A Sanyasi ascends the peetam: Part 3

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Dear BhakthAs of Sri Lakshmi Narasimhan :

 

I will continue with the remaining paasurams of

Thirumangai on Ahobilam in this posting .

 

Paasuram 6 : yerintha paimkaNN ilangu --

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In this paasuram , Thirumangai states that the

DevAs were frightened out of their wits at the intimidating

appearnace of the Lord as Narasimhan during the time

of His incarnation to destroy the offending HiraNyan .

 

During that time , the Lord had eyes that were red from

the flames of fire(anger) radiating out of them . He had a gigantic

face of a lion , sharp and huge teeth . The DevAs were unable

to comprehend this adhbhutha and spine -chilling roopam

of the Lord and ran away out of fear .

 

Thirumangai says that today , in this residence of

the HiraNya -samhAra moorthy , bands of tigers hide in

the crevices among the dense thickets of bamboos growing

on the hillsides and wait to attack the unsuspecting elephants

that roam in the forest . The AzhwAr begs his mind to meditate

upon that adhbhutha KshEthram of the Lord , where His valour

and anger were displayed in equal measure.

 

Paasuram 7 : ( munaittha seeRRam viNN sudappOy ---)

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Until the above (sixth ) pasuram , the overawed Thirumangai dealt

with the HiraNya SamhAram and the Lord's terrifying appearance

at that time . Now , the AzhwAr shifts his attention to the anugraha roopam

of the Lord responding to His dear devotee as PrahlAda Varadan .

 

During the time of His avathAram to destroy HiraNyan , the flames of

His anger rose up and up and reached Satya Lokam , where

BrahmA has his abode. The residents of Satya Lokam and

BrahmA were overtaken by fear at the spreading flames of

anger of the Lord. After the samhAram of HiraNyan , PrahlAdA

approached the Lord at he behest of MahA Lakshmi and the Lord's

anger was replaced by the great affection for His devotee. He

became thus a santha Moorthy ; MahA Lakshmi , BrahmA and

other DevAs were able thereafter to approach the Lord.

 

Thirumangai points out that in the thiruppathi of the peaceful

Lord , the only sounds of the day competeing with each other

loudly and shutting out any other sounds are the noise arising from

the cracking of the bamboos exposed to wild fire, the shattering

sound of the overheated stones as a result of the same fire

and the shoutings of the excited hunters with bows chasing

the animals that try to escape from the spreading ground fire .

The AzhwAr requests his mind to concentrate on the glories

of the Ahobila KshEthram , the abode of Saantha Narasimhan .

 

Paasuram 8 : ( Naatthazhumbha Naanmuhanum --)

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Here , Thirumangai AzhwAr describes the chnages in

the Ahobila KshEthram after the HiraNya SamhAram .

He now finds the chathurmukha BrahmA and MahEswaran

eulogizing Lord Narasimhan one after another for extended

periods . Their tongues have become thick from that unceasing

exercise of sthothram of the Saantha NarasimhAn's soundharyam

and anantha kalyANa guNams .

 

The Lord's rage over the misdeeds of HiraNyA had subsided .

There were no flames of kOpam originating from BhagavAn Narasimhan .

The only flames to be seen at the Ahobila kshEthram now were

the forest fires caused by the friction of dry bamboo bushes

strikinging each other in the hot wind. That fire cause the dry seeds

of the near by Vaahai trees to explode loudly and serve as fuel

to feed the ongoing fire . Thirumangai AzhwAr asks his mind to meditate

upon this kshEthram presided over by Saantha Narasimhan .

 

Paasuram 9 : Nallai NenjE ---)

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This is a gem of a paasuram that is used daily

during the Sannidhi Saatthumurai at Ahobila

Matam . This paasuram and the subsequent palasruthi

paasuram of Thirumangai AzhwAra are the firs two

paasurams recited during the occasion of saathumurai

in front of Maalolan seated in the silver mantapam .

I will attempt to give the word by wod meaning of

these two important paasurams .

 

The ninth paasuram is a profoundly moving one :

 

Nallai nenjE naam thozhudhum nammudai namperumAn

allimAthar pulha ninra aayiram thoLanidam

nelli malhikkalludaippa pullilai aartha atharvaai

silli sil yenru ol aRaatha SingavEL kunramE

 

PadhArthams :

 

nenjE ! - Oh, my mind

 

nallai - you are indeed filled with auspicious qualities

as a result of your meditation on our Lord of

Ahobilam in response to my appeal

..

Nammudai NamperumAn - the one , who has specially blessed

us with His darsanam is our Sarva SwAmi .

 

alli maathar pulha ninra aayiram thoLan - He is the thousand-

shouldered asritha vathsalan , who is embraced by the lady

( mahA Lakshmi ), who appeared in the lotus flower at

the milky ocean during the time of churning for Amrutham .

 

( aayiram ThOLAn) idam -- The preferred place of residece of

this aasritha Vathsalan as Lakshmi Narasimhan ( MaalOlan )

is the KshEthram of AhObilam .

 

In that kshEthram , Nelli trees grow to uncommon heights

and during that growth , their long roots penetrate the stony

ground ( nelli malhi kal udaippa ) and generate a loud noise..

 

In that kshEthram , the sound of therustling of long leaves of

coconut palm trees , date palm trees ( eeccham tree ) and

the palmyrah trees by the wind are heard ( Pul ilai aarndhu ) .

 

In that KshEthram , the mountain sides resonate with

the sharp , awry and loud sound of the crickets rubbing

their legs in unison in anticipation of their mating season

(athar vaai sil yenru ol aRAtha SingavEL kunram ) .

 

Three kinds of sounds are heard by the AzhwAr at

AhObilam ( Viz)., Kalludaippu oli , pullilai oli and

silliyin silloli . The combination of those three sounds

makes the KshEthram awesome to experience .

Thirumangai's celebration of the untamed , natural

beauty of AhObilam is most beautiful .

 

In the previous paasuram , Thirumangai referred to

BrahmA and ParamEsvaran eulogizing Lord Narasimhan

at the time , when he was not united with His Devi .

 

In this paasuram , AzhwAr celebrates the Lakshmi

samEtha Narasimha roopam ( MaalOlan ) . He is embraced by

MahA Lakshmi and the bhakthAs can approach Him

now with ease as Sriya: Pathi . The most merciful Mother of

us is next to Him to intercede for us . Thirumangai is in

a very happy mood over that darsanam of the Divya Dampathis

in the united form and points that auspicious state to us

and asks us to approach the Lord of AhObilam with reverence

and ease .

 

Paasuram 10 : (senkaNALi ittu irainjum---)

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senkaNALi Ittu irainjum singavEL kunruduya

yengaL Isan empirAnai irumtamizh nooRpulavan

MangayALan mannu tol seer vandaRaithArkkaliyan

semkayALan semcholmAlai vallavar theethilarE

 

Here , Thirumangai AzhwAr reveals that those , who

learn , recite and understand the meaning of the ten

paasurams offered by him to the Lord of AhObila KshEthram

would never come across any inauspiciousness

in their lives.

 

Those blessings come the way of the above bhAgyasAlis

because of the bhakthi and kaimkarya sampath of the AzhwAr,

who is rightfully revered as Kaliyan or the one , who did away

with the cruelty of Kali purushan . The AzhwAr is also " sem kai

aaLan " or the one , who has unlimited kaimkarya Sree as a result

of his Bhagavadh kaimkaryam since the time of his initiation

by the Lord Himself.

 

semkaNN aaLi ittu irainjum yengaL Isan --

The Lord , our sarva Swami presiding over AhObilam

is sarvOpakAri and the red eyed lions prsent Him with

ivory tusks of the elephants at this KshEthram .

 

empirAnai iru Tamizh nool Mangai aaLan,

mannu tol seer vandu aRai taar Kaliyan --

the ruler of Thirumangai , Kaliyan wearing the garland of

flowers inhabited by the honey drinking bees and known for

his kaimkarya Sree sang sacred poems on the Lord of

AhObilam , which are known for their poetic excellence and

depth of devotion .

 

(Kaliyan ) sem sol maalai vallavar theethu ilar --

Those bhakthAs , who reflect on the profound

paasurams known for their depth of meaning and

intensity of devotion would be saved from any type

of taapams during their existence on earth . No

inauspiciousness will come their way due to the power

of these verses eulogizing Lord Narasimhan of AhObilam .

 

Sri RanganAtha SatakOpa Yatheendhra dhrushtam

Lakshmi Nrusimha satajith karuNaika paathram I

Sriranga Veera RaghurAtt SatakOpa hrudhyam

VedAntha Desiak Yatheendhramaham PrapathyE II

 

Thirumangai AzhwAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam .

Oppiliappn Kovil VaradAchAri sadagopan