Tirumala Govinda Perumaal's Garuda Sevai....! :)

Tirumala Govinda Perumaal's Garuda Sevai....! :)

17-Sep-2018, was indeed another most awaited day in a year for lakhs of people directly in Tirumala and crores of people indirectly in-front of their TV screens to savor the divine bliss of 'PeriyattiruvaDi' i.,e., 'GarudaSeva' being performed to Srinivaasa Perumaal on the 5th day of the annual Brahmothsavam...

I too had my own special share of it in-front of my hall-room's Television screen in my very own new house. And this time it is very special for me for many a reason that only my Perumaal and I knew of.

In other words, I am blessed to watch this year's garuDa seva in my very own new house, ( in the 7th month after my wedding on 08-Mar-2018 ) that is a result of my last decade's hard work / sweat / savings / sufferings / and any/everything that one can talk about their own hardships.....

The seed for this time's Garuda seva's ecstasy was sown in 2014 annual Brahmotsavam, which was the very first time in life my Perumaal blessed me to have a darShan of his esteem Garuda Seva and blessed me gracefully for all my the then earnest prayers amidst a mentally chaotic time for me, due to which I couldn't become decisive on a few key things that were acutely bothering me for which I sought my Perumaal's help to intervene and set things up properly for me....

Needless to say that HE is standing there as ' VeeraSthaanakaDhruva moorthy ' just to help us with our prayers in-line with the unfettered devotion that we develop on his holy lotus feet, putting him above everyone and everything in our life.

I happened to participate in Srivaari Seva a couple of times prior to that and learnt one thing from a veteran whom I met during that time. Having relied on my sadguru Sree ChaaganTi gaari 'SriVenkaTaachala Vaibhavam' discourse, I have vested my full faith and stead fast devotion and performed Perumaal's 'Angapradakshinam' praying him in the same way as advised by that veteran, coupled with GarudaSeva darShan.

To my surprise, I found that within 7 months of my prayers after Sep-2014-Brahmotsavmas, HE just pulled me, where ever I was ought to be, with the help of a friend whom I met in May-2013, who too happens to be my sadguru Sree chaaganTi gaari discourses' ardent believer.
At a time when I was almost about to zero in on a tough irrevocable decision, he just swiftly pulled the lever and switched my path so smooth that I was simply amazed and cried at his holy lotus feet for hearing my plea so perfectly and timely.
Since that moment, he reduced me to nothing but a basil leaf at thy holy lotus feet forever..... :)

Perumaal Divya TiruvaDhigalea Sharanam...!! :)

It is to be to noted that many a 'Sri Vaishnava Shikhaamani' / Stalwarts have conferred the status of an Alwaar to Garuda as well, that shows the status quo of Garuda on par with the 12 Alwaar saints dearest to the Lord Sree MahaaVishnu, who took birth on earth to propagate Hari Bhakti.... ( Veterans do know that they are various 'Amshaa roopulu' of none other than Lord's 'NityaSoorulu' who sincerely worship him all thru in DivyaVaikuntam....! )

GaruDaalwaar TiruvaDhigalea Sharanam...!! :)

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There are several interesting intellectual facts behind Perumaal's GarudaSeva being performed since times immemorial...
Garuda is Perumaal's regular celestial mount / vaahanam, while all others like lion, elephant, horse, swan, etc exist only for the day the procession event is being celebrated.

'Garuda' the youngest among Vinataa's 2 sons, is chosen as his permanent celestial mount by lord SriHari himself, for his great devotion towards 'MaatruDaasyaVimukti' from Kadruva's illegitimate bondage. Being the 'Pakshi Raaja', king of all birds, and in spite of having access to immortality with the Ambrosia that was won from the heaven breaking Lord Indra's exceptional security cordon protecting it, Garuda didn't use it for himself to ensure his mother gets relieved from the slavery of Kadruva as per the agreement to hand over the Ambrosia from heaven. Even Lord Indra's 'Vajraayudham', the diamond weapon carved off of sage dadheechi's spine, could hardly fell even a single golden feather off of the mighty Garuda. Hence Garuda is blessed by Lord Vishnu w.r.t many aspects and his worship is considered exceptionally esteem and is celebrated very specially among all others. A verse from the 'GarudaDandakam' reads " Namah Pannaga naathaaya VaikunTha Vashavarthinea..Shruti SindhuSudhoatpaata mandaraaya Garutmatea... ", that means just like the Mandara/Meru Mountain that was used to churn the ocean of milk/ 'Ksheerasaagaram' to obtain Ambrosia by the celestial gods and demons, 'Garuda' is considered as the Mandara/Meru mountain to churn the vast ocean of knowledge and wisdom present in the Shrutis (4 Vedaas ) by our thoughts, who has got lord Vishnu and his celestial abode Shree Vaikuntham in to his hold by his unmatched devotion and service to lord. That literally means one who worships Garuda, will be bestowed with all sorts of knowledge and wisdom by his master Lord SreeHari's grace.

And going by the worldly physical traits of birds that belong to Garuda family / commonly referred to as Eagles,

Garuda is a symbol of unmatched power and wealth. ( We can see that USA, the supremo of all nations in terms of materialistic riches has an 'Eagle' as its national bird )

'Garuda family' birds can fly above clouds as high as in to the highest layers of stratosphere as well..!

Garuda has an exceptionally strong vision that it can spot a drop of fresh blood even from thousands of feet altitudes.

Garuda has the exceptional ability to 'repair / re-generate / re-formulate its bio / genetic system' when it feels it has grew old to continue further. Thus it is difficult to find out the actual age of a Garuda bird by just looking at it.

Garuda has the power to annihilate the strongest of the venomous snakes as well.

Garuda has the ability to survive severe climatic conditions as well to pounce on its target once set.

Garuda has an amazing patience to nail down the target once set, so much so that it doesn't mind to dynamically re-calibrate its algorithm if it feels others are interfering and hindering its efforts.

Hence ' Garuda Seva ' continues to enthrall and bless several thousands of ardent devotees who take refugee under thy holy Lotus feet of SriVenkataachalaadhipati, also known as 'Garudaachalapathi'..!

And thus saint poet Sree Annamaacharya has rightly praised Lord saying " nAnA mahimala nammina vArini | pUnuku kAce pOShakuDitaDu || " in his "kaMTimi nEDide garuDAcalapati " sankeerthana...! :)

http://annamacharya-lyrics.blogspot.com/…/439kamtimi-nedide…

pa|| kaMTimi nEDide garuDAcalapati | iMTi vElupagu yISvaruMDu ||
ca|| SrInarasiMhuDu cinmayakAMtuDu | dAnavAMtakuDu dayAnidhi |
nAnA mahimala nammina vArini | pUnuku kAce pOShakuDitaDu ||
ca|| dEvAdi dEvuDu dinakara tEjuDu | jIvAMta raMguDu SrIviBuDu |
daiva SiKAmaNi talacina vArini | sEvalu gonikAce viBuDitaDu ||
ca|| paramamUrti hari prahlAda varaduDu | karuNAnidhi budhakalpakamu |
paragu SrIvEMkaTa pati tanadAsula | naraduga gAcEyana GanuMDitaMDu |

ప|| కంటిమి నేడిదె గరుడాచలపతి | ఇంటి వేలుపగు యీశ్వరుండు ||
చ|| శ్రీనరసింహుడు చిన్మయకాంతుడు | దానవాంతకుడు దయానిధి |
నానా మహిమల నమ్మిన వారిని | పూనుకు కాచె పోషకుడితడు ||
చ|| దేవాది దేవుడు దినకర తేజుడు | జీవాంత రంగుడు శ్రీవిభుడు |
దైవ శిఖామణి తలచిన వారిని | సేవలు గొనికాచె విభుడితడు ||
చ|| పరమమూర్తి హరి ప్రహ్లాద వరదుడు | కరుణానిధి బుధకల్పకము |
పరగు శ్రీవేంకట పతి తనదాసుల | నరదుగ గాచేయన ఘనుండితండు ||


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