The radiant image of Lord Guruvayoorappan shines in the minds of all human beings like an indelible picture. Everyone has a story to tell about Guruvayoorappan. Each of His incarnations has its own objective.
The Ramayana proclaims that one should not have excessive desire for worldly and carnal pleasures. The Sree Krishna Charitham urges one to abandon arrogance and injustice and live a life of action that follows the way of righteousness. In the Krita Yuga, Salvation can be achieved through penance, in the Treta Yuga through yagas (sacrificial rituals) and in the Dvapara Yuga Through tantric learning (study of rituals). In the Kali Yuga, however, Narayaneeyam teaches us that Lord's blessings can be achieved through sankeerthana, singing of songs of praise.
There are 9 ways of worshipping God and achieving liberation: sravanam (listening to praises of God), kirtanam (singing words of praise), smaranam (thinking of God), padasevanam (worshipping of the sacred feet), archanam (pooja rituals), Vandanam (paying Him obeisance), dasyam (being a servant to Him), Sakhyam (friendship with Him) and atmanivedanam (complete surrender of the God). These are described as the navavidha bhakti (nine ways of devotion). Of these nine ways, kirthanam (singing words of praise) is the greatest form of worshipping God. Since devotion is the most important aspect of Indian music, it is a complete form of worship.
It is possible to attain the sweetness of devotion through kirtanam. Bhagavan says in the Padma Purana, 'I do not reside in Vaikundam, or in the hearts of ascetics, I dwell in the hearts of the devotees who sing about me.'
There have been many composers in South India who attained bliss by composing songs in praise of Sreerama, krithis on Sreekrishna, songs in praise of Sri Ganesh and krithis on Skanda.. Some inexplicable and auspicious circumstance has occurred in the lives of many these composers to impel them to compose these works. It was a strange and wonderful coincidence of this nature that occurred in the life of Sri Narayanankutty Menon, who lives very far away from Kerala, in New Jersey in the United State, and who is well known by his pet name Sundaran. It was through visions that Sri Menon saw in his dreams for days together that Lord Krishna conveyed his message to him to compose songs on Sree Krishna. Sri Menon had no formal training whatsoever in Carnatic music. He spoke about the dreams he had to a close friend. This friend instructed Sri Menon to keep writing the mantra, Hari Om Narayan Continuously. Sri Menon did so for several days. Suddenly, a composition he had once heard played on the veena and then forgotten wafted into his consciousness and the words of the lyrics that matched this melody took shape in his mind. This was how he created his maiden composition.
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