Monday, March 30, 2020

Roga Nashana Vaishnava Kavacham - Rare Stotra For Relief From Diseases

Dear All,

Greetings and Namaste. The world and the humanity is undergoing an extremely dangerous phase and in a way, it has become an existential crisis for the humanity. With so much of advancement in science and technology, hardly anyone would have imagined we would experience such a tragic phase in our lifetime. But, time and again, the nature shows the human intellect its place and cut us into size - the only thing is that we are too egoistic to fathom what the nature is trying to teach us.

Has the humanity ever faced a situation where even the Gods' abodes (temples, churches, mosques, etc.) are closed for it? Such are the extraordinary circumstances today.

Now that we are at our wits' end, the only option left for us is to shed our egos,  raise our hands and pray to The Almighty to save humanity and this universe from colossal devastation. Sure, we have made gross violation of His Will and earned His wrath. But He is Karunya Murthy - so we have no choice but to plead with him to be merciful with us in spite of our culpability.

I am reattaching (after another round of proof-reading) a rare Kavacham (amulet prayer) titled Roganashana Vaishnava Kavacham, taken from Garuda Puranam, Chapter 154. I had shared this long ago in 2011 in a different circumstance but today's circumstance warrants that to be recirculated for everyone's benefit. This prayer is specifically meant for the eradication of chronic diseases.

I am sure Sri Bhagavan will yield to our cries sooner than later. But the potent lessons he wanted us imbibe should not be lost on us. Let me finish with two shlokas from Vamana and Varaha Puranams:

yA yA jAyeta me buddhiH sA sA viShNo tvadAshritA | devArcane ca nirata tvac-cittA tvat-parAyaNA ||
(Lord Vishnu! Whatever crosses my mind/intellect, may that be about paying obeisance to you. May mind be occupied with performing archana to you, meditate on you, praise you)

rasAtala-gatA vedA yadA deva tvayAhRRitAH | matsya-rUpeNa tadvan mAM bhavAn uddhara keshava ||
(Like you lifted the Vedas from the nether world by taking Matsya incarnation, please raise me too from my tribulations).

May We plead with Him with this purpose-built prayer! May He Be kind enough to forgive us!

With best regards and wishes,
K. Muralidharan Iyengar (Murali)



----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Krishnan Muralidharan <kmurali_sg@yahoo.com>
To: undisclosed recipients <undisclosedrecipients@>
Sent: Saturday, October 8, 2011, 9:55:30 PM GMT+8
Subject: Roga Nashana Vaishnava Kavacham - Rare Stotra For Relief From Diseases

Dear All,
 
Greetings and Namaste. The untimely passing away of Steve Jobs, a doyen of my industry (IT), was shocking (though not entirely surprising) and it just reiterated a fact that is well-known - the fraility of human life. Further, the fact that he died of a rare pancreatic cancer highlights one more reality - the technological advancements and money power might have increased health/patient care but complete cure for chronic diseases is still elusive not to mention new strains of diseases that come into being every day.
 
As the saying goes, though the doctor may give medicine, it is God who bestows complete cure. I am happy to attach a very unique and rare Kavacham titled Roga Nashana Vaishnava Kavacham from Garuda Puranam. Though there are hundreds of Kavachams on Vishnu and Vishnu form (many of which claim relief from diseases), this is unique in that its sole purpose seems to be relief from diseases. I pray to the Lord that He bestows the true wealth - i.e. health and bhakti - to one and all. Perhaps this can be used by all with a prayer to provide this true wealth
 
May I beg your pardon for a bit of ramblings on the subject on hand :
 
- As I glean from the texts, it is given that the illnesses/diseases are a result of our own Karma accumluated over current and previous births (pUrva janma kRRitaM pApam vyAdhi rUpeNa bAdhayati ||) . Many purans given this in the form of cause and effect - let me recall the one which I read recently from Shiva Puranam :
- a person who sees others wifes' (para dAra) lustfully is born blind in his next birth
- a butcher who cuts the parts of animals is born as an anga hina
- a person who kills children, brahmana, daughter-in-law or mother-in-law, hapless ladies or causes extreme distress to them is denied progeny
- the list goes on and on and different purans give varying lists but the message is clear - we sow our own seeds of karma - good or bad.
 
- The alleviation of diseases depends on the intensity of karma - some are claimed to be remediable and some not.
 
- For remediable ones, there are various sthalas, tirthas, mantras, stotras that can be used. For example, pilgrimage places like Thiruvallur Vaidya Veeraraghava Perumal temple, Sri Vanchiam Temple, Sri Vaitheeswaran Temple, Thiruchendur Subrahmanya Temple, Vaishnava/Shiva Navagraha/Parihara Temples, etc. etc. are said to provide relief to specific illnesses. I am sure all of us have heard some miracles about those temples. I have come across hundreds and hundreds myself but one real-life story which I read a few years ago.
 
The writer (lady) was born in a rich family and was given in marriage at an early age to a good groom (so the incident dates back to 50 years or so). Shortly after marriage, her husband contracted some rare skin disease which got worsened by the day and within a few months he could even open his eyes as the eyelids were infected, rotten and stuck together. His entire body was smelling of pus. All their wealth were gone trying to cure and the lady was left with her Thirumangalya only. On someone's advice, the lady decided to sell this only possession (Thirumangalya) and went to Sri Vaitheeswaran Koil. Her husband follwed her behind and an umbrella between the two to direct the walking. When they entered the Pushkarani, the lady wept incontrollably and prayed to Lord, "You are my last resort. If you don't help us, there is no reason for us to live." Then both of them took dip in the pushkarani 3 times. When they got up, all the skin disease of her husband was gone and there was no trace of any disease. I could not control my tears when I read this story. It is an enormous illustration of absolute faith and sharanAgti.
 
Similarly worship of Dhanvantari (for all diseases), Lakshmi Nrusimha (mental and stomach related illnesses), and specific deities provide relief to specific diseases. Of course, there are specific homas such as Navagraha Homa, Sudarshana Homa, Mrutyunjaya Homa, etc. etc. which also are said to provide relief. Medical Astrologers (hopefully not crooks) can guide in this regard.
 
- For non-remediable ones, there seem to be a couple of routes:
 
(a) Darshan and Anugraha of Sages - Real sages and great souls take pity on the suffering and give relief. Such is their mercy that they  sometimes take the diiseases onto themselves to provide relief. Innumerable real-life examples exist. I am sure all of us would have read the real-life incidences in Sri Ramanujacharya, Sri Swami Deskan, Sri Raghavendra, Sri Kanchi Paramacharya, etc.
 
(b) Constant prayer of Lord - with genuine remorse for all bad karma accumulated and resolve to repeat them. There seem to be several approaches here (not exhaustive):
 
- Gayatri Japa - one who performs 1008 Gayatri per day with sole prayer to mitigate the karmic effect is said to have profound effect. It is especially useful if one chants Gayatri Hrudayam first, Gayatri Shapa Vimochana Mantra, Mantra Japa, Kavacham and Tarpana.
 
- Rama Nama Japa - this is considered almost equivalent to Gayatri Japa. Do we not confirm this "apavitraH pavitro vA sarvAvasthAM gato.api vA | yaH smaret puNDarIkAxam sa bAhyAbhyantaraH shuciH || shrI rAma rAma rAma ||
 
- Vyapohana Stavas - there are several Stutis which are meant for destroyal of karma and sins. There are 3 Papa Prashamana Stotras in Vamana Purana on Vishnu, there is a Vyapohana Stava on Lord Shiva in Linga Purana and I also learn there is a similar one for Ganapati as well. 
 
There are also some aids in this regard - e.g. Dhi Shuddhi Stotram by Sri Vadiraja (prayer to Lord Hayagriva to purify mind), Chinta Khandana Stotram by Sri Vadiraja (prayer to Lord Hayagriva to get relief from worries), prayer to Mata Ganga Devi (typically during bath but any time - there are plenty of stotras), Apamarjana Stotram (a specific prayer to Lord Vishnu and forms to purify oneself - this is a very potent one. One can install Kalasha and chant this after nityaradhana and sprinkle on self), chanting vedic hymns like Aghamarshana Suktam etc. during bath are especially powerful.
 
In the current day world where the eating habits and working habits are not in consonance, the following saying is very much true - "You spend your health chasing money in youth and spend the money chasing health in middle age.
 
May Lord bless us all with true wealth, true health and happiness arising out of righteousness.
 
With best regards,
K. Muralidharan (Murali)
 
 

1 comment:

  1. namaskarams

    whatever came to my mind in the past one year or so has appeared here. may God bless everyone. may this Kavacham protect everyone who could read this and who could not.
    let's pray with total saranagathi

    ReplyDelete