Tirumangai Alwar

[Guest guest]

The follwing is a posting made by Swamin Sri Anbil Ramaswami.

Since his current E-Mail (73601.2123) is not registered in the

list, his posting has been returned and as requested by him I am forwarding

this to the bhakti list.

 

Regards

Sampath Rengarajan

*******************************************************

 

Dear Sri SR,

 

I would appreciate if You could retransmit it to Bhakti list on my behalf.

Thanks

 

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

 

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Dear Bhagavatas,

 

Today is the Tirunakshatram of the great Tirumangai Mannan also called

Parakala.

As a token of dedication, I present below in brief the lifestory of the Alwar.

 

Parakala visited and consecrated ( Mangalaasaasanam) of as many as 86 out of

the

108 Divyadesams. It is esier to list those which he had not visited than

listing

what Divyadesams he had visited.

 

We, at the turn of the century, find it difficult to visit even a few of them

in spite of modern facilities and conveniences for boarding and lodging and

comforts and luxuries of travel by car, train, plane and even chopper.

 

It is amzing how the Alwars managed to traverse (mostly on foot) sometimes by

narrow footpathsthrough dense forests ans steep mountains infested with wild

animals and insects, fording swelling waters of rivers and braving blistering

gales in an era when even creature comforts were a luxury. This is better

imagined than described to understand the depth of their Bhakti.

 

The significance of sentiments expressed in his outpourings will be attempted

in

the successive postings.

 

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

 

2. 12. Tiru Mangai Alwar ( Katigai - Krittigai )

The Alwar who was an incarnation of Saarangam ( the divine bow ) of Lord Vishnu

was born as 'Neelan' in the fourth caste to Ali Nadu Udaiyar and Vallitiru at

Tiruk kuraiyalur in the year Nala, Kartigai month, full moon day ( a Thursday)

in the constellation of Krittigai.. The Chola king presented him Ali Nadu , a

tributary with capital at Tirumangai and so, he was called 'Tiru Mangai

Mannan'. He was also conferred the title of 'Parakalan' meaning ' death to his

enemies'. He rode a horse called Aadal Maa'. He had several ministers of

repute.

 

Parakala desired to marry Kumudavalli, the beautiful daughter of a native

doctor

in Travancore. But, Kumudavalli laid a condition that she would marry only a

person initiated into Vaishnavism. This Parakala did but then she laid another

condition that he should agree to feed atleast a 1000 Vaishnavites daily for

one

year before they could consummate the marriage. Parakala agreed. This proved

an

expensive exercise sapping the entire treasury of Parakala. By then, he had not

been through even half way to the target he had agreed to.

 

He could not remit the fief to the king and after a fight with the royal forces

he was captured and taken before the king who put him in jail. The Lord

appeared

to Parakala and told him about a secret place where he could find a treasure at

Kanchipuram. Parakala went there with the permission of the king and under

heavy guard. He found the treasure and offered his tribute to the king. The

king

was amazed at the way he got the treasure and permitted Parakala to retain it.

 

In due course, even this had been spent and Parakala returned to square one.

With a view to keeping up his promise to his beloved wife, he resorted to

highway robbery and with the booty he continued to feed the guests.

 

One day, the Lord accompanied by his consort Sri Maha Lakshmi took the form of

a ' just married' couple, bedecked with all the costly ornaments and were

passing through the hiding place of Parakala. Parakala was mighty happy on

sensing the windfall and immediately pounced on the couple and demanded them to

surrender all they had. This they did. Parakala could not lift the bundle

containing the booty and with his sword unsheathed threatened the couple what

Mantra they had uttered for disabling him in lifting the bundle.

 

The Lord dragged him near and whispered the Tirumantra in his ear. Electrified

as he was on receiving the initiation from the Lord himself, Parakala realized

the purpose of his birth in this world and started pouring out devotional hymns

of unsurpassed beauty in praise of the Lord. His outpourings include -

(i) Periya Tirumozhi (ii ) Tirukkurun Taandakam (iii) Tiru Nedum Taandakam

(iv) Tiru vezhuk kurrirukkai (v) Siriya Tiru Madal and (vi) Periya Tiru Madal

He

employed four styles called Aasu, Maduram, Chitram and Vittaram in his

compositions and hence he was called Nalu Kavi Perumal.

 

When he was triumphantly returning, some of the disciples of the Saivaite saint

, 'Tiru Gnana Sambandar' intervened and objected to his honorifics. He argued

with Sambandar and finally poured out a hymn commencing with the words ' Oru

Kural Yiru Nilam'. On listening to the esoteric meaning of this, Sambandar

acknowledged that Parakala deserved the honorifics and let him go on his

triumphant march.Later, Tirumangai Alwar, built the ramparts of Srirangam

temple

without affecting the portion occupied by the flower garden of Tondar Adip Podi

Alwar.

 

Will continue ...........

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy