Azagiyamanavalanin Viruppan Thirunaal Chitrai Brahmotsavam Day 3
Kasturi Thilakothgalitha Srivathsanga kousthuba manibooshithaam
Vathsalyathi abhayapradhan bhooloka vaikuntakyam ranganayika sametha
Sriranganatham Aham bhaje.
On Day 3 (May 1, 2013), Lord Ranganathaleft from his Kannadi Arai (palace of mirror) walking in Simhagathi (Simha nadai; the gait of a Lion) and went towards Vahana Mandapam. From there, He got on His Simha Vahanam (Lion) and went around the Chithra Streets to meet His devotees. Simha vahanam has an important significance, as He is Rangarajan, the King. Lions are often synonymized with Kings as the lion itself is the King of the Jungle Aandal in her Thiruppaavai has beautifully illustrated this link in the following paasuram:
maari malai muzhainchil mannik kidandhu urangum*
seeriya singam arivutruth thee vizhiththu*
veri mayir ponga eppaadum perndhu udhari*
moori nimirndhu muzhangip purappattup*
podharumaa pole nee poovaippoo vannaa* un-
koyil ninru ingngane pondharulik *koppudaiya-
seeriya singaasanaththu irundhu *yaam vandha-
kaariyam aaraayndhu arulelo Rembhavaai
It is a blessing to see Namperumal strolling through the Chitra streets in simha vaahanam with simhanadai which would bring a eternal happiness in our heart. (Kanda kangal Matondrinai kaanathey) After coming back to Vaahana Mandapam he left for the Aasthana Mandapam at around 9 00 AM. In the beautiful evening at around 7 00 PM Lord proceeded through the Chitra streents in Yaali vahanam. This walk is called as Deva nadai (Oyyaram).
Yaali is Devaloka pakshi (Deva’s birds). According to our stories, Indran(King of the Devas) himself sent his personal mount(Yaali) to Sri Rangam while witnessing the Brahmotsavam. It is strong enough to carry thousands of elephants and very powerful and swift. It is a majestic sight to behold our Azhagiya Manavalan on this Yaali Vahanam. This has an important significance, it has significance in our history that being in Srirangam we attain moksham (Sri Vaikundam) when the time comes for us to leave this earth and this pakshi(Heavenly Bird) Â takes us directly to His Lotus feet since we have his divine blessing from his abhayahastham.
Namperumal takes us to the heaven in this Yaali vahanam. I am concluding the third day in the chitra festival with this saying that “For our old age Srirangam is the heaven in the earth (booloka vaikuntam).
Sarva dharman partiyajyaye maam ekam saranam vraja, aham tvam sarva papebyo moksheyaami maasucha (Don’t ever worry i am always there with you from Bhagavadh Gita)
For previous days’ utsavams, please visit http://anudinam.org/2013/05/01/thiruvarangam-viruppan-thirunaal-chitrai-brahmotsavam-days-12/
For detailed schedule of the utsavam, please visit http://anudinam.org/2013/05/01/thiruvarangam-viruppan-thirunaal-chitrai-brahmotsavam-commences/
Write-up Courtesy: Sri Narasimha Bhattar
