In our SampradAyam, Lord VishvaksenA is the commander-in-chief of SrIman nArAyaNA’s army. He has been given the authority by SrIman nArAyaNA to protect the wealth of SrI VaikuNTham and maintain order and run the affairs of Parama Padam. He is visualized as having a cane (military staff of a General) in his hand to command his troops (devAs) and is always in the company of nityasUri-s. SwAmy DeSikan salutes him as the third in the hierarchy of our AchAryAs after KamalA kAntan and KamalA Herself:
Vande VaikuNTha senAnyam devam sUtravatI sakham
yadvetra Sikhara spandhe viSvam yetad vyavastitam — YatirAja saptati: Slokam 3
(Meaning): I salute Vishvaksenar, the consort of sUtravati and the Commander-in-Chief of the Lord’s army. The whole universe is controlled by the different movements of the Cane that he holds in his hand as insignia of his delegated authority.
Vishvaksenar is also recognized as the AchAryan for NammAzhwAr. The name of Vishvaksenar’s wife is sUtravati. He is the first among the Kainkary parAL of SrIman nArAyaNA in SrI VaikuNTham. In the 14th Slokam of SrI VenakteSa SuprabhAtam, SrI Vishvaksenar is seen in action controlling the throngs of the DevAs jostling with each other to get a better sevai of ThiruvEnkaTamuDaiyAn during His SuprabhAtam:
SrI SwAmy pushkariNikaa plava nirmalAngA:
Sreyoarthino hara Virinci sanandanAdhyA:I
dvAre vasanti varavetra hathotthamAngA:
SrI VenkaTAcalapate! tava SuprabhAtam II
(Meaning): “Brahma, MahesvarA, the sage SanandanA and others, aspiring well-being and having bathed in SrI SwAmy pushkariNI and (thus) sanctified their bodies, are waiting at the entrance receiving cane strokes on their heads from Vishvaksenar, their commander. Oh Lord of VenkaTAchalam! May it be an auspicious dawn to Thee!”.
The cane strokes of Vishvaksenar are to be considered as gentle touches to control the over enthusiastic crowds of DevAs pushing for an advantageous vantage point for the darSanam of their Lord.
With this background comments, I place at the sacred feet of Lord Vishvaksenar a kritii to be sung in HindoLa rAgam:
Pallavi: Vishvaksenam bhajare re mAnasa
VaikuNTha senAnyam bhajare
Anupallavi: vetra saara hastinam sUtravati nAtham
SrI VaikuNTha aiSvarya paripAlana daksham
CaraNam: SadA nArAyaNa pArAyaNa vaibhava prasiddham
veda vedAnta divya prabandha prakASakam
KamalA kAnta dayA pAtram parAnkuSa AchAryam
nidhesena anusarAn nirvAhakam VishNu Kinkaram
(Vishvaksenam Bhajare re mAnasa)
(Meaning of the Kriti VAkhyams):
Pallavi: Oh My mind! Please eulogize SrI Vishvaksenar! Please meditate on him as the Commander-in-chief of the army of the Lord of SrI VaikuNTham (Parama Padam).
Anupallavi: Oh My mind! Please salute SrI Vishvaksenar, the consort of sUtravati, with his ceremonial cane in his hand protecting with masterly skill, the limitless wealth of the Lord of SrI VaikuNTham.
CharaNam: Vishvaksenar is well known for his uninterrupted sankIrtanam of his Lord’s divya nAmAs. He is the promoter of the lofty doctrines adumbrated in the VedAs, Upanishads and Divya Prabandhams that c elebrate the glories of SrIman nArAyaNA. He is the beneficiary of the grace and anugraham of SrIya: pathi and is the AchAryA of NammAzhwAr. This prime servant of SrI VaikuNThanAthan directs the Lord’s troops with the gestures of his ceremonial cane.
Vishvaksenar is the chief commander of Sriman narayanan’s army and also the controller of His Lord’s wealth . Sri VaikunTha gadhyam passage refers to Sriman narayanan entrusting Vishvaksenar with His entire wealth in view of His capacity to manage the tasks of creation , protection and destruction of all chEtanAchEtanms with his mere sankalpam ( svasankalpamAtrAvaklupta jagajjanmasthitidhvamsAdhikE Srimathee VishvaksEnE nyasta-samastASvaryam ). He is therefore the first among the KaimakryaparALs of Sriman NarayaNan.
VishvaksEnar is also the direct sishyar of Mahaa Lakshmi and AchAryan of Swamy NammAzhwAr . He is thus the unique link between the Dhivya dampatis as the celestial AchAryAs and the AchAryAs , who appeared in the human form on earth at the behest of the dhivya dampatis . VishvaksEnar came down to Azhwar Thirunagari and blessed KuruhUr SaThakOpan with Pancha samskArams , the meanings of the three rahasyams and also taught Him Yogam . The AchArya paramparai continues thereafter via NathAmunigaL , Alavanthar , Periya Nambi and RaamAnuja .
As the commander of the Lord’s armies (gaNams) , He protects every rituals and utsavams linked to the Lord . For instance in during the annual BrahmOtsavams , He goes around the temple Veedhis to check and make sure that all arrangements for the utsavam are in order . The ankurArpaNam follows thereafter . DhvajArOhaNam takes place in His presence .
VishvaksEnar has an important place in VaikhAnasa and PaancharAtra Aagamams . At Thirumala , He has a sannidhi in the northern side of the temple and is seen with Chakram and Sankham on His upper hands and displays avgana mudhrai on the right lower hand , while resting His left hand on His thigh . His left foot is folded in the ardha padmAsanam mode and His right leg is extended to the ground. We perform AarAdhanam for Him first before starting every Vaidhika karmaa for removal of any obstacles . Swamy Desikan salutes Sri VishvasEnar this way for that reason : “ anEka vigna Samanam aneekESwaram AaSrayE”.
After PerumAL AarAdhanam , a portion of the naivEdhyam is reserved for Him ( Thvadheeya bukta ujjihita sEsha bhOjinA–Swamy AlawandhAr in stOtra ratnam ) . He is therefore called “SeshaaSanar “. At Thirumala, after daily AarAdhanam of Lord VenkatEswara , His garlands and flowers are also presented to the VaikunTha SenAdhipati , VishvaksEnar , as a cherished protocol to remind others of his unique position in the Lord’s court .
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