Pasuram-17
31/1/2015 was day-36 of Ubha. Ve. Adoor Asuri Madhavachariar’s upanyasam of Tirunedunthandakam at Tirukundanthai Andavan Mani mandapam-Srirangam. We are enjoying the Thayar Pasurams in which the mother of Parakala nayaki in the state of Parankusa nayaki describes the doings of her daughter who is experiencing viraha-thaapam (pangs of separation) from her nayakan (Perumal). Tirumangai azhwar’s archanubhavam is such that it makes one long for darshan of the divyadesa perumals. Perumal is endowed with the quality of”aparadha sahatvam”He puts up with the transgressions of a saranagathan , but He makes him realize his mistake and makes him seek pardon or do prayaschitham (atone for it.) He has faith in His devotees and believes that they will not do wrongs that cannot be corrected. Repentance and seeking forgiveness is enough for Him and the saranagathan will get moksham after death. Tirumangaiazhwar is enamoured by the archamurthis and rushes for darshan. Just offering an anjali appeases Him. A person bathing in the Ganga because of intense heat will also get rid of His sins because Ganga is endowed with the virtue of destroying papams (sins). Parakala nayaki’s love-lorn feeling is caused by her intense desire for Perumal. He alone is Purushan, all of us are “stris”(women) Bhakthi is “Love for Perumal” Sringara rasa (the plight of lovers) is in play and here the lovers are Perumal and Parakala nayaki. “My daughter sends her parrot as messenger after teaching it and hearing it repeat the lessons. She plays on the veena , dances, sings ,gets happy and tired when He doesn’t come. Her eyes get filled with tears and wets her . She thinks what if Perumal comes outside my door in purappadu? She comes outside and looks for Him but He fails to arrive so she starts doing nama smaranam” says the mother of Parakala nayaki to her friend.
Our shariram (body) and atma(soul) belong to Him. Each part of our body is for Him alone. The eyes should thirst for His darshan, the ears should listen to His stories and Leelas. The hands should long to touch Him during aradhanam or to string flowers for Him, the legs should long for walking to His temple, to run after Him when He comes in Purappadu. Desiring for Vishnu bhakthi and kainkaryam is not against saranagathi.
In pasuram-17 the mother of Parakala nayaki is outraged by her daughter’s behaviour and asks if it is appropriate for a girl born in a good kulam (family) to dance and sing like this? On hearing this query Parakala nayaki instead of stopping the song and dance gets more loud and involved in the activity. She remembers Tirunaraiyur divyadesam in Chozha nadu. From there she lands in Tiruthankaal near Srivilliputthur where the presiding deity “ Nindra Narayanan” confers coolness. Perumal gets sheetal (cool) when someone seeks ashrayam (asylum). From cool Tiruthankaal Parakala nayaki goes to Tirukudanthai the abode of Aravamudhan whose sausheelyam was manifest in His listening to Tirumazhishai azhwar. When we have His darshan our ahamkaram/ mamakaram go and we start saying adiyen ( indicating dasatvam) From Tirukudanthai Parakala nayaki travels to Tirukovalur again. At this point swami recalled Krishna’s “Venu-gaanam ”(the notes of His flute). The notes of the flute reach the ears of the gopis who leave their household chores and rush to Him.” Hey gopis is it right for housewives to leave their husbands and children and come here at night? Krishna” You are everything to us. You are our Eternal Huband that is why we left everything and came to You” said the vrajagopis. No said Krishna since your birth is ordained by your karma, duties have to be done .
Parakala nayaki has become pale due to separation from her Nayakan , her eyes are always moist with crying but still look beautiful like the eyes of fish fighting with one another( wide and long) . Parakala nayaki spies a male and female pigeon on a tree making soft noises and longs for Her Nayakan to come and whisper softly to her. Her mind travels to Tiruthankaal, Tirukudanthai and Tirukovalur. The mother of Parakala nayaki seeing her condition says that He (Perumal) should be be desirous of joining such a bhaktha and give her darshan. This is the interpretation given by poorvacharyas. According to Parasara Bhattar since we are subservient to Him ,let Him do what He wishes to do with this nangai ( one with guna-poorthi) . Swami Desikan explains that guna-poorthi comes after astakshara mantra upadesham. Once “atma- samarpanam” is done we need not worry. He can take us to His lokam when He wants to. No other upayam should be done after Prappathi. Seetha wanted only Rama to take Her back and refused to go with Hanuman because the responsibility of protecting Her soul was His. Saranagathi is the path to attaining Him quickly that is at the end of our karmic life. The post-prappathi period is one of “fearlessness” and a prappanan should spend his days on earth doing archanubhavam.
Writeup & Video : Vyjayanthi & Sundararajan
