Introduction to Section 5.7

For the nonce, the Āḻvār attempted to sustain himself by impersonating the Lord, even as the damsels of Vṛndāvan did, during that oppressive break in the middle of the rapturous ‘Rāsa Krīḍā’. But there, Lord Kṛṣṇa reappeared in an even more enchanting form than in the earlier session. But here, the Lord is still keeping Himself away from the Āḻvār, although, on the previous occasions, He obliged the Āḻvār with His appearance, mental vision of course, whenever the Āḻvār’s longing for such communion was far too intense. Pondering within himself, the Āḻvār apprehends that the Lord might either want him to adopt other means such as karma, Jñāna, Bhakti yogas or intend to give him up on the ground that he was pursuing other means, instead of looking upon Him, as the sole Means. The Āḻvār, therefore, hastens to clarify his true stand at the feet of the Lord, enshrined in Vāṉamāmalai. This pilgrim centre, also known as (irīvara Maṅkai, Cirīvara Maṅkalam and Nāṅkuṉēri, is deep south in the Tamiḻ Nādu. In each of the various pilgrim centres, the Lord displays one of His numerous auspicious traits prominently. In Vāṉamāmalai (Cirīvaramaṅkalam) shines, with extra-brilliance, the Lord’s generosity, whereby He gives out to the devotees seeking Him with single-minded devotion, His very feet as their Sole Refuge, (vide aphorism 163 of Ācārya Hṛdayam).