14Rangarajyam
Author: Indira Saundarrajan. Images: N.G. Manikandan 
Posted Date : 06:00 (09/10/2018) October 9, 2018   Sakthi Vikatan

 Kiḷi Cholan excavated and recovered Tiruvaraṅgam from under tons of mud. The town was chock-full of people, who performed daily rituals and worship. Kiḷi Cholan went to the temple every day with his minions, devotees and the general public.
On his way to the temple, he gathered nuggets of news from the minions and Nīlivaṉa Ṛṣis. The most import news was that Emperuman’s Avataras, the present one was the third! To bring stability and prosperity to the world, the first Avatar was Matsya (Fish) Avatara followed by Kūrma (Turtle) Avatara.

                                                                               
                                               
The third incarnation is Lord Boar by traditional calculus. However, the third Avatara came down in the Praṇavākāra Vimanam in the Archa form. Therefore, this Srīraṅganathar is an Avatāramūrthy, as told by the Nīlivaṉa Ṛṣis to the king Kiḷi Cholan. Enthused by the Ṛṣis, the king asked the Ṛṣis to elaborate on the previous two Avataras. They were enthused to narrate the story behind the Avatars.
The Ṛṣis: "Chola king! It is not just enough to create the world and the life forms. Vedas help and teach the life forms that came from him how to get back to him. Those who follow the Vedic pathway will have no deficiencies. He shines like a Jñāṉi and is happy to make others the Jñāṉis. It is the nature of the worldly people to be a contrarian in many matters. If you tell them that Veda is excellent, contrarians advocate rejection. They are the Asuras (demoniacal beings)."
Dēvam is an example of proper living. Asuram is an example of a loose way of life. The Asuras were the creation of Emperuman. He played with the indecent, the corrupt, and the incorrigible whom he created.
They tried to destroy the Vedas that put people on the righteous path. They stole the Vedas from Brahma, took them down the ocean and hid them under the safeguard of Sōmukāsuran in the ocean floor. No one could find the Vedas.
Emperuman took the Fish Avatara, entered deep into the ocean and recovered the Vedas from him.
In Bhūlōka Satyavirathan was the king. The Saptaṛṣis were his guide and Guru. They gave the king a multiplicity of herbs and seeds. The king created herbal gardens throughout his kingdom and made his subjects live in a disease-free state.
When Emperuman fought with Sōmukāsuran in his Matsya Avatara (Fish Avatara), the oceans had tsunamis threatening the coastal cities. To prevent such loss, Emperuman killed Sōmukāsuran. That was Fish Avatara. In short, it is the story of how he saved this world. Because of his munificence, the Vedas are thriving in this world. Kiḷi Cholan was exhilarated to hear the story of Matsya Avatara and the widespread occurrence of herbs and other forms of flora.
The king: “Wonderful. Please tell me about the greatness of Kūrma Avatara.”
The Ṛṣis: “Kūrma Avatara (Turtle Incarnation) did kill anyone. On the other hand, it gave this world many wonders.”
The king: Wonders! What are they?”
The Ṛṣis: AS there are good and bad people in Bhūlōka, there are Devas and Asuras in heavens. The Asuras were always dominant, so the Devas feared them. They wanted an immortal life and power over the Asuras. They supplicated to Emperuman. Because of this, the churning of the Ambrosial Milk Ocean took place.
When the king heard the Ṛṣi say ‘Ambrosial Milk Ocean,’ it piqued his interest.
The king: “I need to hear more about the Ambrosial Milk Ocean.”
The Ṛṣi: I will tell you what I know. The churning of the ocean as an event is a milestone in the history of Devas and Auras. Emperuman was the resident Lord of the Milk Ocean. It is a regenerative ocean. The Devas and the Asuras used the snake Vāsuki as the churning rope and the Meru mountain as the churning pin. They wound the snake around the churning pin and churned the Milk Ocean. The Devas held one side of the snake and the Asuras held the other end of the snake. They both churned the ocean.
             
                        
                                                                                    

                                                                   
The Milk Ocean upon being churned would offer Ambrosia, imbibing which would give the Devas immortality. Ambrosia was an anti-Asura Sakthi. The Asuras could not avoid conscription. The Devas needed their effort and participation. That is why the Devas and the Asuras held the churning rope, Devas on one side and the Asuras on the other side.
It was a huge event. It was beyond the human imagination. Kūrma Avatara was the centerpiece of this event. The Meru mountain at the beginning of churning fell of its pivot. The ocean floor was soft and unstable. Everyone was about to give up. Emperuman came to their rescue in the form of a turtle, which rested on the seabed to offer stability to the churning pin. The Meru mountain was a stable on the back of the turtle.
The Vasuki Snake wrapped around the mountain. The Devas held the head, and the Asuras held the tail. They churned.
Emperuman bore the entire weight of the mountain on his back. The snake could not tolerate the friction and the traction created by the churning and cried hard. It became nauseous and vomited the Halāhala poison. Siva Paramesvara came forward to scoop up an entire load of poison and swallow it wholesale.
Seeing the catastrophe in the making, his consort Parvati Ardhanaresvari stopped the poison from entering Siva’s stomach. Because of it, Siva earned the name Nīlakaṇḍar. The ingestion of poison by Siva happened in the evening of that day.
Vasuki’s repository of the poison was empty. The pain subsided. The churning began right earnest. The first to emerge from the ocean was Kāmadhēṉu., the cow of plenty. Next one to emerge was Uccaiḥśravas, a winged white horse. Then came Airāvata, the white elephant. Then came the five trees: Arisandhana tree; Kaṛpaka tree; Pārijāta tree; Sandalwood tree; Mandaram. Then came the Kaustubha gem. Following it, Jēṣtādēvi (Mūdēvi) appeared from the ocean. Then came 60 Kōti (600 million) celestial damsels, Madhu, Surādēvi, and Cintāmaṇi. Then Srīdēvi (Mahalakshmi) appeared.
Following Srīdēvi, Sīnthal vine (Tinospora cordifolia), tapeworm, Ambrosial vessel, and mace appeared with Dhanvantari being the last one. Devas took hold of the Ambrosial vessel brought by Dhanvantari. The Asuras conspired to steal the Nectar of Immortality, and later Emperuman denied it for them. The shadow planets Rahu and Ketu appeared. All these were possible because of the turtle form of Emperuman. Kiḷi Cholan was amazed to hear this event.
Ṛṣi: “First, he created the world of sound (Sabda Prapañcam) and the Vedas. Still later, He created Brahma and through him the world of beings. He taking the Avatara of Fish recovered the Vedas hidden by the Asuras. He was the Prime Mover and Shaker of the churning of the Milk Ocean. He bore the churning pin named Meru mountain on his back. He was responsible for the emergence of rarities from Kamadhenu to Lakshmi. Remaining in the heavens, he took three Avataras: The Fish, The Turtle, and the Archa Form.”
Unlike those time-limited Avataras of transience, Araṅganātha Archa Rūpam is eternal having transcended and vanquished the time. This Archa Avatara was unlike the time-delimited Avataras of the past. The Mahaṛṣi stood before Tiruvaraṅga Nāthar.
Kiḷi Cholan: “Wonder upon wonder! Please tell us the proper methods and procedures of worship of Emperuman and the tenets associated with them?”
Ṛṣi: “First, he created the world of sound (Sabda Prapañcam) and the Vedas. Still later, He created Brahma and through him the world of beings. He taking the Avatara of Fish recovered the Vedas hidden by the Asuras. He was the Prime Mover and Shaker of the churning of the Milk Ocean. He bore the churning pin named Meru mountain on his back. He was responsible for the emergence of rarities from Kamadhenu to Lakshmi. Remaining in the heavens, he took three Avataras: The Fish, The Turtle, and the Archa Form.”
Unlike those time-limited Avataras of transience, Araṅganātha Archa Rūpam is eternal having transcended and vanquished the time. This Archa Avatara was unlike the time-delimited Avataras of the past. The Mahaṛṣi stood before Tiruvaraṅga Nāthar.
Kiḷi Cholan: “Wonder upon wonder! Please tell us the proper methods and procedures of worship of Emperuman and the tenets associated with them?”
Mahaṛṣi: "Chola king! Avatara refers to the descent from the heavens to the earth. Whenever there is a rise in Adharma, the creator himself descends to the earth to set things aright and re-establish Dharma."
"Nine of the ten Avataras have accomplished their mission. Kalki Avatar, the tenth Avatara, will descend to earth when Dharma slips and slides."
"You are already familiar with the first two Avataras: The Fish and the Turtle Avataras. The third one is the Avatara of Vārakam (Boar)."
“Boar Avatara was expressly to annihilate Asura Hiraṇyāksha. The Golden Eye Asura hid in the world of Pātāla (Nether World). No one could find him. Because of him, the Devas were in great distress. The Devas could not get protection unless the GoldenEye dies (in the hands of the Boar). Emperuman took the Boar Avatara as suitable to locate him in the Nether World. The Boar killed him.” Kiḷi Cholan had a question.
“Maharishi! Emperuman created all as Bakthas and virtuous people. Is it not unnecessary to come down and destroy one’s own creation?” That made the Ṛṣi smile.
Ṛṣi: “This smile carries a multiplicity of meanings, king. I could answer your question in a few sentences. You are the only king of Chola Mandala. If everyone is a king, who will rule this country? The answer you will give shortly will explain why Emperuman creates beings with different Guṇas.”
The king was about to express his answer.
Will continue.
                                                             
                                                                                   



Man excels in intellect.
Lion excels in ability.
For annihilation of the Goldeneye, intellect, and ability are both necessary.
Mahavishnu took the Avatara of Narasimha with intellect and ability to destroy the Goldeneye.
Mahavishnu was the first one to make us realize that coalition is necessary to vanquish the evil force.
Variar Swāmigaḷ.