Mukunda Maala of "Kulasekhara Azhwaar".

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of the Prapatti group:

 

Before the birthday of Kulasekhara Azhwaar is over

for this year, I hasten to pay my tribute. Inspite of the

well known debate about the authorship of the moving

verses of Mukundamaala, I recognize that this stotram

has significant messages for Sri Vaishnavas and as

such deserves the high regard that it has received over

the years by Aasthikas .Hence , I will take this opportunity

to assemble a few words on each of the 40 verses.

 

NAME : The Name Mukundah can be translated as the

Salvation giver .It is the 518th name of Sri Vishnu

Sahasra Naamam. Parasara Bhattar has commented that

He is the one , who bestows the boon of Moksham , when

the devotees pray for that boon with supreme and single-minded

devotion. He has observed that the two words "Muktim Dadaati "

have united to form the single word "Mukundah "

under the nonstandard use of the grammatical rule of Prishidora.

 

The other intrepretation of the Mukunda Naamam is that He blesses

each appropriately according to their Karmas ,either the Nitya Vibhoothi

and residence in Paramapadam (MUKTHI) or Residence in this

universe/Bhoomi (Leela Vibhoothi ). The Akshara MU stands for Mukthi

( Parama Padam) and KU stands for Bhoomi ( Leela Vibhoothi) . Since

the Lord gives(Dadahti ) both MU and KU , He gains the name of MUKUNDA.

 

The Taniyan for Mukunda Maala is the famous one that has been referred to

earlier by Sri Rangaswami :

 

Kushyate Yasya Nagreh Rangayaatraa Dinehdineh I

Tamaham sirasaa Vandeh Raajanam Kulasekhram II

 

Tribute is paid here to the Vaishnava Sikhamani by the

composer of the Taniyan. The Azhwaar expressed his intense

longing to enjoy fully the beauty of Sri Ranganatha in his

Thirumozhi on Srirangam. That celebrated devotion of Kulasekhara

for Sri Ranganatha is the theme of the Taniyan.

The author of the Taniyan salutes with his head that King

of Kolli City , where the echo of the joyous shouts of "Sriranga Yatraa"

reverberate every day at all nooks and corners of that city.

 

I will comment on the individual verses tomorrow.

 

Sri Kulasekhara Azhwaar Thiruvadigaleh Saranam

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan