Yesterday, 27 April 2014, Jaya Chitrai Revathi; Sri Varaha Jayanthi was celebrated at SriRangam Sri Dasavatharan Sannidhi. Tirumanjanam was done to Varaha Perumal with milk, curds, honey, turmeric, sandal paste, raw coconut water etc. He was offered new vastram and beautiful garlands. The third avatharam of Vishnu, Varaha Perumal occupies a special place in our sampradhaya and is known as “Gnana Piran”. But this avatharam is more important as Bhuma Devi who is rescued from the grip of Hiranyaska, procures for us the Varaha charama slokam. The whole Varaha Puranam is in the form of a dialogue between Varaha Perumal and Bhumi Piratti. She is a Sarvajnai (all-knowing), but out of Her infinite compassion asks questions on our behalf which result in Varaha Charama slokam. The gist of the slokam is that When the body is healthy and the mind is firm surrender at His feet, then when the last moments come and the body is like a log or stone unable to move or think, Varaha Perumal will remember the deed and lead us to Moksham via the Archirradhi Margam. Swami Desikan’s Rahasya Shikamani is one of the Chillarai Rahasyams and discusses the Varaha Charama Slokam word by word. In Dasavathara Stotram Swami Desikan recaputres the whole avathara beautifully. The Lord emerged as the Wild Boar with snorts emanating from His snout that were like the thunderous waves of the waves during Pralayam, Godess Earth resembled a clump of grass stood fixed on His sharp tusks. She created everything in the Universe (Prappancham) from Brahma to the blade of grass. On this auspicious day let us offer our dandavath pranams to the Divya dampathis. It being Revathi, Tirumanjanam was done to Ranganatha Perumal also.
Writeup and Photography : Vyjayanthi and Sundararajan
