Guest guest Posted February 4, 1996 Report Share Posted February 4, 1996 Thiru mazhisai Azhvaar thirunakshathram Thai - magam -------------------------- This year Thirumazhisai Azhvaar's thirunakshathram (Thai magam) falls on Tuesday, February 6, 1996. This Azhvaar gave us 216 verses in two prabhandhams, nanmugan thiruvandhaathi (96) and thiruch chandha viruththam (120). It is this Azhvaar's instructions that the Lord of Thiru Veqaa (poygai Azhvaar's birth place and near Kanchipuram periya kOvil) followed and came to be known as "sonna vaNNam seydha perumaaL" (the Lord who obeyed). This wonderful story involves KaNikaNNar, a disciple of the Azhvaar. KaNikaNNar provoked the wrath of the local king and got himself exiled when he refused to restore the king's youthfulness unlike the devout old lady for whom KaNikaNNar had obliged. Not wanting to be separated from his pupil, Azhvaar went to the temple and declared to the Lord, "I am leaving town with KaNikaNNan, fold Your serpent bed and follow me." Ever waiting to please His devotees, (true to namaazhvaar's words in the 53rd paasuram of periya thiruvandhaathi -- "unnadiyaarkku en seyvadhu enRE iruththi nee"), the Lord got up immediately, folded his "painnaagap paay", and went behind the Azhvaar. Thus, He came to be known as "sonna vaNNam seydha perumaaL". Then, the story goes, the king apologized to KaNikaNNar and brought all three back to Kanchi. It is claimed that the Azhvaar was born to Bhargava munivar and his dEvi Kanakaangi, but was abandoned because the baby, at the time of birth, was a lifeless mass. Upon the grace of Lord Sriman Narayana, the abandoned lifeless mass turned into a fully formed and perfect baby in every way. The baby was then found and raised by a "low caste" devout family. Due to this, it is clear that the brahmins of his time did not readily accord respect to our Azhvaar. The Azhvaar himself declares in Thiruchchandha viruththam (90) that he was not born into one of the four castes ("kulangaLaaya eeriraNdil onRilum pirRandhilEn"). During an encounter with the brahmins of Thiru Mazhisai, our Lord had to directly intervene, by appearing with His sangu and chakram in Azhvaar's body, to stop the brahmins deriding our Azhvaar. In another interesting episode Azhvaar rescued a group of brahmins from the ignominy of getting stuck during a recitation of the vEdhaas. The brahmins had halted their recitation upon noticing the Azhvaar approaching. The aazhvaar moved away to make the brahmins comfortable. Then, the brahmins tried to resume, but couldn't. They had forgotten the place where they had halted. Noticing this from a distance, the Azhvaar gave a sign to the brahmins and helped them resume at the correct place. At this time the Azhvaar shined with such luminosity that the brahmins where put to shame. Swami Sri dhEsikar reminds us of this instance when he characterizes this Azhvaar as "mazhisai vandha jOthi" (the shining light of Mazhisai). Another interesting story I once heard about this Azhvaar involves Thirukkudandhai aaraamudhan. After a long and arduous journey the Azhvar reached the Kumbakonam temple, tired and hungry. When he entered the temple the thirumancanam (ritual bathing of the Lord) was just getting underway. Intent on comforting the Azhvaar, the Lord interrupted the thirumancanam and instructed the Bhattaachar to take "amudhu" to the Azhvaar immediately. It seems this practice is continued to this day with the "ThaLigai" (food) offered to the Azhvaar sannithi first, and only then to the Lord. (This needs verification.) Thiru mazhisai Azhvaar is said to have dabbled in a variety of religions of his day, and was finally and firmly turned to Sri Vaishnavam by his acharya and guru, pEy Azhvaar. In his paasurams the Azhvaar is unequivocal in asserting that Sriman Narayana is the supreme Lord declared by the vEdhaas. He starts out his naanmugan thiruvandhaathi (NT) with: "naanmuganai naaraayaNan padaiththaan, naanmuganum thaan mugamaay sankaranaith thaan padaiththaan" -- Narayanan created the four-faced Brahma, and Brahma created Sankaran and ends NT with: "ini aRindhEn kaaraNan nee, kaRRavai nee, kaRpavai nee, naRkirisai naaraNan nee, nan_gaRindhEn naan." -- I have finally found these truths, You are the primordial reason, what is comprehended is You, what is to be comprehended is You, all good deeds is You, I have now realized these without any doubt. Between the first and 96th verses of NT, the Azhvaar repeatedly asserts the theme that Sriman Narayanan is the only Lord we need to worship for salvation. Azhvaar's thiruch chandha viruththam is filled with abstract spiritual references. Even with commentaries on hand it is difficult for me to comprehend some of these paasurmas. We had an opportunity to examine one such paasuram a few weeks back. -- Parthasarati Dileepan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 5, 1996 Report Share Posted February 5, 1996 > It is this Azhvaar's instructions that the Lord of Thiru > Veqaa (poygai Azhvaar's birth place and near > Kanchipuram periya kOvil) followed and came to be > known as "sonna vaNNam seydha perumaaL" (the Lord > who obeyed). This wonderful story involves > KaNikaNNar, a disciple of the Azhvaar. KaNikaNNar > provoked the wrath of the local king and got himself > exiled when he refused to restore the king's youthfulness > unlike the devout old lady for whom KaNikaNNar had > obliged. Not wanting to be separated from his pupil, > Azhvaar went to the temple and declared to the Lord, "I > am leaving town with KaNikaNNan, fold Your serpent > bed and follow me." Ever waiting to please His > devotees, (true to namaazhvaar's words in the 53rd > paasuram of periya thiruvandhaathi -- "unnadiyaarkku en > seyvadhu enRE iruththi nee"), the Lord got up > immediately, folded his "painnaagap paay", and went > behind the Azhvaar. Thus, He came to be known as > "sonna vaNNam seydha perumaaL". Then, the story > goes, the king apologized to KaNikaNNar and brought all > three back to Kanchi. A few tidbits regarding this story: This is the Yadoktakari temple at Kanchi (did I spell it right?). The Lord's sayanam pose here is in the direction opposite to the usual (ie, the feet are on the left, as you view Him). The Lord chose this pose on his return with the aazhwar, just to serve as a reminder of this story. State of temple: bad, as of 3/4 years ago. - ranga - Ranga Satagopan (617) 374-8630 Cambridge Technology Partners rsata - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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