Thirukkurnthaandakam of Thirumangai Azhwaar.

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Dear Members of the Prapatti Group:

 

In an earlier posting , I mentioned that I will cover the

two Thaandakams of Thirumangai. Thirukkurnthaandakam (TKT)

has 20 moving verses celebrating the rakshatvam of Sriman

Narayana and the Maha Viswasam of the Azhwar . After his deep

immersion in the mysteries of the Ashtakshara Maha Mantram of

the Lord and after visiting the many Divya Desams , at the end of

Periya Thirumozhi, Thirumangai is in a mellow mood . In the pasurams

of his Periya Thirumozhi, he expressed his fear of being caught in

the snares of Samsara and rebirth and cried aloud for the Lord's

boon of Moksham. The Lord wanted to enjoy few more Pasurams from

his dear Bhaktha and therefore did not respond to the fervent plea of

the Azhwar. In his desperation, the Azhwar engaged in a strenous effort to

enjoy the auspicious qualities of the Lord by mind , body and speech in TKT and

declared his utter servitude to Him under all circumstances. As a result of

this

exercise, he got his boon of Moksham and overcame the afflictions of

Samsara . He continued on in TNT and although there is no clear proof , TNT

might have been the last work of Thirumangai judging from the mood of the two

Thaandakams .

 

Another school of thought centers on the theme that Sriman Narayana blessed

the Azhwar at the end of Composing Periya Thirumozhi and presented himself

before him and blessed him. This school believes that the joyous outpourings of

the Azhwar in TKT is a reflection of the ecsatatic state and the mindset of

the Azhwar.

Independent of the correctness of one point of view or the other, the verses of

TKT are testimony to the unshakable belief of the Azhwar in the Rakshakatvam

and Bhaktha Vaatsalyam of Sriman Narayana.TKT also houses the Mangalasaasanam

of the Azhwaar for the Archamurthys of Srirangam, Thirukkudanthai, Thirupper

Nagar,

Venkatam, Thirukkandiyur, Thirukkadanmallai, Kacchi and Thirumayyam. The

Azhwaar

seems to point out that the Murthy Jnanam is essential even after understanding

the

means (Upaayam) and Target (Upeyam) aspects of Saranagati. There are pasurams

in TKT that capture the mood of Nirvedam ,where the Azhwaar laments over the

time

lost in chasing the transient pleasures of life instead of reflecting on the

holy feet

of the Lord. Like Nammazhwaar, He recognizes that the thought of the Lord and

the experience of His Kalyana Gunaas are his food and Water (UNNum Sohr and

Paruhum Neer ). His celebration of the Bhakti Yogam in one of the Pasuram

is a marvel from the point of succinct capture of the essence of this Yogam. He

answers the Rg Vedic Question: Kasmai Devaaya Vidhema.To Which god shall we

offer our offerings and obesiance is the question raised by the Rg Veda mantra.

Like Nammazhwaar, Thirumangai states unambigouosly that Sriman Naryana

is the God , who is the supreme principle and the adoration of HIM is the

highest rite

(charya) to enjoy Moksha Sukham (eternal bliss).

 

In the following sections, I will focus on the highlights of

the twenty pasurams of TKT.

 

*** FIRST PASURAM:

It is a marvel from the poetic point of view. The rhyming is perfect. The first

 

word of each of the four lines of this Pasuram rhymes perfectly with

one another, while incorporating deep meanings inside them.

The words are Nidhiyinai, Gathiyinai, Mathiyinai and Vidhiyinai.

 

He equates in the first word of TKT that the Lord is like a Nidhi in

the spirit of Upanishad that described the Lord in his Antharyami state

as Hiranya Nidhi or the golden Treasure.

 

The Second line starts

by pointing out that he is the Gathi .This word Gathi is a Sanskrit

word originating from the Root Gum, which means accessible,

approachable, fit to be practised or aspired as the ultimate goal

of one's existence on this earth. It also means the supreme Lord,

who is the one, who creates and protects all Jivans and blesses one

with Jnana.

 

The third line of the first Pasuram starts with the Word

Mathiyinai. AaLum mathiyinai is the context in the Pasuram line.

The reference in one intrepretation is to Varaha Sarama Slokam,

where he says "Aham Smaraami ". Mathi stands for mind or mental

disposition. His mind set is to think of his Bhaktha at the time, when

latter is like a stone or wood during the last moments of his life and is

unable to think of the Lord. He not only thinks of His Bhaktha at that

time, but leads him to Vaikutam by hand.

 

The last line starts with the

word Vithiyinai. Vithi stands for the Parama Purusha or Devathidevan .

Azhwaar Qualifies this PeraruLaLan as "EN MANATTHU VANDHA

VITHIYINAI ". He describes the Lord as the one , who enthroned Himself

in his mind and sanctified it. The Azhwaar says that he conducted

Mangalaasaasanam for the Lord residing in his mind and

prostrated before Him through the words "Vaazhtthi VaNangi".

He concludes this sublime pasuram by stating that he will

never ever leave that Lord, whom he has discovered as the resident of his heart

and to whom he has saluted and offered his deep devotion. He says

"Thondanehn Viduhileneh". I, your servant will not let go of your holy

feet . Mahaviswasam of the Azhwaar is abundantly clear here.

 

****SECOND PASURAM: this one also has similar meaningful rhymes

at the beginning of each line. The words are KaaRRinai, YeRRinai,

AaRRinai and KooRRinai. KaRRu stands for the Lord, who is the force

behind the wind or Vayu or KaRRu. He is the force by which the wind blows,

the water wets and the fire burns according to the Upanishads.

 

YeRRInai stands for the Sanskrit word "PURUSHARSHABA " or the bull

among men or the Parakramasaali. Thirumangai saluted Vijaya Raghavan

of Thirupputkuzhi as "PoReRu" or as the valorous Bull of Thirupputkuzhi.

Following along these lines, Swami Desikan saluted the PoReru of

Thirupputkuzhi as Aahava Pungavan and RaNapungavan. Thirumangai

has the Rakshakatvam of Vijayaraghavan in mind here in the spirit in which

Hanuman saluted him in Sundara Khandam:

"Baahucchaayam Avashatbdho Yasya Loko Mahaatmana:"

Hanuman says that Raman is the One powerful Lord , who with the

sahdow of his hand offers protection to the whole world from all types

of Fears. Thus YeRRinai stands for the Lord"s mighty Valour to rescue the

Prapannas from all kinds of calamities.

 

(Inba) AaRRiniai is the beginning of the third line of the Pasuram. Here, He

is

saluted as the Bliss-yielding River of Nectar or Aaraavamudan. Here , Azhwaar

recognizes the Lord as the first and foremost essence of life, the

life giving , thirst quenching , the blissful nectar as.visualized by the

Rg Veda Mantram(I.31.1) .

 

(avuNan Aaruyir Unda) KooRRinai is the first word of the fourth line of the

second Pasuram of TKT. KooRRu stands for Yaman or the one , who takes

away life .Here the Lord's destruction of the evil ones like Hiranya Kasibhu is

referred to. Here the Dushta Nigraham aspect of the Lord is saluted.

 

After Praising the Antharyaamitvam, Valor , Blissful nature and the

Power to destroy evil ones ,Azhwaar converses with his mind and asks

it to persist in offering praise to the Lord of so many auspicious attributes.

 

 

THIRD PASURAM: Here , Azhwaar says that he prostrates before the Lord of

Thirumaalirumsolai to the limits of his physical strength. The first Pasuram

dealt with Maanasa Kainkaryam. The Second covered the Vaachika Kainkaryam.

The third Pasuram concludes with the Kaayika Kainkaryam.Thus , Azhwaar

salutes the Lord through his Mind(Manas), Speech (Vak) and Body (Kaayam).

 

FOURTH and FIFTH PASURAMS: the full blossoming of the Bhakthi of

the Azhwaar is revealed here. In the fourth verse, Azhwaar declares like

his Guru Nammazhwar that Lord is the "UNNum Soru", his food.

He says that the spontaneous mercy (Avyaaja Karuna) of the Lord

permitted him to" devour " Him, when he presented Himself before

the Azhwaar. In the fifth Pasuram, Thirumangai states that the Lord

is the "Paruhum Neer" , the water that he drinks.Since the Lord is the

Unsatiable Nctar(Aaraavamudan), Azhwaar says that he devours that

nectar of adrink ceaselessly.

 

SIXTH VERSE: Lord"s Paratvam (Para vasudeva Tattvam) and Sowlabhyam

(Easy accessibility ) are saluted here. Azhwaar describes the Lord

of Thirukkudanthai with choice eulogies and then says that both he

and the Bhakthas are at a loss ot find words to adequately praise Him.

 

SEVENTH and EIGTH VERSES: Sri Ranganathan and the Lord of Thiruvenkatam

are saluted here. The greatness of Bhagavathas are also saluted

by the Azhwaar, who declares that the feet of the Bhagavathas of the Lord

always adorn his head. In the Eigth verse, he pities those, who do not

understand

the uniqueness of the Bhagavathas or their relationship to the Lord

have wasted their lives as Human beings and may as well be born

as birds or animals. Azhwaar is disgusted with such people .

 

NINTH VERSE: Here he thinks that life spent among the unfortunate

people like the ones described above is like an ant caught between

the fire at both the end of the stick and that he will stay away from such

people

and seek only the Lord as his company always.

 

TENTH VERSE: Here Azhwaar calls with affection the Lord as "EN Attha",

my affectionate Master.He confesses that he mind is unsteady and runs

from one thought to the other. What can I do? Please bless me to have

unwavering devotion to You and You alone! My father! I do not know of

anything other than eternal servitude to you.

 

ELEVENTH VERSE: Here, the Azhwaar begs the Lord to bless him

so that his Mind, Speech and the Limbs will be engaged in HIS

service forever.

 

TWELFTH VERSE: This is a grand verse or a verse with ennobling thoughts.

His humbleness/Helplessness (Kaarpanyam ) blossoms into the next

stage of Saranagathi , Viz., Mahaviswaasam . He says: Me , the Egotist ,

who is not pure of thought with my unclean body and mouth recited HIS

ancient and Sacred Mahamantram. I was afraid of having engaged in

reciting His Mantram in my unclean, unfit state. To my utter surprise, the

most merciful Lord appeared before me and told me not to be afraid . I was

overcome by this experience and closed my eyes out of fear. Lo and Behold!

He entered into my closed eyelids and appeared before my eyes there.

Here, he points out that the Lord is resident at Srirangam to give hope

to people that they do not need to worry about their state of perfection and

that he

will bless them and come to their side , when they make even a meager effort.

 

 

(TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW)