Thiruppavayum Thirunedunthandagamum: Day 19

On 7/1/2015  Mari malai muzhanchil the 23^rd pasuram of Andal’s Tiruppavai and the 5^th pasuram of Tirumangaiazhwar’s Tirunedunthandakam was the topic of Ubha Ve. Adoor Asuri Madhavachariar swami’s upanyasam at Tirukundathai Andavan Mani Mandapam Srirangam. Because of NamPerumal’s “kaithala seva” scheduled for 6.00 p.m. the upanyasam took place between 11.00a.m. to 12.00 noon. Mari malai pasuram talks about the glorious Nrisimhavatharam. Andal and Her goshti ask Krishna to get up walk upto the simhasanam,get seated on it  and then grant their request. They will not ask when He is lying down because sastras permit lies during certain circumstances. Lies are forgiven during a wedding, in the bedroom, when a life can be saved, when a thief tries to steal and to safeguard a friend. So they ask Him to sit royally on the simhasanam (throne) and then listen to them. A simhasanam is a seat of honour guarded by 64 devathas. It is a dharma peetam (seat of dharma) . When He walks upto the simhasanam they would enjoy the beauty of His gait. Here Andal talks of the majestic walk of a lion emerging out of a cave after the rains, shaking of the dust on its body  looking around with its fiery eyes .From the caves of  Ahobilam emerged Sri Nrisimhan with Chenchu Lakshmi. From this very cave  emerged Adivan Sathakopan with Malolan to traverse the length and breadth of Bharathavarsha spreading Vishistadvaitham .Then in recent times we had Mukkur Simham, the 44^th Jeer  of Srirangam Rajagopuram fame. Those of us who had the fortune of seeing this mahaan have realized his lion like gambheeryam while he sat on the simhasanam, when he walked and when he was sleeping. The majestic bearing which was commanding and kind at the same time left everyone overwhelmed. Talking about the beauty of Perumal’s “nadai”(walk)  Ranganatha occupies pride of  place. His simhagathi (lion) gajagathi,(elephant) shardoolagathi (tiger) and sarpagathi (snake) are unparalleled .This uniqueness of NamPerumal’s beautiful walk is because He dons the padhukas says Swami Desikan in Padhuka sahasram ”sanchara padhathi”. At this point swami recollected the walk of his acharya Tirukudanthai Srimad Andavan. Andavan swami in poorvashram led a life of luxury but like SriRama who left behind His throne, army and even His uthiriyam (upper garment cloth) to go to the forest for 14 years, swami led the difficult life of a sanyasi .He walked the length and breadth of Bharathavarsha stunning everyone with the speed of his walk and enlightening shisyas with continuous kalakshepams.

This pasuram describes Perumal’s state during Mahapralayam. Only Sriman Narayana exists during this period, there is no Brahma or Shiva. Perumal emerges out of the cave of Upanishads and does “Swathmanubhavam.” .All creation exist like the gold-dust sticking on a lump of wax at the goldsmith’s workplace. Parabrahmam shakes of prakrithi and creates again. Sadhu rakshanam is the purpose of avatharam.

Swami went on to say that this pasuram is about Ramanujacharya who was a veritable lion among ascetics. He emerged from the cave of Srirangam and traversed from Sethu to Himachalam bringing about a positive change in every being on whom his kataksham fell. He was a strong lion who  possessed gnana balam ( the strength of knowledge).He was a phenomenon who set the flag of Vishishtadvaitha flying high.

Most of the time was spent on the Tiruppavai pasuram so pasuram-5 of Tirunedunthandakam was discussed briefly. The devotees of Tirukovalur on sighting Sri on the chest of Trivikrama realized the brahmachari seeking alms from  Mahabali was none other than Narayana. Swami Desikan’s “Dehalisa Sthuthi “ sings the glory of Vamana/Trivikrama beautifully. Swami  says that as Vamana grew to Trivikrama all His ornaments like nupuram(anklets) grew with Him.Perumal takes avatharam perfectly. Sri Nrisimharoopam was in tandem to Hiranyakasipu’s condition and Prahladha’s bhakthi .Nammazhwar would touch the mud on the ground and cry saying this mud has been measured by Vamana.Similarly he would look up into the sky and say Trivikrama your foot touched the heavens. Nammazhwar’s “ Aazhi  yezha” talks about Trivikramavathara and how sudarshana chakra appeared followed by His conch, and His bow. Swami went on to narrate a real-life incident. A nasthik wanted to know why archanas to Perumal could not be done in Tamil. He wanted to know how to be victorious and Tirukudanthai Andavan swami asked him to recite “aazhi yezha” and he saw victory. Such is the efficacy of these ten pasurams(7-4-1).The non-believer repeated these verses and became a minister. This is the mantra for victory and success.

Writeup & Video by : Vyjayanthi & Sundararajan