Friday 15 July 2011

Kurooramma and Bhagvan Sri Krishna


The human mind relates with God in different ways. Some devotees look upon God as their lovers (Gopis and Krishna). Some serve God as their masters (Udhava). Certain devotees look upon God as their friend (Arjuna). Kurooramma looked upon God as her child (Yasoda). She had the motherly affection for God.
Kurooramma was a childless widow and settled in Guruvayoor as a devotee.She considered Lord Krishna as her own child, One day Bhagavan Shri krishna himself arrived at her house as a small Brahmin kid.
Kurooramma original name Gauri was born in AD 1570 . She grew-up as an ardent Krishna -bhakta .An elderly Brahmin Vedic Scholar of Vengilassery village’s Kuroor-Illam married Gauri when she was still a child . However, she
became widow at the tender age of (16) before having any children .
The Namboodiri community in those days did not allow widows to participate in any social activities. Their only let out was to work in the kitchen and do prayers. Due to the merits of her previous birth and by the grace of God Kurooramma’s mind always stayed with God.
            God designed Kurooramma’s life in that way with the purpose of drawing her closer towards him. She did not have anything to own. After her kitchen work she used to sit and pray. Very often she went on fasting. Gradually her divine mind led her to a New World. Her mind was purified. She has no emotions other than pure love. She looked upon others as her own children.
 Like every Krishna-bhakta, Gauri too had a detached attitude towards
life . The death of her husband and forced solitude multiplied her
Krishna-bhakti . She accepted *BalaGopalan* as her own son .
” May BalaGopalan the little lad dark and lovely, appear before me
” was her constant prayer .
When God is worshipped as Sri Krishna , He is very soft hearted . In any
other form, God doesn’t present Himself totally to His Bhaktas !.
Yes ! Krishna-bhakti is the unique method that gifts Sri Krishna ,
permanently !
After her kitchen work, Gauri used to sit and pray continuously . Very
often she went on fasting. Gradually her divine mind led her to a New
World . Her mind was purified. She has no emotions other than
Krishna-bhakti . Gauri’s attitude was misunderstood by her
husband’s relatives . They started ridiculing her cruelly finding
fault with everything she does . Finally, they all abandoned her and
moved away to a newly constructed house .
Bhagavan compensated Gauri for this complete loss of worldly support ,
by bestowing her *Krishna-realizatio n*. Her eyes filled with tears of
love at the sight of anybody . She got the emotion of a Mother whenever
she met anyone. Everybody adored her as own Mother. Thus Gauri became
KUROORAMMA ! .
“.
Oh Arjuna, the God Almighty resides in every heart. (Bhagavath Geetha)

Her eyes filled with tears of love at the sight of anybody. She got the emotion of a mother whenever she met anyone. Everybody treated her as his or her own mother.
            Kurooramma was getting old. Almost everyone had left this world in her family. Even though Amma was treated like a family member by others Amma felt God was the only solace to her. So she spent her whole time in prayers. At that time there were two other famous devotees. One was a monk named Vilwamangalathu Swami and the other was King. Lord Krishna appeared before those three devotees at the same time and asked about their wishes.
The monk requested the God  to appear before him at the time of his puja (worship) and accept all his offerings.Kurooramma was getting old. In that abandoned state , she needed asupport and felt Bala-Goplan is the only solace to her. Therefore,
Kurooramma prayed “”. ” Oh my BalaGopala ! I have nobody
but You !. So be with me always. Do not leave me as You did with Yashoda
           Next day itself , Bhagavan appeared as a Brahmin Kid “Unni” ,
in front of Kurooramma . Due to His Yoga-Maya , she could not recognize
Him as Bhagavan. She treated him as her own child. She loved him, cared
for him, chastised him and took care of him .
To childless Kururamma, Bhagavan served as her son. He lived with her,
played with her and even made her angry with His childhood-mischiefs . He
helped her in all household chores as a dutiful son does for his beloved
Mother. Since Unni’s arrival , Kurooramma lived in great joy .
  Krishnan [Unnikrishnan] used to help Krooramma in picking up the flowers and arrange for pooja. One day when Amma was getting the puffed rice ready, the naughty Unnikrishnan mixed the puffed rice and husk together. Amma disciplined him. She told him not to touch those things because they are for offerings to God.  But Unni did not seem to care. He did the same again and again. Amma couldn’t bear any more. So she got him and put him in a big pot and closed it with another pot, which is used for frying rice. Krishna was making noise from there. After a few minutes the noise stopped. Then Amma got worried and looked in and saw Unni lying very tired. She felt bad and took him out and started to pamper him. He suddenly got up; mixed the rice and husk again which was kept separated by Amma and ran fast from there.

            At that time Villwamangalam Swamy in his house was getting ready for his daily puja. But Bhagavan did not come! He was sad and got desperate. Then, suddenly, to his surprise, he saw the Bhagavan [God] running towards him. His holy body was fully smeared with charcoal powder. To the confused Swamiyar, Bhavagan explained in detail what really had happened to him. With childlike simplicity he told, ”Kurooramma” put me in a pot and closed it with another pot, which is usually used to fry rice. That is why my whole body became dirty with charcoal and that is the reason for my late arrival. Villwamangalam Swamy thought to himself, “ what? The Bhagavan [God], whose darsan even the great sages consider as a rare thing, is here locked by a lady! He respected Kurooramma with his whole heart.
 In the year AD 1640 , Kurooramma prayed to Bhagavan to take her to His
abode . And Bhaktavalsalan immediately took her to Sri Vaikunatam .
After Kurooramma’s disappearance without leaving even her mortal
remains , her abandoned home too disintegrated . However, it’s
premises containing Bhagavan Krishna’s divine presence, remained
under divine protection for nearly (360) years culminating in the recent
consecration of Kurooramma Sri Krishna Temple there .
Bhagavan Sri Krishna states in Bhagavad Gita ( 12.5-8) :
* “Those attached to Impersonal Brahman, experience great
difficulty to attain steadiness in My formless un-manifested aspect .
* But, Bhaktas worship Me easily as `Ishta-Deva’ , surrendering
all actions to Me , setting Me as their goal, and meditating on Me with
focused Bhakti . They attain Me swiftly . * Therefore, fix your
mind on Me ( Sri Krishna) , and establish your intelligence in Me alone;
thereafter you will abide solely in Me. There is no doubt about it.

The Famous devotional song *Kani kanum neram* was composed by Kurooramma a great devotee of Sree Guruvayoorappan
Kani kanum neram kamala nethrante
Niramerum manja thukil charthi
Kanaka kingini valakal mothiram
Aninju kanenam bhagavane (2)

Narakauriyay aravindakshante
Cheriya nalathe kalikalum
Thirumey shobhayum thazhuki pookunnen
Aduthu va unni kani kanman
Malarvathil kanthan vasudevathmajan
Pularkale padi kuzhaloothi
Kelukelu ennu kilungum kanchana
Chilampittodiva kani kanman (kanikanum)

Shishukkalayalla saghimarum thanum
Pashukkale meychu nadakkumbol
Vishakkumbol venna kavarnnunnum krishna
Vashathu va unni kani kanan
Vaarya shreekade thukilum varikonda
Arayalin kombathirunnoro
Sheelakkedukal paranjum bharichum
Neela karvarna kanikanman
Ethire pokumbom arike vannoru
Puthumayayulla vachanangal
Madhuramam vannam paranjum pal
Mandasmithavum thooki va kanikanman

Kani kanum neram kamala nethrante
Niramerum manja thukil charthi
Kanaka kingini valakal mothiram
Aninju kanenam bhagavane

Kani Kanum Neram
Sri Krishna Bhakti Chethi Mandaram Tulsi
Jai Shri Krishna

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