Narayaneeyam Dasakam 27

 

Narayaneeyam Dasakam 27 - Kurma Avataram

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Sage Durvasa gifted a celestial Garland to Indra, which he obtained from the heavenly nymphs. Indra put the Garland on the elephant Irawatham and in-turn the elephant crushed it under its feet. Durvasa born of Rudra amsam, could not control his rage on the insult done and cursed Indra. 

Indra, supposed to be young always, due to the curse, became very old and weak, started to lose battles against Asuras. Devas became worried and went to Shiva and Brahma, and then collectively went to Lord Vishnu and requested his intervention. Lord directed devas to make peace with asuras and churn the milk of ocean to get the divine nectar, which can keep devas young and alive always. 

Devas made peace with asuras and lifted the Mandara mountain to use it to churn the milky ocean. The mountain slipped and fell down, which Lord himself picked it up and put it in to the ocean. With Vasuki, the mighty serpent as the churning rope, the devas and asuras started to churn the ocean. Lord tactfully made asuras hold the head side of the snake and devas the tail side. 

While churning, due to self-weight, the mountain started to sink in the ocean. Helpless, devas then prayed to the Lord, who incarnated as tortoise or Kurma and bore the weight of the entire mountain on its hard shell and lifted it up to enable churning further. Then devas and asuras started to churn the ocean faster, when it started to topple, but Lord held it firmly in the water with his lotus like hand.

Wonder struck, Brahma, Shiva and other gods sang in praise of the Lord, showering flowers from the heavens. Vasuki started to emanate poison from its mouth and this made Asuras very uncomfortable and the heat was experienced by devas and other gods as well to little extent. Lord with his mercy, now made rain shower over Gods and devas but not on asuras.

After churning for long time, Nectar did not come; only fishes and aquatic organisms were thrown out of the ocean. Lord seeing the plight of devas, started to churn the ocean with his two hands holding two ends of Vasuki. Bhattathiri appreciating the mighty actions of the Lord, requests him to relieve him of his ailments.

PS: In Amrutha mathanam, at every stage, when mandara malai slipped off the hands, the mountain went in to the milky ocean due to self weight, when vasuki expelled venom and fire, when the devas, asuras became tired and still got only the ocean curdled resulting in water species to come up but no sign of nectar, Lord helps to perform the actions further.

Brahmasri  Anantharama Deekshithar says without the help of the divine, nothing is possible even with hard efforts. When this is true for Devas, the blessed ones in indralokam, then what to say for common people like us. We need his blessings and divine support to accomplish anything in life.

The Tortoise Incarnation

Dasakam: 027 -- Shlokam: 01

दर्वासास्सुरवनिताप्तदिव्यमाल्यं
शक्राय स्वयमुपदाय तत्र भूय: ।
नागेन्द्रप्रतिमृदिते शशाप शक्रं
का क्षान्तिस्त्वदितरदेवतांशजानाम् ॥१॥

durvaasaassuravanitaapta divyamaalyaM
shakraaya svayamupadaaya tatra bhuuyaH |
naagendra pratimR^idite shashaapa shakraM
kaa kshaantistvaditara devataamsha jaanaam || 1

The sage Durvasa once gave a celestial garland to Indra, which he had got from heavenly nymphs. When he saw the garland being crushed by Indra's elephant, Seeing this , the sage cursed Indra. Since Durvasa was not born of Thee, (but of Rudra), tolerance was not one of his qualities. Where can forbearance be seen except in those born of and blessed by Thee.

Dasakam: 027 -- Shlokam: 02

शापेन प्रथितजरेऽथ निर्जरेन्द्रे
देवेष्वप्यसुरजितेषु निष्प्रभेषु ।
शर्वाद्या: कमलजमेत्य सर्वदेवा
निर्वाणप्रभव समं भवन्तमापु: ॥२॥

shaapena prathitajare(a)tha nirjarendre
deveShvapyasurajiteShu niShprabheShu |
sharvaadyaaH kamalajametya sarvadevaa
nirvaaNaprabhava samaM bhavantamaapuH || 2

O Bestower of Liberation! Indra known as the unaging one, became aged as a result of Durvasa's curse. His followers, the Devas lost all their glory and were defeated by the Asuras. Oh Thou Source of Deliverance ! The gods along with Shiva and others went to Brahma and they all took refuge in Thee.

Dasakam: 027 -- Shlokam: 03

ब्रह्माद्यै: स्तुतमहिमा चिरं तदानीं
प्रादुष्षन् वरद पुर: परेण धाम्ना ।
हे देवा दितिजकुलैर्विधाय सन्धिं
पीयूषं परिमथतेति पर्यशास्त्वम् ॥३॥ 

brahmaadyaiH stuta mahimaa chiraM tadaaniiM
praaduShShan varada puraH pareNa dhaamnaa |
he devaa ditija kulairvidhaaya sandhiM
piiyuuShaM parimathateti paryashaastvam || 

Oh Varada! Brahma and the other gods sung Thy excellences for long. O Bestower of Boons! Thou then manifested Thyself before them in great glory and commanded them to make peace with the Asuras and then prepare to churn the milk ocean for nectar.

Dasakam: 027 -- Shlokam: 04

सन्धानं कृतवति दानवै: सुरौघे
मन्थानं नयति मदेन मन्दराद्रिम् ।
भ्रष्टेऽस्मिन् बदरमिवोद्वहन् खगेन्द्रे
सद्यस्त्वं विनिहितवान् पय:पयोधौ ॥४॥

sandhaanaM kR^itavati daanavaiH suraughe
manthaanaM nayati madena mandaraadrim |
bhraShTe(a)smin badaramivOdvahan khagendre
sadyastvaM vinihitavaan payaHpayOdhau ||4

Devas made peace with the Asuras and with great pride carried the Mandara mountain for use as a churning rod. The mountain fell from their hands on the way. Then Thou seated on Garuda, picked it up as if it were a tiny berry and installed it in the milk ocean.

Dasakam: 027 -- Shlokam: 05

आधाय द्रुतमथ वासुकिं वरत्रां
पाथोधौ विनिहितसर्वबीजजाले ।
प्रारब्धे मथनविधौ सुरासुरैस्तै-
र्व्याजात्त्वं भुजगमुखेऽकरोस्सुरारीन् ॥५

aadhaaya drutamatha vaasukiM varatraaM
paathOdhau vinihita sarva biijajaale |
praarabdhe mathanavidhau suraasuraistair-

vyaajaattvaM bhujagamukhe(a)karOssuraariin || 5

Then quickly placing Vasuki snake as the churning rope, the Devas and Asuras started the process of churning the milk ocean in which all kinds of herbs and seeds had been put. Thou then cleverly made the Asuras hold the head end of the snake.

Dasakam: 027 -- Shlokam: 06

क्षुब्धाद्रौ क्षुभितजलोदरे तदानीं
दुग्धाब्धौ गुरुतरभारतो निमग्ने ।
देवेषु व्यथिततमेषु तत्प्रियैषी
प्राणैषी: कमठतनुं कठोरपृष्ठाम् ॥६॥

kshubdhaadrau kshubhitajalOdare tadaaniiM
dugdhaabdhau gurutarabhaaratO nimagne |
deveShu vyathitatameShu tatpriyaiShii
praaNaiShiiH kamaThatanuM kaThOrapR^iShThaam || 6

When the ocean was thus vigorously churned, the churning stick, the Mandara mountain, due to its own heavy weight, began to sink in the rolling waters below. Seeing the gods becoming distressed by this, Thou, wishing to help them, took the form of a hard backed tortoise.

Dasakam: 027 -- Shlokam: 07

वज्रातिस्थिरतरकर्परेण विष्णो
विस्तारात्परिगतलक्षयोजनेन ।
अम्भोधे: कुहरगतेन वर्ष्मणा त्वं
निर्मग्नं क्षितिधरनाथमुन्निनेथ ॥७

vajraatisthiratara karpareNa viShNO
vistaaraatparigata lakshayOjanena |
ambhOdheH kuharagatena varShmaNaa tvaM
nirmagnaM kshitidharanaathamunninetha || 7

O All pervading Being! by diving deep into the ocean Thou lifted up the sinking mountain on Thy back which was harder than a thunderbolt and more than a lakh of Yojanas in width. Entered the depths of the ocean, and lifted the lord of the mountains, that lay sunken there.

Dasakam: 027 -- Shlokam: 08

उन्मग्ने झटिति तदा धराधरेन्द्रे
निर्मेथुर्दृढमिह सम्मदेन सर्वे ।
आविश्य द्वितयगणेऽपि सर्पराजे
वैवश्यं परिशमयन्नवीवृधस्तान् ॥८॥

unmagne jhaTiti tadaa dharaadharendre
nirmethurdR^iDhamihasammadena sarve |
aavishya dvitayagaNe(a)pi sarparaaje
vaivashyaM parishamayannaviivR^idhastaan || 8

When the mountain was lifted up, they, the Devas and Asuras all churned with great force and enthusiasm. Thou at that time, entered the hearts of the two groups and the lord of serpents, enthusing them and driving away their fatigue.

Dasakam: 027 -- Shlokam: 09

उद्दाम भ्रमण जवोन्नमत् गिरीन्द्र-

न्यस्तैक स्थिरतर हस्त पङ्कजं त्वाम् ।

अभ्रान्ते विधि गिरिशादय: प्रमोदात्

उद्भ्रान्ता नुनुवु: उपात्त पुष्पवर्षा: ॥९॥

uddaama bhramaNa javOnnamadgiriindra

nyastaikasthiratara hastapankajaM tvaam |
abhraante vidhigirishaadayaH pramOdaadudbhraantaa
nunuvurupaatta puShpavarShaaH || 9

To prevent the Mandara mountain from being toppled, owing to the vigorous churning and the consequent speedy revolution, Thou, held it firmly in place with Thy lotus like hand. Seeing this, Siva, Brahma and others, showered flowers on Thee from the heavens and sang Thy praises full of wonder and delight.

Dasakam: 027 -- Shlokam: 10

दैत्यौघे भुजगमुखानिलेन तप्ते

तेनैव त्रिदशकुलेऽपि किञ्चिदार्ते ।
कारुण्यात्तव किल देव वारिवाहा:
प्रावर्षन्नमरगणान्न दैत्यसङ्घान् ॥१०॥

daityaughe bhujagamukhaanilena tapte
tenaiva tridashakule(a)pi ki~nchidaarte |
kaaruNyaattava kila deva vaarivaahaaH
praavarShannamaragaNaannadaityasanghaan || 10

The poisonous breath emanating from the serpent's mouth, made the demons feel parched and uncomfortable. The gods also felt the heat, but to a lesser extent, The Devas were also to some extent troubled. O Lord! By Thy compassion the clouds were made to rain on the Devas to cool them, but not on the Asuras.

Dasakam: 027 -- Shlokam: 11

उद्भ्राम्यद्बहुतिमिनक्रचक्रवाले
तत्राब्धौ चिरमथितेऽपि निर्विकारे ।
एकस्त्वं करयुगकृष्टसर्पराज:
संराजन् पवनपुरेश पाहि रोगात् ॥११॥

udbhraamyad bahu timi nakra chakravaale
tatraabdhau chiramathite(a)pi nirvikaare |
ekastvaM karayugakR^iShTa sarparaajaH
sanraajan pavanapuresha paahi rOgaat ||11

Inspite of being churned for long, the ocean remained unchanged, though many fish crocodile and other aquatic creatures were thrown up. Thou alone, then, shining brilliantly, with Thy two hands pulled the two ends of the serpant. Oh Guruvayurappa ! May Thou, of such amazing prowess, Relieve me of my diseases.