Flowers are associated with fragrance, colour, charm, nectar, softness.
Can a flower be compared to an army of rakshasAs. This is a weird comparison but in most appropriate manner. This comparison in facts, throws light on EmperumAns valour
How does one narrate valour? By talking of the great bravery? By the talking of the stories of victories?. By the talking of the fiery opponents? By talking of the strength and nuances?
There is another way to bring into the greatness of the valour. By giving some simple examples which precisely reflect the object.
The flower – pULaip pU adorn the forests majestically. On appearance they appear bright. Once wind blows across these, the flowers vanish into nowhere.
The great forces of rAvaNA came like ocean waves with aggression and hostile intentions. Sri rAmA’s valour made them vanish as if they were like pULaip pU.
That is the simple example for sri chakravarthith thirumagan’s valour but the simple illustration reflects the great bravery and strength and sri rAmA.
“kARRiDaip pULai karandhen arandhaiyura kadal arakkar tham sEnai,
kURRidaich sella koDum kaNaith thurandha kOla villi raman than kOil..”- 4-10-6;
காற்றிடைப் பூளைக் கரந்தென அரநதையுற கடலரக்கர் தம் சேனை ,
கூற்றிடைச் செல்ல கொடுங்கணை துரந்த கோல வில்லி இராமன் தன் கோயில்
Thorny Flowers
Sri krshNA does not expect anything from us. ‘pathram, pushpam , phalam -thOyam’ are the simple things mentioned by Himself. Here, the simple nature of worshipping Him is highlighted.
‘puruvadhuvum pugai-pUvEA’ goes the line of thiruvAimozhi.
BudathAzvar in the iraNDAm thiruvandhadhi clarifies this
‘..thAmuLarEa, tham vuLLam vuL vuLadhEa..’
’தாம் உளரே, தம் உள்ளம் உள் உளதே.தாம்ரையின் பூ உள்தெ’
The mind that is interested to worship Him is the crux here.
The affection is the key driver and the flowers , water and other likes are instrumental.
A soft flower submitted without affection is not desirable whereas a thorny flower submitted with full of affection is indeed welcome.
That is what Tirumangai Mannan emphasises here
‘kaLLAr thuzhAiyum, kaNavalarum,kUviLayum
muLLAr muLariyum Ambalum mun kaNDakkAl,
puLLAi Or yEanamAi pukkidanthAi ponnadikkenRu..’ 11-7-6;Periya tirumozhi
’கள்ளார் துழாயும், கணவளரும், கூவிளையும்,
முளளார் முளரியும், ஆம்பலும் முன் கண்டக்கால்,
புள்ளாய் ஓர் ஏனமாயி புக்கிடந்தாய் பொன்னடிக்கென்று..
Sri Periya vAChAn piLLai’s commentary is crystal clear in this regard:
‘snEhap prAdhAnyam;SnEham illAdhavan idil thiruthuzhAyum AgAdhu;SnEhathODEA idil alariyum Am’
Even if thiruthuzhAi is submitted to the Lord without affection, it is not desired. If given with affection even alari is desirable.
Here Sri Thirumalai Vinjamoor Venkatesh swami adds a point
“I would like to add one more point. “pugai poovE”, refers to any flower and just a smoke, not even a scent. AzhwAr says, any smoke is acceptable to emperumAn as He is expects only our “thooya vuLLam”. This obviously means “purity of heart” is the only important thing.”
Not that we have to search for a thorny flower but let us mind, at least be bereft of such thorny feelings
By Vanamamalai Padmanabhanm, Source: Sri Ramanuja Groups
