In2-MeC

Timisoara, Romania
19 July 2004

A Narrative of Prema-Bhakti from South India
(A movie could be made of this story!)

Lord Tirunarayana Swami.

At Melkote in Karnataka, the great acarya of South Indian Sri Vaisnavism, Sripad Ramanuja, uncovered the Deity of Tirunarayana Swami, known also as Yadugiri and Yadavagiri. The history of this Deity goes back to the beginning of creation when Lord Narayana gave this murti to Brahmadeva for his daily puja. In turn Brahma gave the Deity to his son Sanat Kumara, who installed Him at the place now known as Melkote. Before the birth of Ramanujacarya (1017 AD) the Tirunarayana Deity was buried under the earth due to fear of Muslims and forgotten. When Ramanuja visited Melkote the Deity appeared to him in a dream and revealed His whereabouts. Under Ramanuja's order Lord Tirunarayana was recovered and His regular worship resumed. A grand temple was specially constructed for Him.

Later Tirunarayana Swami appeared again in Ramanuja's dream, this time to order him to recover His utsava-murti: the festival Deity, which is smaller than the mula-murti and is taken out of the temple for processions on holy festival days. It turned out that years before the Utsava-murti has been plundered by an army of Muslim soldiers of the Delhi Sultan. They had carried the Deity off with them. With a party of disciples, Ramanuja set off to recover Him.

At Delhi the Sultan was most pleased to behold this effulgent sannyasi from the South who had come so far to recover the Deity. He informed Ramanuja that many Deities had been captured by his army. These were kept in a storeroom. He gave permission to Ramanuja to search the storeroom for the utsava-murti. Unfortunately the murti could not be found.

The Sultan then remembered that one Deity had been taken by his daughter, Princess Bibi Lachimar. She was extremely fond of this murti and kept it in her private quarters. Since at that time she was away, the Sultan escorted Ramanuja into her quarters where he beheld the utsava-murti of Lord Tirunarayana seated upon a couch. Ramanuja called to the Deity: "Sampat Kumara", which means "darling boy. " Before the eyes of the Sultan the murti jumped down from the couch, ran across the room, and climbed into the arms of His pure devotee! Completely stunned, the Sultan gave permission to Ramanuja to return to the south with the Deity.

Ramanuja sensed that when Princess Bibi returned, she would plead with her father to get the Deity back. So he and his disciples walked day and night without rest until they crossed the border of the Sultan's territories.

Sure enough, when she came to know what had happened, Bibi Lachimar could not live without her Sampat Kumara. The Sultan sent a regiment of soldiers after Ramanuja. In great anxiety his daughter insisted on personally accompanying the soldiers upon a royal palanquin. She was attended by one officer-soldier who was in love with her. But as all she could speak about was her Sampat Kumara, this officer became Krsna conscious by her association.

The regiment failed to catch Ramanuja before he crossed out of the Sultan's territory. Obliged to halt at the border with the soldiers, Princess Bibi threatened to give up her life and could not be consoled. But nothing could be done. One night she disappeared from the military camp. The officer who loved her followed her southward through the dense jungle. At last after much hardship they reached Melkote.

The temple at Melkote where Bibi Lachimar took shelter of the Lord

Sripad Ramanuja and his disciples were astonished to see the great devotion of the Muslim princess for Lord Sampat Kumara. She insisted to stay for the rest of her life in the vicinity of the temple where she could render service to her Lord. The officer-soldier who loved her stayed by her side. Although Muslims were generally not allowed to enter Hindu temples, Bibi was permitted because Ramanuja recognized her as a pure devotee.

After years of rendering loving devotional service to Lord Sampat Kumara at Melkote, Princess Bibi left this world before everyone's eyes by getting merged into the Deity. The Vaisnavas understood that the Lord had accepted her as His consort. After that, down to this very day, her murti (Bibi Nachiar) is offered special worship. She is considered a manifestation of Laksmi.

The officer-soldier who loved Princess Bibi became a great Vaisnava saint. After her disappearance he went to Sri Rangam. There Lord Ranganatha informed him that he should go to PUri and take shelter of Lord Jagannatha, as it was as Jagannatha that the Lord grants special mercy to low and fallen souls like mlecchas and yavanas. So he did that and by the grace of Lord Jagannatha attained love of Godhead.

Lecture at Timisoara temple.

<< Back