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