Whenever the Azhvars thought of the exploits of Lord Narayana during His various avatars, it did not seem to them as if these events had happened a long time ago. It seemed as if they were happening in their time. So great was their love for the Lord, that every time they thought of the dangers the Lord had faced in an avatara of His, they shuddered. They were like a mother in this attitude towards the Lord, said M.A. Venkatakrishnan, in a discourse.
Suppose a small child shakes off its mother’s hand, and runs to the middle of the road, with a car speeding towards it, imagine the mother’s horror. She is afraid she may not be able to save the child. Luckily, the driver of the car applies the brakes in time and no harm comes to the child. But every time the mother thinks of this incident, the fear comes back to her, as if the whole scene is being repeated.
This was how the Azhvars felt when they thought of the hurdles in the Lord’s path. Kulasekhara Azhvar showed his concern for Rama. Periyazhvar had maternal concern for Krishna. Periyazhvar imagined himself to be Yasoda, bathing Krishna, feeding the child, and watching its growing years in delight. Krishna is referred to as the One in the middle — Idaiyan. The Supreme One gave to Himself the task of protecting and in this role He positioned Himself as Vishnu, between Brahma the creator and Siva the destroyer. Parasara Bhatta in his Sri Rangaraja Stava, refers to Vishnu, the middle One, as His first avatara. Although the Lord thus assumed a position of His choice, His Paratva is not hidden, points out Bhatta. Just as Vishnu is the protector, the Supreme One, in His avatara as Krishna, was in the midst of cowherds, who are also protectors. They protect, and nurture cows, which give us nourishing milk.
