Sri Garudacharya was born at a village in the present day Trichy, during 18th Century AD, and he belonged to a pious Iyengar Brahmin Community. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Sri Krishna, and he inculcated the “KRISHNA BHAKTI” in the minds of the Hindus, and in fact he tried his level best to preach the essence of Krishna Bhakti amongst all classes of people, irrespective of their caste, creed, gender and religion.
Due to his staunch devotion on Krishna, once he had got the divine darshan of Lord Krishna, and when he was asked by Krishna towards offering of a boon, he didn’t ask anything for him, but he requested the Lord to remove the troubles and turmoil in the life of his devotees. From this incident, we could clearly understand the sweet and selfless nature of Sri Garudacharya.
Sri Garudacharya worked as a priest in Srirangam, Sri Ranganathar Temple, and his main job is to take care of Lord Ranganatha as his own child by the way of performing pujas, decorating him with flowers and ornaments, and offering of his favourite holy Prasad items to him. Though Sri Garudacharya was born in a poor family, yet, he lived a very simple, honest and pious life. Once while he was doing puja at Srirangam Temple, there he met a great saint, who was then giving divine discourses from Srimad Bhagavatham at the temple premises in front of the public. He heard the entire Bhagavatham from him, and in course of time, he become a staunch devotee of Lord Krishna, and began to sing wonderful songs in praise of him.
Soon most of the people, including the other religious people who lived in Srirangam, and its nearby areas were also become the devotees of Lord Krishna, they joined with Sri Garudachaya and began to taste the sweetness of Krishna Bhakti by the way of participating in the bhajans which was held at the Srirangam Temple as well as in the nearby temples of Lord Krishna during Saturdays.
His songs were well appreciated by the public, and some of the verses from his songs are as follows:
- Oh My Lord! I feel pity on you, and I wonder that how you would have killed the terrible demons with your soft and gentle hands. Are you really safe during that toughest time!
- Oh My Sweet Krishna! I feel jealous with the Gopikas and Gopalas, since they have got the golden opportunity to play with you, touch you, kiss you and embrace you!
- Oh My Sweet Krishna! I feel jealous with Ma Yashoda who had got the golden opportunity to Brought you up in your childhood, and also I feel jealous with the people of Vrindavan, who have closely interacted with you during the previous Dwapara Yuga.
- Oh My Lovely Krishna! You have stolen the hearts of your numerous devotees through your wonderful smile, through your divine beauty, and through your divine childhood plays.
- Oh My Little Krishna! You are always moving softly and gently with your devotees, and that’s why you have been praised by your devotees as “SRI BHAKTAVATSALA”.
- Oh My Dear Krishna! I am not getting hungry and I am not able to sleep, since I am always thinking only about you and about your greatness.
- Oh my lovely Krishna! I very much wonder that how you would have shown the entire universe on your small mouth to Ma Yashoda, and I request you to show it once again to myself and others.
- Oh Sri Krishna Mahaprabhu, I need only you and you alone. I don’t want to even live in the Divine Lokas like Brahma Loka and Indra Loka, since I want to always dwell only at your Holy Lotus feet.
- Sri Krishna Bhakti alone would give us Mukti, Sri Krishna Mantra is the marvellous Mantra, and Sri Krishna is the one and only Supreme God.
“JAI SRIKRISHNA MAHAPRABHU KI JAI, JAI”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR
