Akrooragamanam
Akrooragamanam
Akrooragamanam
Akrooragamanam is an important piece in the Nangiarkoothu repertoire where a seemingly uneventful storyline is transformed into a dramatic masterpiece with simile and allegories that are representative of the Koodiyattam/Nangiarkoothu storytelling technique. In a typical performance, an actor may choose specific portions to elaborate on and skip or gloss over the remaining.
Kamsa scheming to bring Krishna & Balarama to Mathura on some pretext and kill them, decided to have a ‘Bow-sacrifice’. He instructed Akoora to go to Gokulam and bring them.
As Akroora - I have been yearning to see Lord Krishna for a long time. I have not been able to do so because of fear for Kamsa. Now Kamsa himself has instructed me to go to Gokulam and bring the Lord here. This is definitely a blessing. Thus he proceeded towards Ambady.
On the way to Ambady Akroora thought to himself -
The saviour of the three worlds was born in Ambady as Devaki’s son to rid the earth of evil. I have the opportunity to see the face of that Lord. There is none more fortunate than me.
Tonight will be my awakening. Lord Vishnu whose eyes resemble the petals of a lotus in full bloom, I shall see those beautiful eyes.
The Lord whose auspicious form is meditated on by devotees for destruction of their sins, I shall see the face of that Lord.
The Lord from whom the Vedas are born, I shall see the face of that Lord.
The Lord whom the great Brahmins worship through their sacrifices, I shall see the face of that Lord.
The Lord who was worshipped by Indra through many sacrifices to attain lordship over the Devas, I shall see the face of the Lord.
The Lord who is beyond the grasp of Brahma, Rudra and the Devas, he will verily incarnate in front of me today.
The Lord who pervades the inner being of all things in the three worlds, he will speak sweetly to me today.
The Lord who incarnated as Matsya, Kurma and Varaha etc.. to protect the three worlds, that Lord who is beyond the cycle of birth and death will protect me also.
The Lord by whose illusion, ye becomes my father, ye becomes my mother, ye becomes my sons, ye become my brothers , ye become my kin. On account of which mortals are rendered powerless to see through the veil of bondage. I prostrate to that Lord.
The Lord who is meditated on by Yogis for destruction of their ignorance. I prostrate to that Lord.
One who meditates on the Lord attains every possible prosperity in all three worlds. I take refuge in that Lord.
Thus Akroora in flights of fancy, thinking about the Lord, did not feel the strain of travelling the distance and reached Vrindavan in the due course.
He reached the grazing fields where Lord Krishna plays with the cowherds and calves. He dismounted the chariot and prostrated himself on that blessed land and found the ground covered with foot prints of Lord Krishna that bear the marks of the conch and discus. He smeared his body with some that holy dust and was swept by exhilaration. He got on the chariot and reached Ambady by sunset.
The Lord who pervades the inner being of all things in the three worlds, he will speak sweetly to me today.
The Lord who incarnated as Matsya, Kurma and Varaha etc.. to protect the three worlds, that Lord who is beyond the cycle of birth and death will protect me also.
The Lord by whose illusion, ye becomes my father, ye becomes my mother, ye becomes my sons, ye become my brothers , ye become my kin. On account of which mortals are rendered powerless to see through the veil of bondage. I prostrate to that Lord.
The Lord who is meditated on by Yogis for destruction of their ignorance. I prostrate to that Lord.
One who meditates on the Lord attains every possible prosperity in all three worlds. I take refuge in that Lord.
Thus Akroora in flights of fancy, thinking about the Lord, did not feel the strain of travelling the distance and reached Vrindavan in the due course.
He reached the grazing fields where Lord Krishna plays with the cowherds and calves. He dismounted the chariot and prostrated himself on that blessed land and found the ground covered with foot prints of Lord Krishna that bear the marks of the conch and discus. He smeared his body with some that holy dust and was swept by exhilaration. He got on the chariot and reached Ambady by sunset.
As the evening drew near, the sun had reached the tips of the mountains and the evening rays pervaded horizon. The setting sun shone brightly in the middle of the western ocean.
The clouds had acquired a reddish hue and it appeared as if at twilight, the auspicious day, in the form of an beautiful maiden was descending from her place on the sky, using those ruddy clouds as stairs to enter the waters of the ocean.The jasmines were about to bloom and the bees sat on the flowers buzzing haughtily, greedy to drink the nectar as soon as the buds opened up. The drone of the bees resembled the blow of the conch that signifies the arrival of Kamadeva (God of Love) as he sets out to conquer the world. A gentle breeze fragrant with jasmine was blowing, causing great distress to the lotuses and the Chakravaka birds.
Why is that so ?
As lotus - Casts passionate side glances at the sun (her husband). Distressed by the touch of the evening breeze she looks angrily at the creeping darkness and commands it (with her eyes) to go away and then looks yearningly at the sun.
As Chakravaka bird - The male bird feeds on the lotus stalks and carries some for his partner. The female bird looks on amorously at her mate. Distressed by the touch of the evening breeze she feels agony at the oncoming separation from her love-mate. She looks angrily at the sun that was beginning to set and commands it (with her eyes) "Do not set, Go back". As darkness descends she let out deep yearning sighs at the separation of her beloved and it appeared as if on account of the burning desire of the birds remaining unfulfilled, let out smoke which resembled the darkness.
The moon had begotten great sin on account of the death of lonely maidens who gave up their lives in separation from their partners. The moon fell from the sky and crashed on a rock and shattered into a thousand pieces each of which shone like a star in the night sky.
He then saw the houses of the Gopas lit with oil lamps and was swept away in a gush of joy on hearing the Gopa women singing songs in praise of the Lord. On reaching the house of Nandagopa he saw Lord Krishna in his dusky complexion (like a rain bearing cloud). Having bathed in the twilight and decked up a little, the Lord stood amidst the Gopas, pleased at hearing the sound of the cows being milked. It appeared as if the Lord stood there awaiting the arrival of his great devotee Akroora.
He then saw a resplendant Balabhadra standing next to Krishna decked in blue. It appeared as if another Kailasa mountain surrounded by dark clouds had risen there in Gokulam. Thus Akroora meditated on the Lord’s form, approached and prostrated in front of him.