ABITHEESTHAVAM OF ACHARYA NIKAMANTHA MAHADESIKA IN ENGLISH BY RAGAVAPRIYAN THEJESWI

In 1323, the abode of Sriranganatha at Srirangam was attacked by the then Mughal rulers. The war was led by one Malikkapur, the general of Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor. They were camped at Samayapuram at the northern bank of the Cauvery. Kulasekaran, a staunch devotee of Ranganatha, was returning to Srirangam and had seen the camp of the cruel Mughal warriors.. He had crossed the mighty river Cauvery

with the help of a senior devotee of Arangan by the name Pillailokachar..They had warned the people and Acharya Nikamantha Maha Desikar about the impending danger to the deity of Arangan and the people of Srirangam. Acharya had constructed a wall with bricks in no time and covered the Manin deity of Ranganatha and Pillailokachar with the help of other devotees, and had taken away the Namperumal idol of worship through the south gate to Thondaiman forest near Pudukkottai. Kulasekar and another devotee, a sepoy in the erstwhile Pandyan kingdom by the name Panchukondan, had taken on the mighty Mughal contingent. The moguls killed more than 15000 devotees of Arangan inside the temple. There were death fear gripping the people of Srirangam. They ran towards Acharya Nigamanta Mahadesika to get some solace from the fear of death. Acharya penned 29 verses or hymns so as to eliminate fear among the people of Srirangam. The name given by the Acharya to that epic literary work in Sanskrit called

ABITHEESTHAVAM…It is a Sanskrit heading given by Acharya Nigamantha Maha Desika, which means "overcome the fear." He means the fear of death. I will explain the VERSE no 9 in Sanskrit..first I will read the Sanskrit verse now..

த்ரிவர்க்க பத வர்த்தினாம் த்ரிகுண லங்க நோத்யோகி நாம்

த்விஷத் ப்ரமத நார்த்தி நாம்பிச ரங்க த்ருஸ்யோதயா:

ஸ்க்கலத் ஸமய காதரீ ஹரண ஜாக்ரூகா: ப்ரபோ

கர க்ரஹண தீக்ஷிதா: க இவ தே ந திவ்ய குணா:

Let me give it in English as a holy hymn woven by this simple slave of Thiruvaranga in English as per Arangan’s orders..

They who seek deliverance from the glittering snare of wealth,

From worldly triumphs and the fleeting delights of mortal life;

They who yearn to loose the fetters of kindred ties;

They who would be set at liberty from every fear—

Above all, from Death's relentless shadow,

And from the dread of enmity and all its bitter brood—

Let them draw near and adore the hallowed Feet of Lord Ranganatha,

Who reigneth in eternal majesty at Srirangam.

For He RANGANATHA alone is the Redeemer and unfailing Refuge of all beings.

Reclining in His serene and changeless divine repose,

He ceaselessly extends His boundless grace,

Guarding the worlds without slumber,

And sheltering every soul beneath His everlasting protection.

[Ragavapriyan Thejeswi]

Let me give the meaning.. Ranganatha, the God of Masses, please eradicate the fear of those who want liberation from earthly attachments, like wealth, material success, family bondage, and also from all fears, that is, fear from enemies and death.