Tulasi daLa mAtreNa Ma Mahenaiva yatkuman
Pujayeth bhakti Bhavena
Tam RakshANameeti Samarpanah !
Srinivasa thought as to how He would not protect the cow which was giving Him milk everyday , from the queen since His nature is to protect people who worship Him with one Tulasi daLa or perform one pradakshina . He decided to protect the cow immediately . Hence He is called as the one who protects those who are in troubles and those who are orphans .
The Lord is pleased when just one tulasi leaf or one pradakshina is offered to him whole-heartedly.
Bhajan :
Indiresha Govinda Indumukha Govinda !
As the cowherd was about to hit the cow with the axe , Srinivasa came out of the anthill faster than the cowherd and stood between the axe and the cow .His speed is such because He Himself is wind.
Govinda gave His divine Darshan to the cowherd and the cow. He was hit by the axe . But the cow was safe . Govinda started bleeding and that blood raised to the height of seven date-palm trees.Having left in shock seeing the incident , the cowherd fell down on the floor in shock, struggled and finally died .
In Rama Avatara , Sri Rama had cut down and burnt 7 date trees .While His arrow has so much strength and heat , we can imagine the heat of the blood that oozed out . Blood gushed at unimaginable speed.
Srinivasa with the pain of the injury went inside the anthill . The cow was in utter shock. The cow along with the calf went to Chola Raja . The cow started crying in front of the King as it could not speak out anything. The king , having understood some unpleasant incident , called out a sleuth and asked him to go along with the cow and calf into the grass lands and find out the reason for the cow’s sorrow . The sleuth followed the instructions and went to the anthill following the cow . Looking at the cowherd lying down and the blood on the anthill , they decided that someone killed the cowherd. The attendant reported this matter to the king who came running to the anthill.
The king started shouting out for the culprit as per his guess . The king expected that the one who killed the cowherd was hiding in the anthill and shouted at him asking him to come out . The king did not guess that the cowherd had intended to kill the cow. HE wanted to know who killed the cowherd. “Who is the sinner who has killed my cowherd? Please come out immediately” -the king shouted.
Srinivasa also shouted ” I AM COMING ” with a thundering voice which shattered the clouds , made the movement of the air faster due to which the anthill was collapsed . All the trees in the vicinity due to the impact of the shout. Srinivasa manifested in all brightness . He was glowing brightly.
Srinivasa ! Govinda !
Chola Raja was in surprise .Srinivasa addressed the kind and said, “O Sinner, how dare you ask your cowherd to kill me? The king is responsible for protecting dharma in the kingdom. This cowherd was about to kill the cow. He hit me who was protecting the cow. As the ruler, this sin gets transferred to you. To add to it, you have the audacity to come here and question me. shouldnt the king make proper enquiries and come to a conclusion? ON what basis did you question me? Have you completed your enquiry righteously? If the king is at fault in recklessly appointing people for duty, then the sins committed by them get transferred to the king. Due to his deed of this cowherd I am in deep pain. therefore I curse you to become a terrible ghost which is struggling even for water to drink”.
Instantly the king was transformed into a ghost . But soon he realized how much he troubled Srinivasa . The king immediately addressed Srinivasa as Deva Deva Srinivasa and sought pardon from him for behaving in an irrational way . Srinivasa said, “My devotees are very dear to me. I punish those who harm my devotees. I too feel sorry for you. however I cannot take back my word. Experience the punishment for this sin. In future in your lineage Akasha raja will be born. He will offer his daughter to me in marriage. He will offer to me during marriage a gem-studded crown. I will wear that crown on Friday evenings. Till eternity, whosoever have darshan of me in that glittering gem-studded crown, will be rid of all their devilish tendencies. You too will be redeemed of your sin at that time and will be freed from this curse”.
All those who have darshan of the Lord on Friday evenings when He wears this crown are truly blessed. Their devilish tendencies disappear and they become calm and peaceful.
Srinivasa , unable to tolerate the pain of the injury , remembered His Guru Brihaspati. Srinivasa complained to Brihaspati of His injury and requested him to give him a medicine . Brihaspati was pleased for being called by Srinivasa who called him with an intention of giving him the first Darshan on the hill .
Brihaspati reminded Srinivasa of the injuries that occurred on nails He had in Narasimha Avatara , when killed Hiranya Kashipa . He also reminded that Srihari got them cured by applying the fruit juice fig tree (audumbara) along with the latex of calotropis. Please use the same technique to obtain relief from this pain. Saying this Brihaspati took permission and returned back.
