Padmapada - The Narasimha Devotee (Part 2)

For Part 1, click here

http://sharmalanthevar.blogspot.com/2014/03/padmapada-narasimha-devotee-part-1.html

The previous story of Sanandana and the hunter happened during his Purvashrama. Purvashrama is the life period just before a person enters Sanyasa. Sanyasa is the period in life when someone becomes a complete renunciate.

Sanandana enters Sanyasa with the blessings of his guru, the great Adi Sankara.

Once Adi Sankara called his disciples for help from across the river. The disciples, including Sanandana was on the other side of the river. Adi Sankara wants to cross the river but there was no boat at that time.

So the disciples were not able to help him. But the devoted Sanandana walked towards the river with pure devotion and love towards his Guru. Seeing this, the Goddess Ganga sent lotus flowers towards Sanandana. Sanandana stepped on the lotuses to cross the river and bring his Guru to the other side.

In order to commemorate this incident, Adi Sankara renamed Sanandana as Padmapada. In Sanskrit, Padma is lotus and Pada is foot or step. So Padmapada is he who stepped on the lotuses.

Sanandana then becomes Padmapada.

On one fine day, a Kapalika approaches Adi Sankara. Kapalikas are those who worship Shiva in a very fierce form. They conduct human sacrifices and use the Kapala (human skull) in their rituals.

Now you know how the Malay language got the word Kepala for head? 

Out of jealousy for his fame and debating skills, the Kapalika wanted to kill Adi Sankara. So he hatched a plot.

He told Adi Sankara:

"Oh wise Guru! I seek your help and blessings. I am a Kapalika. I was given a boon by Shiva. If I offer the head of a king or a head of a learned man, Shiva will grant me moksha"

Adi Sankara being the very merciful one could not say no. So he accepted it but with a condition:

"How can I say no to you oh great worshipper of the Lord? I agree to give my head but the sacrifice must be conducted in a secluded place without anyone knowing about it"

The Kapalika agreed.

On the agreed time and date, they both met. Adi Sankara entered the state of Samadhi to prepare for his head to be chopped. The Kapalika, dressed with bones and skulls took his sword, with the intention of killing Adi Sankara.

Nobody knew what was happening but at that time, Padmapada, the dutiful disciple of Adi Sankara saw the whole thing through meditation. He became furious, he was overcome by trance of the Narasimha.

He leaped and ran to the spot. Cought the Kapalika, roared like a lion and tore open his chest with his bare hands.

The loud noise shook Adi Sankara awake from his state of Samadhi. He saw a different Padmapada. He saw  Narasimha in him. With his golden skin, glorous white mane, the flesh of Kapalika and blood smeared all over him.

Padmapada's devotion towards his Guru and sincere worship towards Narasimha saved his Guru, the great Adi Sankara from being sacrificed by the Kapalika. The Kapalika, having being killed by none other than the Lord himself, attains moksha.

Adi Sankara will then go on and compose Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba, a hymn dedicated to Lord Narasimha.

I am a Saivite and this article is dedicated to the Vaishnavites who read my blog.

May Lord Narasimha showers his grace on all of us!

Prahlada and Narasimha

Padmapada - The Narasimha Devotee (Part 1)

About 1,200 years ago, there was a Narasimha Upasaka who lived in the Chola kingdom. His name was Sanandana. Upasaka is a word used to describe worshippers or followers of a deity. The word is also used by the Buddhist. Females are known as Upasika.

A Narasimha Upasaka is a person who worships Narasimha as his favourite deity or Ishta Deva. All concentration on Him alone. Narasimha is the 4th Avatar of Vishnu.

For many months, Sanandana was meditating upon Narasimha in a forest. He wished to see his Lord. But it was not easy to live in a forest. Despite all this, Sanandana continued with his meditation in the forest.

On one fine day, a hunter passed by Sanandana. He asked : 

Hunter: "Hey you! What are you doing in the forest?"
Sanandana : "I am meditating so that I get to see Narasimha"
Hunter: "Narasimha? What is that?"

Sanandana then describes the physical attributes of Narasimha. Body of a man, head of a lion. The hunter then mentioned that he has hunted in the forest for many years and never seen such being. He swears to return only after capturing the Narasimha.

Sanandana continues with his daily routine.

After a few days, the hunter returns. He helds a long rope. The other end of the rope is tied to something but it is invisible. The rope moved, there were thunderous roars.

Hunter: "Here. I have captured your Narasimha"
Sanandana: "Where? I cannot see it"
Hunter: "Can't you see it? I tied it with this rope"
Sanandana: "No! I see nothing. I hear roars, I realise there are movements but I cannot see it"

Sanandana then cries.

"Oh Lord! I spent many many months in this forest. Meditating upon you. You chose not to reveal yourself to me. But the hunter who did no penance is able to see you. What is this?"

At that moment, Narasimha responds.

"Blessed devotee of mine. You did meditate upon me but your meditation was not continuous. In between, you did your daily chores. You ate, you drank, you slept, you bathed. But this hunter who seeked me for days, did not sleep, did not bathe, did not eat, did not drink. He only had me in his mind and he was continuously thinking about me for the last few days. This is why he saw me first"

It then clicked! Sanandana realised that it is not the duration of worship that matters, it is the intensity of the worship that matters the most.

He fell on the Lord's feet and asked for his blessings.

At this point of time, you would have realised that the title says Padmapada but I kept using the name Sanandana in this article. You will know why in Part 2.

Click below for Part 2

http://sharmalanthevar.blogspot.com/2014/03/padmapada-narasimha-devotee-part-2.html