The Narayaneeyam is a poetry of ecstatic feelings of Sri Narayana Bhattathiri. He says the form of Vishnu is so beautiful that goddess Lakshmi, who is the abode of all wealth, took refuge in his chest. Ever since, she has not been staying steadily and for a long period of time at the house of her devotees. O what difficulty has it caused her? She is called “fickle-minded,” as she does not stay steadily in one home. Since your form is so attractive, she is constantly looking towards being with you, rather than with her devotees! I will give you another reason in this regard, sings the poet.
When devotees extol, praise and sing your glories with all reverence and meditate on your form and qualities, she stays there for long as it gives her the joy of listening to your divine deeds and characteristics. Swami Chinmayananda, whose birth anniversary came on May 8, said: “Hold on to Narayana and Lakshmi will follow.” If we want to be rich—and for one reason or the other, everybody requires wealth—the best way is to adore Narayana.
Adoring him is emulating his beautiful qualities of quietude, relaxation, calmness, beauty, splendour, supporting all, a heart like the sky, a skin that is blue like the infinite sky—meaning his compassion has no borders, every part of his body being auspicious, the master of Lakshmi, eyes that are wet with compassion like the soft petals of the fragrant lotus, always being meditated by the yogis in the space of consciousness around the region of the heart. That Vishnu is so mighty and powerful, yet so calm and beautiful that he destroys the fears of existence and is the lord of the whole universe of moving forms. Listening about your glories brings to the mind of your devotees, your beautiful form and just in that process their mind is completely lost in the divine form. Their bliss on experiencing your presence takes a delirious note as they swoon with joy, hair standing on end and eyes filled with cool tears of joy.
The great masters of yoga chant that more than Karma Yoga—the path of action renouncing the doer-ship and enjoyer-ship, the path of knowledge which involves purifying the mind, approaching a guru and studying from the books of knowledge called the sastras—the path of devotion to you is the easiest. Your form expresses love very clearly as you are an embodiment of beauty. Who can say this path of devotion is hard, O beloved of Rama?
Some others follow difficult rituals, while some others take up to the path of logical arguments and debates. However, such means to reach you will take many lifetimes and is very difficult. Just by listening to your exploits and remembering your greatness, the knowledge of the supreme truth is attained. O beloved Lord who resides in the abode of wind at Guruvayoor, may I too attain that juicy extract of devotion to your divine feet? The author is Sevak, Chinmaya Mission, Tiruchi; brni.sharanyachaitanya@gmail.com; www.chinmayamission.com