"Followup on Thiruvegha"

[Guest guest]

Dear members of the net,

I would like to share with you the vaibhavam of thirumazhisai azhwar and

the lord. This is a long mail and i am sorry for any mistakes.

 

Thirumazhisai azhwar and Sonna vannam seida perumal:

 

History of nayanmars and azhwars describes the bhakthi or love to lord

(shiva and narayana) in many ways. Lord narasimha came to the rescue of

prahlada out of daya and compassion. At one extreme, the lord bursts his

anger on hiranyakasipu in this avatar. On the other hand, the lord

narayana is commanded by Thirumazhisai azhwar in this thiruvilaiyadal.

Lord is extremely silent and he is in absolute faith of our thirumazhisai

azhwar (his bhaktha). There are probably a few occasions where a great

bhakthiman like thirumazhisai ahzwar is in complete control of the lord.

I hope to provide a glimpse of thirumazhisai azhwar vaibhava with the

lord of thiruvegha in this e-mail.

 

 

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Thirumazhisai azhwar, a disciple of peyazhwar was residing in Mylapore for

some time. He then shifted to Mahisarpuram (now known as thirumazhisai)

and was performing his nitya karmas consistently. One fine morning, our

great azhwar finds his thiruman to be lost somewhere. Lord Srinivasar

appeared in the dream of our azhwar that night and asked him to go to

Thiruvegha in Kanchipuram. Lord srinivasar also added that he will get

thiruman from the bank of the tank in the temple (full of lotus flowers

in it---It is sad to note that such a beautiful tank is completely in a

neglected state now.).

 

/* The following paragraph also has other versions */

 

Abiding by divine ordain, thirumazhisai azhwar went to thiruvegha and

performed his daily pooja to Yadokthakari perumal. Kanikannan came to

know of our azhwar's devotion and hence became a disciple of our azhwar.

A devadasi was also in the temple and her job was to clean the temple,

and to make a garland for the lord in the temple. She was very old. Once,

thirumazhisai azhwar asked our devadasi about whether she desired to get

anything in her life. She replied that she would like to be a very rich

lady in the next janma (she can't become rich in this janma) and use the

money for the temple. Thirumazhisai azhwar then sprinkled holy water on

her and she became unconsious. Azhwar asked kanikannan to lock her in a

room. Kanikannan though baffled by azhwar's action, did as commanded by guru.

 

Azhwar now asked kanikannan about what he wanted to achieve in his life.

Not knowing to answer this question, kanikannan told that thirumazhisai

azhwar should stay with kanikannan throughout his life. Thirumazhisai

azhwar granted this boon to him. Kanikannan was totally puzzled by

azhwar's question and his action. The next day, kanikannan heard someone

knocking the door from inside of the room where the devadasi was locked.

Opening the door, kanikannan was in for another surprise. He sees the same

devadasi but not the old one but a young 16 year old girl. Azhwar has

given the next janma to the devadasi in a day. This news increased the

fame of azhwar.

 

The pallava king came to the temple and fell in love with the 16

year old cupid. The king marries the girl. Now, our azhwar has made her

rich. Before marrying the king, the girl asks for lot of money, jewels

and land for our thiruvegha temple. The king grants a lot of money and

land for our temple. The pallava king was old. "Asai yaarai than vittudu".

The pallava rajan had a desire of becoming young and asks the queen (our

young girl) to fetch for Thirumazhisai azhwar. She says that

thirumazhisai azhwar will not come and told him to call kanikannan.

 

Kanikannan was immediately fetched by the king. The king asked kanikannan

to call thirumazhisai azhwar to the court. Kanikannan informed that azhwar

will not leave for any place. In the mean time, the king also heard that

kanikannan was a poet. This prompted him to ask kanikannan to sing a poem

in praise of the king. Kanikannan was overcome with anger and told him he

will only sing in praise of the lord. He would rather prefer to sing in

praise of a wood (marakattai) than the king.. The king thought that this

is the limit and ordered kanikannan to leave kanchi (nadu kadathal)

immediately. Kanikannan went and appraised the incident to his guru and

then told him that he is ready to leave kanchi. Thirumazhisai azhwar

(remeber the boon to kanikannan) felt that he should not be in a city

where bhagavatha apacharam takes place. Thirumazhisai azhwar meditates on

yadokthakari perumal and commands the lord to come with him

 

"Kanikannan Pogindran Kamarupoongachi

Manivanna Nee kidakka Venda -- Thunivudaiya

Senna Pulavanum Poginren Neeyum un than

Painnagap pai surutikol"

 

Meaning: Kanikannan is leaving! OH! lord of Kachi filled with lovely flowers!

Do not lie: Courageous Poet is also going.Get ready to leave by winding

up the snake bed. (Please forgive me for my poor literal translation).

 

/* I am using the word "commanded by thirumazhisai". In this poem, it

seems to me that azhwar does not request the lord and instead commands

him NEe kidakka venda, pai surutikol*/

 

Prompted by thirumazhisai azhwar, the lord prepares to leave kanchi.

Now, kanikannan, thirumazhisai azhwar and his lord "Sonna vannam sida

perumal" leaves kanchi. After walking for around 4 miles from Kanchi,

Kanikannan and azhwar were tired. They reached a place (4 miles away

from kanchi) and rested under a banyan tree. The lord also rested there

with our azhwar and disciple. This place is called "Or iravu irukkai" as

all the three rested under the tree for a night. (Or= one, Iravu = night,

Irukkai = bed). Now, the name of this place is degraded and called as

"ORIKKAI". In the mean time Kanchi lost its light and fell under a

gloom. Wolves and dogs began to cry. Kanchi seemed to be like a haunted

town. The king immediately realized his mistake and went to orikkai and

apologized to thirumazhisai azhwar. Azhwar asked him to ask the forgivance

of kanikannan and so did the king. Kanikannan and thirumazisai azhwar

were requested by the king to come back to kanchi. Hence, thirumazhisai

azhwar and his retinue now went back to thiruvegha. Here azhwar

beautifully commands the lord to rest in his place.

 

"Kanikannan pokozhindan kaamarupoongachi manivanna

Nee kidakkavendum -- Thunivudaya

senna pulavanum pokozihnden neeyumun

painnagap pai virithukol"

 

Meaning: Kanikannan has dropped his idea of leaving. Oh lord of the

kaamarupoongachi - rest in your place. Courageous senna poet is also not

going anywhere. You also rest in your place by laying your snake bed.

 

/* I could not find a better substitute for "senna"*/

 

A beauty in these two poems are, thirumazhisai azhwar changes only some

words to give the other meaning. For example, poginran and pokozhindan,

Kidakka venda and kidakka vendum, Poginren and Pokozhinden, Surutikol and

virithukol. All these are opposite meaning words with little change in

their aplphabets. Moreover, azhwar addresses kanikannan and lord

directly. Azhwar leaves his aham in this poem. He could have written

"thunivudaya senna pulavan naanum poginren". This shows azhwar's

surrendering of ego to lord. This lord is called "Sonna vannam seida

perumal" because he did things as ordered by the azhwar.

 

I had the fortune to visit this temple and other azhwar padal petra

sthalams in kanchi. Each temple in Kanchi (both vaishnavite and saivite)

has its own history to tell. The pallavas and krishnadevaraya have

patronized these temples. Vaikunta nathar is another divya desam in which

most of the sculptures have become worn out. Archealogical society of

India is supposed to preserve this temple.I humbly request the members to

uplift this temple as this temple is one of the most neglected temple in

Kanchi. I also make a request to the members of this net to go to all the

divya desams in kanchi.

 

----sonna vannam seida perumal thiruvadigale charanam---

----Thirumazhisai azhwar thiruvadigale charanam----

 

Lakshmi Narasimhan Srinivasa

 

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Vanamali Gati Saarngee Changee chakreecha Nandaki

Sriman NarayanoVishnur Vasudevobi Rakshatu

------Parayana Sloka in Vishnu Sahasranama-----

 

Lakshmi N. Srinivasa,lsriniva,sprinil

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