Periyalwar's Tirunakshatram

[Guest guest]

PEIYALWAR'S TIRUNAKSHATRAM ON JULY 14, 1997

 

Dear Bhagavatas,

I desired to pay my obeisance to this great Alwar on 14th itself but my

Computer was down and hence this belated submission.

 

Vishnuchitta was called " Periya Alwar" - the great Alwar for very

many reasons :

1. It is the greatness of his love for the Lord that made him pour out

the Pallandu hymns.

2. Ordinarily. only elders would bless the young ones for a long life.

"Periya' means elder and therefore he was called Periyalwar.To the

objection that such an attitude was ' unnatural' ( Swarupa Viruddham),

Pillai Lokacharya has argued that as it was a 'Mangala Aasaasanam', it

was quite in order and because it was a strange case of knowledge

ripening into an ignorance of sorts due to love and affection.

3. King Janaka laid a challenge through the Siva Dhanus in Sri Sita's

marriage; Kumbar, the Aayar Chief laid a challenge in the form of the7

bulls in the marriage of Nappinnai; But, Vishnuchitta laid no

challenges in the marriage of his daughter, Andal because of his

obvious conviction that in due time, 'The owner would claim what he

owned.'

4. It is natural to honour anyone who brings relief from suffering. That

is how Rishyasringa was honoured when rains came to the parched

land of Angadesa as he set foot there. Vishnuchitta also performed a

similar miracle. When a famine raged in the northern city of Kandam

Kadinagar on the banks of Ganges, he was invited to the city to solve

the crisis. As he set foot there, welcome rains showered and the place

was relieved of the famine. His greatness was honoured. Periyalwar

himself is said to refer to this incident thus "Venkali Naliyaa

Vittuchittar"

5. Parasara who wrote Vishnu Purana known as Purana Ratna deals

with the story of Sri Krishna only in the 5th Amsa of his work;

Sukhabrahmam who wrote Srimad Bhaagavatam has dealt with the

story of Krishna only in the 10 th Skaandam; But, Vishnuchitta fills

his entire Tirumozhi with the story of Lord Krishna vividly portraying

every detail of the Lord's childhood ' leelas ' in his own inimitable

style.

6.Another esoteric aspect concerning Periyalwar that really makes him

' Periya' is the fact that he is the incarnation of Garuda. Garuda

reincarnated himself as Ajuna's chariot and as such he witnessed the

Lord delivering the Bhaghavad Gita - especially the Charama Sloka to

Arjuna. Thus, apart from Arjuna, he was the one who was the direct

recipient of the Lord's message. Andal refers to this when she says

"Meymei Peru Vaarthai Vittu Chittar Kettiruppaar".' Vaarthai' is

Moolamantram; ' Peru Vaarthai ' is the Mantra Ratna of Dwayam and

' Meymei Peru Vaarthai ' is the Charama sloka.

7. He was great also in a different way. He became the father- in- law

of Lord Vishnu when his daughter, Andal married the Lord.

- - an honour none else could claim.

Periyalwar and Andal

This father and daughter duo seem, in a sense, to represent the psyche

of the masculine and feminine principles that make up this universe.-

in their relation to the Lord

GODHA indeed stands out as the outstanding exponent of bridal

mysticism and in this is regarded as setting a model for the Alwars

themselves to emulate. Unlike the other Alwars who were all males

and had to simulate a ' Nayaki bhava' ( the role of a lady love), since

she was herself a woman, the bhava came to her naturally. Her only

ambition was to marry Lord Ranganatha. When in due time, the Alwar

took steps to get her married to a suitable groom, she flatly refused

saying that she would not live to marry a mere mortal but that she

would marry only Lord Ranganatha.' Manidarkku Enru Pechup Padil

Vazhakillen' .This was a case of bridal mysticism unsurpassed in any

literature.

As for PERIYALWAR, I wonder whether the "Koorvel Kodum

Thozhilan"- Nandagopan and "Deiva Nangai" -Yasodai as father and

mother, would have so much enjoyed the babysitting and watching the

Kidpranks of Krishna as this Alwar did. He never seems to have taken

his eye off child Krishna.His entire Prabandham is devoted to how

watchfully he observed every single movement in the growth of this

divine child. Maybe, he had a very good reason. After all, was not

Krishna to be groomed as the bridegroom of his daughter?And, it

behoved him to make sure that he was the right choice for his

daughter and a deserving son-in-law for himself !

Pillai Lokacharya observes:

Mangalaa Saasanathin Matrumulla Aazhwaargal

Thungalaar Vathalavu Thaan Anri

Parivaale Villiputtur Bhattar Piraan Petraan

Periyazhwar Ennum Peyar

It is 'Gnana Dasai' in the case of other Alwars to feel the Lord as the

'Protector' and themselves as the 'Protected'.In the case of this Alwar,

it is the other way about. In the outflow of 'Prema Dasai', he feels as if

he is the 'Protector' and the Lord is the one to be 'Protected' !.

 

When Lord Rama was in Sringiberapuram in the herimtage

constructed by Lakshmana, the latter stood guard with bow and arrow

in hand wondering what harm might befall Lord Rama from Bharata

who, he believed, had used his mother to banish Rama.

But, Guha and other hunterfolk also stood guard but kept a watchful

eye even on Lakshmana himself !. Such was the spell of enchantment

that Lord Rama cast on Guha and others who had seen him but for a

day only. The Alwar excelled them when he sang his Pallandu.

 

In the case of other Alwars, this ' Prema Dasai' is found to occur once

in a while but Periyalwar was never out of this mood. While other

Alwars were deeply engrossed in enjoying the bewitching beauty of

the Lord, It was Periyalwar who became anxious as to what harm

might befall this unsurpassed beauty when subjected to the evil eyes !.

 

In the case of other Alwars, this beauty sometimes torments them so

much as to make them exclaim 'Minnidai Madavargal" in

Tiruvoimozhi, "Kaadhil Kadippattu" in Periya Thirumozhi, "Yer

Malar Poonkuzhal" in Perumal Thirumozhi and the intolerance at the

delay in enjoying the beauty leading to use even harsh expressions like

"Ungalodu Engalidai Illai", "Venchiraippull" etc in Thiruvoimozhi

which seem to tarnish the Bhagavata Seshatvam. In the case of

Periyalwar, this beauty was never repugnant to either Bhaghavad

Seshatvam or Bhaagavata Seshatvam. He proceeds to exclaim" Unn

Sevadi Sevvi Tirukkaappu" to the Lord , "Mangaiyum Pallandu' to the

Thaayaar, " Sudar Aazhiyum Pallandu" ,"Paanchajanyamum Pallandu"

to the Bhagavatas and thus his Ubhaya Seshatvam really augments.

 

Remembering the Hiranya Samhaaram, Ravana Vadham etc, he is

overcome by anxiety and beckons even the Nityasuris who know no

sleep in Paramapadam to keep awake saying "Uragal, Uragal, Uragal"

and proceeds to bless them also saying "Sooznthirunthu Yethuvar

Pallaande"!

 

The advice of other Alwars is to dispel the sense of their own

loneliness and the loneliness of Samsaris and in the process seeking

the company of the Lord. Periyalwar's concern was to assemble and

present a bulwark of company to relieve the Lord of HIS loneliness!

For he feels that the Lord is carrying the heavy weight of the disc,

conch, bow, arrow etc ALL ALONE without anyone rushing to share

the burden and therefore issues a clarion call to one and all to come

forward to do the needful."Aalum Aalar Aazhiyum Sankum

Sumappaarthaam, Vaalum Villum Kondu Pinn Selvaar Matrillai".

 

In the case of other Alwars, the darshan of the Lord is for their

sustenance and salvation. But, for Periyalwar, this darshan provokes

an empathy with the Lord and hence his Mangalaasaasanam.

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy