SRI OPPILIAPPAN BHAGAVAT VISHAYAM

[Guest guest]

DEAR MEMBERS OF THE PRAPATTI GTOUP:

 

Oppilappan (Oppilaa Appan ) Koil is known as

Thiru ViNNagar or Vaikuntapuri. Here , on the

banks of AhOratra Pushkarani, the Lord Of Vaikuntam

stands under Suddhaananda Vimanam with his bride

Bhoomi Devi. Four Azhwaars have dedicated 47 Pasurams

to him and have received His Anugraham. He blesses us even

today with His " Panchaavataaram" or five forms (Viz)., Hema

(Ponnappan ), Muktha (Mutthappan ), Mani (Maniappan ),

Vyoma Pureesan ( ViNNagarappan ) and Matpathi: (Ennappan ).

One of His MangaLa slokam recognizes him in the tradition

followed by Nammazhwaar as the one , who reconciles Tattvams,

which normally are not reconcilable. This verse is the essence of

Nammazhwaar"s ten moving Paasurams :

 

GATAYITHREH DURGATAANAAM SAMAAHARTHREH CHA SAMPADHAAM I

VINIHANTREH CHA VIPADHAAM MAHEEBHARTHREH ASTHU MANGALAM II

 

Hail to the Lord , who unites those that are polar opposites, who blesses

one with immense Eisvaryam (moksham ), who wards off all dangers that

the Prapanna encounters. Hail to that Lord,

who is the Consort of Sri Bhoomi Devi.

 

Swami Desikan in his Tatparya RatnaavaLi summed up brillaintly

the ten verses of Nammazhwaar this way and offered his MangaLaasAsanam

to Sri Vaikunta Naathan of Oppiliappan Koil:

 

SAMPAT DHAARIDRYA BHAAVAAT

ASUKASUKAKRUTEH: PATTANA GRAAMA BHAAVAAT

PUNYAAPUNYAADHI BHAAVAAT KAPATARUCHUTAYAA

SARVALOKAADHI BHAVAAT I

DIVYAADIVYANGAVATVAAT

SURADHITIJAGANA

SNIGDHA CHATRUTVA KEERTHYAA

CHAAYAACCHAYAADHI BHAAVAAT AAGATITHA GATANAM

PRAAHA KRISHNAM SATAARI : II

 

Here, Swami Desikan summarizes tersely the Bhagavad

Anubhavam of Nammaazhwaar at this Divya Desam. He says:

Thiruvinnagarappan is the antharyaami of opposing concepts (Dvandhvam)

such as poverty-wealth, sorrow-happiness and paapam-punyam.

He rules over both the city and the village . He is the antharyami

and reconciler of polar opposites such as Kapatam and righteousness.

He is the indweller of all chetanas and Achetanas . He has the splenderous

lustre and yet has even the lowly worlds as a part of his body .He is the

unfailing

protector of the Prapannas and destroys those , who cause harm to his

Bhakthaas. He is of the form of both the cooling shade and the scorching heat

and thus has the unique power to unite normally irreconcilable tattvaas.

Swami Desikan echoes the statement of Nammazhwaar that the Lord is

both Nimmittam and Upaadhaanam, he is both Praapyam and Praapakan.

He is one adorable principle that has spread in many ways and shines in

every corner of His universe.

 

In Thiruvinnagar Kshetram, He hurried to appear before Nammazhwaar ,

who was about abandon him out of anger at the Lord for being insensitive to

his request to give him Darsanam. Our Lord could not bear with the thought of

losing His Parama Bhaktha and rushed to his side and made the Azhwaar

enjoy HIS Ananta Kalyaana Gunas and HIS unmatchable beauty. The Azhwaar

felt thoroughly appeased and specially blessed and declared :

 

ENNAPPAN ENAKKAYIGULAAI ENNAI PERRAVALAAI

PONNAPPAN MANIAPPAN MUTTHAPPANENAPPANUMAAI

MINNAPPONMADHIL SOOZH THIRUVINNAGAR SERNDA aPPAN

TANNOPPAARILLAPPAN TANTANAN TANATHAAL NIZHALEH

 

Azhwaar describes the Lord as Panchavataaran here and states that the Lord

travelled to Thiruvinnagar in search of him to remove his dejection and

united with him and gave him the comforting and cool shade of his lotus

feet as his solace and refuge.

 

Three years ago, a small group of us formed a Kainkarya Sabha and pledged

to have a samarpanam of a Ratnangi for Ponnappan, the Uthsava Moorthy.

Many Aasthikaas and devotees of Sri Oppilappan helped me raise funds from

here to add to the amount collected in India. Approximately 6 lakhs of rupeees

were collected . Bulk came from a group of ladies of Madras singing Azhwaar

Paasurams

& Swami Desikan"s sthotraas, Desika Prabhandham. This group went to many houses

on

auspicious days and sang these sacred works and collected money.The Kainkryam

is now close to completion. Only the Makutam needs inlay with 180 plus precious

stones.

Special gold smiths from Naagar Koil have undertaken this complex task

of inlaying precious stones on the Makutam. The Kainkaryam could be completed

in two months' time with His blessings.

 

There is a last hurdle that this group in India is facing. They need

approximately

$1,800 to pay for the remaining stones and labor for the Final stage of

completing

this Kainkaryam. . Each of the gem stones will shine for ages to come and

show us the way to his Sacrd feet. My first thought was to collect the amount

from

two or three devotees of Sri Oppilippan and help in the completion of the last

 

stage of this Once-in-a -life time Kainkaryam. My nex tthought was to brief you

on this opportunity and suggest that those, who wish to be part of this rare

kainkaryam can join in with a modest contribution and be linked with one or

more of the precious stones that are going to adorn the Makutam as Sirorathnam.

The souvenir that is being prepared will include the name of all the

contributors.

Any small amount will be welcome . Both Rengarajan and Myself will contribute

the rest to make up the needed sum. Sri Jagaanath can help us get the money

reach Oppilliappan Kainkarya Sabhaa and get some tax benefits. Alternatively,

you

can send it to me . I am a Vice President of the Oppiliappan kainkarya Sabha.

Please do not mind my bringing this rare opportunity to participate in the

Ratnaangi kainkaryam of the Lord and to receive His Paripoorna Anugrahams.

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan.