On the third utthsavan in vaikunta ekadeshi pagalpathu (Thirumozhi–Thirunaal), Namperumal, went to Arjuna Manadapam from moolasthanam at around 7:15 am. After which the devotees were offered darshan of our azagiya manavalan. Our Lord is adorned with rathna malai and vaidooryam and other jewels and appears in his resplendent self.
Sri Periya Azhwar Thirumozhi – the 463rd pasuram was recited, which says..
senniyongu thanthiruvengadamudaiyaay! ulaku
thannai vaazhaninranambee! dhaamodharaa! sadhiraa!
ennaiyum ennudaimaiyaiyum un sakkarapporiyorrikkoNdu
ninnarule purindhirundhen ini en thirukkurippe
This pasuram of Periyazwar is an expression of the Alwar’s sense of gratitude (kruthankya) and his declaration of total surrender (Prapatti).
Thiruvenkatamudaiyan is the Lord who destroys all sins of his Adiyars. Standing atop the cool Thiruvenkata hills, He is ever ready to ignore all the shortcomings of his Adiyars and bless them. He is the embodiment of Sowseelyam, Sowlabyam and Vatsalyam.
He is the Damodara , one who allows himself to be tied by a a flimsy rope of Yasoda. Such is his karunyam.
He is “sadiraa” – Chathryan – He is smart and allows his Adiyars to reach him after many difficulties so that t5hey when they finally reach His thiruvadi, they aRe fully aware that He is the one who can give them refuge.
Alwar says my body and my possessions are all yours I have marked them all with the ChakrA to show that all this belongs to you. I am seeking Your grace only and my body is for serving only You. I am standing here awaiting your grace. Is there anything else you wish to see in me to show myself and prove my total surrender?
On the 4th day of the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, Azagiya Manalavan started early in the morning around 7:00-7:15 am and reached Arjuna mandapam. This was promptly followed by Arayar sevai with Azhwar mariyadhai and then neivedhyam. Theertha Koshti followed this and then our Azagiya Manvalan showed his splendor to the public for darshan.
Some reflections on this day’s pasurams are as follows…
kannan ennum karum deyvam katcip pazhagik kidappenaip
punnil puLi peydarpolap pura ninru azhagu pesade
pennin varuttam ariyada peruman araiyil pIdaka
vanna Adai kondu ennai vattam taniya vIisIre
This beautiful pasuram of our Godhai Nachiyar illustrates her devotion towards our aranganathan. Such is the determination of our Godhai Nachiyar that she is determined to unite with our namperumal and expresses her determination through Nschiyar thirumozhi. She declares that –“Maanidarkenru paechupadil vaayakillaen naan” – if there is any talk of my giving over to any human I will not live.
• She implores Kamadeva to help her unite with the Lord.
• She asks the Cuckoo bird to call Kannan to her side
• She dreams of her marriage with Govinda (in Vaaranamaayiram)
• She exclaims the good fortunes of the white conch Panchajanya which is able to taste Kannan’s lips –“Vaai theertham paayntada vallaai Valampuriyae”
• She sends dark clouds as her emissary to Him to explain her plight when separated from Him
• She shares her agony (of separation from the Lord) with everything in Maalirunchoalai- flowers birds, rain etc
• She request all around to take her to Nanda Gokulam on the banks of Yamuna
In this Pasuram – Kannan ennum Karum Deyvam- and the ones following, she asks people to bring her anything that has His sparsam – clothes, tulasi , vanamaala garland, shuddodakam from His mouth and
the flute.
Andal describes Him as “Karum Deyvam”-. Karum also means hard and uncaring as He has not yet come to her in spite of her devotion and dedication to Him. She tells the elders who advise her to forget pining for the Lord , that she is used to visualizing the scenes of her prior association with Him. She thought that at least the sweet memories of the times she spent with him will help her survive the separation from Him. But that is of no use. She is now so sick that she has to lie down (kidappaenae).
She tells them not to pour tamarind paste on her wound meaning not to torment her further as she is already suffering from His separation. She tells them –“puram ninru paesadae” – don’t talk as if she is outside Him whereas in fact she is one with Him.
She decries Him as one who is not aware of a girl’s agony. She tells the people to bring the beautiful pItAmbaram that He has worn on His sacred waist and use it to fan air over her. Even the contact with the air that has blown over His pitAmbaram will remove her viraha taapam or the torture of separation from Him. Here she specifically asks for the cloth toed around his waist! It is the same waist around which Yasoda tied the kanninun siru thaambu . The Lord – the sahasra shirsha purusha who stepped over the entire universe with his two steps – allowed himself to be tied with a flimsy rope. Such was his vaathsalyam for Yasoda (and His adiyars). Andal indirectly contrasts that sowlabyam with His present (seemingly) hard disposition towards her .
Let the Lord Rajadiraja Namperumal deliver us too from the ocean of sorrow of separation from Him.
PerumaaL thirumozhi by Kulasekara Aazhwar
iruliriya sudar manigaL imaikkum nerri*
inaththuththi anipanam aayiranggalaarntha*
aravarasa perunyjOthi ananthan ennum*
ani vlanggum uyar vellai aNaiyai mevi*
thiruvarangga peru n^aharul thenneer ponni*
thiraikkaiyaal adivaruda palli kollum*
karumaniyai komaLaththai kandu kondu*en-
kanninaihaL enru kolo kaLikkum naalr
In this pasuram Kukasekhara Aaahwar exclaims when he will be able to see Lord Ranganatha. In this and the following pasurams of PerumaaL thirumozhi the Aazhwar not merely describes namperumal but makes it a point to mention Adiseshan also on whom the Lord is in syanaasanam. After all it is Adisesha who is always with Him. –
“sendral kudaiyam irundhal singasanamam
ninral maravadiyam neelkadalul – endrum
punaiyam manivilakkam poopattam pulgum
anaiyam thirumarkku aravu” (mudhal thiruvandhAdhi-53)
Ananthaazhwan is umbrella, aasana, footwear , float in Paarkadal, everlasting light and everything to the Lord.
Kulasekharaazhwar describes the diamonds on Tiruand nandAzhwAn’s forehead which shed their brightness dispelling the darkness. With a thousand heads sesha is the King of all serpants. On such an exalted bed Namperumal is lying down and the “Gangaiyil punithamaaya Kaveri” washes our Lord’s feet. Aazhwar describes Him as his “Kannin karumani”. Why? It is through our eyes that we see the world. It is through His blessings that we can see the Truth and try to attain some gyana. Aazhwar also calls Him as “Komalam” meaning soft. Indeed the Lord is as soft for His adiyars as He is hard on evil. After all he allowed Himself to be tied down by Yasoda with a small rope!
Num azhwarkal “Thondar-ad-podi” yendru peyar kondaal, naam antha podi yin madi-kku (thigh) kooda samaanam aaga aguvathu nam perum bhagyamaaga naan karuthugiren. Continuing with our narration, our lord continues on a very unique procession and his signature style — Woyara Nadai. The woyyar nadai is a symbol of grace, eloquence and grandeur and the walk of the King of the Gods, our RangaRajan. Everyone who watches Him walk, will be captivated and be in a trance following His movements!! After His evening Oyyara Nadai, Nam Perumal makes his way to the Moolasthanam. As he is climbing the stairs, we are blessed with the great “Padi Yetha Sevai.” This literally means the darshan during the climbing of stairs, but it is not a simple upward climb. Instead, our Azhagiya Manavalan, sways from side to side like a dance, like a river working His way up ths stairs. It is interesting to note, when Perumal leaves his abode, He charges out like a lion called “Simha Gathi”, but when he is returning to the Moolasthanam, he makes his way like a serpent, the Sri Padam Thangi(the carriers of Nam Perumal), perform an intricate movement as they do this, they lower Nam Perumal and weave side to side like a serpent, hence the name “Sharbha Gathi”.
Soruce: Writeup from Narasimha Bhattar
