The 30th pasuram of Tiruppavai is the” Phala shruthi” pasuram, that is it enlists the merits of observing “Margazhi Nonbu”. On 14/1/2015 at Tirukudanthai Andavan Manimandapam Ubha. Ve. Adoor Asuri Madhavachariar swami started by saying that we get the benefit of archanubhavam while on earth and kainkaryam in moksam. We become “patram ”(qualify for) for Perumal’s “vishesha kataksham (special glance). Andal begins the first Tiruppavai pasuram with “ma (margazhi)” and ends with “ma (Madhavan) ” Ma is Sri and shows that our udheshyam (goal) is the Divyadampathis ( Sri and Narayana).Vangam refers to ship or to waves. Kesavan has three meanings:
1) The slayer of Kesi (asuran)
2) The swami of Ka (Brahma) and Eshan (Shiva)
3) One with beautiful kesham (hair)
Inorder to illustrate the third meaning swami recalled an incident from” The Mahabharatha .”After yagyam Jarasandha vadham was over Krishna was expected to visit Hasthinapur..Uddhava gets a message from Kushasthali that Krishna would be coming the next day. the He conveys the message to the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Duryodhana and his brothers plan to insult Krishna by not standing up when He entered the court.. But when Krishna with beautiful hair enters the court Duryodhana and all his friends get up, offer namaskarams , and offer chamarams etc. Such was His charm.
When going to the temple we should wear good clothes and ornaments. We should offer prarthanas (prayers) expressing regrets for the wrongs we have done. We should take His ashrayam (shelter) and do atma samarpanam (surrender our soul).Being Sarvashakthan (All powerful) ,He forgives the gravest of sins. He forgave kakasuran.
Goptruthva varnam is that angam of saranagathi in which Perumal is invited to take the place of bhakthi yogam and take a saranagathan to moksham. Andal took all the brahmana women of Sriviiliputthur to be the vrajagopis and observed “pavai nonbu” to attain Krishna (Ranganatha). Srivilliputtur called Dhanvipuri in Sanskrit was like swargam and sukruths (lucky) lived there. That is why Godha took avatharam there as the daughter of Vishnuchittha. Periazhwar had all Srivaishnava lakshanams .He wore Tulasi and Nalininaksha garlands, 12 urdhva pundrams , shanku chakram marks were visible on his shoulders and he had satva gunams, Since he always meditated on Vishnu he was known as Vishnuchittha (one who had Vishnu in his thoughts).Bhattar Piran was how he was called because he established in clear terms that Sriman Narayana was Paratatvam in the court of the Pandian king at Madurai. He was the winner of the contest in establishing paratatvam. and was taken around the streets of Madurai on an elephant. Godha proudly refers to Herself as Bhattar Piran’s daughter Kodhai. Her divine 30 are faultless and confirm to all the rules of poetry. All the vrutthams (poetic devices) of Tamil are used in Tiruppavai. Each pasuram is a gem and like the beauty of a necklace is lost even if one gem is missing , we should recite, understand and enjoy all 30 pasurams of Tiruppavai without fail. In short the message conveyed is that those who do saranagathi experience sukham (happiness) while on earth and eternal bliss at Srivaikuntam.
Prappathi is the topic of discussion in Tirumangai azhwar’s Tirunedunthandakam and azhwar says that those who hold on tightly to Perumal’s Feet will have no worries. Tirumangai azhwar’s mind travels to Kanchi and the surrounding divya desams but the thought process goes to the banks of Kaveri wherein lies Tirupper divya desam also known as Appakudathan.The Upanishads declare that He is Air, He is Earth.etc. His divyathma swarupam is spread everywhere. Azhwar’s condition is like Dasratha’s when Rama was leaving Ayodhya for the forest. Dasaratha wants to gaze on Rama and asks Sumantra to stop the chariot but Rama asks Sumantra to drive fast. Tirumangaiazhwar wants to visit many divyadesams, he asks Perumal to show him the Forms he is not able to visit. He longs to see Him as Ksheerabdhinathan. He wants to see Him with devathantharams. In Kacchi (Kanchi) Tirumangaiazhwar visits Ulagalandha Perumal(Trivikrama), Pandava dhoothan(the messenger of pandavas). Yathothkari (The Perumal who did as commanded).. Yathothkari Perumal listened to Tirumazhisai azhwar and did what he asked Him to do. Tirumazhisai azhwar also made Aravamudhan raise up in uthana sayanam. Tiruvellukai is where Athyadhbhutha Perumal Sri Nrisimha is housed. In Ooragam there are sannidhis to Neeragham, Kaaragham and Karvaanam. Uttamur Swami in “Prabhandha rakshai” observes that Deva Perumal (Kanchi Varadar) is the Perumal who exists during mahapralayam. There is the peak of a hill referred to in the pasuram which indicates the lord of Tirumalai but Uttamur swami explains the term in the following way- The peak is Hasthigiri wherin resides Varadaraja Perumal. Swami says that Tirumangaiazhwar mentions Nrisimha and we all known that above Sri Nrisimha sannidhi in Kanchipuram we have Varadhan’s sannidhi. Then we have Nilathingal thundam sannidhi in Ekambeshwarar temple. Tiruvehka Perumal lies down as a bridge for Vegavathi. Actually He is a bridge for all of us and helps us cross samsara. He is thus the upayam (means) and the phalam. (the goal).
Writeup & Video : Vyjayanthi & Sundararajan
