SRI VADIRAJA VIRACHITA “TEERTHA PRABANDHA” – STEP 17 ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ ವಿರಚಿತ “ತೀರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಬಂಧ”.

SRI VADIRAJA VIRACHITA “TEERTHA PRABANDHA” – STEP 17

ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ ವಿರಚಿತ “ತೀರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಬಂಧ”.

ಪ್ರಲಯೇ ಜಲದುರ್ಗಾಸಿ ಸರ್ಗಾದೌ ಗಿರಿವಿಸ್ತೃತಿಃ|

ಇದಾನೀಂ ಸ್ಠಳದುರ್ಗಾಸಿ ದುರ್ಗಾ ತ್ವಮ್ ಸದ್ಗುಣಾರ್ಣವೇ||19||

PralayE jaladurgAsi sargAdau girivistrutihi|

IdAneem sThaLadurgAsi durgA twam sadguNArNavE||19||

SUMMARY: Oh Goddess Durga, you are like an ocean of all branches of knowledge; you manifest as Jaladurga at the time of Great Deluge (Pralaya); at the beginning of creation, you are infinity in terms of Vedas and you are the immeasurable mountain (Girivistrutihi); you are like the Fort (Durga) in this place and therefore you are called Durga in this place.

Sri Vadirajaru visited Kateelu, where the Goddess is in the form of Jaladurga, since the temple is surrounded by waters; he visited Kunjaru, where she assumes the form of Giridurga, where Giri means a mountain or a hill and in Bappanadu, which was visited by Sri Vadirajaru, she appears as Sthaladurga. Sthala means place.

ದುರ್ಜ್ಞೇಯತ್ವಾತ್ ದುಃಖದತ್ವಾತ್ ದುಷ್ಪ್ರಾಪತ್ವಾಚ್ಚ ದುರ್ಜನೈಃ|

ಸತಾಮಭಯಭೂಮಿತ್ವಾತ್ ದುರ್ಗಾ ತ್ವಂ ಹೃದ್ಗುಹಾಶ್ರಯಾತ್||20||

DurjnEyatwAt duhkhadatwAt duShprApatwAchcha durjanaihi|

SatAmabhayabhUmitwAt durgA twam hruguhAshrayAt||2||

SUMMARY: You are known as Durga because you can be understood only when a person is in deepest distress. It is stated in Bhagavata that: “BrhmAdayO bahutiTham yadapAnga mOkShakAnkShAha” (ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಾದಯೋ ಬಹುತಿಥಂ ಯದಪಾಂಗ ಮೋಕ್ಷಕಾಂಕ್ಷಾಃ). You are “duhkhEna gamyata iti”; you are also Durga because you make the life of wicked and cruel people miserable. Bad persons can never dream of seeing, even if they struggle a lot to have your grace. (Duhkham gamayati durjanAn iti DurgA — ದುಃಖಂ ಗಮಯತಿ ದುರ್ಜನಾನ್ ಇತಿ ದುರ್ಗಾ). For the Jnanis or knowledgeable, your abode is the most secured place of shelter; you are the manifestation of Shwetadeepa (white island), AnantAsana (AnantAsana temple at Udupi) and Vaikuntha, which are the most cherished goals that knowledgeable people long to reach or attain. Since you reside in the cave-like hearts of devotees, you are called as Durga.

All the places mentioned in these stanzas by Sri Vadirajaru are around Pajaka, the native of Sri Madhwacharyaru. Therefore, they are very special destinations of pilgrims.

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