, devtas took shelter in the caves of mountain ranges of earth. To harass devtas, Hiranyaksha grabbed earth and submerged it in paatal lok. Mother Earth sank to the bottom of the ocean.

At this time Manu and his wife Shatarupa was ruling over earth. Seeing this Manu & his wife came to Lord Brahma, bowed and said, “Father, tell us how we may serve you & ensure our happiness in this world & the next. Where should Shatarupa and I live as Mother earth is submerged in the ocean?”

Lord Brahma became worried and thought that mother earth should be rescued.As Brahma meditated to Lord Vishnu, a tiny Boar fell from his nostrils. Wondering what that creature was, it grew and grew till it was a size of a large Mountain. It was Lord Vishnu and he said, “I will enter into the ocean to lift Mother earth out of it.” He took the form of a boar to kill Hiranyaksha because while getting the boon from Lord Brahma, among all the animals, he  forgot to mention boar as an animal.

Hiranyaksha stood in the middle of the ocean and turned from side to side churning it. When Sage Narad appeared there, the demon asked whether there was anyone more powerful than him. The sage said it was Lord Narayana who is the supreme one. Angered by this response, the demon sought to search for Narayana in the three worlds. He rolled the earth like a mat and carried it to the nether worlds.

Hiranyaksha saw a huge boar dive and take the earth from where he had hid her. He was enraged and in awe at the same time. He taunted the boar, "Hey! Where do you think, you are going. I, the great Hiranyaksha challenge you to a fight. Let us see whether you have the guts to fight me. "

The boar and Hiranyaksha fought each other. But this time Hiranyaksha had met his match. No matter what he did, the boar had an answer for it. The boar fought brutally and cleverly managing to weave inside and outside the defences of Hiranyaksha.

Brahma warned Vishnu, “You’ve only an hour before the sunset. Destroy the demon before it’s dark so that he gets no opportunity to resort his black magic.” Hearing Brahma’s word’s Hiranyaksha hurled his mace towards Lord Vishnu but later flung it away. Having lost the mace, Hiranyaksha began hitting out with his fists on the chest of the boar.

 He fell over his head and died on the spot In this way Lord Vishnu in Varaha avatar slayed Hiranyaksha and saved Mother Earth from harm.






Dasakam: 013 -- Shlokam: 01
हिरण्याक्षं तावद्वरद भवदन्वेषणपरं
चरन्तं सांवर्ते पयसि निजजङ्घापरिमिते ।
भवद्भक्तो गत्वा कपटपटुधीर्नारदमुनि:
शनैरूचे नन्दन् दनुजमपि निन्दंस्तव बलम् ॥१॥


hiraNyaakshaM taavadvarada bhavadanveShaNaparaM
charantaM saanvarte payasi nijajanghaaparimite |
bhavadbhaktO gatvaa kapaTapaTudhiirnaaradamuniH
shanairuuche nandan danujamapi nindamstava balam || 1

Oh Varada ! Hiranyaksha was roaming about in the knee-deep waters of the delugelooking for Thee. At that time, Sage Narada then approached the Asura,Hiranyaksha who was at that time wandering about in the waters in search of Vishnu.The waters of ocean hardly reached his knees.So you can imagine the huge size of the Asura.Narada was a great diplomat.He flattered the Asura and vehemently criticized the Lord to achieve his end.
Dasakam: 013 -- Shlokam: 02
 स मायावी विष्णुर्हरति भवदीयां वसुमतीं
प्रभो कष्टं कष्टं किमिदमिति तेनाभिगदित: ।
नदन् क्वासौ क्वासविति स मुनिना दर्शितपथो
भवन्तं सम्प्रापद्धरणिधरमुद्यन्तमुदकात् ॥२॥


sa maayaavii viShNurharati bhavadiiyaaM vasumatiiM
prabhO kaShTaM kaShTaM kimidamiti tenaabhigaditaH |
nadan kvaasau kvaasaaviti sa muninaa darshitapathO
bhavantaM sampraapaddharaNidharam udyantamudakaat || 2

Narada, who wished to provoke the demon against Thee, "Alas!" Narada said, "How is it thatthe deceitful Vishnu is allowed to whisk away your 'earth', O mighty one?" The Asura roared with rage, "Ha, Ha, Ha!Where is this Vishnu? Where is he?" where he was. Thus, following the direction given by the sage, he reached Thee, as Thou were rising up from the waters with the earth..
Dasakam: 013 -- Shlokam: 03
अहो आरण्योऽयं मृग इति हसन्तं बहुतरै-
र्दुरुक्तैर्विध्यन्तं दितिसुतमवज्ञाय भगवन् ।
महीं दृष्ट्वा दंष्ट्राशिरसि चकितां स्वेन महसा
पयोधावाधाय प्रसभमुदयुङ्क्था मृधविधौ ॥३॥


ahO aaraNyO(a)yaM mR^iga iti hasantaM bahutarai
rduruktairvidhyantaM ditisutamavaj~naaya bhagavan |
mahiiM dR^iShTvaa damShTraashirasi chakitaaM svena mahasaa
payOdhaavaadhaaya prasabhamudayunkthaa mR^idhavidhau || 3
 
As he saw the huge animal form of Vishnu,the Asura could not control his laughter.He abused the Lord, "O, this is only a wild animal." In the meantime, Mother Earth resting on the tusks of Varaaha was trembling in fear due to the confrontation by the demon.The Lord then placed the earth gently on the waters and got ready for a fight.


Dasakam: 013 -- Shlokam: 04गदापाणौ दैत्ये त्वमपि हि गृहीतोन्नतगदो
नियुद्धेन क्रीडन् घटघटरवोद्घुष्टवियता ।
रणालोकौत्सुक्यान्मिलति सुरसङ्घे द्रुतममुं
निरुन्ध्या: सन्ध्यात: प्रथममिति धात्रा जगदिषे ॥४॥


gadaapaaNau daitye tvamapi hi gR^ihiitOnnatagadO
niyuddhena kriiDan ghaTaghaTaravOdghuShTaviyataa |
raNaalOkautsukyaanmilati surasanghe drutamamuM
nirundhyaaH sandhyaataH prathamamiti dhaatraa jagadiShe ||4

As the Asura To start with, there was a fight with mace ("Gada")between Vishnu and Hiranyaksha was armed with a mace, Thou too flourished a mighty mace and sportingly gave him battle. As the clang of the clashing maces resounded in the sky, the hoasts of gods assembled eagerly to see the dual..Brahma cautioned the Lord that the demon had to be killed before nightfall.
Dasakam: 013 -- Shlokam: 05गदोन्मर्दे तस्मिंस्तव खलु गदायां दितिभुवो
गदाघाताद्भूमौ झटिति पतितायामहह! भो: ।
मृदुस्मेरास्यस्त्वं दनुजकुलनिर्मूलनचणं
महाचक्रं स्मृत्वा करभुवि दधानो रुरुचिषे ॥५॥


gadOnmarde tasmimstava khalu gadaayaaM ditibhuvO
gadaaghaataad bhuumau jhaTiti patitaayaam ahaha bhOH |
mR^idusmeraasyastvaM danujakulanirmuulanachaNaM
mahaachakraM smR^itvaa karabhuvi dadhaanO ruruchiShe || 5

During that combat, the Asura's stroke suddenly knocked down Thy mace to the ground. With a smile on Thy face Thou invoked Thy discus (Sudarshana) which is well known for slaying of the race of the Asuras. Thou looked magnificent as the invoked discus placed itself in Thy hands with a radiant smile.
Dasakam: 013 -- Shlokam: 06तत: शूलं कालप्रतिमरुषि दैत्ये विसृजति
त्वयि छिन्दत्येनत् करकलितचक्रप्रहरणात् ।
समारुष्टो मुष्ट्या स खलु वितुदंस्त्वां समतनोत्
गलन्माये मायास्त्वयि किल जगन्मोहनकरी: ॥६॥


tataH shuulaM kaalapratimaruShi daitye visR^ijati
tvayi Chindatyenat karakalitachakrapraharaNaat |
samaaruShTO muShTyaa sa khalu vitudamstvaaM samatanOt
galanmaaye maayaastvayi kila jaganmOhanakariiH || 6
Hiranyaksha then took a trident,which was broken to pieces with the discus (Chakra).The demon then hit the Lord with his fists.He also resorted to various magical feats of warfare. against Thee,which may deceive the whole world but does not effect Thee who are above all Maya. 

Dasakam: 013 -- Shlokam: 07
भवच्चक्रज्योतिष्कणलवनिपातेन विधुते
ततो मायाचक्रे विततघनरोषान्धमनसम् ।
गरिष्ठाभिर्मुष्टिप्रहृतिभिरभिघ्नन्तमसुरं
स्वपादाङ्गुष्ठेन श्रवणपदमूले निरवधी: ॥७॥


bhavachchakra jyOtiShkaNa lavanipaatena vidhute
tatO maayaachakre vitataghana rOShaandha manasam |
gariShThaabhirmuShTiprahR^itibhiH abhighnantamasuraM
svapaadaanguShThena shravaNapadamuule niravadhiiH || 7
When the illusions created by the Asura were all dispersed being hit by a powerful spark of Thy divine discus, the Asura's mind was overcome by intense rage ;While the Asura was madly attacking the Lordwith heavy punches with his fist,the Lord in the form of Varaaha gave a fatal blowwith the toe of His leg at the base of the ear of the demon.

Dasakam: 013 -- Shlokam: 08महाकाय: सो॓ऽयं तव चरणपातप्रमथितो
गलद्रक्तो वक्त्रादपतदृषिभि: श्लाघितहति: ।
तदा त्वामुद्दामप्रमदभरविद्योतिहृदया
मुनीन्द्रा: सान्द्राभि: स्तुतिभिरनुवन्नध्वरतनुम् ॥८॥


mahaakaaya sO(a)yaM tava charaNapaatapramathitO
galadraktO vaktraadapatadR^iShibhiH shlaaghitahatiH |
tadaa tvaamuddaamapramadabharavidyOtihR^idayaaH
muniindraaH saandraabhiH stutibhiranuvannadhvaratanum ||8

That gigantic Asura crushed by the powerful blow of Thy foot, fell down with blood flowing out of his mouth. The sages praised his slaying. Then those great sages,whose hearts were delighted, with deep, enhanced, fervour, extolled Thy virtues The Sages began to sing various hymns in praise of the Lord in the special "Avatar" of "Varaaha Murthy".The form of Varaaha symbolically representedthe very embodiment of a "HOLY YAGNA

Dasakam: 013 -- Shlokam: 09त्वचि छन्दो रोमस्वपि कुशगणश्चक्षुषि घृतं
चतुर्होतारोऽङ्घ्रौ स्रुगपि वदने चोदर इडा ।
ग्रहा जिह्वायां ते परपुरुष कर्णे च चमसा
विभो सोमो वीर्यं वरद गलदेशेऽप्युपसद: ॥९॥


tvachi ChandO rOmasvapikushagaNashchakshuShi ghR^itaM
chaturhOtaarO(a)~Nghrau srugapi vadane chOdara iDaa |
grahaa jihvaayaaM te parapuruSha karNe cha chamasaaH
vibhO sOmO viiryaM varada galadeshe(a)pyupasadaH || 9

O Infinite Lord! In Thy skin are the Vedic Mantras, Thy hair are the 'kush' grass, Thy eyes are the ghee, Thy feet are the four sacrificing priests, Thy face is 'sruk',( the ladel for sacrifice) and Thy stomach is the 'Ida' (the vessel which holds the sacrificial ingredients), Thy tongue is the soma pot. O Lord! Thy ears are the chamasas (the vessel which holds the sacrificial remnants) and Thy virility is soma. O Bestower of Boons! in Thy neck are the sacrifices called Upasat, (the subsidiary rites). Thou are the embodiment of the holy Yagna.The Sages could see through, that each and every partof the body of the Great Boar, "VARAAHA",compared magnificently well withsome ingredient or other, some utensilor priest or thing required for a holy, sacrificial "YAGNA".
Dasakam: 013 -- Shlokam:10
 मुनीन्द्रैरित्यादिस्तवनमुखरैर्मोदितमना
महीयस्या मूर्त्या विमलतरकीर्त्या च विलसन् ।
स्वधिष्ण्यं सम्प्राप्त: सुखरसविहारी मधुरिपो
निरुन्ध्या रोगं मे सकलमपि वातालयपते ॥१०॥


muniindrairityaadistavanamukharair mOditamanaaH
mahiiyasyaa muurtyaa vimalatarakiirtyaa cha vilasan |
svadhiShNyaM sampraaptaH sukharasavihaarii madhuripO
nirundhyaa rOgaM me sakalamapi vaataalayapate ||

O Lord of Guruvaayur! O Destroyer of Madhu! Delighted with the hymns of the sages Thou shone with Thy huge and adorable form and taintless glory and retired to Thy abode of Vaikunth, revelling in Thy innate Bliss. Oh Lord ofGuruvayur !May Thou be pleased to eradicate all my ailments.