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Kulasekara Azhvaar Srirangam Ranganatha

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Sing Praise of Lord till your tongue becomes Numb
Pray with ‘Folded Hands' held above your head
Lower your head, Fall at his feet with total reverence
Care for others and their well being
Experience the Lord with eyes filled with tears

Kulasekara Azhvaar was at the peak of his powers ruling as the King of Madurai and yet he renounced his power, the large army at his command, put down his victorious sword and came here to Srirangam. On seeing the handsome reclining Lord of Srirangam and taken over completely by his initial experience here, he composed the first 10 verses in praise of Lord Ranganatha providing insights into the methodology of invoking the Lord’s blessings.  In the very first verse of Perumal Thirumozhi, Kulasekara Azhvaar describes the personality of the reclining Ranganatha, the Serpent Adisesha, the river Cauvery and the town Srirangam.

Lord Ranganatha is Ruby Dark in complexion, possessed with special virtues (of providing Moksham) and is seen in a sleeping posture atop Ananthan, the fiery serpent king with a 1000 beautiful hoods and being in a separate class providing the Lord with a beautiful couch to relax on. His presence, Kulasekara Azhvaar says, dispels darkness everywhere.

The sands of Cauvery are shining in lights of silver and it is with the pure water from the Cauvery that the Lord’s feet are washed.

With happy and noble people all around, Kulasekara Azhvaar says that he is waiting for the time when he will be able to stand in front of Lord Ranganatha and keep watching forever the Lord’s handsome features.

Hold on to your devotion with the strength of pillar
Kulasekara Azhvaar suggests that it is a great feeling to hold on to those fragrant pillars and one is transformed into positivity while invoking the blessings of Lord Ranganatha.

மாயோனைமனத்தூனேபற்றிநின்று
என்வாயாரஎன்றுகொலோவாழ்த்தும்நாளே

Present flowers every day
Even Brahmma with 4 tongues and 8 eyes prays devotedly to the Lord of Srirangam whose navel is shining in Golden light and from where the beautiful red lotus emanates. Those who knot and offer flowers at the Lord’s feet are truly blessed souls. Kulasekara Azhvaar is hoping that he too would be blessed to serve the Lord’s feet with flowers every day.

Tongue should become Numb
He praises Srirangam as a place for those who relinquish the worldly pleasures to listen to the great sacred recitals in Tamil and Sanskirt. Learned scholars are chanting the sacred Vedas through the day. Kulasekara Azhvaar wants to recite such verses in praise of Lord Ranganatha till such time his tongue swells and becomes numb.
 He says that when in front of Lord Ranganatha, one should pray with folded hands that are raised well above the head.

அந்தமிழினின்பப்பாவினைஅவ்வடமொழியைப்பற்றற்றார்கள்
பயிலரங்கத்தரவணையில்பள்ளிகொள்ளும்

கோவினைநாவுரவழுத்திஎந்தன்கைகள்
கொய்ம்மலர்தூய்என்றுகொலோகூப்பும்நாளே

Fall at his feet with total reverence
He is delighted at the sweet devotional music emanating from renowned musicians such as Thumburu and Narada.  As he goes around the town of Srirangam, Kulasekara Azhvaar finds the temple protected by big fortified walls. Around the streets, he finds huge mansions and largely wealthy people. Suggesting another mode of prayer, Kulasekara Azhvaar wants to deck his head with flowers and offer his sincere prayers by lowering his head and falling at his feet with total reverence.

மணிமாடமாளிகைகள்மல்குசெல்வ
மதிளரங்கத்தரவணையில்பள்ளிகொள்ளும்
மணிவன்னனம்மானைக்கண்டுகொண்டு
என்மலர்ச்சென்னிஎன்றுகொலோவணங்கும்நாளே

He finds bees buzzing all around the huge groves. Shiva, Indra, the Celestials and the great sages are all looking for space here to offer their everlasting prayers to the Lord. Kulasekara Azhvaar hopes that he too would be able to find his own little space here to offer his prayers with his heart and soul immersed in the Lord’s thoughts. While one offers such prayers, he says that a devotee should melt down experiencing the handsome features of the Lord in his full form.

ஒளிமதிசேர்திருமுகம்கண்டுகொண்டு
என்உள்ளம்மிகஎன்றுகொலோஉருகும்நாளே

Nobility of the People
Kulasekara Azhvaar presents a beautiful picture of the noble residents of Srirangam.

Keeping away the issue relating to an unstable mind, controlling their senses and ridding themselves of the pains arising from the worldly life, the residents of Srirangam worship the Lord 5 times a day trying to pursue the sacred path of righteousness to free themselves from bad thoughts and to live a life of welfare without any war of words.

These people are always seen caring for others as required of noble people and are adopting a path to seek refuge in the Lord freeing themselves from the troubled path of cyclical births and away from a life they see as being filled with deception.Kulasekara Azhvaar too wants to be able to stand in front of the Lord offering prayers with devotion till such time his eyes are filled with tears that stroll down like a stream.

மறம்திகழும்மனமொழித்துவஞ்சமாற்றி
ஐம்புலன்களடக்கிஇடர்ப்பாரத்துன்பம்
துறந்துஇருமுப்பொழுதேத்திஎல்லைஇல்லாத்
தொன்னெறிக்கண்நிலைநின்றதொண்டரான

அறம்திகழும்மனத்தவர்தம்கதியைப்பொன்னி
அணியரங்கத்தரவணையில்பள்ளிகொள்ளும்
நிறம்திகழும்மாயோனைக்கண்டு
என்கண்கள்நீர்மல்கஎன்றுகொலோநிற்கும்நாளே

Personality of the Lord
Kulasekara Azhvaar praises the physical personality of the Lord as one with the famous Saranga Bow, the Sudarshana Chakra, the White Conch, the Mace that instantly kills opponents by knocking at their foreheads, the Sword that shines and Garuda renowned for his speed. In each of these verses of the 1st decad he praises the Lord as one seen in a sleeping posture atop the Serpent King Anantha. With all these in his hold here at Srirangam, Kulasekara Azhvaar says that the people of Srirangam have nothing to fear.

Kulasekara Azhvaar wants to experience the Lord by embracing him so he could enjoy the bliss forever.

How do they pray in Srirangam
Kulasekara Azhvaar describes the prayers offered by the people of Srirangam. The residents are seen clapping their hands and singing the Lord’s praise as a group. He finds the loud beating of the drum, a scene probably during a festival.

Describing another methodology to invoke the Lord’s blessings, he wants to roll on the ground and dance around in joy praising the Lord.

தூராத மனக் காதல் தொண்டர் தங்கள்
குழாம் குழுமித் திருப்புகழ்கள் பலவும் பாடி
ஆராத மனக் களிப்போடு அழுது கண்ணீர்
மழை சோர நினைந்துருகியேத்தி........

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