The Lord is Feverish – Story!
Srirangam in Tamilnadu is called Bhuloga Vaikunta. It is the First among the 108 Divya desams. That temple and tower is very big and tall.
Its primary deity is Sri Ranganatha who is Govinda, ie, Krishna Himself. He is called as “Periya Perumal” meaning “Big Vishnu” by the devotees.
Srirangam faced an occasion when “Periya Perumal Sri Renganatha” fell ill!
An interesting incident happened during Sri Ramanuja’s avatara.
Sri Ramanuja went to see Periya Perumal (Sri Renganatha).
At that time His body had been oiled as herbal treatment process.
For some reason, Sri Renganatha was lying wrapped in a cloth.
When Sri Ramanuja saw this, it occurred to him that Sri Renganatha was not feeling well.
How could an agnostic who thinks that He is an avatar, a stone, understand Sri Ramanuja’s condition?
He looked at Sri Renganatha and asked: “Why, Is your divine body not well?” Sri Ramanujar asked.
Sri Renganatha saw Sri Ramanuja. By accepting the attitude of the devotee, the Lord would interact.
He spoke as the archa avatar, “Yes. Not quite right.” said Sri Renganatha.
“Why did this happen?” Sri Ramanujar asked.
“They offered Nivedana to me with curd rice and gooseberry. I also ate it because the devotees gave it to me. So, I got the fever” said Sri Renganatha.
The Lord would perform lila to His devotee according to the devotee’s state of mind.
Until then, Sri Renganatha, who was running Sri Ranga Rajya, did not have a royal physician in his Ranga Rajya (ruling jurisdiction – Srirangam).
The Lord told so to create a thought in the mind of Ramanuja that there is no physician in Srirangam.
Ramanuja realized that Sri Renganatha is in archa avatar, but He is the actual Lord.
He burst into tears hearing the statement of the Lord.
Sri Ramanuja looked at Sri Renganatha and wept and said, “If it is a fleshly body, we can bring a doctor to show you. Which doctor (doctor) will I bring to show you your aprakruta divine body?”
Sri Renganatha said, “We have a doctor. In our sanctum, ‘Dhanvantri’ will be consecrated. He always takes care of me,”
From that day, whatever ingredients are prepared for Sri Renganatha, dhanvantri would certify whether those ingredients be good for Sri Renganatha.
Dhanvantri put that in front of him and only after he gave his permission, Sri Renganatha would accept the offerings.
Sri Renganatha would only touch the things that Dhanvantri had allowed from that day on. Such an importance Sri Renganatha had given to Dhanvantri.
To show the greatness of Dhanvantri and to show the pious devotion of Sri Ramanuja, Sri Renganatha did this Lila of getting ill.
Dhanvantri who claims that he is Sri Renganatha’s doctor is also the avatar of the Lord (Periya Perumal Sri Renganatha).
(Saranagati (Surrender) – Story! READ HERE!)