MaNavaala maamunigaL's thirunakshattiram

[Guest guest]

Dear bhaagawathaas,

 

As all of you know, yesterday was the thirunakshatiram of

Sri. MaNavaaLa maamunigaL.

 

This day brings back memories of the utsavams that are done in

all the divya dEsams for MaNavaaLa maamunigaL. It is a big

utsavam in Aazhwaar thirunagari & Srirangam. In Kanchipuram,

maNavaaLa maamunigaL's thirunakshattiram is probably the most

well attended utsavam, next only to the brahmOtsavam.

For 10 days leading to aippasi moolam, the utsavam takes

place in the maNavaala maamunigaL sannadhi in the temple. The

prabhandham is recited completely by the gOshti during the 10 days.

 

On the final day of the thirunakshattira utsavam, Varadharaajar

comes to the sannadhi and does mariyaadhai to MaNavaaLa maamunigaL.

There is a patthivilOththal (to crudely translate - taking a

short walk) just outside the sannadhi, and the Lord goes into the

sannadhi. As in any other 10 day utsavam, on the final day, the 10th

century of thiruvaaymozhi is recited in the gOsti, with the

saaRRumarai paasurams being the last two paasurams of

thiruvaaymozhi - soozhnda kanraazhndhu uyarndha and avaavarachchoozh.

Then the thiruppaavai saRRumarai is done. By the time all this is

over, it will be about 2 in the night. Everyone in town will be at

the sannadhi even though it is so late in the night - Such is the

love and affection that sriVaishnavaas have for this beloved aachaaryan.

 

On this occasion, I would like to share the the history behind the

sreesailEsa dayaapaatram dhaniyan, which is thaniyan to

MaNavaaLa maamunigaL, and which is recited at the beginning and

end of all prabhandham gOshtis by many SriVaishnavaas.

 

MaNavaaLa maamunigaL was living in Srirangam, perforrming kainkaryam

to the Lord, and giving education to sishyaas. At this time,

periya perumaaL summoned MaNavaaLa maamunigaL and did the niyamanam

that MaNavaaLa maamunigaL do upanyaasam of the eedu muppathu

aaraayirappadi vyaakhyaanam of thiruvaaymozhi in the periya

thirumandapam in the temple. MaNavaaLa maamunigaL took this niyamanam

as a prasaadham from the Lord and started the upanyaasam.

 

The upanyaasam lasted 1 full year. Periya perumaal, piraatti,

thiru anandhaazhwaan, periya thiruvadi, sri sEnaapathiyaazhwaan,

nammaazhwaar, the other aazhwaars and other nityasooris in

SriVaikuntam were among the audience for this upanyaasam. The

history is that all the utsavams for the Lord in Srirangam was

stopped for this year so that the eedu upanyaasam could be done

without any interruption.

 

On the last day of the upanyaasam, when nammaazhwaar ended with

the vyaakhyaanams for the last sentence in thiruvaaymozhi -

'mudindha avaavil andhaadhi ippaththu arindhaar piRandhaar uyarndhE',

periya perumaaL appeared before the gOshti as a small boy - about

5 years in age and with folded hands before maNavaaLa maamunigaL

gave this dhaniyan to the world -

 

sreesailEsa dayaapaatram dheepakthyaadhi gunaarnavam,

yatheendrap praVanam vandhE ramyajaa maataram munim.

 

Our poorvaachaaryaas say that periya perumaaL was saddened by the

fact that even though He, in His vibhavaa avathaarams had aachaaryans,

He felt that none had the aachaarya guNa poorthi that He expected.

After listening to MaNavaaLa maamunigaL's eedu upanyaasam for a year,

He felt that MaNavaaLa maamugaL had the aachaarya guna poorththi

and the kurai of not having learnt under a sadhachaaryan

was now gone. So, He wanted to give a dhaniyan for this aachaaryan.

 

This dhaniyan is recited every day before and after the prabhandham

by Srivaishnavaas throughout the world.

 

I will end this posting with the vaazhi thirunaamam for

maNavaaLa maamunigaL -

 

vaazhi thiruvaaymozhippiLLai maadhavagaal

vaazhum manavaaLa maamunivan - vaazhiyavan

maaRan thiruvaaymozhip poRuLai - maanilaththOr

thErumpadi uraikkumseer

 

seyya thaamaraith thaaLinai vaazhiyE

sElai vaazhi thirunaabhi vaazhiyE

thuyya maarbum puri noolum vaazhiyE

sundharath thiruththOlinai vaazhiyE

kayyum endhiya mukkOlum vaazhiyE

kaRunai pongiya kaNNinai vaazhiyE

poyyilaadha maNavaaLa maamuni pundhi vaazhi

pugazh vaazhi vaazhiyE

 

adiyaargaL vaazha aranga nagar vaazha

sadagOpan thaN thamizh nool vaazha

kadal soozhndha maNNulagam vaazha

maNavaaLa maamuniyE! innum oru nooRRaandu irum.

 

ippuviyil arangEsarkku eedu aLiththaan vaazhiyE,

ezhil thiruvaaymozhippiLLai iNai adiyOn vaazhiyE,

aippasiyil thirumoolath avathariththaan vaazhiyE,

aravarasap perunsOdhi anandhan enRum vaazhiyE,

eppuviyum seesailam Eththa vandhOn vaazhiyE,

Eraarum ethiraasar enavudhiththAn vaazhiyE,

muppurinool maNivadamum mukkOl thariththaan vaazhiyE,

moodhaRavan MaNavaaLa maamunivan vaazhiyE.

 

srimate ramyajAmAtr munIndrAya mahAtmane

srirangavAsine bhUyAt nityaSrIr nitya mangaLam

 

 

aazhvaar emperumaanaar jeeyar thiruvadigaLe saraNam,

 

Thirumalai Anandanpillai Varadhan