RamarpaNam-94

File 94

Dated: August 8th, 2012.

Jai Sri Ram.

Bickering over Khaamadhenu, the celestial cow.

Lord Varadaraja of Kancheepuram is eulogized as the King of the boon givers by Koorathazhwan in His Varadaraja Stavam. The same Lord does not pardon those who trouble His bhaktas. A good example is the story of HiraNyakasibu and Prahlada wherein the Lord waited all the while HiraNyakasibu played mischief with Him but not a while He dared the same with Prahlada.

VibheeshaNa quoting the same story advised RavaNa to desist from playing mischief with Sita but to no avail and perished. Thus the Lord may pardon all wrong doing to Him but never the one done to His bhaktas.

But Shataananda talks about  two of His bhaktas at logger heads over possessing the celestial cow that fed the King’s vast army with six savour dishes aplenty.

yasya yasya yathaa kaamam SaD raseSu abhipuujitam |
tat sarvam kaama dhuk divye abhivarSa kRite mama ||

The six savour dishes include: Sweet, Salt, Sour, Bitter, peppery hot, astringent. The five varieties include the Drinkable, chewable as well as those to be bitten, swallowed or licked.

The other name for Kaamadhenu is Shabala. She bestowed dishes of sugar cane and honey, and flakes of all sorts, like cornflakes, rice-flakes, also best drinks and foodstuffs that were very diverse and verily royal to army-men.

Vishvamitra desiring to own the Cow wished her to be spared to him under barter for Cows, precious metals, army of Elephants, Horses, Chariots etc. But Sage Vashishta uttering the following words,

na aham shata sahasreNa na api koTi shataiH gavaam
raajan daasyaami shabalaam raashibhii rajatasya vaa

Rejected outright.

bahuunaa kim pralaapena na daasye kaama dohiniim.

The six potRi extolled by Andal Nachiyar in Thiruppavai paasuram 24 are worth emulating. They are heart purifying.  It doesn’t stop with that. To please the tongue we are in addition rewarded with sweet pongal, tamarind rice, curd rice or veNpongal to suit the paasuram of the day.

In this respect, Thiruppavai is a Shabala much obliging than the Khaamadhenu of Vashishta.