Maha Vishnu
The Annual Festival of Colombo Modera Arul Migu Pathmavathy Sri Venkadeswara Maha Vishnu Temple was held recently.
Maha Vishnu is venerated by a large number of devotees as the preserver of the universe. Lord Vishnu is one of the Thirumurthy Gods of the Hindu Pantheon. In Sri Lanka, He is specially revered as the custodian of the island. Vaishnavites venerate him as the supreme deity. The “Vishnu Purana” a work of the 1st century (BC) extols His Attributes.
Known in the early vedic times as the manifestation of Solar Energy, He later became a Deity of major importance and along with “Brahma” and Shiva formed the Holy Thirumurthikal in Hinduism. All things emanate from Him say the Vaishnavites.
In mythology, while Brahma performs creation, Vishnu preserves the lives of all and sundry in the universe. He is the embodiment of goodness and mercy. Because of His acts of preservation, he is a symbol of perpetual life and earns the name “Narayana” meaning the abode of man.
Further, the sacred temple of Maha Vishnu of Modera is a miraculous one and is venerated by several Buddhists and Hindus in large numbers day-in and day-out. Besides, several devotees and philanthropists have generously donated for the betterment of this temple.
Poojas
Daily poojas and festivals are conducted according to Agamas and particularly during annual Ther festival and all other special religious functions “Annathanam” is given to devotees who come to this temple in large numbers from all parts of Colombo. In fact, this temple at Modera has now become to be venerated as a veritable “Thirupathy Shrine” in India.
The Vishnu’s consort is Maha Lakshmi and according to mythology she arose from the milky ocean when it was churned by Devas in search of perpetual life. She became the Divine Consort of Maha Vishnu who was masterminding the charming operation.
She is personified as the embodiment of grace and charm and is venerated as the Goddess of well-being and fortune. She is depicted standing or seated on a lotus pedestal. Further, Maha Vishnu’s vehicle “Vahanum” is the mythical bird “Garuda” and it has the face and beak of a vulture and the body of a human. It is conceived as a very powerful and strong enough to convey Maha Vishnu in all his journey to the cosmic world. In fact, in all the Maha Vishnu’s temples the statue of “Garuda” occupies a prominent place facing the Deity.
“Maha Vishnu” is the greatest “Karma Yogi” of all times. He was the friend of the poor and embodiment of humility. There was none match Maha Vishnu in beauty, in wisdom and perfection.
He embodied in Himself all the great qualities of the head, heart and hand. Every word of his teachings and every act of his life was full of substance and meaning. As the preserves of the universe Maha Vishnu is the object of devotion and he is considered on earth as a great hero to save mankind and to establish Dharma or righteousness.
Miraculous deeds
In “Ramayana” he was born as “Rama” and in “Mahabharatha”, he was born as Lord Vishnu and performed several miraculous deeds and helped his devotees. Further, he assumed several births known as incarnations or Avatars in various forms to establish Dharma when Adharma prevailed in the world. Even the Bhagava Gita declares as follows:- “Whenever there is decay of righteousness and rise of Adharma or unrighteousness, then I myself shall come forth to destroy the unrighteousness and save the righteous and to re-establish Dharma.
In Maha Bharatha, Lord Maha Vishnu was born as Krishna to protect “Pandavas” from “Kauravas”. When Arjuna went to the battle ground and was reluctant to fight when he saw his Guru “Bhismar”, Duronar, and all his relations.
Then only Krishna started teaching Bhagavadgita to Arjuna in the battle ground. He told Arjuna, that this world is a battle ground and there will be problems like the waves in the sea one after the other. As such one should not run away from problems. He looked at Arjuna and said that “your duty is to fight irrespective of consequences and thereafter “Arjuna” got the courage and strength and fought the battle.
Lord Krishna further said that “this world is plagued by endless and myriad of problems. The solutions to these problems lie in the integrated development of individual personality. In order to direct this power, in the right direction one should strive for intellectual enhancement, evaluate confusing situations and derive constructive conclusions. In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna assures with Divine Eloquence that success is one’s Birth right.
Further, Lord Krishna was a formidable warrior, an unsurpassed statesman and greatest philosopher Maha Vishnu took ten major incarnations or Avatars. They are “Majsa”, “Kurma”, “Varaha”, “Warasinha”, “Vamana”, “Parasurama”, Balarama”, Rama and Vishnu incarnations or Avatars. All these incarnations were taken during “Thuvarayugam” and now we living in “Kaliyugam”. At the end of the Kaliyugam and when there is a decline in morality and spirituality and cosmic order gets disturbed Maha Vishnu will take “Kalki” Avatar to save mankind from Adarma and to establish Dharma in this world.
As such, to a world lost in error and weighed down by forces of darkness of ignorance, egoistic arrogance, conflicts and contradictions, trials and tribulations, let us worship Colombo, Modera Sir Venkadeswara Maha Vishnu and utter His pure name and contemplate and surrender ourselves at His Lotus Feet for the progress and success of our lives and also for everlasting peace, eternal prosperity and communal harmony.