8/1/2015 was the day of the 24th Tiruppavai pasuram beginning “Anru ivvulagam”and at Tirukundanthai Andavan Mani mandapam Srirangam Ubha. Ve Adoor Asuri Madhavachariar swami had scheduled the upanyasam for 3.00 p.m. so that devotees could have darshan of NamPerumal’s Vayyali and Vedupari utsavam at manal ve li(sandy expanse) of Sri Ranganatha temple. Swami began by saying that Perumal and Thayar came mounted on Garuda to see periazhwar being taken on the elephant for having established Paratatvam in the court of the Pandian king. Periazhwar was so overcome by the beauty of the Divya Dampathis that he feared that drishti dosham( evil eye) would ensue so he sang the pallandu pasurams. Wishing well is a Srivaishnava lakshanam. He should pray for everybody’s welfare. It is a nitya dharmam ( daily requirement).
Following Her father’s footsteps Andal sings pallandu in this pasuram. Anru ( in Krutha yugam) You measured the entire cosmos as Trivikrama. At that time Mahabali stood dazed and happy that he could give alms to Mahavishnu, Indra was happy to get back the kingdom he had lost and Mahabali’s queen Vindhyavalli stood rooted to her spot admiring the growing Beauty of Trivikrama. Andal says no one sang pallandu for those divine Feet. So she said “Praises to The Feet that measured the three worlds”.When we read about Perumal’s Leelas we get so involved that we become part of the happenings. Kulasekharazhwar used to get ready to help Rama fight the war with Ravana .Tirumazhisai azhwar asks Aravamudhan whether His legs are paining with all the walking in Ramavathara. He asks Perumal to raise Himself and Perumal obliges with His Utthana sayanam (getting up halfway). In the previous song Andal asks Krishna to walk upto the simhasanam and sees His Feet get red. These small steps have made Your Feet sore what would have happened to Them during Trivikramavatharam She worries? Like Her father She first sings pallandu to His Feet. Next She sings about Ramavatharam like him and says “praises to the valour that built a bridge on the sea to conquer the demons of Lanka”. Then She remembers Krishna who as a baby killed Sakatasura and praises His Fame. The dual killing of Kapithasuran ( the wood apple asuran) by hurling Vatsasuran invokes Andal to Praise His dexterity. Andal then remembers the Govardhana episode,. Krishna sees the gopis of Vrindavan busy preparing a variety of delicacies and asks the reason. When He learns that these were offerings for Indra puja which was done annually for providing them with sufficient rain. Krishna tells them that Govardhana hill caused rainfall and deserved the pooja. Indra grew angry and poured forth torrential rains .Krishna saved the gopa-gopis and the cattle by holding Govardhana aloft over their heads like an umbrella. Indra repented for his action, fell at Krishna’s Feet and performed “Govinda Pattabhishekam” Praises to Your Forgiveness! sings Andal. Finally She praises the spear held by Krishna to protect the cows . We have come to You give us parai (a musical instrument) and accept our kainkaryam.
The pasuram talks about Bhaghavadh Ramanujacharya who went from SriRangam to Kashmir to procure Bodhayana’s commentary on The Brahma Sutras and gave us Sri Bashyam. Praise be to those feet. Acharyan does samharam of the Ravanas dwelling inside us (ahamkarams). Acharyas go to the place of prathivadhis , do vaadham(debate) and establish “Tatvam”. Many virodhis become shishyas. Pezhazhwar brought Tirumazhisai azhwar to the right path, Bhattar brought Nanjeeyar to Ramanuja sampradhayam.The two wheels of shakatam refers to the end of kamam (desire) and krodham(anger)Vatsasuran and Kapithasura represent lobham(greed) and moham(infatuation).When shishyas repent acharyas forgive. Shanku/ chakram are worshipped daily by acharyas . Daily tirumanjanam is done to them.and embedding them on the shoulders during samashrayanam dispels ignorance. By serving one’s acharya gnanam is obtained and by remembering the upakarams done by acharyan gnana prapthi happens.
After this swami continued with the fifth pasuram of Tirunedunthandakam which talks about the amazing Trivikramavatharam. Bhaghavan’s feet went to Satyalokam and were washed by Brahma who offered arghyam and padhyam.The Feet went to the surya Chandra and nakshatra mandalam. Rekhas (auspicious lines) were revealed Trivikrama’s feet had symbols of chakram, shankhu, kalpaka tree,lotus etc. The fruitseller of Vrindavan who sees the shanku/chakra rekhas in Krishna’s palms ends up in doing “atma samarpanam( offering her soul to Him) .
These Tiruvadis touched surya mandalam, Chandra mandalam, nakshatra mandalam and Trivikrama revealed that He is “Sarvavyapi’(permeating everywhere) and also that the entire cosmos is His shariram. Trinavarthan was an asura who came like wind and Krishna let Himself be carried by him and became so heavy that Trinavartha fell down dead. He thus showed that The prithvi (earth), the wind were His Shariram and He is The Atma of the entire cosmos. He showed that everything in creation was Bhagavadh adhinam( under His Feet). Therefore He is our swami and His lotus feet are to be worshipped.There is no spot in the cosmos that has not had His Tiruvadi sparsham(touched by His Feet.).Tirumangaiazhwar says had we been present then we would not have been born on this earth. But listening to the story of Vamana/ Trivikrama is ennobling and makes us offer pranamams(prostrations) at His Divine Feet. All of us listening or reading about Trivikramavathara will get “namana buddhi”( the urge to offer namaskarams) and the frame of mind to ask for saranagathi
Writeup & Video by : Vyjayanthi & Sundararajan
