NARAYANEEYAM DASAKAM - 48 - NALAKUBURA AND MANIGRIVA SHAAPA MOKSHAM

Dasakam - 48 - Nalakubura and Manigriva 

Shaapa Moksham

Yashoda tied Krishna to the Mortar and went to look after her house hold chores. Devas and great sages praised the Lord for his mercy on his mother and called him Damodara in excitement. Krishna stayed tied by a hard rope on his soft stomach and watched the two trees in front of his house.

Kubera had two sons, Nalakubura and Manigriva. They were devoted to Lord Shiva and were blessed with lot of wealth. This made them proud and started to indulge in undesirable activities. Narada who was devoted to Lord Hari, once spotted them singing and sporting in Ganges, taking bath without dress, surrounded by ladies in an intoxicated state.

Seeing Narada, the women hurriedly put on their clothes. Narada cursed the duo to become devoted to Lord and attain peace. Without peace, there is no way anyone can achieve happiness. Sage cursed both to become trees for a very long time and wait to get the darshan of Lord to achieve peace and their original form. Immediately Nalakubura and Manigriva became Kakuba or Arjuna trees and waited to have darshan of Lord near Gokulam.

Krishna pulled the mortar along and started to move towards the trees in a slow paced manner. The mortar was made horizontal by krishna so he can roll it along and walked between the trees. The mortar hit the old decayed trees and both fell down. Two radiant yakshas, Nalakubura and Manigriva emerged from the roots of the felled trees and immediately sang hymns in praise of Lord and worshipped him.

Anyone who prays other Gods, ultimately reach Lord Hari's feet. By the mercy of sage Narada, here the two sons of Kuberan reached the Lord's feet and were blessed with the boon of highest devotion to Lord always and went away. The gopas rushed to the place after hearing the frightening sound of falling trees. Nandagopan looked at Yashoda meaningfully and she felt ashamed of her act. He then released Krishna from the mortar, who releases everyone in this world from the bonds of samsara and maya.

It is Lord's mercy that the child was protected even though he was caught between the falling trees, thus saying Nandagopan and gopas went home with Krishna. Bhattathiri requested Lord Guruvayoorappan to free him from ailments.

Lyrics of Dasakam 48

मुदा सुरौघै: त्वम्-उदार-सम्मदै:
उदीर्य दामोदर इत्यभिष्टुत: ।
मृदु दर: स्वैरम्-उलूखले लगन्
अदूरतो द्वौ ककुभौ-उदैक्षथा:॥१॥

mudaa suraughai: tvam-udaara-sammadai:
udiirya daamOdara ityabhiShTuta: |
mR^iduu dara: svairam-uluukhale lagan
naduuratO dvau kakubhov udaikshathaa: || 1 ||

कुबेर सूनु: नलकूबर-अभिध:
परो मणिग्रीव इति प्रथां गत: ।
महेश सेवाधिगत श्रियोन्मदौ
चिरं किल त्वत्-विमुखौव अखेलताम् ॥२॥

kubera suunu: nalakuubara-abhidha:
parO maNigriiva iti prathaaM gata: |
mahesha sevaadhigata shriyOnmadou
chiraM kila tvat-vimukhov akhelataam || 2 ||

सुरापगायां किल तौ मदोत्कटौ
सुरापगायत्-बहुयौवता-वृतौ ।
विवाससौ केलिपरौ स नारदो
भवत् पदैक प्रवणो निरैक्षत ॥३॥

suraapagaayaaM kila tau madOtkaTau
suraapagaayat-bahuyauvataa-vR^itau |
vivaasasau keliparau sa naaradO
bhavat padaika pravaNO niraikshata || 3 ||

भिया प्रिया लोकम्-उपात्तवाससं
पुरो निरीक्ष्यापि मदान्ध चेतसौ ।
इमौ भवत्-भक्ति-उपशान्ति-सिद्धये
मुनिर्जगौ शान्तिमृते कुत: सुखम् ॥४॥

bhiyaa priyaa lOkam-upaattavaasasaM
purO niriikshyaapi madaandha chetasau |
imau bhavat-bhakti-upashaanti siddhaye
munirjagau shaantimR^ite kuta: sukham || 4 || 

युवाम्-अवाप्तौ ककुभात्मतां चिरं
हरिं निरीक्ष्याथ पदं स्वमाप्नुतम् ।
इतीरितौ तौ भवदीक्षण स्पृहां
गतौ व्रजान्ते ककुभौ बभूवतु: ॥५॥

yuvaam-avaaptau kakubhaatmataaM chiraM
hariM niriikshyaatha padaM svamaapnutam |
itiiritau tau bhavadiikshaNa spR^ihaaM
gatau vrajaante kakubhou babhuuvatu: || 5 ||

अतन्द्रम्-इन्द्र द्रुयुगं तथाविधं
समेयुषा मन्थर गामिना त्वया ।
तिरायितोलूखल रोध निर्धुतौ
चिराय जीर्णौ परिपातितौ तरू ॥६॥

atandram-indra-druyugaM tathaavidhaM
sameyuShaa manthara gaaminaa tvayaa |
tiraayitOluukhala rOdha nirdhutau
chiraaya jiirNau paripaatitau taruu || 6 ||

अभाजि शाखिद्वितयं यदा त्वया
तदैव तत्-गर्भतलान्निरेयुषा ।
महात्विषा यक्षयुगेन तत्क्षणात्
अभाजि गोविन्द भवानपि स्तवै: ॥७॥

abhaaji shaakhidvitayaM yadaa tvayaa
tadaiva tat-garbhatalaannireyuShaa |
mahaatviShaa yakshayugena tatkshaNaat
abhaaji gOvinda bhavaanapi stavai: || 7 ||

इहान्य भक्तोऽपि समेष्यति क्रमात्
भवन्तम् एतौ खलु रुद्र सेवकौ ।
मुनिप्रसादात् भवदङ्घ्रिम् आगतौ
गतौ वृणानौ खलु भक्तिम्-उत्तमाम् ॥८॥

ihaanya bhaktO(a)pi sameShyati kramaat
bhavantam etau khalu rudra sevakou |
muni prasaadaat bhavadanghrim-aagatou
gatau vR^iNaanou khalu bhaktim-uttamaam || 8 ||

ततस्तरूद्दारण दारुणारव-
प्रकम्पि सम्पातिनि गोप मण्डले ।
विलज्जित त्वज्जननी मुखेक्षिणा
व्यमोक्षि नन्देन भवान् विमोक्षद: ॥९॥

tatastaruuddaaraNa daaruNaarava-
prakampi sampaatini gOpa maNDale |
vilajjita tvajjananii mukhekshiNaa
vyamOkshi nandena bhavaan vimOkshada: || 9 ||

महीरुहो:-मध्यगतो बतार्भको
हरे: प्रभावात्-अपरिक्षतो अधुना ।
इति ब्रुवाणै:-गमितो गृहं भवान्
मरुत्पुराधीश्वर पाहि मां गदात् ॥१०॥

mahiiruhO: madhyagatO bataarbhakO
hare: prabhaavaat-aparikshatO (a)dhunaa |
iti bruvaaNai: gamitO gR^ihaM bhavaan
marutpuraadhiishvara paahi maam gadaat || 10 ||

--------Sri Krishnarpanam--------