Greatness of the Month of Marghazhi

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of the Prapatti Group:

 

In the spirit of the earlier posting on Dhanur masa Aarambham,

I wish to share some more thoughts with you on the glory

of this month of Marghazhi.

 

Yesterday (Marghazhi 7) was Pushya Suddha Pratami Titi.The day celebrated

as Thirumozhi ThirunaaL dawned. Thiru Atyayanotsavam began at

Sri Rangam, Thirumaaliruncholai, Tillai Thirucchitrakootam,

Kattu Mannargudi Veera Narayana Perumal Koil (Archamoorthy of

the birth place of Natha Muni ) Srivilliputtur and Thirukkoshtiyur . This

Utsavam is also known as Pahal Patthu .

 

On the day before, ( Marghazhi 6) , Thirunedumthaandakam

day was celebrated in Sri Rangam . That was also the birth day of

Thondaradipodi Azhwar.Thirumangai constructed his

Thirukkurumthandakam in the same meter as Thirumaalaiof

Thondardaipodi Azhwar tohonor his contemproary. This Viruttham is known as

Aruseerkazhi Nedilaasiriya Viruttham. Thirunedumthantakam was set by

Thirumangai in a slightly longer Viruttham known as eNN seerkazhi

Viruttham.

 

On Marghazhi 17, Vaikunta Ekadasi will be celebrated at all 108

Vaishnavite Divya Desams. That holy day ripe with meaning is aptly

described as Thiruvaaimozhi ThirunaaL.

 

On Marghazhi 21, The birth day of Vainatheya occurs. That is a Powrnami

day. Garudan is clebrated as Veda Swarupi by our Tradition. Veda is at the

heart of our Vaidhika Matham. Thirumangai hints at this Vedic essence

of Vedas and the relation between the Tamil Marai and Arya Vedam in

his fourth verse of Thirunedumthantakam as follows:

 

Senthiratta Tamizhosai VADA SOLLAAHI Disai Naangumaai-------

 

The Lord Says : VEDAISCCHA SARVAI: AHAMEVA VEDYA: HERE HE

REFERS TO HIS SVARUPA ,GUNA VISHESHAMS DESCRIBED IN

the VEDAS. The Azhwar says in his Thirunedumthantakam

section quoted above that the deep meanings about the Anantha

Kalyana Gunas of the Parama Purusha took the form of the Sanskritc

Vedas and the Tamil Marai.

 

He even pushes forward to say that the

Tamizhosai ( the Ghosham of Tamil Marai) became Vada Soll. A little

poetic liberty perhaps, but to Kaliyan, it indicates the equal status of

the Sanskrit and Tamil Marais in the eyes of the Supreme Lord.

 

Born as a Kallan , Thirumangai received his Pancha Samskarams from the

Lord of Thiru Narayur and became a Sri Vaishnava to qualify for the hands of

Kumudavalli Naacchiyar. He had the rare contact of the divine limbs of

Sriman Narayana during his attempted robbery and to cap it all , he

received Ashtaakshara Mantropadesam from the Supreme Lord himself.

He fed 1008 Vaishnavas every day as per his prenuptial pledge . This

Azhvar , the Vaishnava Sreshta , If not by birth, but by every deed and

Bhagyam continued on his fourth verse of Thirunedumthantakam to

engage in a Manasa Sambhodhanam and instructs his mind as follows:

 

" ANTARATTHIL DEVARKKUM ARIYALAAHAA ANDHANANAI

ANDHANAR MAATANDHI VAITTHA MANTIRATTHAI

MANTIRATTAL MARAVATHU ENRUM VAZHUTIYEL

VAZHALAAM MADA NENJAMEH ".

 

(Extended meaning): Our Lord is present everywhere and has pervaded

all objects of his creation. His Immense and extraordinary Kalyana

Gunas are not understood fully even by the Devas. He is free of all

defects, even if he pervades His creation(Two birds on the same tree

and one eating the fruits and the other not touching them reference of

Upanishads). He is the secret revealed by the

Upanishads appearing at the end of the Vedas. O, My Sattvic mind!

If you take to a life of reciting and reflecting on the meaning of His

sacred Ashtaakshara Mantram, there is no worry for us.

We can live together in harmony and peace always.

>From the Marghazhi 21, the day sacred to the Veda Murthy Garuda,

we move on to Marghazhi 24, the day of Thirumangai"s Vedu Pari.

Two days later, we celebrate Thiruvaimozhi ThirunaaL Sarrumurai.

Next day, we celebrate Iyarppaa Srrumurai and Koodara vellum Siir Govinda

festival. We now are at Marghazhi 27. Makara Krishna Navami follows and

falls on the last day of Marghazhi. We celebrate Bhogi

Pandigai on this day. Makara Krishna Dasami follows and

this is the first day of Thai Month and Uttaraayana Punya Kalam, Sankaranthi

celebration day and Thiruppavai Sarrumurai day, all combine into one .

 

In summary, great is this month of Marghazhi,.The birth of the

two Azhwars (Thirumangai and Tondaradipodi) and the Charanagati

message of AndaaL remind us of the sacredness of the month.

 

In a future posting, I will attempt to summarize the message that

Thirumangai left for us to ponder in the two Thaandakam works.

 

Azhwaar Aacharyaar Thiruvadigaleh Charanam,

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan