Abheeti Stavam – Sloka 10

Let us now contemplate the Tenth Sloka of the Abheeti Stavam.

The armies of Malik Kafur scoured every inch of the sacred shrine of Lord Ranganatha at Srirangam. Not the smallest corner escaped their relentless search. Bereft of all compassion, they butchered the devoted servants of the Lord—those who had consecrated their lives to His eternal service. Leaving not even a trifling fragment behind, they plundered everything that met their eyes.

A band of Muslim horsemen, having somehow discovered that the sacred idol of Namperumal had been concealed from them, began relentlessly pursuing Pillai Lokacharya and Kulasekaran, determined to seize the divine image.

As the enemy closed in upon them, the holy image of Namperumal was hidden within a deep cavern of the dense forests of Anaimalai, near present-day Othakadai in Madurai, in the village now known as Kodungulam.

But scarcely had the thunder of the invaders' horses echoed through the hills when Pillai Lokacharya, having borne the burden of preserving the Lord to the very limit of his mortal strength, breathed his last upon that sacred soil.

Kulasekaran, without a moment's hesitation, took the divine image of Namperumal alone, mounted his horse, and fled southward towards Thiruvananthapuram.

When the venerable Acharya, Nigamantha Mahadesikan, learned both of the passing of Pillai Lokacharya and of the perilous journey undertaken to preserve Namperumal, an immeasurable tide of grief overwhelmed his heart. From that ocean of sorrow arose the Tenth Sloka of the Abheeti Stavam:

Bhivepi Bhava-bhṛt Prabho! Tvad-upadeśa-tīvrāuṣadhāt

Gata-tvara-rasa-durviṣe Baliśa-pakṣivat prīyate;

Apathya-parihāra-dhī-vimukham ittham āgasmiki

Tamapy avasare kramāt taveti vatsalā tvat-dayā.

As Lord Ranganatha Himself has ordained that its essence be rendered into Tamil verse, its meaning may be expressed thus:

The sacred scriptures that proclaim the glory of Ranganatha,

The noble counsels that lead the soul to liberation—

These are cast aside.

The fish,

Ensnared by the fleeting sweetness

Of the worm upon the hook,

Surrenders itself

To hidden destruction.

So too does man,

Captivated by wealth acquired through ignoble paths,

By the fleeting pleasures

That glitter for but a moment,

Yield himself willingly

To the snares of worldly bondage.

Yet when fear descends—

The terror of death,

The anguish of losing all that he clings to,

The trembling dread that engulfs existence itself—

He turns at last

Towards Thee.

And Thou,

O Ocean of Boundless Compassion,

If but for a single instant

A devotee remembers Thee,

Dost banish every fear,

Gather him beneath Thy gracious protection,

And preserve him forever

Within the shelter of Thy infinite mercy.

The link to the video discourse is given in the comment box..

In the next discourse, we shall meditate upon the Eleventh Sloka of the Abheeti Stavam