Temple, Travel and Sport

Sesha Seshi Relationship is vital

Twin Nature of God Hood is Lord and Sri

The goal for each one of us is to reach the two of them - The two together are our refuge

(PART 1)

Vedanta Desika’s Sri Stuti is a terrific piece that defines the Vaishnavite philosophy. Comprising of 25 verses, it is rich in text and content and ranks alongside Alavanthar’s Chatusloki (will be seen shortly in this section).

Vedanta Desika starts Sri Stuti with complete surrender at the feet of Goddess Lakshmi and states that she is the one who recommends us to the Lord for Moksha among every other thing. This address to Sri is particularly significant because she constitutes half of the ‘Divya Dampathee’.

In the initial set of verses, he prostrates to her and refers to mere mortals like himself as destitute with no refuge other than reaching out to her as his refuge.

மாநாதீதப்ரதிதவிபாவாம்மங்களம்மங்களாநாம்

வக்ஷபீடீம்மதுவிஜயிநோபூஷ்யந்தீம்ஸ்வகாந்த்யா

பிரத்யஷாநுஷ்ரவிகமகிமாப்ரார்த்திநீநாம்ப்ரஜாநாம்

ச்ரேயோமூர்த்திம்ச்ரியமசரணத்வாம்சரணாம்ப்ரபத்யே

Sri’s Greatness

Vedanta Desika then showcases the greatness of Sri.

He praises her greatness as being immeasurable. ‘Her greatness is so huge that it defers all measures.’

Not only is her greatness immeasurable but it is also indescribable. She has very distinctive qualities and none of that is measurable. He refers to himself as one with modest intellect and hence poses the question as to how he can even contemplate singing praise of her. And yet he says he is trying to attempt to describe her features.

பூமாயஸ்யாபுவநமகிலம்தேவிதிவ்யம்பதம்வா

ச்தோகப்ரஜ்ஞைரநவதிகுணாசஸ்தூயஸேஸாகதம்த்வம்

It is her Mangalam that is treated as most auspicious. The simple fact that she ever resides on the chest of Lord Vishnu is enough to showcase her greatness. He further praises her as residing on a throne on the chest of the Lord. He describes her as the very structure of all good things. Devotees who with unflinching faith invoke her blessings are granted all good things including non worldly things like Moksham.

He says she is the one who appeared in the milky ocean and the Yagna of Janaka when he ploughed the ground. Her greatness is exemplified by the fact that she possesses this world and the other world i.e Sri Vaikuntam.

And as he goes on, one comes across more of Desika’s humility. He positions himself as being blessed by her and dedicates any good thing done by him to her blessings.

Sri’s Powers

Next one finds a brilliant verse describing the power of Sri.

He says that there are those who seek to start on a mission of singing praise of her. Even as such thoughts crop up in their minds, they become achievers right at the moment that such thoughts come up in their mind.

He may not even have started to compose but the very thought would have raised them to popularity. And how is that possible if it were not for her blessings.

ச்தோதவ்யத்லம் திஷதிபவதீதேஹிபி: ச்தூயமாநா

தாமேவத்வாமநிதரகதி: ச்தோதுமாஷம்ஸமாந:

ஸித்தாரம்ப்: ஸகலபுவநஸலாகநீயோ பவேயம்

ஸேவாபேக்ஷாதவசரணயோ: ஷ்ரேயஸேகஸ்யநஸ்யாத்

If one seeks to serve her, then it is likely that all kinds of blessings will be showered on such people. And they need not worry about anything for that very moment when he started to think about her, all benefits would have started accruing to him.

Lord is Great but how does he have that Greatness

He refers to the Lord as the soul of all sentient and non sentient and all moving and stationary things and describes him as the soul and life. It is through his will that one has even got an opportunity to be born in this world and to live and finally die.

Even Yogic like Sanaka meditate on him. While Upanishads use different terms like Sat, Atma, Brahman, it always connotes Narayanan. Having thus praised the Lord, Vedanta Desika moves on to Sri and says that his greatness is all because of her residing in his chest almost meaning to say that without her presence he may be bereft of such powers.

Vedanta Desika goes on to imply that such powers will work in full steam only with the presence of her red lotus feet on his chest.

பூர்ணம்தேஜ: ஸ்புரதிபவதீபாதலாக்ஷாரஸாங்கம்

Direct Address – Their Qualities are EQUAL

While the 4^th verse extolled God’s greatness and his powers being functional only with her presence, in the next one he addresses her directly and is far more definitive about her role.

Vedanta Desika praises them as a unique couple ever in mutual love. Both have exceptional qualities. One can be denoted by relation to the other and are always working together for the world’s good. He goes on to describe their abodes.

Adisesha is referred to as the abode for both not just for the Lord, Yogis of great blemish-less purity is another and the Vedas is referred as another abode. He concludes referring to their distinctive qualities as being complementary. He also refers to their qualities as being equal. And ends the verse saying the goal for each one of us is to reach the two of them. The two together are our refuge.

Sesha Seshi Relationship is vital

உத்தேஷ்யத்வம்ஜநநிபஜதோருஜ்ஜிதோபாதிகந்தம்

ப்ரத்யக்ரூபேஹவிஷியுவயோரேகஸேஷித்வயோகாத்

பத்மேபத்யுஸ்தவசநிகமைர்நித்யமந்விஷ்யமாணோ

நாவச்சேதம்பஜதிமஹிமாநர்த்தயந்மாநஸம் ந:

On the one end is the soul that has attained realisation - it is a slave, a servant and a dependent. At the other end is the Divine Couple. This Sesha Seshi relationship is fundamental to our philosophy says Vedanta Desika.

Our aim is to directly surrender to her. Unlike the five yagnas and homams where the names of Indra, Agni, Brahma and Siva are extolled, the surrender of the soul seeks to avoid this last process of going through external deities and is a direct surrender to Her. And Desika reaffirms that we have only goal the Seshi- the Divya Dampathee.

Our hearts have been able to comprehend the true nature of God hood as a twin personality – the Lord and Consort. Vedanta Desika is delighted at achieving this realisation and is happy at the triumph.

Brahmma, Shiva and other Celestial Gods are mere coins in the game of Chess played by the Divine Couple

Like the Sacred Cow Kamadhenu:, Sri provides EVERYTHING that her devotees sincerely prays for

(Part 2 - Concluding Part)

A Game of Chess

Praising her as the beloved of the Lord, Vedanta Desika says that she is happily engaging in a game of chess with the Lord and compares her duties to a simple game like Chess.

மத்யேக்ருத்ய த்ரிகுண பலகம் நிர்மித ஸ்தாந பேதம்

Specifically in this verse, Vedanta Desika refers to her duties as one of creation, sustenance and destruction. Interestingly ( or may be shockingly), Vedanta Desika goes to the extent of saying that this game involves coins referring to Brahma, Siva and others Celestial Gods as merely carrying out their role as part of this game as directed by Him. He says that the celestial girls and nityasoories are also quietly watching the game.

Vedanta Desikacalls Sri as the Supreme Authority while referring to the Lord as the Supreme Force of Authority. She has joined the Lord who Vedanta Desika admits as being the grantor of moksha.

Simply recite her names and be liberated from Life Cycle

லக்ஷ்மீ: பத்மா ஜலதிதநயா விஷ்ணுபத்நீந்திரேதி

He refers to her different names: Lakshmi Padma, Vishnu Patnee, Indira and Daughter of Milk Ocean and calls these holy names. Those who constantly think of or recite these names do not return to this world. He calls this world as one that is full of sins, not just simple sins but ones that blow fast and furious like a hurricane. Vedanta Desikasays that those who follow this path of reciting her names will not have to go through the pangs of life cycle of births and deaths. Even simply chanting her different names has such purifying effect giving us an indication of the power of reciting her. It is for this very reason that even the sacred Vedas have cherished recounting her names.

He discharges his duty only with HER approval

In the 9^th verse, Vedanta Desika for the first time refers to the difference of opinions in this world on the supreme power - some say it is you, others point to the Lord giving rise to a lot of confusion. Vedanta Desika says that Vedas present Lord as engaging in a sport just to please Sri. The entire activity relating to the Universe is discharged by him only with her approval. He turns affirmative in this verse.

He says the Divine Couple is everything in terms of power. Every other view is to be discarded.

யுவாம் தம்பதீ தைவதம் ந:

Every Avatara is a Co- incarnation

Vedanta Desika goes on. The Lordis the milk, while Sri is the sweetness in the milk. In every incarnation of his, Sri has taken a form to be a strong pillar of support to him. She is always with him. In fact he calls it co-incarnation. Vedanta Desika compares this co-incarnation to the drops of milky ocean where the waves are scattered over a long distance but the sweetness remains undiluted.

They are Inseparable

This is a verse where he praises with authority that Sri is inseparable from him. Just like how a word and its meaning always go together similarly the two of them go together. He stresses that her presence is a MUST and clarifies that it is not just for recommendation to the Lord but because it cannot be any other way. He just cannot be without her.

Her presence enhances the look of the emerald green charm of the Lord. Vedanta Desika describes the physical features of Sri as seen in Sri Vaikunta. Her form is an ocean of Gnana and Joy. Whenever she desires, she allows this wave from the ocean to rise and get into different form - Vyooha, Vibhuva, Antaryami and Archa.

Saraswathi, Parvathi and Indrani are happy thanks to SRI

Vedanta Desika praises her even more aggressively in the next verse. He says that if Saraswathi won over Brahma, Parvathi won the hands of Shiva and Indrani held Indra’s hand, it was solely on the basis of the grace and the glance of Sri.

He describes the event of churning the ocean where she was seated on a throne of Lotus. When she was thus seated, clouds - Pushkala and Avartaka came for the coronation with a torrential outpour (of flowers) that was so dense that it seemed to cover the entire universe.

This was followed by the celestial elephants Airavata and Pundarika that poured water from gold pitcher. Such was the grand scale with which your coronation, as the Queen, was conducted.

Indra regains power because of Sri

Indra who had lost all his powers after being cursed by Druvasa attributes his regaining of powers to the grace of Sri. If he is still able to retain the powers it is only because of her. Thus showcasing her power, Vedanta Desika asks as to what is not possible if she decides to shower her blessings.

Having seen the qualities of Sri, Vedanta Desika looks over a set of 5 verses her response to different classes of devotees starting with the revival of lost wealth of a devotee.

Words not required just her Glance will do

She need not utter a word. Just her glance will do. And even the farther most located devotee will be blessed. He cites the example of her answering Devas’ prayers and then transforming the three worlds into a rich sacred one from what it was earlier – one devoid of good.

If they invoke her blessings with single minded devotion, she is likely to shower wealth on him through Kubera so much so that it might become difficult to stop the inflow. Those who seek her blessings and to whom she places her twin feet on their head are the most cherished ones for they then are likely to ride on big elephants in royal processions with decorated umbrella over them and Chamaras on either side. Blessed by Sri, they sit like a prince with garlands all over them.

Vedanta Desika refers to the importance of winning over two perennial enemies that reside all the time in us – Desire and Anger. We should also conquer our ignorance of confusing body and soul and mistaking one for the other. If we ignore that our Atma is different from our physical body, we are destined to be doomed. The pure souls would be able to differentiate the good from the bad. All this is thanks to her. Such enlightened souls will cling to the truth path and attain moksha. He stresses that the only path out to take one to eternal bliss is her Daya path.

Divine Couple

Those with a clear heart and single minded devotion to Sri and the Lord are indeed blessed. Those that are thus blessed with knowledge would treat mundane things like reward, money, property and fame as just grass. Since these are earthly things these will not mean anything to them. The only goal of such people will be to please the Divine Couple by living a life as directed in the scriptures without wavering from the dharmic path. Not only do they follow it, but they will take steps to protect dharma and they see this as their duty. Others who look at them will follow them as well and will also develop similar mind set. Vedanta Desika says that we should become such role models.

Importance of Surrender

Surrender is not a superfluous act. It is an essential necessity. It does not mean just salutation but implies regular surrender. Vedanta Desika says he surrenders at her feet around which celestial goddess gather around with their heads on the Padma Peedam almost like a garland. He praises her feet as the fountain head of all prosperity. Blessed are those who walk with a slight bend of the head before her lotus feet as a mark of surrender. Such people are destined to attain moksham and stay in the abode of Vasu Deva and offer services to him there.

Vedanta Desika explains the current state of life and compares it with the Summer heat. There is grief. Samsara is hot and is like the unbearable sweating weather and one is constantly burnt by that heat and many times feel totally exhausted and does not know how to survive that. He asks her to sympathise and support and drench him in the cool shower (autumn rains) of grace by just her glance.

What else can you ask her and What more do you need from her

She is present next to the Lord and has created all the right and noble thoughts in me. What else can I ask you? Please continue to stay and bless me in this cool fashion says Vedanta Desika.

She is the mother. Vasu Deva is the father. Vedanta Desika says that he has been their child especially because of her Daya. He has also been blessed by Acharyas to be their disciple. He says that when she looks at him, she seems to be saying what else do you need other than the above.

Kamadhenu:

கல்யாணாநாம்அவிகலநிதி: காபிகாருண்யாஸீமா

நித்யாமோதாநிகமவசஸாம்மௌளிமன்தாரமாலா

சம்பத்திவ்யாமதுவிஜயிந: ஸந்நிதத்தாம்ஸதாமே

ஸைஷாதேவீஸகலபுவநப்ரார்த்தநாகாமதேநு:

Sri represents the perfect Kalyana Characteristics and blemish- less qualities. She is compassionate. She is the garland of the Vedas. She is the Sri of the Lord. She is the giver of everything for true devotees. For them, just like the sacred cow Kamadhenu, she never says no. He asks her to reside permanently in her and to protect her.

Those who recite this Sri Stuti and offer their sincere prayers to her will forever be blessed by her and will be seated with a crowning glory.

Even those with bad qualities can become good human beings if they invoke the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi

Start reciting the Vishnu Purana Sri Stuti every day and experience the positive change in the mind set

Three ancient literary works extol the greatness of Sri. It speaks of Alavanthar’s greatness in just four verses he has been able to communicate the role and power of Sri in such an expressive way that this is considered the fountain head of praise on Sri. And almost all the succeeding exponents have based their commentary and analysis on the description provided by Alavanthar in the Chatusloki. Vedanta Desika’s Sri Stuti is rich in text and content and is considered a fundamental piece defining our philosophy.

However, the earliest stotras on Sri is found in the Vishnu Purana where Devendra, the King of Gods has showered verses of praise on Sri for having helped him regain his kingdom that had been previously as a result of the curse of Sage Durvasa. Delighted at having secured all his powers and having personally experienced success, Indra, in a thanking gesture, describes in detail the role of Goddess Lakshmi in our lives. Indra, thus provides the earliest clarification on SRI as compared with Lord Narayana. He showcases her distinctive qualities. Vishnu Purana like the four Vedas is so full of good values. We don’t see the God residing inside us. We are constantly exploring outside. We should look inward because otherwise the outside things will pull us in the wrong direction.

Parasara Bhattar is seen explaining these verses of praise to his disciple Maitreyi who was keen to more about the story of SRI.

She is all Lotus

பத்மாலயாம்பத்மகராம்பத்மபத்ரநிபேக்ஷணாம்

வந்தேபத்மமுகீம்தேவீம்பத்மனாபப்ரியாமஹம்

She is the mother of all worlds. She took birth in Thiruparkadal in a lotus petal and resides in the Lord’s chest. He praises her as having beautiful Lotus eyes and is seen holding a lotus in her hand. Indra credits her with having the power to purify the entire universe. He says she is everything in this world- the Nectar, the Day and the Night.

In different avataras she has taken many different forms and is seen everywhere along with the Lord.

In a beautifully described verse, he asks who else has the right to reside in the Lord’s chest other than her. There is a glittering shine on the Lord only because of her. Ait is only through her blessings that a husband gets a good wife, has children, a good home and happiness.

Blemish-less One

She is the one with the authority and owner to provide victory on many fronts. She provides true devotees with wealth, good health, fearlessness against enemies and takes care of our possessions. He prays that she should not desert her true devotees. Indra calls here the Blemish-less one. Without her nothing will be possible in this earthly world.

Transformative powers

With her blessings, even those born with bad qualities are converted to ones with good qualities, such are her powers. He then goes one step further. If one has her blessings right in the beginning, then it is likely that they will be born in a good and noble family.

Unequalled Powers

Even Brahmma cannot equal her Thiru Kalyana characteristics and qualities. She has the power to remove all hurdles and provide happiness to true devotees. He says that if you praise Lord it also includes Thaayar. He pleads with her to not let our treasury go. He says that she is the one with the power to cleanse and purify our sins. Indra asks her for her blessings for his own benefit and for the protection of his relatives and friends. However, if you are not pleased with the behaviour of any one and if you feel that they are not offering their prayers with sincerity, you have the powers to convert them into poor people in all respects .

ஸத்யோ வைகுன்யமாயாந்திஸீலாத்யா: சகலாகுணா:

பராங்முகீஜகத்தாத்ரீயஸ்யத்வம்விஷ்ணுவல்லபே

Lord constantly looks at his chest to make sure that she is present. Like how the Lord is present everywhere, she too is present everywhere. We should speak of his and her powers separately because she has just as much powers as the Lord and has very distinctive qualities.

Only she has the right and the power to decorate the Lord’s chest. Now it is her role to keep the universe growing and keep it going in a positive way.

Affirmative Praise and then a double negative

Sri is the one responsible for all positives in this world. Indra turns affirmative in this verse and says that with her blessings anything is possible. And then he uses the double negative to praise her ‘There is nothing one cannot get if they have her blessings.’

ஷறீராரோக்யம்ஐஸ்வர்யம்அறிபக்ஷ்க்ஷ்யஸுகம்

தேவித்வத்த்ருஷ்டித்ருஷ்டாநாம்புருஷாணாம்நதுர்லபம்

Calls her 'Mother'

In the initial set of verses, he refers to her as DEVI. In the 10^thverse, for the first time, he refers to her as Mother (AMBA). He says that this world is full of good and dumb. The two of you have created this world. Words have been constructed beautifully. The thread cannot be seen, only the outside pearls can be seen. Lord is inside knitting together the pearls.

த்வம் மாதா சர்வ லோககானாம் தேவ தேவோ ஹரி:பிதா

த்வயைதத் விஷ்ணுநா சாம்ப ஜகத் வ்யாப்தம் சராசரம்

Indra pleads with SRI to not go away from her house and from his heart. He credits her with the powers to cleanse all the sins of true devotees who offer their sincere prayers to her. He calls her AMALE, the righteous one who resides in the Lord’s chest. He says that if Goddess Lakshmi moves away, the good qualities of the people too will go away immediately.

She has powers that can transform the bad into good, provided the devotees are sincere in their prayers.

Grants boons to Indra

Pleased with his prayers, SRI asked if he would like anything. He asked for two boons: to be ever present in this world and to protect the true devotees at all points of time. SRI acceded to his request and said that those who recite these stotras, morning and evening, with sincerity will be blessed by her. To these true devotees she says she will be ready to ignore even their mistakes. SRI was totally thrilled with these Abhishekam of stotras that she instantly granted Indra with these boons.

While Lord is the one who grants Moksha, Goddess Lakshmi is ever present in him as a pillar of strength and support and it is with her approval that he takes any decision. Whenever the Lord emerges as God, she takes the form of Goddess. When he takes the form of a man, she takes the form of a woman. If he becomes Ranganatha, she becomes Andal.

Parasara who extolled the greatness of SRI to his disciple Maithreyi through these verses concluded saying that those who simply listen to these stotras will be blessed by Goddess Lakshmi. In their clan, Goddess Lakshmi will not leave their clan for three generations. And is a house when SRI resides, no negative will happen as one will be protected by her shining force.

இதிசகலவிபூத்யவாப்திஹேது

ஸ்துதிரியமிந்த்ரமுகோத்கதாஹிலக்ஷ்ம்யா:

அநுதிநமிஹபட்யதேந்ருபிர்யை

வசதிநதேஷுகதாசிதப்யலகக்ஷ்மீ

Hence we should continuously recite these stotras without fail and seek her blessings at all points of time to keep us on the right and noble path.

When we are healthy, there is an opportunity for us to think of God and seek his blessings

Remove all Negative Thoughts from your mind: Perform Selfless Service

HOLD YOUR FOLDED HANDS WELL ABOVE YOUR HEAD AND PRAY

In a later decad in the Periyazhvar Thirumozhi, he requests the Lord to consider today’s prayer as a prayer in advance and to help him in the future when he might be beset with problems and at a time when he may not remember the Lord.

However, in this earlier decad( in the fourth Canto), he reminds the devotees that there is still enough time for us to remember the Lord and invoke his blessings. If you are healthy today, think of him and thank him.

Periyazhvar showcases the importance of calling out for the God’s name at all times in life, especially when we have strength in our body. Most of us are interested only in our close ones so much so that even in most testing of times, we call out only for them to be by our side. He says that now is the time for us when we are hale and healthy to be offering our sincere prayers to him and to be thanking him for all the things that he has embellished us with. Most of the time we do not see what he has given us and only think of what in our view is the missing piece.

It is a beautiful set of devotional verses providing great insights into the fact that we are missing out on thanking God for all the great things he has provided us ( Instead we are seeking lot more from him all the time).

'Grow up' and think of the Lord

Even when death is upon us, most of us call out only for our close ones – Father, Mother, Son, Daughter and Wife. But there are those who chant the Lord’s names and praise him. Unfortunately, today, it is not within us to even talk about the greatness of such people. The day we ‘grow up’ to speak about them, we will be truly blessed.

We should aim to reach a stage where we can think and dedicate everything to the Lord.

Healthy People

There are lot of health issues we might encounter in life. Puss oozes out of wounds. We will have bed sore. There will be worms and germs that will be around the wounds. Ants will start biting. And finally the mind is likely to go into a coma.

சீயினால் செறிந் தேறிய புண் மேல்

செற்ற லேறிக் குழம்பிருந்து எங்கும்

ஈயினால் அரிப்புண்டு மயங்கி

எல்லை வாய்ச் சென்று சேர்வதன் முன்னம்

Before that happens, there is an opportunity to chant his name all through the day, holding our folded hands well above our head and seek his blessings. If we do that, we are likely to not get entry into this world again. You can be assured of that.

வாயினால் நமோ நாரயணா வென்று மத்தகத்

திடைக் கைகளைக் கூப்பி போயினாள்

பின்னை இத்திசைக்கு என்றும்

பிணை கொடுக்கிலும் போக ஒட்டாரே

Wealthy People

For those who have amassed huge wealth, it is likely that all your relatives will surround you and enquire about you and the location of the wealth. But since you have already got into coma, you will not be able to provide any answers to them.

Before such a situation arises, there is an escape route for you when you are in the pink of health. Make the Lord reside in your heart, recite the name Madhava and shower flowers of love on everyone. If you can achieve this state of mind, you may be in the good books of Yama and his agents.

When death arrives, legs and hands will start to tremble. And we will be shivering. Much before that time, when there is an opportunity to at least chant that one letter ‘Om’ repeatedly.

Perform Selfless Service today

There will come a time when our life will go and there will be others who will check our nose for signs of life. And out of frustration will throw up their hands and lower their head in sadness.

But well before that we have an opportunity in this life time to completely and unconditionally surrender to the Lord and perform selfless service to him.

வங்கம்விட்டுலவும்கடற்பள்ளிமாயனை

மதுசூதனைமார்பில்தங்கவிட்டுவைத்து

ஆவதோர்கருமம்சாதிப்பார்க்குஎன்றும்சாதிக்கலாமே

Remove all Negative Thoughts

Our days are counted. There will be a time when Yama, the king of Southern most point, and his colleagues will come to bind us with their rope. Much before we reach that time zone, we have an opportunity today to sing praise of his name, fame and deeds. We can take him in our hearts and invoke his blessings to rid ourselves of all the negative thoughts in our minds. If we do that we could be considered for service at Vaikuntam.

இன்னவன்இணையானென்றுசொல்லிஎண்ணிஉள்ளத்திருளறநோக்கி

மன்னவன்மதுசூதனன்என்பார்வானகத்துமன்றாடிகள்தாமே

Do you want Yama's Dogs to bite you

In this verse, Periyazhvar reminds us as to what could be the consequences if we do not lead a noble life.

If we do not want the dogs of Yama, the king of death, to bite our thighs or his assistants to pierce us with their spikes or for us not to lose our clothes as we are dragged along mercilessly, we have an opportunity right now to think of Lord and to invoke his blessings for a noble life.

தொடைவழிஉம்மைநாய்கள்கவராசூலத்தால்

உம்மைப்பாய்வதும்செய்யார்

இடைவழியில்நீர்கூறையும்இழவீர்

There is a SOLUTION to prevent another Mundane Life

After our death, our relatives are likely to sing praise about our virtues. And our negatives are likely to be forgotten by them. And the body will be covered with a new cloth. It would make sense for us to seek his GRACE well before that if we really wish to avert another mundane life.

The scene around our death

Father and mother and wife are likely to be in tears weeping and crying aloud. And the fire will be placed on our chest and we will be up in flames. Before such a thing occurs, it is within us to find an escape route by holding HIM alone in our minds every day, steadfast without thinking of anyone else. And if we do that, we will probably give ourselves an opportunity to stand apart.

வாயொருபக்கம்வாங்கிவலிப்பாவார்ந்தநீர்க்கண்கள்மிழற்ற

தாய்ஒருபக்கம்தந்தைஒருபக்கம்தாரமும்ஒருபக்கம்அலற்ற

தீஒருபக்கம்சேர்வதன்முன்னம்

செங்கண்மாலொடும்சிக்கெனச்சுற்ற

மாய்ஒருபக்கம்நிற்க

வல்லார்க்குஅரவுதண்டத்தில்உய்யலுமாமே

How should you name your child – Do not ascribe odd and fancy names such as Nampee or Pimpee….Their freshness will last just 4 days

By naming after the Lord, everyone will have at least called out the Lord’s name every time they call out for this person in their life. While this may not amount to calling out the name of the Lord in the true sense of devotion, it will still be of some merit, says Periyazhvar

(This 500th blog story is dedicated to NS Ramnath ( Ex - The Economic Times and Forbes) who initiated me into blogging almost a decade ago)

What is in a name? A lot…… Periyazhvar has dedicated an entire decad in the fourth canto on the significance of naming a child. There are many relevant options available to us and he wants us to explore these for he says that the result will be beyond one’s imagination.

He asks us to name the new born after the Lord. Repeatedly he says that a mother who names her child after Him will escape hell. Such is the importance Periyazhvar gives to the naming event.

Through this decad, in the first half of each verse he first provides the reason for many of us naming the child indifferently and then in the 2^nd half of the verse enlightens us on the benefits arising out of naming our children after HIM.

He cautions us about the risks involved in naming the child with fancy names.

Why indifferent names???

We succumb to the lure of gold coins and jewels and grains and name our child with MEAN names. He directs the ladies to call the children with names of the Lord. We opt for so many indifferent names when we have a beautiful choice from among the Lord’s various names.

காசும்கறையுடைக்கூரைக்கும்அங்கோர்கற்றைக்கும்

ஆசையினால்அங்கவைத்தப்பெரிதும்ஆதர்காள்

கேசவன்பேரிட்டுநீங்கள்தேனித்திருமினோ

நாயகன்நாராயணன்தம்அன்னைநரகம்புகாள்

Don’t fall for the lure of wealth

Periyazhvar describes the lure of material wealth in return for which mothers assign inappropriate names. In the temptation of rich oil for the head, beautiful ornaments for the forehead and bangles for the hand, she stays away from the many beautiful names of the Lord that are available as choices before her.

Instead of taking all these and naming inappropriately, it is even worth living by begging and naming your child after Him.

உச்சியில்எண்ணையும்கட்டியும்வளையும்உகந்து

எச்சம்பொலிந்தீர்காள்என்செய்வான்பிறர்பேரிட்டீர்

Human beings produce human being. And then we ascribe the name of a human being to this new born. But to reach abode of Lord, one has to assign HIS names.

மானிடசாதியில்தோன்றிற்றுஓர்மானிடசாதியை

மானிடசாதியின்பேரிட்டால்மறுமைக்கில்லை

No Salvation even in the next birth!!!!

Periyazhvar even goes to the extent of calling our bodies as filthy and polluted and hence is not in favour of giving such names to new born. Despite this, if we do so, there is no way for salvation even in our next birth.

Where as if the mother names her child after the Lord, she will escape hell even in this birth.

கண்ணுக்கினியகருமுகில்வண்ணன்நாமமே

நண்ணுமின்நாரணன்தம்அன்னைநரகம்புகாள்

By naming him after well known people, we let the city and country become popular. But aren't we falling into a well known pit. We give such unpleasing names of human beings when the choice of loving Krishna is available to us. Refrain from giving petty names such as Nampee or Pampee. Their freshness will last just four days.

நம்பிபிம்பிஎன்றுநாட்டுமானிடப்பேரிட்டால்

நம்பும்பிம்பம்எல்லாம்நாலுநாளில்அழுங்கிப்போம்

To derive benefits like nectar, name him after the Lord and sing and dance praising the name of the new born.

Benefits of having a Lord’s name

In the worst case scenario, everyone around the new born will have at least called out the Lord’s name every time they call out for this person in their life. While this may not amount to calling out the name of the Lord in the true sense of devotion, it will still be of some merit.

The poet refers to Lord Tirumaal as one with invincible power

The 2^nd Paripatal on Tirumaal was written by poet Kiranthaiyaar with the music set by Nannaakannaar. In this poem, the poet describes the greatness of Thirumaal showcasing the Power of the Lord’s weapons, his physique and his redoubtable qualities. He also presents us with insights into where Thirumaal is seen, his different elements and avataras.

An interesting description in this 2^nd Paripatal on Tirumaal that comprises of 75 lines is the one on Numbers. Kiranthaiyaar has doled out Tamil names to numbers such as Aampal, Kuvalai, Neytal, Kamalam (current equivalents of billion, trillion etc…..)

Opening paragraph

The poet starts with description of deluges in the universe and refers to the five elements in the same order as mentioned in Vedic texts. All creation ended in annihilation. The Sun, the Moon, the sky, the earth and even the world of the Celestial Gods came to nought. It took ages for the recovery. And then the elements started coming back.

In the lines 5-12, the evolution of universe as found in Taittreya Upanishad is described. He refers to the Supreme spirit producing ether from which appeared air, then fire, water and earth.

First in the list was Ether, that which was formless (principle of Sound). And then came back the 2^nd element – Air. Out of Air, appeared Fire. And then water. And finally, the Earth which was the last to be submerged was lifted by Tirumaal from the bottom of the ocean in his Varaha Avatara, by taking the form of a mighty boar and holding aloft the Earth Goddess.

உள்முறைவெள்ளம்ஈண்டி

அவற்றிற்க்கும்உள்ளீடுஆகியஇருநிலத்துஊழியும்

நெய்தலும்குவளையும்ஆம்பலும்சங்கமும்

மைஇல்கமலமும்வெள்ளமும்நுதலிய....

This activity of bringing the Earth back is cited by the Poet as one of the many achievements of Tirumaal.

Balarama Cult in Tamil Nadu?

It is very interesting that in this 2^nd poem, the poet identifies Thirumaal with Balarama. As also seen in the first Paripatal, Baladeva once again finds mentions here. From this, it may be extrapolated that the worship of Balarama may have been prevalent during the period of the poet. He is seen as an incarnation of Adisesha. The poet says that the Maal manifested as Bala Deva and is seen in a White Hued complexion. While Krishna is younger by birth, the poet says that he is elder in greatness as he was pre-existent to Baladeva.

நீயேவலையொடுபுரையும்வாலியோற்கு

அவன்இளையன்என்போர்க்குஇளையைஆதலும்

புதைஇருள்உடுக்கைப்பொலம்பனைக்கொடியோற்க்கு

முதியைஎன்போக்குமுதுமைதோன்றலும்

Jewels on his chest are bright with the pearl pendent that he adorns shining bright as the full moon. The poet compares Goddess Lakshmi who is seen seated on his chest in a majestic way to a mark that one sees on the moon.

Lord’s Weapons

His weapons deafen the ears, chops off the heads and tens of thousands with a single strike. (பலபதினாயிரம்குலைதரைஉதிர்வபோல்).The Conch of the Lord sounds like thunder and it seems as if the intention is to almost to deafen the demon’s ears.

ஓடியாஉள்ளமொடுஉருத்து

ஒருங்குஉடன்இயைத்து

இடிஎதிர்கழறும்கால்உறழ்புஎழுந்தவர்

கோடிஅறுப்புஇருப்புசெவிசெவிடுபடுபு

The Discus of the Lord is like death itself and it destroys lives of demons severing their heads. He compares this to severing to bunches of green fruit of the palmyrah trees.

தலைஇறுபுதாரொடுபுரளநிலைதொலைபுவேர்தூர்

மடல்குருகுபரியாநீள்இரும்பனைமிசைப்

Brilliant description in Tamil of the Lord’s Complexion

In a brilliant description of the Lord’s complexion, the poet says that Lord Tirumaal as praised in the Vedas is one with Radiance like dark sapphire. His eyes are praised as being like twin lotuses, Verity (truth) like an unfailing day, his forbearance is as wide and great as the earth and he has limitless grace that is as generous as white (rain) cloud.

நின்னதுதிகழ்ஒளி சிறப்புஇருள்திருமணி

கண்ணேபுகழ்சால்தாமரைஅலர்

இணைப்பிணையல்வாய்மைவயங்கியவைகல்

The poet then praises the flag of the Lord as being lofty and fluttering high sporting the red beaked Garuda bird (செவ்வாய்உவணத்துஉயர்கொடியோயே).

About Sacrificial Yagnas

He is the sacrificial pillar to which is offered the sacrificial animal where the rituals are done as ordained in the Vedas with ritual fire kindled in proper manner where in melted butter is poured to please the Gods.

Vedas say that he is present all the time and everywhere. He is the very core of the Veda. He describes the Lord as beginning, middle and the end. The poet refers to the Lord as one with invincible power. He is all those things that we have mentioned and many other things that we have not mentioned yet.

Conclusion – The final 10 lines

It was only because he willed so that the Devas were handed the Nectar.

வாயடைஅமிர்தம்நின்மனத்தகத்துஅடைத்தர

The poet prostrates at the divine feet of the Lord with his head touching the ground!!! He invokes the blessings of Lord Tirumaal and asks him to guide them towards true wisdom.

மூவாமரபும்ஓவாநோன்மையும்

சாவாமரபின்அமரர்க்காச்சென்றநின்

மரபினோய்நின்அடிதலைஉறவணங்கினேம்

பல்மாண் யாமும்

கலிஇல்நெஞ்சினேம்ஏத்தினேம்வாழ்த்தினேம்

The third in the series of Paripatal is a beautiful hymn (comprising of close to a 100 lines) that can be chanted every day in our daily prayer. Here the poet’s description of the Lord is similar to those found in ancient Sanskrit texts.

The third poem is characteristic of Sangam Poetry in respect of its brevity – Every Phrase/line has great meaning attached to it and requires detailed explanation. In this Paripatal, the poet Kattuvaan Ilaveyi Naanaan invokes Tirumaal as the dark complexioned lord whose feet destroy the cycle of birth. Lord is praised as the one who provides moksham and that all being including the celestial Gods are Tirumaal’s creation.

Poet describes his 8manifestations who were all created by him and sustained by him -, 5 Planets

(Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn), 12 Aadityas ( the offspring of Vithi), 2 Acuras (the issue of Diti), 8 Vacus ( who he refers to as blameless), 11 Rudras, the Ashwin twins (born to Tama, the leaping horse), God of Death and his messenger and all living beings in this triple 7 worlds are all his creation and manifestation of Tirumaal.

Garuda Mount – Ups and Downs

The poet describes the Lord’s mount and his lofty banner as the great bird Garuda, the son of Vinata and credits the bird for bringing Nectar from heaven to relieve the distress of his mother. When his mother Vinata was tricked to slavery by another wife of Kasyapar (Kathru), the mother of the Serpent race, it was Garuda who fought with Indra and brought Nectar from heaven to redeem his mother.

பயந்தோள்இடுக்கண்களைத்தபுள்ளினை

பயந்தோள்இடுக்கண்களைத்தபுள்ளின்

நிவந்துஓங்குஉயர்கொடிச்சேவலோய்

நின்சேவடிதொழாகும்உற்றஅடியினை

However when Garuda who held the 1000 hooded serpent in his beak once became arrogant of his powers, the Lord made the bird repent for ages. Garuda in his arrogance had suggested that he was the reason for the Lord to move everywhere easily. To quell his ego, Lord Tirumaal asked him to carry one finger of the Lord. Howsoever, Garuda tried, he could not and fell down because of the enormous weight of the one finger. His wings fell down and he trembled down to earth and made him seek the Lord for ages.

Vamana and Varaha Avataras

He refers to Vamana avatara where he measured with one step the entire nether world. He also refers to Varaha avatara and his lifting of the entire earth from under the ocean.

Line 25 -Rare Incarnation

In Line 25, he refers to a rare incarnation of Lord as Great Cob-Swan who dried up with the beat of his mighty wings the torrential downpour.

மாவிசும்புஒழுகுபுனல்வரலஅன்னச்சேவலாய்ச்சிறகர்ப்புலர்தியோய்எனவும்

Description of the Lord's innumerable hands

In several lines, the poet describes eloquently the greatness of the Lord with each succeeding line beating the previous one. His hands are seen as being countless, one of which gave nectar to the Devas. He is described as the lord with innumerable hands – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 100, 1000, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of hands.

நடுவுநிலைதிரும்பியநயம்இல்ஒருகை

இருகைமாஅல்முக்கைமுனிவாநாற்கைஅண்ணல்

ஐங்கைமைந்தஆறுகைநெடுவேள்

ஏழுகையாளஎன்கைஏந்தல்

ஒன்பதிற்றிதுத்தடக்கைமண்பேரால

பதிற்றுக்கைமதவலிநூற்றுக்கைஆற்றல்

ஆயிரம்விரித்தகைம் மாயமள்ள

பதினாயிரம்கைமுதுமொழிமுதல்வ

நாறாயிரம்கைஆறுஅறிகடவுள்

He is the Lord of the Vedas and the Chief of Devas. The poet praises him as the Lord of Eternity who quelled the arrogance of all things in existence. He is referred to as one who is pre existent to time itself and who controls the principle of time. He is of infinite form and is beyond count and numbers. He is both - everything as well as the essential quality of everything.

His indescribable greatness is known to none but himself. There is no birth he has not taken but we do not know who caused his birth.

With grace as the canopy and righteousness/dharma as the stem he fosters the universe. Vedas sing his greatness in wonder while we chant likewise marvelling at his might.

He is the nature of all things in creation: He is heat in fire, Fragrance in flowers, Radiance of gems, Essence of Vedas, Light of the Sun and Coolth of the Moon

Line 63-68:

The immanent form (Antaryami) of the Lord is brought out. The poet also says that the lord has taken every form of birth to create sustain and destroy, even though there is none to cause his birth.

The Lord in Numbers

Line 79-80: And it is all about numbers. With sheer numbers (Tamil Numbers like Onru and Tontu), the poet describes the greatness of Lord:

The Lord is the five elements, 5 sensory organs, 1 the Sound, 2 the Torch, 3 the Form, 4 the Taste, 5 the Smell, 6 the Sensory tools, 7 the Ahankara / Cosmic ego, 8 the Maan and 9 the Primal source.

Thus in mystic numbers the Lord’s greatness is spoken about by the poet.

Special Tamil Worlds of the Sangam Period

Words like Paal, Kaal, Paaku indicate Tattuvams (Paal= Void= Purusha, Kaal= 5 elements, Paaku= 5 Karmatreyas)

பாழ்எனகால்எனபாகுஎன

ஒன்றுஎனஇரண்டுஎனமூன்றுஎனநான்குஎன

ஐந்துஎனஆறுஎனஏழுஎனஎட்டுஎனதொண்டு

எனநால்வகைஊழிஎண் நவிற்றும்சிறப்பினை

In lines 81-82, he refers to the four Vyuka forms of Lord (Senkat Kari, Karunkan Vellai, Ponkat Pachai and Painkan Maal) and traces them to the red eyed Vasa Deva, dark eyed Shankarshana, ruddy complexioned Pradyumna and green hued Aniruddha.

செங்கட்காரீகருங்கண்வெள்ளை

பொன்கட்பச்சைபைங்கண்மாஅல்

Conclusion

In the last ten lines, he exhibits a passionate fervour. There is brevity of expression and rich allusiveness. There is reference to various personalities of the Lord and his appearances and exploits.

He concludes with a description of the Lord’s complexion and then the Krishna avatara and his activities there in.

Itavala, Kutovala, Koovala and Kaavala – the Lord who dances right and left with the Gopis, Krishna dancing with a pot, makes a mention of his dreaded weapon the plough. He is praised as the Lord of the herds of cattle and the Lord who protects all lives. Krishna who danced left and right with cowherds dance with a pot with dreaded weapon the plough. he is the lord of herd of cattle one who protects all lives. Finally he invokes the blessings for the Lord’s discus to keep the world safe.

He is praised by the poet in an impassioned series of epithets with a devout plea that his discus may forever protect him and the world.

DEVA PRAYAG

The sacred water of the Ganges at Kadi Nagar is described as flowing from Brahma’s hands through Siva’s hairs and Lord Trivikrama’s feet down its course to reach here

Having described the greatness of Thiru Maliruncholai and Thiru Kottiyur in the earlier decads in the fourth canto, Periyazhvar moves up North and praises the greatness of Kadi Nagar in an entire decad (4.7). This is the only Divya Desam outside of Tamil Nadu that Periyazhvar praises elaborately. In these set of verses, he praises the Lord as Purushottama.

Periyazhvar starts off this decad in a way interesting way.

The one who chopped off the sister’s nose and severed the brother’s head was Dasarathi Rama, son of Dasaratha!!!

Having thus defeating the Lankan king, he came back here to Ayodhya to rule from here. He describes the city as being right on the banks of Ganga. He credits Ganga with having the powers of wiping out most cruel of sins that one has committed. He praises Kadi Nagar as a magnificent town and calls it Khandam.

தங்கையைமூக்கும்தமையனைத்தலையும்தடிந்தஎம்தாசரதிபோய்

எங்கும்புகழாஇருந்துஅரசாண்டஎம்புருஷோத்தமன்இருக்கை

கங்கைகங்கைஎன்றவாசகத்தாலேகடுவினைகளைந்திடநிற்கும்

கங்கையின்கரைமேல்கைதொழநின்ற

கண்டம்என்றகடிநகரே

He praises the Konrai flowers as one that Siva adorns in his matted hair. Tulsi is described as one that is placed at the feet of Lord Narayana. Both these are described as descending with the stream of water from Ganga to Earth.

One finds sparkling water of Ganges on the banks of the great city of Kadi Nagar where Lord Purushottama resides. Water in Ganges at Kadi Nagar is described as flowing from Brahma’s hands through Siva’s hairs and Lord Trivikrama’s feet down its course to reach this place.

சதுமுகன்கையில்சதுப்புயன்தாளில்

சங்கரன்சடையினில்தங்கி

கதிர்முகமனிகெண்டிழிபுனல்

கங்கைக்கண்டமென்னும்கடிநகரே

It is on both the banks of Ganges at Kadi Nagar that devotees come for a holy dip right from Himalayas to the Sea.

One may have accumulated a number of sins over a long period of time. One dip in the holy Ganges on the banks of Kadi Nagar invoking the blessings of the Lord Purushottam is enough to wash away in just one quick moment the Karmas of 7 lives.

Periyazhvar describes the various weapons of Lord Purushottama as Plough, renowned bow Saranga, flame like discus ‘Sudarshana’, the beautiful Conch ‘Panchajanya’ and the battle axe ‘Nandaka’. He says that all these are divine weapons to kill the wicked people.

உழுவதோர்படையும்உலக்கையும்வில்லும்ஒண்சுடராழியும்சங்கும்

Periyazhvar in another verse reminds us of the Lord of Mathura protecting the entire world by holding the huge mounting with his one when there was a torrential downpour that created a deluge across.

Accessories for Sacrificial yagna

It is here that great sages come for ritual bath. He provides insights into the kind of things used for a sacrifice. The woods that are washed ashore here on the banks of Khandam are used to light sacrificial fire by these sages.

அலைப்புடைத்திரைவாய்அருந்தவமுனிவர்

அவபிரதம்குடைந்தாட

கலப்பைகள்கொழிக்கும்கங்கையின்கரைமேல்

கண்டமென்றும்கடிநகரே

Periyazhvar once again refers to Krishna’s killing of Kamsa. He also refers to the killing of the tusker Kuvalaya by twisting its trunk and rolling down the head of the Mahout.

The celestial Gods and Devas were ruling with pride the three worlds. As if to wake them from Slumber, the asuras came to them with a fierce war cry only to be sent to Yama’s abode – Hell- by Lord Purushottama who is described as wielding the sword Nandaka.

The ichor of elephant Iravata, the sandal paste of Goddess Lakshmi and the Kalpaka flowers all flow here through the Ganges on to Kadi Nagar.

On both sides of this holy town, one finds close knit rows of cow pegs and fragrant smoke of fire altar caused by the Yagnas filling the air.

Periyazhvar also describes the violent nature of the Ganges. He says Mountains rumble, Earth splits and crumble, trees are uprooted and the ocean turns as the water gushes with great speed from the Ganges.

தடவரைஅதிரத்தரணிவிண்டுஇடியத்தலைபற்றிக்கரை

மரம்சாடிகடலினைகலங்கக்கடுத்துஇழி

This great river is surrounded by fragrant groves in the holy town of Khandam. He refers to other holy places surrounding Kadi Nagar as Mathrua in the North, Saligrama, Vaikunta, Dwaraka, Ayodhya and Badari as the abodes of Purushottama.

வடதிசைமதுரைசாளக்கிராமம்வைகுந்தம்துவரைஅயோத்தி

இடமுடைவதரி

Those who just recite these verses with sincerity will be blessed with purity equivalent to bathing in the Ganges.

Extensive praise of the Cauvery

Vedic Seers of Srirangam are praised as those welcoming even unexpected guests with humility and taking good care of them

Periyazhvar Thirumozhi 4.8

In his Periyazhvar Thirumozhi, Periyazhvar has praised only a few Divya Desams in detail. These include Thiru Vellarai and Deva Prayag. On Thiru Kottiyur, he showcased the people as best in class and ones who were generous and noble and lived a selfless life.

He has praised Srirangam and Thiru Maliruncholai with the most in his Thirumozhi dedicating three decads each. The last three decads of the fourth Canto are all on the greatness of Srirangam and Lord Ranganatha. In each of the verses, he praises some of the achievements of the Lord in his different Avataras including killing the arrogant Ravana, who had assumed invisibility because of his earlier boons, taking on the boar form to lift the huge earth with effortless ease and assuming the half lion form to tear open the chest of Hiranyakashipu.

Praising the Cauvery

In this 8^th decad, Periyazhvar begins by praising the sacredness of the Cauvery. He says that Vedic seers bathe in the Cauvery wearing pure clothes (this is particularly relevant because Vaishnavites are expected to bathe in the river only with taintless clothes).

தோதவத்தித்தூய்மறையோர்துறைபடியத்துளும்பிஎங்கும்

போதில்வைத்ததேன்சொரியும்புனலரங்குமென்பதுவே

Cauvery inundated at Srirangam

Cauvery is further praised as a river that produces flowers with nectar like qualities alongside its banks giving a divine feeling. The river is also praised as one that is often inundated (quite a different scenario now where water is pumped into rivers such as Cauvery and Vaigai through a motorised route ahead of important festivals!!!) and the waves in the Cauvery are sometimes violent, turning up and down.

He takes us through the long stretches of Cauvery and cites the example of the river picking up sandal wood along the way from the mountain finally submitting herself at the feet of Lord Ranganatha at Srirangam. Cauvery is described as roaring and swirling.

தழப்பரியசந்தனங்கள்தடவரைவாய்ஈர்த்துக்கொண்டு

தொழிப்புடையகாவிரிவந்துஅடிதொழும்சீரரங்கமே

Because of the ever flowing Cauvery, there is a rich growth of plantation in Srirangam. This sends a strong breeze that blows softly on the beautiful young girls of this temple town.

Krishna pays Tuition Fees!!!!

He highlights the greatness of Lord Krishna in this first verse. In recognition of his Guru’s contribution, Krishna offered to his Guru Sandipini his long lost son in the same form when he was lost long ago (his Guru had lost his son in the sea) as his TUITION FEES.

மாதவத்தோன்புத்திரன்போய்மறிகடல்வாய்மாண்டானை

ஓதுவித்ததக்கணையாஉருவுருவேகொடுத்தானூர்

Residents of Srirangam

Periyazhvar describes the people of Srirangam, especially the Vedic Scholars, as being very generous and ones who received even unexpected guests with great humility and took great care of them (This is similar to his praise of the residents of Thiru Kottiyur).

மறைப்பெருந்தீவளர்த்திருப்பார்வருவிருந்தைஅளித்திருப்பார்

சிறப்புடையமறைப்பவர்வாழ்திருவரங்குமென்பதுவே

Periyazhvar praises Krishna’s achievements – his redeeming life of Parikshit, preventing the progeny of Abimanyu from getting destroyed by a deadly weapon (Ashwathama had sent his Brahmmastra towards Uttara and it was Lord Krishna who prevented it from killing him while he was still in his mother’s womb).

Reference to hunch back Manthara

Periyazhvar presents a lot more positive picture of Kaikeyi than is generally perceived. He says that it was Manthara the hunch back who repeatedly pushed Kaikeyi by pointing out faults in the proposed coronation of Rama ( through this, he gives us the feeling that Kaikeyi was not naturally as bad as she is made out to be and that she succumbed to the repeated negative energy being thrust upon her by this evil force). And finally she got Kaikeyi to agree to redeem her pending boons with her husband Dasaratha and banish Rama to the forest.

கூன்தொழத்தைசிதகுஉரைப்பக்கொடியவள்வாய்க்கூடியசொல்கேட்டு

ஈன்றுஎடுத்ததாயாரையும்இராச்சியமும்ஆங்கொழிய

Huge Groves and Cuckoos/Bees/ Peacocks

He praises Srirangam as a place in between groves and hills, where beautiful flowers bloomed in the groves and there was nectar all around. He makes specific reference to ‘Kuruva’ trees that grew and blossomed in large numbers here (அரும்புக்கொங்கலரக்குயில்கூவும்குளிர்பொழில்சூழ்).

One could hear the sweet music of cuckoos emanating from the grooves all the time. And it seemed to spread happiness around the place. Bumble bees too constantly hummed around this place and their humming seemed to indicate the victory music in praise of the Lord of Srirangam.

(யாழினிசைவண்டினங்கள்ஆழம்வைக்கும்அரங்கமே)

He describes the happiness of a bird at being able to reside in Srirangam. He makes a mention of the presence of beautiful peacocks that are seen unfurling the feathers and dancing.

Evenings at Srirangam

In the evenings, Periyazhvar finds beetles with fierce scary wings buzzing around the dense bunch of Jasmine flowers and this almost seemed as if they were singing praise of the Lord. He also describes Srirangam as a location that is fortified by big walls (is he referring to Thirumangai Azhvaar’s ‘Mathil’?) around the four streets.

எல்லியும்போதுஇருஞ்சிறைவண்டுஎம்பெருமான்குணம்பாடி

மல்லிகைவெண்சங்கூதும்சங்கூதும்மதிளரங்கமென்பதுவே

Lord of Srirangam is the Life Medicine for all

Periyazhvar refers to all the Avataras in a SINGLE VERSE including the 'Three Ramas'!!!

On to the 9^th Decad of the 4^th Canto, Periyazhvar continues with his description of Srirangam praising it as a BRIGHT temple and says that Lord Ranganatha is the life medicine for all true devotees and that we are all blessed that he has decided to reside in Srirangam.

Uniqueness of Flowers

He describes the beautiful blue flowers seen in the huge groves as swaying in the breeze reflecting both the dark complexion of Lord Rangantha and the flowery eyes of Ranganayaki Thaayar. Just like the Lotus that arises from his navel, all the flowers at Srirangam are constantly seen competing with each to present themselves as more special and unique to the Lord. The fresh lotus here seem to be gesticulating to the other flowers that they pale in significance and seem to be taking a lot of pride in showcasing themselves as unique.

புதுநாண்மலர்க் கமலம்எம்பெருமான்

பொன்வயிற்றில்பூவேபோல்வான்

பொதுநாயகம்பாலித்துஇறுமாந்துபொன்சாய்க்கும்

புனல்அரங்கமே

Ripe Paddy and Lotus Petals - Praising Cauvery

Periyazhvar praises Cauvery and refers yet again refers to the large quantity of blooming lotus flowers that one finds in the Cauvery every day. The fertile lands thanks to the water from the Cauvery helps ripe paddy grow tall. There are ever growing lotus petals that rise like the lord’s feet.

Swans on Lotuses - see it as their bed!!!

In the groves of Srirangam, Swans are seen sitting in pairs on lotuses. Periyazhvar describes the emotions of these swans. They are seen swinging and swaying, crushing and rolling on the flowers. They see these large lotus flowers as their bed and they are seen smearing pollen like sindoor poweder on each other. He says that even the birds mingle with the flowers and sing praise of the Lord.

சேவலொடுபெடையன்னம்செங்கமலமலர்ஏறிஊசல்ஆடிப்

பூவணைமேல்துதைத்துஎழுசெம்பொடியாடிவிளையாடும்

புனல்அரங்கமே

All the Avataras in one verse

In this decad, Periyazhvar refers to several episodes from his Avataras.

Also, for the only time in the Periyazhvar Thirumozhi, he mentions in a single verse all of the Lord’s manifestations - Fish, Tortoise, Boar, Lion, Vamana, Rama, Balarama, Parasurama

( interestingly referred as Three Ramas!!!!!!!!!), Krishna and Kalki.

தேவுடையமீனமாய்ஆமையாய்ஏனமாய்

அறியக்குரலாய் மூவுருவில்இராமனாய்க்

கண்ணனாய்க்கற்கியாய்

முடிப்பான்கோயில்

Ramayana Episode

Periyazhvar takes us back to the Ramayana and to the meeting between Rama and his Baratha. He refers to the Lord of Srirangam as one who provided his Sandal to his brother Baratha and continued with his stay in the forest. Later he demolished the rakshasas and came back to the rule the world.

மரவடியைத்தம்பிக்குவான்பணையம்வைத்துப்போய்வானோர்வாழ

செருவுடையதிசைகருமம்திருதிவந்துஉலகாண்டதிருமால்கோயில்

Mahabaratha

Periyazhvar takes us back to episodes in Mahabaratha achieving victory, saving Draupadi and Parikshit. He describes the Lord’s consorts as being 60000 and there are others who are performing faultless service at Dwaraka seeing him as their Chief.

பதினாறாமாயிரவர்தேவிமார்பணிசெய்யத்துவரையென்னும்

அதில்நாயகராகிவீற்றிருந்தமணவாளர்மன்னுகோயில்

Hiranya’s emotions - Detailed Description of the Act

Praising the earlier avatara of the Lord, he describes for the first time in the Periyazhvar Thirumozhi in such depth of the killing of Asura Hiranya and the emotions emanating out of Hiranya after the Lord tore him apart.

He says that the asura’s chest was pierced with the Lord’s strong nails. He then held his head and threw down the crown that crumbled to pieces and also squeezed his eyes so hard that it bulged out which then made his mouth wide.

As the Lord performed this act, the asura writhed in pain and screamed aloud.

உரம்பற்றிஇரணியனைஉகிர்னுதியால்உள்ளியமார்புறைக்கஊன்றி

சிரம்பற்றிமுடிஇடியக்கண்பிதுங்கவாயலறத்தெழித்தான்கோயில்

He refers to his incarnation as Vamana to subdue the egoistic Mahabali and took away his kingdom and granted him the nether world.

Directional Posture of Ranganatha

Periyazhvar then provides an interesting explanation about the posture of the Lord of Srirangam. He says the Lord is residing facing Lanka to oversee the well being of the benevolent Vibheeshana.

மன்னுடையவிபீடனர்காமதிநிலங்கைதிசைநோக்கிமலர்க்கண்வைத்த

(Thondaradipodi Azhvaar in his Thirumalai too refers to the directional posture of Lord Ranganatha)

குடதிசை முடியை வைத்து

குண திசை பாதம் நீட்டி

வடதிசை பின்பு காட்டி
தென்திசை இலங்கை நோக்கி - Thirumalai

Devotess can do no wrong

He says that Lord Ranganatha is so caring for his devotees that even if his consort tells him something negative about his devotees he does not believe justifying that whatever his sincere devotees do, they do it for the good. So broad hearted is the Lord at Srirangam.

தன்அடியார்திருத்தகத்துத்தாமரையாளாகிலும்சிதகுரைக்குமேல்

என்னடியார்அதுசெய்யார்செஇதாரெல்நன்றுசெய்தார்என்பர்போலும்

Periyazhvar praises the Lord as one who lifts the devotees to a point of ‘No Return’ to the Zone of the Sun in the process removing their darkness and blesses them, especially those who have performed selfless service in their lives. He compares the hoods of the Serpent on whom Lord Ranganatha reclines to the morning sun that rises above the huge mountains and praises the Serpents as having similar shine and glory to the Sun.

He refers to a long list of those who worship him at Srirangam and says that this includes Vedic Seers, Sages, Ascetics Devotees, Siddhas and all others who live in this world with a submissive and reverent outlook to life.

பத்தர்களும்பகவர்களும்பழ்மொழிவாய்முனிவர்களும் பரந்தநாடும்

சித்தர்களும்தொசதிரைஞ்சத்திசைவிளக்காய்நிற்கின்றதிருவரங்கமே

Life Medicine for Devotees

In these verses, he refers to the Lord as the one who is the Life Medicine for all. Vedanta Desika in his Athikara Sangramam too praises the Lord in a similar vein stating that Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam solves even the seeming unsolvable problems of true devotees

ஆராத அருள் அமுதம் பொதிந்த கோயில்
அம்புயத் தோன் அயோத்தி மன்னர்க்கு அளித்த கோயில்
தோலாத தனி வீரன் தொழுத கோயில்
துணையான வீடண ற்குத் துனையாம் கோயில்

சேராத பயன் எல்லாம் சேர்க்கும் கோயில்
செழு மறையின் முதல் எழுத்துச் சேர்ந்த கோயில்
தீராத வினை அனைத்தும் தீர்க்கும் கோயில்

திருவரங்கம் எனத் திகழும் கோயில் தானே - Desikar Prabhandham

Srirangam is blessed

In this decad, Periyazhvar also refers to the mount of the Lord saying the ruler of all the worlds rides on Garuda possessing the unique sword Nandaka. Periyazhvar says that it is our blessing that the Lord who controls everything including day and night has willingly chosen to reside at Srirangam.

திருவாளன்இனிதாகத்திருக்கண்கள்வளர்க்கின்றதிருவரங்கமே

Periyazhvar provides insights into Yama's Deadly Personality and pleads with Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam to consider today's prayer as one for a time in need (sometime in the future)

அப்போதைக்குஇப்போதேசொல்லிவைத்தேன்

அரங்கத்தரவனைப்பள்ளியானே

He has already composed well over 400verses of praise on the Lord. This has ranged from describing the unique activities of Child Krishna to praising the greatness of sacred towns such as Thirumaliruncholai and Thiru Kottiyur.

Finally, Periyazhvar realises that it is now time for him to seek the Lord directly. It is a personal prayer from him directed at Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam asking him to protect him in his time of need. In this last decad of the fourth Canto, Periyazhvar reaches out to Lord Ranganatha with an advance prayer seeking a help for the future.

It is largely believed that it is Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam who provides Moksham to devotees. While in times gone by, there have been many additional features attributed to Lord Ranganatha, Srirangam primarily continues to be the place for seeking Moksham.

Hence, Periyazhvar addresses the Lord of Srirangam with an advance prayer today that seeks the Lord to accept today’s prayer of his as one for the future when he will be in real need of the Lord’s help but when he may not be in a mental state to remember the Lord!!!

In the earlier decads in this Canto (4.5 and 4.6) ( http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/periyazhvar-think-of-and-thank-god.html) and (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/periyazhvar-naming-child.html), Periyazhvar had repeatedly suggested ways to us to undertake and perform positive, selfless things in this life and to take away all the negative energy and thoughts from us. He reminded us time and again in these two decads that being in a good state of mind currently offers us great opportunity to do good things right now without postponing to a later date. Also, he had suggested to us to chant the different names of the Lord at all points of time and to grab this opportunity right now to chant his names when we are healthy. Even in our death beds, he had warned that we will only be calling for our relatives and not the Lord. Such is the fate of the mortals.

Pray Today for ‘Protection Later’

Having thus made such suggestions to the devotees to seek the Lord right now when we are physically and mentally in a good state, in this last decad of the fourth canto, Periyazhvar goes a step forward. By now, he has probably understood the mindset of the mortals as ones basking in arrogant glory of the current and who do not think of the need of Lord’s help as they are in a happy state right now, he presents a beautiful advance prayer to the Lord thus providing guidance to devotees to seek him today.

He asks the Lord to consider this current- today’s- prayer as one for the future when he may need the Lord’s help but when he may not remember the Lord because of ill health and being on death bed.

Periyazhvar provides threatening examples of what might be in store for us, creating a ghastly visual imagination of the deadly Yama and his team and how they may treat us in the last moments of our lives and later.

In these verses, Periyazhvar provides a very negative connotation to Yama and refers to him as cruel, rude, thoughtless, emotionless, uncouth, wicked and as one bestowed with the job to inflict pains on those who did not live a true selfless life.

He provokes the question in us if we want to be in such a scenario of being mis-handled by Yama and his agents or would we be better off invoking the Lord’s blessing today seeking his help at all times, especially for the future and the last days of our lives and to take us safely to Moksham.

No Option but to seek the Lord’s Help

He says there are those who are intelligent and well groomed that they know the right time to seek his help. He says he is not one among them. He claims to be unworthy of that. And yet he says he has no other option but to reach out to him asking for his support citing the example of Gajendra Moksham episode when the Lord came to the rescue of the seemingly helpless elephant caught in the clutches of the crocodile but one who reached out to the Lord.

துப்புடையாரைஅடைவதுஎல்லாம்

சோர்விடத்துதுணைஆவர்என்றே

ஒப்பிளேன்ஆகிலும்நின்அடைந்தேன்

ஆணைக்குநீஅருள்செய்தமையால்

Periyazhvar says that when death is nearing him, it is likely he will not be able to remember the Lord to seek his help. Hence he requests the Lord to consider today’s prayer (this current prayer) as the one for that day in future and asks him to consider helping him in his real time of need and when he is in distress at a time in the future.

எய்ப்புஎன்னைவந்துநலியும்போது

அங்குஏதும்நான்உன்னைநினைக்கமாட்டேன்

அப்போதைக்குஇப்போதேசொல்லிவைத்தேன்

அரங்கத்தரவணைப்பள்ளியானே

He says that today he is fully conscious and aware of himself and that he remembers the Lord and his power.

Yama’s Brutal Approach

YAMA @ Thiru Kodikkaval

When we are in his death bed, Yama, who Periyazhvar describes as one with the folded tongue, will be making his way towards us along with his agents. They are likely to beat us black and blue. And we may be all alone (not being able to remember the Lord at that time) without any support. For those times, let us pray today seeking the Lord’s blessings and protection.

நாமடித்துஎன்னைஅனேகதண்டம்

செய்வதாநிற்பர்நமன்தமர்கள்

Depending on our actions in this life (and we may have committed many ill acts), we are likely to be dragged by them. Logically we should be thinking of the Lord at that time but mysterious are your ways that you don’t enable us to remember you when we need you most. However, today we are fully conscious and hence Periyazhvar requests the Lord to treat this prayer for those days of need and help us get a graceful sanctuary.

போம்இடத்துஉன்திறத்துஎத்தனையும்

புகாவண்ணம்நிற்பதோர்மாயைவல்லை

ஆம்இடத்தேஉன்னைச்சொல்லிவைத்தேன்

When we reach that final phase of life, it is quite likely that we will not remember the Lord. It is a big worry today that we may not have any solutions against the strategy of Yama and his commandants. Hence when the memory is sharp, we will today start uttering all your different names with utmost sincerity and seek your protection for the time when Yama will be all set to kick us through the gates of the nether world.

எல்லையில்வாசல்குறுகச்சென்றால்

ஏற்றிநமன்தமர்பற்றும்போது

நில்லுமின்என்னும்உபாயம்இல்லை

சொல்லலாம்போதேஉன்நாமமெல்லாம்

சொல்லினேன்என்னைக்குறிக்கொண்டுஎன்றும்

அல்லாரபடாவண்ணம்காக்கவேண்டும்

Periyazhvar seeks Lord Ranganatha’s help for those final days. When the final days are nearing and Yama is making his way towards us to take us in a rude way on that final narrow gateway, it is only Lord Ranganatha who can come forward to save this true devotee and put Yama on hold. To that end, he says he is offering prayers today in true selfless way, praising him in every possible way.

Lord’s appointment of Yama and his role

Periyazhvar follows up with a beautiful verse describing the reason for TIME and the creation of the role of Yama. He says even Shiva and Brahmma do not know his real greatness.

வையாமனிசரைப்பொய்யென்றெண்ணிக்

காலனையும்உடனேபடைத்தாய்

He says that the Lord obviously knows that we – mortals - are prone to mistakes despite the fact that we all have an opportunity to reach out to God every day of our lives. To punish the mortal men, Periyazhvar says that the Lord put in place a process for Yama. ‘But since I remember your greatness and I now know this entire process of connection between good deeds and later punishment, I am beginning the chanting of your names. Remember this and protect me when the need arises.’

Describing Yama - Ruthless, Heartless, Emotionless, Cruel, Rude!!!!!!!!!

Periyazhvar goes on to provide more insights into the ways of Yama and how he can be ruthless in our phase journey of life. Yama is generally seen to be heartless and carries out his function without any emotion whatsoever. And as death looms large and we see Yama in front of us, it is very likely that we will not remember this Lord. Today we are hale and healthy with a strong in body and mind.

Let us offer our prayers with all sincerity seeking Lord Ranganatha’s blessings for protection from the wicked ways of Yama. Periyazhvar asks the Lord to bear in mind today’s prayers of the devotee and to protect him in that time of need.

Yama’s deadly act

Periyazhvar also creates a sense of fear in us today of what might dawn on us much later, when it is likely to be too late. One is likely to find Yama and his team appear before us in different forms and sizes. They are likely to look very scary and we will be left unprotected in their hold. Periyazhvar describes Yama as uncouth, heartless and having the capability to inflict harmful pains.

தண்ணெனவில்லை நமன் தமர்கள்

சாலக் கொடுமைகள் செய்யா நிற்பர்

CHITRAGUPTA

He says that we have an opportunity today to utter all the sacred names of the Lord and to meditate on him. He pleads with the Lord to protect us in such times and asks him to reassure us that we don’t have to fear Yama.

Mortal humans are not likely to know the Lord’s mysterious ways and also we do not have the ability to interpret your messages (Periyazhvar refers to the Lord’s ability to make us forget him at the most inappropriate time).

Lord forgotten in our physical pain

When Yama comes to forcibly take us away, he and his team are likely to beat us up and in that physical pain that we undergo, we may not be able to remember the Lord. But today, we plead that you redeem us at that time of need when we are likely to be in a helpless state.

வஞ்சஉருவின்நமன்தமர்கள்

வலிந்துநலிந்துஎன்னைப்பற்றும்போது

Periyazhvar goes on further to paint a dark picture of the God of Death and his team. He says that he dreads those messengers of Yama who he visualises as being cruel and ready to capture us mercilessly for our final trip.

நன்றும்கொடியநமன்தமர்கள்

நலிந்துவந்துஎன்னைப்பற்றும்போது

Mysterious Ways of the Lord

He says that he does not have the capacity to understand this mysterious play of the Lord. But despite this, when the God of Death and his messengers arrived and give out the command directing us to enter into that fleshy world and hit out at us, it is at that time and place, that we will suddenly forget to think of you. And that is when we need you to redeem us from those deadly messengers of Yama.

நான்ஏதும்உன்மாயம்ஒன்றறியேன்

நமன்தமர்பற்றிநலிந்திட்டுஇந்த

ஊனேபுகிஎன்றுமோதும்போது

அங்கேனும்நான்உன்னைநினைக்கமாட்டேன்

Periyazhvar says that he has realised the greatness of the Lord from the time he heard of his great achievement including carrying the Govardhana Mountain. Since that time, he says, not once has he lost sight of the Lord.

And ends the decad pleading with the Lord once again that in his time of need (that is likely to arise in the future), he seeks Lord Ranganatha’s help in protecting him.

வாக்குத்தூய்மைஇலாமையினாலே

The real starvation in life is when we are not meditating on him or worshiping his feet

A TRUE DEVOTEE - Heart Melts, Words Fail, Hairs Stand Up and Tears roll down from the eyes. And there is No Sleep as well as he seeks to reach the Lord

(5.1)

Having sung and experienced the life of a unique child and his special achievements through the first 300verses, he moves on to sing praise of the Lord in his Rama and Krishna Avataras and then provides insights into a few ancient temples of his times and the quality of life of the residents there, Periyazhvar moves into a surrender mode with the Lord in the final four decads of the Periyazhvar Thirumozhi and shares his experience of this intense one on one personal relationship with the Lord.

He begins the final canto accepting his many faults from his earlier moments in life and him lacking purity of words. Having enjoyed a lot of the pleasures of life thus far, he says he has nowhere else to go now except seeking his protection. He is hopeful that he will be offered the Lord’s protection.

He says that he is not great at Mantras nor does he really know what is right or wrong but what he knows is that he wants to seek the Lord now and to offer selfless service at his feet. To this end, he asks the Lord for the route to reach him.

Repents earlier mistakes

Periyazhvar laments about the mistakes he has made in life. The words that he utters are impure and hence he does not chant the hymns on a daily basis.

வாக்குத்தூய்மைஇலாமையினாலே

மாதவாஉன்னைவாய்கொள்ளமாட்டேன்

He claims to blabber (uttering imperfect things), but he cannot restrain himself from singing his praise as he knows nothing else in life. And he fears that. He hopes that the Lord will forgive his foolishly uttered words and will not become angry.

நாக்குநின்னையல்லாமல்அறியாது

நான்அதுஅஞ்சுவன்என்வசமன்று

மூர்க்குப்பேசுகின்றான்இவன்என்று

முனிவாயேலும் என்நாவினுக்குஆற்றேன்

Crow’s example

He takes some consolation from crow’s cow saying that even a crow’s harsh cowing is seen in a positive way by the noble souls. If that be the case, he says he has hopes that his prayer too will be seen in a positive light by the Lord who rides on Garuda Vehicle.

காக்கைவாயிலும்கட்டுரைகொள்வர்

காரணா கருளக்கொடியானே

Periyazhvar says that he is largely imperfect. He has sung faulty poems with a tongue that is impure. He says that his eyes can look at no one other than the Lord. He asks if it is not the Lord’s duty to forgive his student and accept him even though he has been wrong in many aspects, especially given that he is repenting now. Will he not be able to overlook some of the faults for he says he has nowhere else to go to other than being with him and singing his praise all the time?

பிழைப்பராகிலும்தம்மடியார்சொல்

பொறுப்பதுபெரியோர்கடனன்றே

விழிக்கும்கண்ணிலேன்நின்கண்மற்றல்லால்

வேறொருவரோடுஎன்மனம்பற்றாது

He cites the example of a DEER and says that a small spot on the deer isn’t really a burden on the deer. Similarly he is hopeful that the Lord will be able to forgive his past mistakes and take him in his fold.

உழைக்குஓர்புள்ளிமிகையன்றுகண்டாய்

ஊழியேழலகுண்டுமிழ்ந்தானே

Simple Verse with a Great Message

The third verse is an extra ordinarily simple verse with a strong message for devotees, providing them with an easily implementable path to seek and attain him. Periyazhvar says he knows not what is right and what is wrong. The only thing he knows is uttering his name. Even that he does not know if he is chanting the right way.

நன்மைதீமைகள்ஒன்றும்அறியேன்

நாரணாஎன்னும்இத்தனைஅல்லால்

He says that he does not know if even his meditational path is right. The only thing he does is calling on ‘Om Namo Narayana’ repeatedly. He says that his only strength is that he knows that he is a true devotee of the Lord and is at the temple all the time. He asks the Lord to take note of this point. He hopes that it will not matter that he does not know too many mystic mantras. He calls himself a True Vaishanavite.

உன்னுமாறுஉன்னைஒன்றும்அறியேன்

ஓவாதேநமோநாராணாஎன்பன்

வன்மையாவதுஉன்கோயிலில்வாழும்

வைட்டண வன் என்னும்வன்மைகண்டாயே

Food or Clothes are not important

He says that he does not need food or clothes and that these really don’t matter to him anymore. He asks the lord to engage him in his service without having the slightest doubt of his capability to offer selfless service. And being with the Lord, he is confident that his needs of food and clothing will be taken care and he is not worried about those.

குடிமைகொள்வதற்குஇயறவேண்டா

கூறைசோறுஇவைவேண்டுவதில்லை

He says that for a long time he enjoyed the pleasures such as orchards, wife and ruling over cattle sheds and fields. But it is now really difficult for him to mingle with those country people who are perennially seeking a worldly life!!! He seeks nothing else other than refuge at the Lord’s lotus fee.

தோட்டம்இல்லவன்ஆத்தொழஓடை

துடவையும்கிணறும்இவைஎல்லாம்

வாட்டமின்றிஉன்பொன்னடிக்கீழே

வளைப்பகம்வகுத்துக்கொண்டிருந்தேன்

நாட்டுமானிடத்தோடுஎனக்குஅரிது

நச்சுவார்பலர்கேழலொன்றாகி

What is Real Starvation in life?

APPALA RANGAN KOVILADI

Periyazhvar comes out with yet another gem of a verse throwing light on what is hunger and what is not!!! He says that all his life he has never starved for food even for a day. Even on days when he did not have food, he never felt hungry for he served as a true devotee of the Lord. If a day arises when he is not able to chant Om Namo Narayana or does not worship his lotus feet with fresh flowers chanting mantras from the Vedas that will be the day of REAL STARVATION for him.

உண்ணாநாள்பசிஆவதுஒன்றுஇல்லை

ஓவாதேநமோநாராயணாஎன்று

எண்ணாநாளும்இருக்குஎகச்சாமவேத

நான்மலர்கொண்டுஉனபாதம்

நண்ணா நாள்அவைதத்துறுமாகில்

அன்றுஎனக்குஅவைபட்டினிநாளே

How can we reach you?

Periyazhvar describes the mind of a true devotee and asks as to how one can reach the Lord. Seeking the beautiful darshan of the Lord, his true devotee’s heart melts, words fail, hairs stand up and tears roll down from the eyes. There is no sleep as well, as he is constantly seeking to reach the Lord. He asks the Lord to enlighten him with the route to reach him.

உள்ளம்சோரஉகந்துஎதிர்விம்மி

உரோமகூபங்களாய்கண்ணநீர்கள்

துள்ளம்சோரத்துயிலணைகொள்ளேன்

சொல்லாய்யான்உன்னைத்தத்துறுமாறே

He seeks the blessings of the glorious Lord to be able to worship him every day and says that will be the ultimate joy for him. He asks the Lord to ride him out of misery of this life and help him dedicate himself to the Lord.

பட்டினம் காப்பே

For a long time, in this life, one is caught in the deep pit of attachment and struggle through as if caught in a deep dark cave and helplessly remaining there not knowing how to come out.

Reach out to God through Prayers and Selfless Service - Be freed from the prison of stomach, from mortal fetters of birth and loosen the shackles on the legs, nerves and bones

(5.2)

Periyazhvar began the final canto of the Periyazhvar Thirumozhi pleading for help in making him surrender to the Lord after announcing that he has been guilty of many mistakes in life.

In the 2^nd decad, Periyazhvar turns positive and supremely confident. He says he has had the much needed conversation with the Lord and he is now in safe hands knowing that he is being protected by the Lord. Hence he claims to have no fear now.

The old fearful stories of what might happen to life have changed and that fear has been removed and clarity has now been obtained. And he is now well guarded.

He compares the opportunity before us in this life to ants.

What Bondage does

Just like a swarm of ant that enters pure ghee that is to the brim, there is a sickness of bondage in different parts of the body parts. But there is an opportunity for us to flee and save ourselves.

நெய்குடத்தைப்பற்றிஏறும்எறும்புகள்போல்நிரந்துஎங்கும்

கைகொண்டுநிற்கின்றநோய்கள்

Periyazhvar says he has seized on the opportunities to surrender to the Lord and is now well protected with nothing to worry. Now he is happy that the old insecure feelings of what will happen are all gone. He says he has received that enlightenment and the Lord has entered his soul and is inclined to stay in him.

Even Yama runs away!!!!!!!

He says with great delight that the verdict of Chitragupta, with Yama’s stamp has now been quashed. That team has now fled far away from him as the God himself has embraced him and he is assured of his protection ( In the last decade of the fourth canto, Periyazhvar had dedicated almost an entire decad describing Yama and his actions http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2015/10/srirangam-ranganatha-advance-prayer.html).

சித்திரகுப்தன்எழுந்தால்தென்புலக்கொண்பொறிஒற்றி

வாய்த்தஇலச்சினைமாற்றித்தூதுவர்ஓடியொளிந்தார்

Brilliant Description of Freedom from Bondage

The Lord has provided us with the opportunity to read about him and to understand him through the many historical works and to practise austerities and restraint. Having undertaken that, Periyazhvar says he has now accepted the Lord in his service. He has been freed from the prison of stomach, from mortal fetters of birth, loosened the shackles on his legs, nerves and bones.

கயிற்றும்அக்குஆணிகழித்துக்காலிடப்பாசம்கழற்றி

Evil thoughts Go Away from here

Because of earlier karmas, diseases have been inflicted on him. But now, it is not so. He once again says he has found a new protection and no one can inflict evil thoughts in him anymore. No more can evil rogues affect him for he now has the treasure house of rubies. With the Lord now residing in his heart through the day and night, he directs the evil to find their way elsewhere to some weaker soul!!!

A NEW REVELATION

Periyazhvar now confidently utters that his body is no more filled with miseries of life as the key to that has been his understanding of this life and the importance of having the Lord in his mind all the time. And he repeatedly says that all the negative forces of life to go and find other weak beings who will succumb to the temptations of life.

Life bound in a Deep Dark Cave

For a long time, in this life, one is caught in the deep pit of attachment and struggle through as if caught in a deep dark cave and helplessly remaining there not knowing how to come out. Periyazhvar says he has finally got the grace of God and has now got the feeling that he has been ridden from his karmas of the past and present.

கொங்கைச்சிறுவரையென்னும்பொதும்பினில்வீழ்ந்துவழக்கி

அங்கோர்முழையினில்புக்கிட்டுஅழந்திக்கிடந்துஉழல்வேனை

Having been ignorant with many doubtful claims and knowledge that was contrary, he says that like a typical human being, he failed to capture the right and wrong. But the opportune time has now arrived. And he has penetrated the Lord’s heart and stamped his feet on his forehead as a sacred symbol in his head. He feels sanctified now with no fear for anything.

He asks us to keep a vigil over his body, the sanctum sanctorum of lord. Towards the end of this decad, Periyazhvar communicates as if he has merged with the Lord.

Lord of Thiru Maliruncholai is the Physician to our Life's Problems

- SEEK HIM, OFFER SELFLESS SERVICE TO HIM AND GET PEACE OF MIND

In the penultimate decad of the Periyazhvar Thirumozhi, Periyazhvar sings praise of one of his favourite temples. In the fourth canto, he had dedicated 20 verses to the Lord of Thiru Maliruncholai and he completes his praise of temples with Lord Sundararaja Perumal of Maliruncholai.

While he praised the location and the humming bees and the beautiful peacocks in the earlier two decads, here Periyazhvar praises the Lord of Thiru Maliruncholai as his own and experiences the feeling of Azhagar Koil Lord having entered his body and pulled him out of all miseries.

Birth of Krishna

Periyazhvar refers to the episode of Kamsa killing 6 children of Devaki by smashing them on to the boulders. And then suddenly Krishna was born as her child. Periyazhvar visualises the Lord of Thiru Maliruncholai as his own father and master. He says he has finally found the Lord and cannot let him go.

புக்கினில்புக்குஉன்னைக்கண்டுகொண்டேன்இனிப்போகவிடுவதுண்டே

Maliruncholai and its Greatness

As described in 4.2 and 4.3, Periyazhvar once again reminds us of the greatness of Thiru Maliruncholai referring to devotees thronging in the Nupura Ganga to take a dip in the sacred river in an effort to try to wash away their sins. Thiru Maliruncholai is described as a place with big lakes where fishes dance and play and as one with tall mansions, shining in gold.

A special kind of Promise

Having finally caught the Lord in his grasp, he is now clear not to let him go from his body and heart and promises on the Lord’s consort to hold on to the Lord forever. Periyazhvar says that the Lord has not yet understood this true devotee’s concern and describes the Lord as someone who has not disclosed his true real form to anyone.

வளைத்துவைத்தேன்இனிபோகலொட்டேன்உந்தன்இந்திரஞாலங்களால்

ஒலித்திடல்நின்திருவானைகண்டாய்நீஒருவர்க்கும்மெய்யனல்லை

I cannot leave Maliruncholai

Periyazhvar praises the love and affection the devotees have for the Lord of Thiru Maliruncholai. He gives example of gypsies harvesting wild corn in the lands of Thiru Maliruncholai and cooking fresh food and offering to the Lord.Having served him and understood him fully, Periyazhvar says that he cannot go anywhere else now for if he does so, will it not then belittle the Lord’s glory.

உனக்குப்பனிசெய்திருக்கும்தவமுடையேன்

இனிபோய்ஒருவன்தனக்குப்பணிந்துகடைத்தவைநிற்க

நின்சாயைஅழிவுகண்டாய்

Without water and food and without any shade, Periyazhvar says he has travelled far and wide. But nowhere else other than here at Thiru Maliruncholai has he found the shadow of his feet which provides unending shade.

காதம்பலவும்திரிந்துஉழல்றேற்குஅங்கோர்நிழலில்லைநீருமில்லை

உன்பாதநிழலல்லாமல்பற்றோர்

உயிர்ப்பிடம்நான்எங்கும்கான்கின்றிலேன்

Living in Lord’s Thoughts

He describes his current emotions beautifully. His legs are weak, tears roll down continuously, body trembles, voice is not heard, hairs stand in some corner of the head, shoulders are drooping and there seems to be no peace of mind. But there is a new expectation in the heart. Suddenly he is buoyed by the thoughts of the Lord and is delighted to be living with these new thoughts forever.

காலுமெழாகண்ணநீரும்நில்லா

உடல்சோர்ந்துநடுங்கி

குரல்மேலுமெழாமயிர்கூச்சமறாஎன

தோள்களும்வீழ்வுஒழியா

Maliruncholai is the Physician

Periyazhvar praises Lord of Maliruncholai as one who provides liberation to his true devotees.

He says even Lord Shiva with a flag inscribed with a bull symbol, the four faced Brahmma, the King of Gods Indra and other celestials don’t have a prescription for liberation from re - birth.

With this as the background, Periyazhvar praises the Lord of Thiru Maliruncholai as the Physician who has the medicine for this and asks the Lord to give him purity and bless him so he can enter the portal of his magnificent temple.

மருத்தவனாய்நின்றமாமனிவண்ணா

மறுபிறவிதவிரத்திருத்திஉன்கோயிற்கடைபுகப்பெய்

திருமாலிருஞ்சோலைஎந்தாய்

From one side to the other side of the tide!!!

Periyazhvar provides a beautiful poetic description of life in one of the verses. He refers to the two shores of an ocean. For a long time he says he had been on the other side leading a floundering life full of desires and miseries. Finally he has arrived at this other shore completely tired of his previous experience. He now seeks the Lord to lift his hand in compassion and give him that ‘Fear Not’ comfort.

அக்கறைஎன்னுமனத்துக்கடலுள்அழுந்திஉன்பேர்அருளால்

இக்கரைஏறிஇளைத்திருன்தேனைஅஞ்சேல்என்றுகைகவியாய்

Periyazhvar is now engaging in real life messages for the devotees, described in simple language for every interested devotee to implement. He says for a lifetime and more he has lived life with a today and tomorrow and finally he has managed to arrive at this stage where he says he will not let go the Lord and will hold on to him tightly in his heart.

எத்தனை காலமும் எத்தனை ஊழியும் இன்றோடு நாளை என்றே

இத்தனை காலமும் போய்க் கிறிப்படேன்

இனி உன்னைப் போகலொட்டேன்

Finally settling with you

Periyazhvar looks back at a long life and says that right from the time he was in the womb, he has yearned to serve the Lord. And now that he has got hold of the Lord, he cannot let go of him. It has taken a while but he has got what he wanted right from childhood - selfless, blemish-less service and he is ready to perform that from now on.

இன்றுவந்துஇங்குஉன்னைக்கண்டுகொண்டேன்

இனிப்போகவிடுவதுன்டே

சென்னி ஓங்கு

What a feeling finally - Me in You and You in Me

Starting with tracing the birth of Krishna and his growth phase (infancy to childhood), describing his various activities, achievements and the reactions from those around him, Periyazhvar spent over 250 verses in this ‘Pillai Tamil’ praise.

And then he moved on singing praise of Lords at different temples. Unlike other Azhvaars, he did not sing praise of too many. In his entire 473 verses, he refers in detail only to Srirangam, Tiruvenkatam, Thiru Kottiyur, Thiru Maliruncholai, Thiru Vellarai and Kadi Nagar. Having described Krishna through his mother and then these temples, he transforms himself into a completely different poet in these final set of verses.

He is seen engaging in beautiful personal conversation with the Lord surrendering to him, showcasing his helpless state asking for help and finding him finally holding on to him.

Feels the Lord in Him

In this last decad, he revels in his expressions of coming together with the Lord and a feeling of being one with him. He feels the Lord inside him and presents himself in a way that the Lord too has accepted him in his heart.

Praising the lord of Venkatam where mountains rise high, he says his body and soul have now been branded and embellished with the Lord’s discus emblem. He is now waiting for the Lord’s orders and wants to know what is in store for him next from the Lord. He wants to dedicate his life to serve the Lord and asks as to what else he wants from his true devotee.

சென்னிஓங்குதன்திருவேங்கடமுடையாய்

உலகுதன்னைவாழநின்றநம்பி - தாமோதராசதிரா

என்னையும்என்னுடைமையையும்

உன்சக்கரப்பொறிஒற்றிக்கொண்டு

நின்னருளேபுரிந்திருந்தேன்

இனிஎன்திருக்குறிப்பே

He expresses his transcendental experience. He says that since the time the Lord ascended on his Garuda Vahana and showered his blessings on him, he has been on a different journey. The ocean of births and deaths has dried up and become sanctified.

Finds Eternal Bliss

He says in delight that the groves that had trapped him in the ruins of everyday life- karmas of his past are now being destroyed by the raging forest fire. And he is experiencing divinity like never before. Knowledge is flowing like a river brimming with water. And these are flooding his head in waves and waves of nectar. It is eternal bliss, he calls it.

Yama has to stay away from him

He goes on with his current blissful state of life. He says that he feels emancipated. No one else in this mundane world may currently be enjoying the bliss that he is experiencing. Till recently, all the sins and miseries had hung on him very heavily life Yama. But suddenly in a silent and quiet way these have disappeared and seem to have gone into hiding somewhere in the distant bushes.

நம்மன்போலேவீழ்த்துஅமுக்கும்

நாட்டில்உள்ளபாவம்எல்லாம்

கம்மெனாதேகைவிட்டுஓடித்தூறுகள்பாய்ந்தனவே

Like the nectar churned out of the ocean and filling the pot to the brim, Periyazhvar says he melted his self, opened his mouth drank deep and filled every thought with the Lord. He is now revelling in the beautifully new realised conscious state of finding delight in the Lord. Even the Lord of death cannot come near him now for he has to obey the Lord.

கொடுமைசெய்யும்கூற்றமும்என்கோள்ஆடிகுறுகப்பெறா

Inscribed the Lord in his tongue

He follows this with another gem of a verse. He compares his current stage of life to Gold. He says just like gold is rubbed on a stone to determine its purity, he too has rubbed and inscribed the Lord’s name in his tongue and has encapsulated the Lord in him, while at the same time put himself in the Lord finding himself a place in the Sun. YOU IN ME and MYSELF IN YOU.

பொன்னைக்கொண்டுஉரைகள்மீதேநிறம்எழஉரைத்தாற்போல்

உன்னைக்கொண்டுஎன்நாவகம்பால்மாற்றின்றிஉரைத்துக்கொண்டேன்

உன்னைக்கொண்டுஎன்னுள்வைத்தேன்என்னையும்உன்னிலிட்டேன்

என்அப்பாஎன்இருடீகேசாஎன்உயிர்க்காவலனே

Parasurama’s Praise- A Surprise one at the end!!!!

Parasurama finds an interesting mention here. Periyazhvar praises the Lord as one who holds the axe in his right hand in an effort to subdue the arrogant kings ( he had taken an oath to erase generations of Kshatriya Kings!!!) - மன்அடங்கமழுவலங்கைக்கொண்டராமநம்பீ......

Like the everlasting inscription on the temple wall or the art on the wall, he has inscribed his thoughts in the lord in an indestructible manner. All his valiant deeds without any omission he has engraved in the Lord.Having thus come to reside in his heart, he now tells the Lord that he (the Lord) has nowhere else to go.

உன்னுடையவிக்கிரமம்ஒன்றுஒழியாமல்எல்லாம்

என்னுடையநெஞ்சகம்பால்சுவர்வழிஎழுதிக்கொண்டேன்

Like the Pandya King

He compares the Pandya King’s emblem to his own. He says just like the Pandya king printed his fish emblem on the mountain peak, the Lord has imprinted the blooming lotus feet on the crown of his head. He says his tongue has swollen reciting his names non-stop in the recent past. He thanks the Lord for finally taking him into his lip service.

பருப்பதத்துக்கயல்பொறித்தபாண்டியர்குலபதிபோல்

திருபொழிந்தசேவடிஎன்சென்னியின்மேல்பொறித்தாய்

மறுப்புஒசித்தாய்மல்அடர்த்தாய்என்றென்றுஉன்வாசகமே

உருப்பொலிந்தநாவினேன்உனக்குஉரித்துஆக்கினையே

Lord leaves being his vehicles

He talks about the coming to an end of his miseries. Sharing lesser love on even his Anathan and Suparna

(Serpant and Garuda), Periyazhvar talks about the Lord having decided to enter his heart blessing him with a new life thus delighting him.

Emotional Periyazhvar

Periyazhvar expresses great emotions in this verse. Having found the Lord by his side, he uses phrases such as ‘melting heart’ and ‘tearful eyes’.

என்மனந்துள்ளேவந்துவைகிவாழச்செய்தாய்எம்பிரான்

நினைந்துஎன்னுள்ளே

நின்றுநேக்குக்கண்கள்அசும்புஒழுக

He thanks the Lord for ending his physical tiredness and mental fatigue as he is now living every moment with thoughts of the Lord.

நினைத்திருந்தேசிரமம்தீர்ந்தேன்

நேமிநெடியவனே

The final verses of 473

In successive verses ending the Periyazhvar Thirumozhi, he wonders as to how the Lord left his beautiful abode in the Northern Milky Ocean, Vaikunta, walled city of Dwaraka and came to reside in him when so many others in the solar region and the heaven are awaiting him. He compares this to the bright shining flag fluttering atop a high mountain and says that the Lord shines like a flame in his heart.

மணிக்கடலில்பள்ளிகோளைப்பழகவிட்டுஓடிவந்து

என்மனக்கடலில்வாழவல்லமாயமணாளநம்பீ

....என்றென்றுஉனக்குஇடமாய்இருக்க

என்னைஉனக்குஉரித்துஆக்கினையே

தடவரைவாய்மிளிர்ந்துமின்னும்தவளநெடுங்கொடிபோல்

சுடர்ஒளியாய்நெஞ்சினுள்ளேதோன்றும்என்சோதிநம்பீ

வடதடமும்வைகுந்தமும்மதில்துவராபதியும்

இடவகைகள்இகழ்ந்திட்டுஎன்பால்இடவகைகொண்டனையே

True Devotees and their four Virtues

Friendly, Compassionate, Detached and Dispassionate Indifference

Emotional Description of Narasimha Avatara - Not found in the Divya Prabhandham

The fourth Paripatal also by Kattuvan Ilaveynanaar starts similar to his previous poem with a simple and beautiful description of the true devotees of the Lord. These true devotees, he says, envision God in their minds, by purifying and controlling their senses making them free from delusion of any kind.

They developed the four bhavanas or virtues – Maitri (friendliness), Karuna (compassion), Muditai (detachment) and Upeksha (dispassionate indifference- SEEING GOOD IN EVERYTHING!!!)

ஐந்துஇருள்அரநீக்கிநான்கினுள்துடைத்த

தம்ஒன்றுஆற்றுபடுத்த நின்ஆர்வலர்தொழுதுஏத்தி

Kattuvan Ilaveynannaar begins his praise questioning his own ability to sing praise of the Lord – a trait typical of great poets of that period. He says he is inadequate to praise the Lord with his limited knowledge and may not be able to do justice to the greatness of the Lord. He also pleads with the Lord not to laugh at him for even attempting to sing his praise.

Alavanthar says thus in his Chatusloki, so does Vedanta Desikar in his Sri Stuti, each raising the question of whether they are even equipped to sing praise of the Lord!!! In the Periyazhvar Thirumozhi, Periyazhvar repeatedly refers to his inadequacy to sing praise of the Lord but says he has nowhere else to go. In one of the verses he even says that he does not care if the Lord laughs at him because he knows nothing else other than singing praise of him.

Tirumaal’s Features

The complexion of the Lord is sapphire and compares it to the Blue Sea and the Rain Cloud. He has a garland of green Basil on his sapphire chest, he has lovely lotus like eyes, his feet are greater than the Lord himself and Goddess Lakshmi adds a beauty to this chest.

Emotional Praise of Narasimha Avatara

The poet provides a very emotional description in about 10 lines of the Narasimha Avatara. Such a description is not found in the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham. He describes in a beautiful verse Thirumaal answering the prayers of his true devotee Prahalada and how he emerges out of the pillar.

He describes the anger of the father on hearing the praise of the Lord by his very own son. It created in him a fury and irritation that was beyond description. He says it created in Hiranya a hate for the Lord that even dried up the Sandal on his chest and then this turned the father into torturing his own son in many different ways and harassed him continuously, unmindful of the fact that Prahalada was his son.

நிற புகழ புகைந்த நெஞ்சின் புலர்ந்த சாந்தின்

பிருங்கலாதன்பலபலபிணிபட

வலந்துழிமலர்ந்தநோய்கூர்கூம்பியநடுகத்து

அலர்ந்தபுகழோன்தாதைஆகலின்

The poet praises the true devotion of the young child. Despite this cruel treatment by his father, the young boy did not flutter and he continued to utter the Lord’s name. Nothing could shake the young child’s heart from thinking of the Lord at all points of time.

And the Lord then decided that it was time to save his true devotee. The poet praises with emotion the opening of the pillar. The Lord leapt upon the hill like chest of the Asura and in a flash shattered his pride of being invincible. And the moment the Lord tore the asura apart with his powerful claws (Lion Avatara), the Poet describes the simultaneous thunder reverberating in the celestial skies.

இகழ்வோன்இகழாநெஞ்சினனாகநீஇகழா

நன்றாநட்டஅவன்தனமார்புமுயங்கி

ஒன்றாநட்டவன்உருவரைமார்பின்

படிமதம்சாம்பஒதுங்கி

And then he describes the mangled flesh that was lying scattered all around the King’s court alongside the broken pieces of the pillar. Having come out of the pillar to tear open the chest of the Asura, one could hear a thunderous roar arising out of pain, almost as if to acknowledge the supreme power of the Lord.

இன்னல்இன்னரொடுஇடிமுரசுஇயம்ப

வெடிபடாஓடிதூண்தடியொடு

தடிதடிபலபடவகிர்வாய்ந்தஉகிரினை

Varaha Avatara

The poet follows this with a praise of the Varaha Avatara. He compares his greatness to the huge and famous Meru Mountain and says that it was the Lord who helped recover the Earth from the Nether World and came back carrying it on his ‘DARK and MIGHTY NECK.’

Big Praise for Garuda

The poet praises his different flags of Tirumaal - Garuda, Palmyrah, elephant and Plough and says that Garuda is the best of the lot and is loftier than the others.

சேவல்ஓங்குஉயர்கொடியோயே

சேவல்ஓங்குஉயர்கொடி

நின்ஒன்றுஉயர்கொடிபனை

நின்ஒன்றுஉயர்கொடிநாஞ்சில்

நின்ஒனர்உயர்கொடியானை

நின்ஒன்றாஉயர்கொடிஒன்றுஇன்று

In another surprise set of lines in this Paripatal, an equivalent of which is not found in the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham, the poet sings great praise about Garuda and his superiority over the Serpent. He describes him as the terror of the Serpent race. His food is the serpent and his ornaments around the middle of his body are also the serpents. His jewel is also a serpent. In this delightful praise of Garuda, the poet says that the snakes shine like gems on his wings.

விடமுடைஅரவின்உடல்உயிர்உருங்குஉவணம்

அவன்மடிமேல்வலந்ததுபாம்பு

பாம்புதொடிபாம்புமுடிமேலன

பாம்புபூண்பாம்புதலைமேலது

பாம்புசிறைதலையன

பாம்புபடிமதம்சாயத்தோய்

பசும்பூணவைகொடிமேல்இருத்தவன்

தாக்குஇரையதுபாம்பு

There are 10 lines in this fourth Paripatal that start with Your (Nin) praising the Lord’s greatness.

He praises Tirumaal as one about whom only a few qualities are known. Most of the others only the revered sages may know. He resembles the Sun in his heat, Moon in coolness, Rain in bounty, Earth in forbearance, Form of the sea, Fineness of the sky, Advent/Dissolution of Air and Fragrant Grace of the Kaya flowers.

His qualities shows wrath to wrong doers and grace to devotees but on his own he has no friends or foes and is above human limitation.

நினக்குமாற்றோரும்இலர்கேளிகும்இலர்

Abodes

Tirumaal’s abodes are listed as Banyan, Kattampu and Hillocks.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion Lord’s pre eminence and his transcendence beyond good and evil are finely brought out by the poet at the end. To devotees he is easily accessible. He protects and saves all of them. The poet refers to Tirumaal as a servant of his devotee and a Guard and a guide of Good deeds.

He ends saying God is the sole refuge and protector of all.

எவ் வயிளோயும்நீயே

நின்ஆர்வலர்தொழுதகைஅமைதியின்அமர்ந்தோயும்நீயே

அவரவர்ஏவலாளனும்நீயே

அவரவர்செய்பொருட்குஅரணமும்நீயே

New Sannidhi for Legendary composer Venkatakavi

A Stage for music and dance artistes to present Kutcheri / Dance performances

Renovation of the Temple Tank will see the revival of the annual Float Festival and the enactment of the Kalinga Narthana episode inside the tank

It has been a long wait of 27 years. The previous samprokshanam at the Nalankonda Chola period Kalinga Narthana temple in Oothukadu took place in 1988. That Samprokshanam itself had taken place after 16 years of renovation efforts (renovation had started in 1972 and was completed in 1988!!!!). In the early part of this decade, the temple had worn a dilapidated look with falling walls, broken pillars and a dry tank (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2010/05/kalinga-narthana-temple-oothukadu.html)

After nearly three years of activity, the renovation that has been long overdue is finally nearing completion with the Samprokshanam being slated for Monday Oct 26. Over Rs. 3 crores has been spent in this current exercise.

This is an exclusive temple dedicated to Lord Krishna in his Kalinga Narthana Posture and relates to an episode of Krishna in his childhood days.

Raja Gopuram and Vimanams

The Eastern temple tower that had been in a dilapidated condition sports a grand look with beautiful new sculptures depicting the Kalinga Narthana episode. All the Vimanas too have been refurbished. The outer walls of the temple that had been completely damaged were brought down and new walls have been built. At the entrance on the main road off the Kumbakonam- Thiru Karugavur highway, a grand arch has been erected welcoming the devotees.

Child Krishna’s activities as paintings

An interesting addition to the temple is the presentation through a number of artistic paintings, in the Maha Mandapa, of Krishna’s childhood activities including his Kalinga Narthana episode and his flute recital that lured even the trees and plants, besides animals in the Gokulam neighbourhood (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2015/09/krishna-plays-flute.html)

The Madapalli too has been rebuilt. A grand ‘Anna Dhanam’ event is being planned during the Samprokshanam. Yet another new addition is the Yaga Salai where Prarthana Homams are being planned every month on the Rohini Star.

Venkata Kavi’s contributions

The temple has a historical connect with the music world for it was here that the music .legend Venkata (Kavi) Subba Iyer composed many of his memorable and unforgettable songs including Swagatham Krishna, Alaipayuthey Kanna, Aadathu Asangathu, Thaaye Yashoda, Kannan Varukinra Neram Karai Oram, Paal Vadiyum Mugam, Pillai Piravi Venum and Enna Thavam Seitheno.

Venkata Kavi’s ‘Omkara Siddhaiga Kalinga Narthana’ is a specific reference to the Lord of Oothukadu. He also composed 7songs referred to as Saptha Rathna Keerthanai. A new sannidhi has been built in memory of this great poet. A new music cum dance stage has been erected next to his sannidhi.

Musician Aruna Sairam who had contributed significantly to the renovation efforts (she had presented an exclusive concert in Madras a few years back whose proceeds were directed to the renovation of this temple) will present a concert at this stage this Sunday Oct 25, on the eve of the Samprokshanam.

Arangetram for Music / Dance artistes

In centuries gone by, plays used to be presented through the night in front of the temple during Vasanthotsavam (May-June). The temple is looking to initiate similar concerts/plays at the newly erected stage starting with the Krishna Jayanthi festival in Avani next year. The stage is also expected to be a platform for arangetram for upcoming artistes.

A renovated house for the Bhattar

As part of this exercise, the Bhattar’s house opposite the temple has also been renovated

The Legend

Nandini and Patti, the children of sacred cow Kamadhenu, had made it a practice to offer milk to Lord Pasupatheeswarar in Avoor, about 2kms from here. Every morning, the two would graze here at Oothukadu. On one such trip, they listened to Sage Narada’s narration of the story of child Krishna taking on the poisonous asura snake (Kalinga) and performing the Kalinga Narthana.

To relieve them from the shock of listening to this treacherous episode, Krishna presented the Kalinga Narthana display here at the temple tank ( by emerging out of a spring) thus convincing them that this was nothing but a child’s play for him.

Unique Posture

An interesting feature at the Oothukadu Perumal temple is the unique posture of Kalinga Narthana. His left leg is seen on top of the Asura Snake but not touching the snake (there is just a small gap of the size of a paper). His left thumb alone is holding the tail of the snake with none of his other four fingers in contact with the tail!! His four fingers are in a Bharatanatyam Abhinaya Kolam.

His right leg is seen above the ground in a dance posture. On a close look, one can find the scars on his right leg below the knee, the result of his fight with Kalinga. His left leg is seen atop the Serpent. Here too there seems to be a small gap between the Lord’s feet and the Serpent hood, the size of a thread. Since Kalinga surrendered finally to the Lord, he was a little soft at the end and is believed to have not placed his full force on the Serpent’s hood.

Revival of Float Festival

It was here at this location (when Krishna emerged from the spring) that there used to be an annual float festival with an enactment of the Kalinga Narthana episode through a puppetry show. The Lord used to be taken to the Neeraata Mandapa (now defunct) at the centre of the tank and puppets would emerge out of the tank with their heads masked as hoods displaying a serpent with five heads and (puppet) Krishna would dance atop them.

This was a major celebratory event every year presented in memory of this historical episode and used to be watched by a huge number of devotees from across the region.

New Vimana with Temple Tank in the background

Phase 2 of Renovation

In the 2^nd phase post the Samprokshnam, the temple is looking to rebuild the mandapa in the middle of the tank and to revive the float festival and the enactment of this episode. The temple is also looking to build walls around the sacred garden where the sacred cows had grazed early in the morning.

Prarthana Sthalam

The temple is a Prarthana Sthalam for upcoming music and dance artistes. Kalinga Narthana is said to fulfil all their prayers and bring them success in their art. This is also believed to be a Prarthana Sthalam for the unmarried as well as childless couples.

The temple is open between 930am-12noon and 5pm-8pm Contact: 04374 268549 / 94426 99355

Oothukadu is 14kms from Kumbakonam on the Avoor-Thirukarugavur –Thittai road. Buses ply every half hour between Kumbakonam and Avoor. From Aavoor, auto will cost Rs. 50.

A version of this story featured in The Hindu Friday Review on Oct 16.

Andal addresses Kama Deva with her Prayers to attain her Lord- Prayers continue from Margazhi to Panguni

‘If you don’t unite me with my beloved, your reputation as the God of Love will go for a toss’ – ANDAL to MANMATHA

Having spent the entire month of Margazhi making several vows and having undertaken severe austerities invoking the Lord’s blessings to attain him, a devoted Andal, unfazed by the Lord’s refusal to accept, continued her persistence into Thai. But this time she adopted a different approach turning to Manmatha, the God of Love to explain her unflinching love for Lord Krishna and seeking his help.

In the 1^st decad of 14 of the Nachiyar Thirumozhi, Andal focuses entirely on addressing Kama Deva wanting him to help her unite with her beloved. She praises him, lures him, requests and pleads with him to take her to her Lord before cautioning and threatening him on the consequences of not getting her united with her beloved.

Through these set of verses she sings praise of her beloved’s greatness, his personality and his achievements. She also describes the personality of Kama Deva and repeatedly seeks his help also cautioning and threatening him about the consequences of not providing her with the support to reach her Lord.

Thai Rituals - Mid January

She performs more rituals in Thai continuing from Margazhi. She says that she is purifying the place - by clearing all the impurities with water and cow dung- with devotional circles and diagrams (she refers to this as MANDALA in the very first verse of Nachiyar Thirumozhi) drawn on the ground in an effort to reach him. She beings her adddress to the God of Love referring to him as Anga Deva and praising him as one who is the source of all desires. Since she is now in a state of total love with Lord Krishna, she is of the view that Kama Deva is the right one to help her reach her beloved.

தையொருதிங்களும்தரைவிளக்கித்

தன்மண்டலமிட்டுமாசிமுன்னாள்

இயநுண்மண்றகொண்டுதெருவணிந்து

அழகினுக்கலங்கரித்துஅனங்கதேவா

Praise of Lord of Thiru Venkatam

She continues this attempt into the early days of Maasi as well by beautifying the streets with fine decoration drawing the attention of the God of Love and invoking his blessings and that of his younger brother Shyama pleading with them to allow her to perform continuous service to the Lord of Thiruvenkatam, whom she describes as one wielding the discus.

உய்யவுமாங்கொலோவென்றுசொல்லி

உன்னையும்உம்பியையும்தொழுதேன்

True Love and Andal’s Prayers

Andal explains further the efforts taken by her. Waking up early, she has had bath much before dawn in the cool chilly river. And then decorated the streets with fine white sand and presented thorn-less twigs for the sacrificial fire.

வெள்ளைநுண்மணறகொண்டுதெருவணிந்து

வேல்வரைப்பதன்முன்னம்துறைபடிந்து

முள்ளுமில்லாச்சுள்ளியெரிமடுத்து

முயன்றுஉன்னைநோற்கின்றேன்காமதேவா

Having thus undertaken penance, she asks Kama Deva to take her to the Lord’s side by directing his loving arrows that she describes as being flowery inscribing it with her beloved’s name.

கள்ளவிழ்பூங்கணைதொதுடுத்துக்கொண்டு

கடல்வண்ணனென்பதோர்பேரெழுதி

She is so determined to attain her beloved that she says she is praying thrice a day with fragrant medicinal herbs and milk white weed fig flowers. She once again pleads with Manmatha to send his loving flowery arrows inscribing the name Govinda and to release the arrows from his bow in a way that it reaches her Lord at Thiru Venkatam.

மத்தநன்னறுமலர்முருக்கமலர்கொண்டு

முப்போதும்உன்னடிவணங்கி

She reminds Manmatha of the many things that she had presented to him. Did she not inscribe his name on the walls and offered him the Great Pandya Flag with that famous fish sign as well as the royal horses too. She made him bows of sugarcane and to keep him cool she had even prayed for the celestial beauties to fan him with the sacred chamaras.

And now is hoping that the destiny’s direction will help her reach the Lord of Dwaraka.

சுவரில்புராணநின்பேரெழுதிச்

சுறவநற்கொடிகளும்துரங்கங்களும்

கவரிப்பிணாக்களும்கருப்புவில்லும்

காட்டித்தந்தேன்கண்டாய்காமதேவா

Request turns to Caution

In the initial set of verses, Andal requests, pleads and asks for help from Manmatha to take her to her beloved. And as months pass by, one finds a sense of frustration at the delay. For the first time, she mildly cautions him that by not taking her to her beloved, he would be abusing a loving heart and that his reputation as the God of Love who is involved in uniting lovers may be spoilt.

Having started with the penance in Thai (after unsuccessful prayers in Margazhi), she has now moved into Panguni. Every day she is performing the special rites relating to Panguni in order to attain him chanting hymns and sacred verses from the Vedas along with other experts.

Threatening Comparison

Andal then provides a beautiful comparison to describe her mad love for the Lord and threatens Manamatha further.

A wily jackal made its way from the forest and pollutes the sacred place by licking the sacrificial offerings that Vedic seers had kept specifically and exclusively for the Lord. Similar to these sacrificial offerings, her body too is fully dedicated for the Lord who has conch and chakra as his distinctive features and if the God of Love had any plans to marry her off to any normal man (anyone other than the one whom she is seeking and madly in love with) similar to the cunning fox taking away the sacrificial offerings that were directed at the Lord, she may not live any longer and he would have to take the blame for that. He asks him to make note of this.

மானிடவர்கென்றுபேச்சுப்படில்

வாழகில்லேன்கண்டாய்மன்மதனே

From Margazhi, now to Panguni

Having begun the Nachiyar Thirumozhi with prayers in Thai, through the first decad, she has already moved a few months into Panguni.

This is similar to her father’s description of Krishna’s infancy in the Periyazhvar Thirumozhi where he praised the celebrations around his birth and how days and months passed by in no time (நால்கலோர் நாள் ஐந்து திங்கள் அளவிலே) - That was more a happy time as a result of the child’s unique activities. However, here the time is passing by in the hope that Manmatha would finally relent and take her to the Lord.

Describes Lord’s Features

Andal describes the Lord as seen elsewhere in Nalayira Divya Prabhandham as well as in Paripatal as one of dark complexion like the rain cloud, the blue sea, Karuvilai flower and the dark Kaya flowers. She also praises the physical strength of the Lord describing him as a powerful one who could even tear open the deadly demon Bakasura.

கருவுடைமுகில்வண்ணன்காயாவண்ணன்

கருவிளைபோல்வண்ணன்கமலவண்ணத்

திருவுடைமுகத்தினில்திருக்கண்களால்

திருந்தவேநோக்கெனக்கருள்கண்டாய்

Describing his eyes as being like red lotus, she asks Manmatha to get her Lord to set his beautiful eyes on her. She praises her Lord as a bachelor who had measured the entire world.

Luring Manmatha for Sweet Eats

Andal then lures Kama Deva with tasty food and sweeteners. She presents him with Paddy, Flaked Seeds, Rice and Syrup of Sugar and juice made of sugar cane.

காயுடைநெல்லோடுகரும்பமைத்துக்

கட்டிஅரிசிஅவலமைத்து

வாயுடைமறையவர்மந்திரத்தால்

மன்மதனேஉன்னைவணங்குகின்றேன்

Andal informs Kama Deva about the extent she is going with the severity of her penance.

Keeping her body filthy, her hair unkempt and her lips discoloured, she says she eats only once a day and worships Kama Deva thrice a day (as seen above). She implores him to take serious note of these initiatives in her endeavour to reach the Lord.

மாசுடையுடம்பொடுதலையுலறி

வாய்புறம்வெளுத்துஒருபோதுமுண்டு

Praises Manmatha

And praising Manmatha as the Great God of Love and one who is handsome and brave, Andal asks him to protect her feminine charm by granting her the opportunity to press the feet of her Lord.

கேசவநம்பியைகால்பிடிப்பா

லென்னும்இப்பேறுஎனக்குஅருள்கண்டாய்

Beautiful Comparison and THE FINAL THREAT TO MANMATHA

Towards the end of this first decad, she reminds Kama Deva of her sincerity in presenting flowers at his feet thrice a day and threatens him yet another time. Comparing her current state to a bullock that is beaten by her driver and not fed good food at the end of the day despite having toiled hard and sincerely through the day, she says that if she too is denied the selfless and loving service to her beloved despite having offered her sincere prayers to the God of Love ( and to her beloved Lord), she will create a public scene and cry out loud with a deep sense of pain that will then affect badly his reputation as the God of Love and his ability to unite true love may be put into questions!!!!

பழுதின்றிபார்க்கடல்வண்ணனுக்கே

பணிசெய்துவாழப்பெறாவிடில்

நான்அழுதழதளமந்தம்மாவழங்க

ஆதரவும்அதுஉனக்குஉரைக்கும்கண்டாய்

‘We are blessed to be able to worship the Lord with our folded hands’

The 13^th Paripatal is on Tirumaal, the 5^th such on Lord Vishnu. It is a short poem by Nalleluniyaar with just over 60lines. The poet begins with an invocation describing the greatness of the Lord. He praises the Lord, his flag and his discus, his form, floral ornaments, golden garments and his weapons.

Adorned with the heart of a lovely flower, he shines like the resplendent morning Sun set against the rising clouds in the Sapphire Hills. He praises the Garuda Flag as being lovely and his discus as being dreaded by the asuras. He describes the Lord’s conch and chakra as shining like the Sun and the Moon on either side of the sky. His chest is full of grand jewels.

The poet ends the introductory verse with an assurance to the devotees that those who sincerely offer their prayers to the Lord will attain Vaikuntam.

Lord’s All Pervasive Powers

He then praises Vishnu as the all pervasive Supreme Lord. He is the senses of Five - of taste and sound, light and smell and touch. Like a few of the earlier poets in Paripatal, he too has praised the Lord as one who is the five sensory organs, 5 elements in all the triple 7 worlds. The poet praises the Lord as one beyond all divisions of time.

சுவைமைஇசைமைதோற்றம்நாற்றம்ஊறு

அவையும்நீயே

அவைஅவைகொள்ளும்கருவியும்நீயே

முந்துயாம்கூறியஐந்தனுள்ளும்

ஒன்றனில்போற்றியவிசும்பும்நீயே

இரண்டின்உணரும்வளியும்நீயே

மூன்றின்உணரும்தீயும்நீயே

நான்கின்உணரும்நீரும்நீயே

ஐந்துடன்முற்றியநிலனும்நீயே

He makes a mention of Moolam referring to Prakriti containing Satva, Rajas and Tamas in equal measure causing pleasure and pain and is always righteous in his actions. The Lord is not only the origin and source of all creations but he is also the essence and essential virtues. The poet ends each line with ‘Neeye’ referring to the Lord as everything.

Praising Balarama

He is in Conscious slumber in the sea of milk upon Serpent. The Poet here equates Lord Balarama as Lord Vishnu himself and praises him as one with the dreaded Plough with which he plunders his enemies.

Varaha Avatara

The Poet also praises the Varaha Avatara where he took to a Boar and with its mighty tusk lifted the sub merged earth from the nether world.

Lavish Praise of Garuda

ஏவல்இன்முதுமொழிகூறும்

சேவல்ஓங்குஉயர்கொடிச்செல்வாநல்புகழவை

Interesting, like many of the earlier poets, he too praises the greatness of Garuda. He praises the Lord as one who has the great Garuda flag whose wings are spread wide. Garuda is referred to as on who is the eternal enemy of the Serpent race. As directed by the Lord, Garuda even chants the Vedas.

Lord’s Personality

He is praised as one of dark complexion and compares it to the blue sapphire, Kaya Flowers and Jasper Sea (almost a similar description of the Lord is found in the first decad of Andal’s Nachiyar Thirumozhi). He is one who adorns a lovely cloth of gold, a crown and the Garuda flag. The Lord’s chest is adorned with sacred Tulasi garlands

His eyes, hands and lips are described as resembling the lotus flowers. He praises the different features of his personality as being large. His arm, navel, elbow rings, nape, feet, shoulders, his heart, chest and back are all large, praises the poet.

His eyes are praised as being red even when not in an angry mood. Tirumaal loves sacrifices made by his devotees, says the poet.

Conclusion

The poet describes the Lord’s intention as being always protect his devotees. He says that the merit of his previous birth alone has earned him the blessing of adoring the feet of the God. ‘We are blessed to be able to worship the Lord with our folded hands’. And that the poet says is his only desire - to be able to adore his divine feet at all points of time.

நின் அடி தொழுதனெம்.........
முன்னும் முன்னும் யாம் செய் தவப் பயத்தால்
இன்னும் இன்னும் எம் காமம் இதுவே

The two distinguishing features yet again in this Paripatal are the references to Balarama and Garuda and the unleashing of verses of praise on them, clearly indicating that the two were popular at that point of time.

If a girl’s heart is broken, even sugar candy will taste bitter

In the 2^nd decad of Nachiyar Thirumozhi, Andal implores with her beloved Lord not to break the beautiful sand castles built by the young innocent girls alongside the river. This is a decad showcasing the playful side of the great Lord and how he finds delight in small things such as breaking the sand castle. In some ways, he is testing out the true devotion and seeing how they are reacting to his ‘irritating’ actions.

Interestingly, while she and her father (Periyazhvar) have pre - dominantly looked at the Lord in his Krishna Avatara, Andal refers in different verses in this decad to the Lord’s Rama and Vamana Avatara and the Lord’s achievements in these Avataras.

Continuing from the first decad, Andal says that she has waited till Panguni (after beginning her vows in Margazhi) for Kamadeva to take a ‘lover’s call’ to come and unite her with the Lord.

Dreaming about her beloved, she and the many young girls of Gokulam have made tiny little sand castles. She asks him not to display his naughty self and break the sand castles that have been so lovingly constructed. She praises her beloved as one with a 1000 names and presents a beautiful indirect phrase to solve her problems.

‘If he became her mother’s/ aunt’s son in law, it would bring to an end all her problems in life.’

நாமமாயிரம்ஏத்தநின்றநாராயணா

உன்னைமாமிதன்மகனாகப்பெற்றால்

எமக்குவாதைதவிருமே

காமன்போதருகாலமென்றுபங்குனிநாள்பாரித்தோம்

தீமைசெய்யும்சிரீதரா

எங்கள்சிற்றில்வந்துசிதையேலே

He still refuses to accept her love

Praising the Lord as one who reclines on the banyan leaf, Andal showcases her toil through the day that has got her a back ache in constructing a beautiful sand castle for him. She wants her beloved to come and take a look at the lovingly made sand castle. While she is lovingly pleading with him for his gracious looks, she says that it is perhaps her misfortune and the sins of the past life that he is unresponsive to her requests.

என்றும்உன்தனக்குஎங்கள்மேல்இரக்கமெழாததுஎம்பாவமே

Further praising the Lord as reclining on the serpent in the milky ocean and his powers as one who came on a majestic lion and as one who saved the mighty elephant from the dreaded crocodile, Andal once again addressing him directly shares with him the loving sand castles that have tired the hands, which are now in severe pain as a result of the day long toil. All she is asking for is for him to not tease her by giving that glance with his beautiful eyes and pleads with him to not break those sand castles as his next action.

உன்னைக்கண்டுமாலுறுவோங்களைக்

கடைக்கண்களாலிட்டுவாதியேல்

Praises his Personality

Andal praises the special features of the Lord. She describes him as one with sapphire hue complexion that resembles the dark black cloud. The moment she listens to his words and watches him in action she is blissful impacted as if drawn by some magic. She praises his eyes as being like red lotus. In contrast to his delightful features and his striking personality, she accepts that she is ignorant and of simple nature and does not know the right choice of words. She is trying her best to be careful in not uttering harsh words that might inflict pain on him.

நொய்யர்பிள்ளைகலென்பதற்கு

உன்னைநோவ நாங்கள்உரைக்கிலோம்

செய்யதாமரைக்கண்ணிளாய்

எங்கள்சிற்றில்வந்துசிதையேலே

Andal praises her beloved as being adept in the art of deception and guile. She says that if he uses this art to break their lovingly made sand castles, it would be heartbreaking for a lot of pain has gone into decorating the entire street with neatly drawn kolams. While her heart will melt and she will feel grieved, she will still endure his torments without getting angry. All she is asking for is for his beautiful eyes to grace her love in the proper way it should be.

Rama Avatara

Praising her lord as one who built a beautiful bridge across the huge ocean and went across to defeat Rakshasha king, she says that she has not yet learnt the art of playing the games around the sand castles and asks her beloved not to shatter her dreams that has been lovingly built.

Portraying an innocent feel, Andal wants the Lord to showcase his games with his peers who are intellectually strong. She calls it a waste of his powers to display his powers with these innocent ones by breaking the sand castles that has been lovingly built for him. His words will smell sweet only if uttered to mature ladies.

பேதநன்கறிவார்களோடுஇவைபேசினால்

பெரிதுஇன்சுவை

யாதுஒன்றும்அறியாதபிள்ளைகளோமை

நீநலிந்துஎன்பயன்

Andal says that the young girls are enjoying themselves playing petty games with the mud pot and small winnows around the sand castle that they have made with a lot of love and care. There is a lot of excitement around these.

வட்டவாய்ச்சிறுதூதையோடு

சிறுசுளகும்மணலும்கொண்டு

இட்டமாவிளையாடுவோங்களைச்

சிற்றிலீடழித்துஎன் பயன்

தொட்டுதைத்துநலியேல்கண்டாய்

It would not make sense for him to come and spoil their fun with a single kick of their sand castles. She uses a beautiful comparison to prevent him from spoiling their fun.

She says that if a girl's heart is broken, even sugar candy will taste bitter.

கட்டியும்கைத்தால்இன்னாமைஅறிதியே

Vamana Avatara

Praising the Vamana Avatara of the Lord where he effortlessly measured the entire world in a single step, Andal says that he has stolen the hearts of the innocent young girls with his sweet face and lovely smile. These features of his can win over any beautiful girl. Along with breaking the sand castles, he has also broken into many hearts.

சிற்றிலோடுஎங்கள்சிந்தையும்சிதைக்கக்கடவையோ

Andal queries if it will not become a topic of gossip with the residents of Gokulam when he takes the young innocent girls in his embrace?

எம்மைப்பற்றிமெய்ப்பிணக்கிட்டக்கால்

இந்தப்பக்கம்நின்றவர்என்சொல்லார்

This decad showcases the playful side of the Lord and his Leela undertaken for spontaneous joy, with the young girls of Gokulam.

Sri Stuti Vedanta Desika

Vedanta Desika Sri Stuti

Vishnu Purana Sri Stuti

Periyazhvar Think of and Thank God

Periyazhvar Naming a Child

Kiranthaiyaar Paripatal Lord Tirumaal

Paripatal Vishnu Kattuvaan Ilaveli Naanaan

Kadi Nagar Khandam Purushottama

Srirangam praised - Periyazhvar

Srirangam Periyazhvar Thirumozhi

Srirangam Ranganatha Advance Prayer

Periyazhvar Thirumozhi Purity of Words Action

Periyazhvar Fearless and Armed

Thiru Maliruncholai Periyazhvar

Periyazhvar Enlightenment

Paripatal Narasimha Avatara Garuda

Oothukadu Kalinga Narthana Temple Samprokshnam

Nachiyar Thirumozhi Kama Deva Andal

Paripatal Nalleluniyaar Invocatory Song

Nachiyar Thirumozhi Breaking the Sand Castle