Vibhava Vs Archa forms...

[Guest guest]

Hello,

In the earlier posting on "kaRavaigaL" pAsuram, i mentioned about

the vibhava/archa Vs param form of the Lord and quoted the siRiya thirumadal

verse by sri thirumaN^gai AzhwAr. While we are at it, I wish to add an

interesting reference to this subject.

 

In periya thirumozhi 11'th paththu 5'th thirumozhi, sri thirumaN^gai

AzhwAr talks about both the vibhava (rama/krishNa avathArams) and the archA

(perumAL in the 106 dhivya dhEsams) forms of the Lord. In His vibhava form,

He took various avathArams and only those who lived in that time period

could enjoy His presence. But in this archA form He exists NOW among us, for

all of us to enjoy. He is treated as a King. We celebrate different

uthsavams, dress Him up in colourful costumes on various vAhanams etc and

we all (including Him) enjoy this form of the Lord. In srivachana bhooshaNam,

sri piLLai lOkAchAryar compares the vibhava form to the river which used to

flood but has dried up now. It served many people at one period of time.

Whereas he compares the archA form to the small ponds that have formed along

the river bed. These serve the people every day. The archA form is always

with us. It is the part and parcel of us. One should think of how much

affection and personal care that the people in dhivya dhEsams show towards

'their' perumAL. perumAL is like their son. He is their king. He is

accessible to everybody.

 

Naturally sri thirumaN^gai AzhwAr is more attracted to the archA

form than the vibhava. The 10 pAsurams in 11-5 are arranged such that it is

a conversation between two girls. One of them talks about the vibhava form

and the other about the archA form. Why did he choose to do so? He could

have written 5 pAsurams each on vibhava and archa. Why did he want to mix

them? Our AchAryAs give a very 'sweet' explanation.

 

The princes of big countries are very well fed. Their food will have

so much of ghee in them. Even then, for every handful of food they add a

spoonful of ghee to the food and eat it. Likewise, even though talking about

the vibhava form is already sweet, sri thirumaN^gai AzhwAr would prefer

adding a spoonful of ghee, the archa form, to it and experience the joy.

Such is his archAvadhAra prAvaNyam.

 

Sri thirumaN^gai AzhwAr thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

adiyEn

-Vijay Triplicane

(Viji)