Pattadakal

This temple at Pattadakal, Badami in Karnataka is of very old .

This is maintained by ASI.

Beautiful landscapes have been laid arround the temples.

Restoration by ASI is impressive.

Entry fee is Rs 10 Only per head for all Indian Nationals.

Click on thumbnail for full picture.

Reflects Great Mumbai

Bead Flower

         This flower with bead like buds and its unique curve shape , make it to be one of the most beautiful flower. I do not know its name. I named it myself "bead-flower" due to its appearence.

God is my priority and I am prepared to forgo anything

God is my priority and I am prepared to forgo anything
-The above was a stand taken by Maharaja of Tiruvanathapuram in year 1900.
Read : Tiruvanathapuram as Tiru + Ananta + Padma naaban
Tiruvanathapuram , the Kerala's capital is named for its temple .The main deity of this Thiruvanandhapura Kshetram is Sri Anantha Padmanabhan.Here Lord Vishnu reclines on the sacred serpent Anantha,from this temple.
 Padmanabhaswamy temple is considered one among the 108 sacred temples (Divya Desh-am) in India dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The ancient texts of Padma purana and Skanda purana have mentions about this temple.This temple in its present form is built by Maharaja Marthanda Varma (1729-1758), one of the most powerful rulers of Travancore. The work on the temple was started in 1731. In 1750, the Maharaja dedicated his kingdom to Lord Padmanabha, the presiding deity of the kingdom and assumed the title Padmanabhadasa or the servant of Lord Padmanabha.
 From that day onwards the rulers of Travancore carry out all their princely and spiritual duties as the servants of the Lord.

Now comming back to our Title, why Maharaja of Tiruvantapuram took such a stand and his preparedness for renunciation is explained in the below article appeared in the newspaper. Here is the Link.
 http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article75146.ece

I request you all to follow this link and read the article.

Gajendra Moksham

Gajendra Moksham

Trikutha mountain ranges are 1000 yojanas long with three peaks (tri +kutha). One peak is clad with gold, other with silver and third with bronze.

Gajayuthavam: The head of a biggest Elephant heard, along with his acompanions moves along the Trikutha mountain range and reaches a lake .Besides lake many trees, climbers, singing coo coo birds ,dancing peacock, bunches and bunches of flowers, sizzling river, a full moon at sky. Who ever see this view they will fall in love. Such is the beauty of the lake. To this lake Gajayuthavam reaches along with his female companions. He keeps playing with his companions by breaking the bamboos and even feeding on few tender bamboo branches. With such a romantic mood Gajayuthavam reaches the lake.


From the bunches of flowers, hanging from the trees, few petals have fallen on the lake and were appearing on the surfaces of water like gold pendants. Among the apparent pendants were real lotus flowers blossomed on the water surface. At a glance they were no less than the golden lotus. Gajayuthavam was delighted at the golden lotus and dipped his leg inside the lake and his desire was to pluck the golden lotus and worship Lord Sriman Narayana.

A crocodile was hiding deep inside the lake and no sooner the elephant dipped its leg inside water, the crocodile clutches elephant’s leg.

The elephant tries to release himself from crocodile clutches. He utilizes all his energy to overpower the crocodile. They both got locked and the tug-off continued for over 1000 years of Devas. (Hint: 1 earth year is equal to one day for Devas, 360 such days equals one year for Devas)


Elephant was pulling himself out to land, but the crocodile was pulling elephant inside water. In this fight the elephant started losing its power bit by bit. The elephant was getting dragged inside water. Its knees went inside water, then the hips, and shoulders. Only its trunk was outside water.


The elephant now thought it can no more rescue itself because inside water crocodile is powerful vice-versa elephant on land. As the elephant got dragged from its strong hold land to deep waters, the elephant realized it is losing the battle and so his life.

So the Elephant now decides to call the Lord Narayana. But the elephant calls HIM with these properties.


1. Akila Karanaya


“the Supreme Personality of Godhead: who is responsible for the entire creation of universe, please come and rescue me”. [(nothing is left out in the count of creation) and (the count of creation being infinite)]


2. Arputha Karanaya

“the Supreme Personality of Godhead: who is responsible for Protecting His entire creation of universe, please come and rescue me”. [(As the string holds the entire beads in necklace, at first hand only beads could be seen. But Lord as a (one) string holds His creation (beads) in place is not visible. Lord (only) protects His creation invisibly)


3. Nish Karanaya


“the Supreme Personality of Godhead: for whom no one above exists for His creation, please come and rescue me”.


...The call of Elephant now reaches Vaikuntam, His Abode and hits the ears of Lord. Narayana was too much agitated by the cries and immediately jumped from his asana. Lord immediately summoned his vehicle Garuda and jumped off Vaikuntam without following customary procedures like drum-beats.Narayana’s mind did not have place for those customs now because he was much concerned to save his bakta, the elephant Gajayuthavam.


Instead of His delicate approach to Garuda to ride him up to Trikutha Mountains, He demands Garuda to approach fast because Narayana could not imagine the sufferings of his bakta, the Elephant and at once wants to reach and save His bakta. As Garuda was flying, Lord Narayana felt the speed of Garuda was not sufficient .Narayana asked Garuda to stop flying. He got down and in a surprise reversed their role. Lord Narayana carried Garuda on his shoulders and flew till they reached Trikutha Hills.


As soon as Lord Narayana reaches the lake in Trikutha hills, He launches His Chakra. Lord aims His Chakra in such a fashion that mouth of crocodile which clutched His bakta’s legs for over 1000 years got split into two. Elephant Gajayuthavam's pain got relieved at once and removed his legs.


Then came an astonishing confession from elephant. Narayana please do not mistake me for calling you to rescue me. My intensions were never to rescue this materialistic body and even if I lose this body in fight the atma will reach You only. But I called You because I plucked this golden lotus and want to adorne you with this lotus flower. What
I feared was that I may lose this opportunity to serve you. So I call you.


Hearing such a noble desire from his bakta, Lord Narayana came close to elephant, and bent down on His knees and lifted the injured leg of the elephant with love and affection. Lord Narayana thought at looking at the wound that for 1000 years I should have not left this elephant unprotected. Narayana thought He should have come much earlier. With such thoughts he slowly messaged wounds on the legs of elephant.

Looking at this scene from Vaikuntam and Indralokam all Vaikuna-vasis and Devas looking from sky showered flowers. They thought that Gajayuthavam was the best of all Bakta’s. They were so impressed and thought elephant Gajayuthavam was a perfect Bakta to Lord.


Inference: When elephant and crocodile where fighting over 1000 years, why did the Lord Narayana come a bit earlier for rescue?
The answer was simple.
First the elephant thought he himself was mighty enough to overpower the crocodile .When elephant started losing, elephant thought his companions, brothers ,sisters, elders in the heard would come and rescue. But when all elephant’s allied forces were getting lost one by one then elephant thought that it can no more rescue itself. Elephant utterly surrendered to Narayana saying you are the only rescuer.


Lord also does not come himself. Narayana waited until elephant completely surrendered to him. Narayana did not respond for 1000 years because elephant did not surrender to him and elephant thought it can save himself or he could be saved by his companions or brothers or sisters in his heard. But as soon as the elephant surrendered to Narayana completely, Narayana rushed to Gajaythavam’s rescue immediately.


For example when Prahalad was rolled over from hill top by Hiranyakashup’s army, Prahalad, a best devotee of Lord Narayan ,firmly believed and surrendered to HIM. Hence Prahalad was rescued immediately.

In our life also Lord does not come to our rescue till we are completely surrendered to HIM.

---
The author prays and thankful to all who had taught him these stories. The author  prays at the holy feet of Bagavan Sriman Narayan, for creating a desire in me to write this story.

Finally a request to the readers: Please forgive me for all the errors that you find in the text of story.

Please send your comments as a value addition to me.