Tirunedunthandakam pasuram-27 (Tirukannapuram)
1/3/2015 was the 49th day of Ubha Ve. Adoor Asuri Madhavachariar swami’s upanyasam on Tirumangaiazhwar’s Tirunedunthandakam at Tirukudanthai Andavan Manimandapam Srirangam.Swami began the lecture by talking about the greatness of acharyas. As long as they are on earth they are happy doing saranagathi to the seekers. They are sent to earth by Perumal.They are well-versed in established tradition ,have a strong mind , and have no asuya (jealousy) or competition. They remove the agnanam of diciples . One who gets a good acharya will not have kaama-krodham etc. Acharyas are celebrated by The Upanishads . A shisyan should realize that acharya is none other than Sriman Narayana.” Do not look upon your mother as any other woman, do not look upon an icon of Perumal as panchalokam and do not look upon your guru as an ordinary human-being goes the adage.” Uncchuvritthi (begging enough rice for the day’s meal) was how our acharyas lived without hoarding even for the next day. Brahma-vicharam was food for acharyas.
In the 27th pasuram Parakala nayaki sends a naarai(crane) as her messenger to Tirukannapuram Perumal. The presiding deity is Sourirajan who sports a braid. The story goes that when the king of that place found a hair in Perumal’s garland which was sent to him, he questioned the chief priest. Inorder to save his skin he blurted out that it must have come from Perumal’s braid. The angry king went along with the priest to check for himself and ‘lo and behold ‘there was a long braid hanging behind. The “Bhaktha paradeenan” had sported a braid to honour his aradhakan. It is to this Perumal that Parakaala nayaki sends the naarai bird as her messenger and promises to reward it suitably .Parakalanayaki is ready to award the entire nandavanam to the naarai . It is fully green and the ponds are full of fish. Here naarai represents acharyan and the only prathi-upakaram (gratitude) we can do is to sing their glories. Manthrams taught by acharyas and their arthams meanings) are to be protected. How? By doing several rounds of japams and passing on the meanings to sath patrams (those eager to know). After saranagathi one’s acharya should be remembered daily as also the ‘guru-paramparai’. Since acharyas take so many jeevatmas to moksham Perumal grants leela vibhuthi to him. Udayavar(one who owns) was the way Bhaghavadh Ramanuja was called as he possessed Brahma-gnanam and was the owner of two aishwaryams (wealth)-Nithya vibhuthi and Leela Vibhuthi. Ramanuja rules over this universe and Paramapadam.
Parakala nayaki adresses the bird as “oh naarai pakshi with red feet who is always in love with its mate, go to Tirukannapuram today itself and convey my love for Him.” He has aashritha vyamoham (infatuation for the surrendered soul) and love for His devotees . The naarai bird represents acharyas who do aashrayam (take the shelter) of divya dampathis and offer our souls to Him.Perumal listens to them. Acharyas tell Perumal that the surrendering person is an akinchanan (helpless) and has no other gathi, and has to be protected. Antaryami Perumal takes a prappanan by the Archiraadhi margam to SrivaikuntamHe is received by apsaras and celestials who offer him all maryadhas.When the chetana reaches Him He feels He has got the greatest purushartham and embraces Him. Acharyas rejoice when a devotee comes seeking prappathi. Perumal listens to acharyas so they are referred to as owners of nitya vibhuthi and leela-vibhuthi. The prappanan, the acharya who takes him to Perumal as also the person who persuades him to take saranagathi experience Aanandam.
Writeup & Video by : Vyjayanthi & Sundararajan
