Sri Tondaradipodi Azhvar: Sri Dileepan"s tribute.

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As I read Sri Dileepan's timely tribute to

Our Ranganatha Pathivratha, the ten Sweet lyrical veses

of ThiruppaLLIyezhucchi and the Subhasitams in the

form of the 45 Verses of Thirumaalai occupied my thoughts.

 

I want to join Sri Dileepan to pay my humble tribute to

this great Azhvar, who according to one story was the subject

of a game between the Divya Dampathis of Srirangam.

 

One day , Sri Ranganatha was praising the single minded

devotion of Vipra Narayana (Thondaradipodi ) to His Devi

and said that nothing on His earth would lure his

Bhakta from HIM. Sri Ranganayaki laughed and said that

no one can escape the power of the Sweet lure of a beautiful

Women. To prove that point ,she sent one of Her own servants to go

to the Azhvar"s nandavanam and be there until she got his

attention. That servant of Ranganayaki took the name of Deva Dasi

and arrived at the garden of the Azhvar. The story after that is well known.

The divine couple then came to the rescue of the Azhvar and saved him from his

obsession to the damsel. They returened him to his erstwhile

state of unceasing rememberance of THEM.

 

Thondaradipodi Azhvar was a contemproary of Thirumangai

Mannan. Latter, when he built the ramparts for Sri Rangantha,

he built the wall around the Nandavanam of Thondaradi Podi,

so that no interruption occured to the Maalai Kainkaryam of

Thondaradipodi. Our Azhvar was very pleased with the thoughtful

action of Thirumangai and named his instrument used for

constructing the garlands for Sri Ranganatha as "AruL Maari"

in honor of Kaliyan .

 

 

The Composition of the Azhvar (ThiruMaalai) is considered as

an essential work to know for those , who want to progress in

their Understanding of Thiru Maal or Perumal. The Tamil verse

conveying these thoughts is as follows:

 

Thirumaalai Ariyaadhar Thirumaalai Ariyaadhaareh i

Thirumaalai Ariyaan Perumaalai Ariyaan II

 

He asserted in Thirumaalai that the name of Hari is my only

medicine for the fever of Kali; He procaimed aloud that there is

no other way in Kali Yuga.

 

He is a believer in the thought that the Lord's names are even

more important than the Lord Himself. Subscribing to this view, he

praised the name of the Lord and the Bhagavatas ,who sing those

names daily with joy .He declared that he rejects the boon of being

the king of Indra Lokam over the blessings of tasting the nectar of

the Lord"s names on this earth (at Srirangam).He also asserted that

there is no one on this earth, who is barred from reciting the names of

the Lord and thereby getting easily the boon of Moksham.

 

He was a great Vedic Scholar . He explained to us

the qualities of the Lord of Srirangam celebrared in the Vedas as Sarveswara

( Emperor and controller of all ), Sarva Seshi ( Principal of One and all ),

Sarva Karma Aaraadhyatvam ( the one, who is worshipped

in all religious rites ), Sarva Phala Pradha Dhayaktvam

( The bestower of all desired fruits of Saadhanaa ), Sarvaadhaaratvam

( the sustainer of all ), Sarva Kaaryotbhadhakatvam ( the cause of

all effects), and Ananthatvam : ( beyond the threefold limitation of

Space, Time and Objects).

 

Thirumaalai is generally revered as the essence of the Sacred

Composition known as Vishnu Dharmam. The similarity of thought

among the Vishnu Dharma Slokas and the verses of The Azhvar are

indeed strikingly close. This is of no surprise, since, our Azhvar was

the practioner of the Highest principles of Vishnu Dharma.

 

The meaning of selected verses of verses of Vishnu Dharma

included below will illustrate the closeness of the message

and Upadesam left for us by the Azhvar.

 

(1) Consciously or Unconsciously, If a huamn being utters the holy

name of Vasudeva, al that (i.e), every sin committed willingly

or unwillingly becomes disintegrates like salt in water.

 

(2) Water is adequate to extinguish the fire; Sunrise similarly is

sufficient to dispel the darkness. (So does) the recitation of

the name of Hari destroys a multitude of Sins of Kali Yuga.

 

(3) Yannama Sankirthanathoh Vimuchyateh: --By the very recitation of

His Name, men are saved (from the fear of Kali).

 

(4) Bhaddha: Parikarasthena Mokshaaya Gamanam prathi :--- One

who utters once the two syllables of the name" Hari " , he

succeds in packing his luggage to travel to Moksha.

 

(5)Narada, That Bhaktha of mine , who with faith says

"Salutation to Thee",Even if he is a dog-eating chandaala,

he attains my eternal world.

 

(6) Hari ,whether worshipped ,remembered, meditated upon

or adorned with flowers etc, HE grants all protection to HIS

Bhaktha in this world and the one after.

 

(6) The holy name of the dicus-bearer can be sung at all times

and places. There is no question of impurity for the Kirthana of

the Lord , who is always holy.

 

(7)Even if a person offers the whole world with all its gems to

Janardhana , he will not reach HIM , if his mind is elsewhere.

 

(8) For those who are about to drown in the ocean of Samsara as

a result of chasing the evanescent pleasures of the world, there is

no means for being saved except the boat known as Vishnu .

 

(9) Kali Yugam becomes Krita Yugam (noble Yugam) to those ,

who seat Govinda In their minds. Krita Yugam turns into Kali

Yugam (a Time, where Dharma is in wane) for those, who do

not keep (the thoughts of) Achyuta in their minds.

 

(10) Tanmayatvenah Govindhe Yeh Naraa Nyasta Chetasa: I

Vishayathyaaginasteshaam Vigyeam cha Tadantikeh II

 

Lord Govindha sits close to those, who think of HIM without let

and reject the lure of material things of the world.

 

(11) Amrutam Saadhanam Saadhyam Yam pasyanthi Maneeshina: I

Gyeyaakyam Paramaatmaanam Vishnum Dhyaayannah Seedhati II

 

The learned ones meditating on the Lord se HIM as their unfailing Means

to attain the nectar of Moksham and consider him the supreme fruit

of their Endeavours . They never experience sorrow.

 

One hears the echoes of Vishnu Dharma Slokas in the Azhvaar"s

Thirumaala verses. ThiuppaLLiyezucchi is said to have been

composed by the Azhvar as a form of waking up Lord Ranganatha from

HIS Yoga Nidra to thank the Lord Of Srirangam for waking him up, when

he, the Azhvar , was mired in Deva Dasi's affection.He reminded Sri Ranganatha

to wake up others like him, who get lost in the worldly afflictions. This

request

of the Azhvar is similar to Sri Aandaal"s waking Krishna from his Yoga Nidra

in Thiruppavai.

 

The ThiruppaLLIyezhucchi Verses served as a model

for the

other Suprabhaadhams for Sri Seshadri Sekhara Vibhu and Thiru Vinnagaaraan of

Oppiliappan Sannadhi. Saint Thyagaraja"s ThiruppaLLyezucchi in Sundara Telengu

Bhaasha (Melukkovayya in Raga Bhauli and Meluko Dhayaanidhi in Raga

Sowraashtram ) echo the thoughts of the Azhvaar through passages such as :

" Oh, Sita Rama! Pray wake up to protect the Universe! ---It is already day

break.

---- Devas and Kings are waiting to worship you.-----Oh ,Lord Of Mercy! Please

wake up! It is time for the Sun to rise. --- Sages like Narada , Devas, Brahma,

Siva

are waiting to offer their worship and serve You. Kubera and the Lords of all

directions have assembled here to learn statecraft from You."

 

I conclude this posting with the Taniyan of Thiru Maalai

Aandaan:

 

TAMEVA MATVAA PARAVASUDEVAM RANGESAYAM RAAJAVA DHARHANEEYAM I

PRABHODAGHEEM YO KRITHA SOOKTIMAALAAM BHAKTHAANGRIRENUM BHAGAVANTAMEEDHEH

II

 

(MEANING) : I offer my salutations to the great Azhwar named

Thondaradipodi , who considered the Lord of Sri Rangam as the

supreme Emperor and woke up that sleeping Paravasudeva with his

ThiruppaLLIyezhucchi.

 

TENNARANGATTHAMMAANAI PALLI UNARTHUM PIRAN THIRUVADHIGALEH CHARANAM,

 

Oppiliappankoil Varadachari Sadagopan