Thirumangai Mannan vedupari Utsavam

[Guest guest]

Yuva Year, Hemanta Rutu, Pushya Baghula

prathamai , Punarvasu Nakshatram

Satu

rday, January 6, 1996

 

Dear Members of the Prapatti Group:

 

Monday, January 8 (Marghazhi 24 ) is the day of

Thirumangai Mannan"s Vedu Pari, when he

dared to rob the Divya Dampathis for conducting

his Dadhiyaaraadhanam for Sri Vaishnavas.

The Divya Dampathis wanted to bless their Special Bhaktha

and appeared as a newly wed, rich coupledeckedwith precious jewellery.

Our Azhwar scouted them and surrounded them . He robbed them

and bundled all his loot . When he tried to lift the bundles

containing the proceeds of the robbery,

he found them too heavy to lift. He then accused

the bridegroom that he had cast a spell through a Mantra.

Sriman Narayana invited Thirumangai to come closer so

that he can share that Mantram with him. The Robber came close

and into his right ear, Sriman Narayana gave the upadesam on the

AshtAkshara Mantram. The erstwhile robber received thus the initiation from

the Lord of the Universe Himself and poured forth his ecstatic experience in

the

form of majestic Pasurams of the First decad of the Periya Thirumozhi.

He explained through those verses the greatness and the uniqueness

of the AshtAkshara Mantram to acheive the blessings of Moksham.

 

He went on an extended pilgrimage from one corner of India to the

other and gave us his Pasurams , which are expressions of his

Bhagavad Anubhavam. As I mentioned in my Dec 29 posting, He

composed a special work to celebrate the glory of the Lord of

Thirukkudanthai, Sri AarAvamudan known as Thiruvezhukurrirukkai (TVK).

I have summarized in that posting, the meaning of the two Taniyans (Invocatory

Verses )

composed by Emperumaanaar himself on TVK inview of the Vedasaaram of this

work of the Azhwar.

 

I will comment on the highlights of this Composition . TVK is a poetry style

known as Ratha Bhandham or SabdhAlankaram.. ThiruJnanasambhandar

(Mudal Thirumarai-TevAram number 1464 ) and Arunagiri Nathar have

composed works in the TVK style. Arunagiri Nathar"s work celebrates

the presiding Deity at Swami Malai known as Swaminathan.

TVK is one long verse with 46 or 47 lines . THirumangai"s TVK

has 46 lines and Thirujnana Sambhandar's TVK has 47 lines.

Thirumangai"s TVK houses some of the salient metaphysical

tenets of VisishtAdvaita as it goes about offering its homage to

the Lord of Thirukkudanthai known also as SarangapAni.

The Azhwar was probably inspired by the famous , gigantic

Chittirai Ther (Temple Car) Of Sarangapani. He constructed the

TVK in the form of a Temple Car in Seven (Ezhu ) Decks ( Koorru ).

Irukkai stands for the ornamental pedestal at the center of this

Ratham, where the Lord is seated. The Azhwar is said to have the

Darsanam of the Divya Dampathis seated on the Chariot of

Garuda , the Veda Swaroopan.

 

The Ratha Bhandham (Construction/Binding) consists of the

following pattern of seven Decks:

 

the 7th deck consists of 13 compartments

the 6th deck has also 13 compartments(Penultimate)

the 5th deck has 11 compartemnts

the 4th deck has 9 compartments

the 3rd deck has 7 compartments

the 2nd deck has 5 compartments

the first deck has 3 compartments

 

the words indicating Numerals inlaid in the individual compartments

in the pattern described below:

 

*

121

12321

1234321

123454321

12345654321

1234567654321

1234567654321

 

1234567654321

1234567654321

12345654321

123454321

1234321

12321

121

*

The above structure is indicative of the shape of a Ratham or a (temple) chariot