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A Report on Kaisika Ekadasi Utsavam at Thirukkurungudi Kshetram

Reported By: Senthil Kumar Ra:ma:nuja Da:sa

Due to grace of divyadampathis, and anugraham of theRku veedu - Sri Kurunga na:chiyaar same:tha Sri Vadivazhagiya Nambi, adiye:n attended the Kaisika ekadasi festival at Thiru-k-kurungudi.

As you all know that, this "Nampa:duva:n Charithram" was narrated by Sri Varaha Peruma:l to Bhoomi Piraattiyaar in Varaha Puranam. Nampa:duva:n was born in low - chandala - kulam, but was a great
bhAgavatha, devotee of Sri Kurungudi Nambi. It was his usual that on every eka:dasi, he used to observe "jAkratha vratham" - without sleeping full night, singing the glory of Lord and thinking about him-.

On one karthigai eka:dasi, Nampa:duva:n left to Kurungudi nambi temple to observe his fast and render some pAsuram using various paN's on Sri Kurungudi Nambi.

But unfortunately, he was caught by a Brahmara:kshasu on the way to Nambi temple, and it threatened him that it is going to consume him as food.

Nampa:duva:n argued with Brahmarakshasu that, he would return back soon after his vratham and darshan of Kurungudi Nambi, then it can took him as food. But Brahmara:kshasu was not in a position to believe
Nampa:duva:n. Brahmara:kshasu argued that, no one in this world would come back as food. -
Is there any possibility that a deer could escape after it was caught up by a lion? -

Then Nampa:duva:n started promising Brahmarakshasu that, if he is not going to return back, he would get sin of those who treat their guests with difference in hospitality, etc.,.,etc.,

But for none of Nampa:duva:n's promises, Brahmara:kshasu was not satisfied, and simply replied ---
The promise is like When a cow was caught up by a lion, the Cow promised Lion that it would return back after feeding it's calf (offspring)! So I am not going to leave you!

At last Nampa:duva:n promised that "Who ever thinks/say that Supreme Lord Sriman Narayanan is equivalent/on par with or inferior with other de:vatha:s, that pa:pam would catch me!"

After hearing this Brahmara:kshasu was annoyed by saying that, "Oh Bhagavathare!, What a promise you made!, None would dare to say like that. Now I believe on you, and soon return back. I will wait for you till our return"

Nampa:duva:n happily went to Sri Kurungudi temple, observed his jAkratha vratham, rendered pAsurams on Sri Vadivazhagiya Nambi using various pan's. The last pAsuram that he rendered on Nambi was based on KAISIKA PAN.

After Nampa:duva:n completed his eka:dasi vratham, while on the way to Brahmara:kshasu was interrupted by Sri Kurungudi Nambi Himself as an old man. He advised Nampa:duva:n to take another path to escape from Brahmara:kshasu. But Nampa:duva:n was not in a position to defer from his promise to Brahmara:kshasu. Hence Nambi said --- " It's usual in this lo:kam that, to save one's own life from an enemy,you can promise on various things, but it's not necessary to fulfill that vows"

But Nampa:duva:n argued that he would stand on Dharma and is going to fulfill the vow that he had made to Brahmara:kshasu. On hearing that, Nambi was happy and blessed Nampa:duva:n! Nampa:duva:n returned to Brahmara:kshasu and requested to consume him as food. Rather Brahmara:kshasu deferred from that point, and requested Nampa:duva:n to grant phalan of the pAsurams that he rendered on Nambi using various pan's.

Nampa:duva:n - "As per the promise, I returned back to you. Now you should not defer from our deal " Brahmara:kshasu - "Oh Bhagavathare!, Please grant the phalan of at least half of the pAsurams that you rendered on Sri Nambi" Nampa:duva:n - " I didn't praised Kurungudi Nambi based on any phalan. Now you have to consume me and Don't defer from your promise" Brahmara:kshasu - "Oh Bhagavathare!, Please grant the phalan of the last pAsuram based on Kaisika Pan that you rendered on Sri Nambi" Nampa:duva:n - "Initially you seemed to be aggressive and threatened me that you are going to consume my flesh as food, but now you are requesting for the phalan to rescue from your curse. Can you tell Who are you? What is your Poorvikam? What is your go:thram? "

Brahmara:kshasu - "Oh Bhagavathare! My name is Soma Sarma. I was a great vidwan in conducting Yagnams. Due to ahanka:ram, I made mistake while reciting the mantrams and was cursed by dEvars to became Brahmarakshasu. They also told that, I would be relieved from this curse after I met a devotee - from chandala kulam - of Sri Nambi at Thiru Kurungudi. Hence I request you to kindly grant me the phalan of the last pa:suram on Kaisika pan and relieve me"

After the above request, Nampa:duva:n granted the phalan of the pAsuram based on Kaisika pan and relieved the Brahmarakshasu from its curse!. 

The above would be enacted as drama in front of Sri Vadivazhagiya Nambi during every Kaisika Ekadasi at Kaisika Mantapam.

AdiyEn would like to share some pictures taken during the Kaisika na:takam at Thiru-k-Kurungudi on Kaisika Ekadasi day - 09-Dec-08.

http://picasaweb.google.com/b.senthil2002/KaisikaEkadasi#

Namo Sri Sundara Paripoorna:ya: