NammAzhwAr mOksha vaibhavam

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Sri:

 

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

 

Today is aippasi pooraadam, Sri VishvaksEnar Thirunakshthram. And our

NammAzhwAr is an amsam of Senai mudhali (Sri VishvaksEnar).

 

NammAzhwAr's parents, kAriAr (a veLLALa agriculturist) of Thirukkurugoor

and udayanangai, the childless couple, after praying to the Lord

AdhinAthA, (who Himself had announced through the archakA that his amsam

will be born to them soon), were blessed with a male child with a divya

tEjas in the year pramadhi, vaikAsi tamil month and visAkam nakshatram

on a Friday (an incarnation of VishvaksEnA, the Chief army general and

an administrator of MahAvishNu). The parents' happiness was short-lived

only as the baby did not even cry, move or open its eyes or mouth. Since

the baby was different from others it was named "mARan" (later called

kArimARan).

 

Due to the grace of the Lord, and the puNyams (that we must have done

sometime, somewhere), Our Kulapathi NammAzhwAr was born in our kulam.

Before he was born as an amsam of Thirkkurungudi Emperumaan and of

VishvaksEnar (Senai mudhali), in order to keep up the kaimkaryam of

“senRaal kudaiyaam”, “irundhaal singaasanamaam”, it is told AdhisEshan

appeared as the tamarind tree in Thirukkurugoor (to protect the AzhwAr

from sunlight, rains, etc..).

 

It may be noted that this Divine baby AzhwAr did not breathe; drink milk

nor did it move, like any other ordinary child; but did grow like other

healthy kids. The grief-stricken parents, due to this unusual uncommon

child went to Lord AdhinAthA, put the "immobile" tEjasvI / baby in an

emerald cradle under this tamarind tree besides the temple. This tree

has flowers, which yield unripened "puLiyngAi" and not a ripened one

(puLiyampazham). This tree, unlike other tamarind tree does not fold its

leaves in the nights; and it is still called uRangAp puLiyamaram (the

tree which does not sleep), like LakshmaNa. (Even today one can witness

this phenomenon at AzhwArthirunagari).The parents observed penance by

putting the kid in the cradle at the temple daily. One day when they

relaxed by closing their eyes and possibly fell into a short nap, the

"little azhwAr" crawled towards the tree bottom and sat down

cross-legged and closed its eyes. From then on, the divine child grew in

the same state of meditation for 16 years. Needless to say, all sorts of

people in that region from all walks of life; and from all religions

came to see this marvel. The boy was a 16 year old divya tejas, Golden

hued divine form. The parents, too did not consider the AzhwAr as their

own child, and addressed him as “engaL kudikku arasE” (the King of our

kulam). Then Emperumaan also sent VishvaksEnar to do upadEsam to

SadagOpar. It is told that Lord RanganAthA called him as “NammAzhwAr”

and since he wore the Magizha maalai given by Polindha ninRa piraan,

NammAzhwAr is also called “magizha maalai maarbhinan” and

vaguLaabharaNar”.

 

Since he did not get any disciple to match his level of Bhakti/ jnAnam,

he did not utter a single word for 16 years. The Elephant comes after;

while the bell sound can be heard before. Like that the Graceful Lord

had sent a Brahmin saint by name "Madhurakavi" (an incarnate of

VainathEya) before this azhwAr's birth. This madhurakavi of Thirukkolur

was on his pilgrimage tour (on foot, of course) to North India and was

fascinated by the Beauty of ayOdhyA. He chose to stay there. Suddenly

one night madhurakavi saw a very bright star (a new one which was not

there before; nor was it seen by others even when madhurakavi saw it) in

the southern direction. He was pulled by the lustre of this light and

started his journey back to south following the course and guided only

by THIS SOUTHERN STAR. He found himself at Lord AhinAthA temple and the

star's brightness in NammAzhwAr's tEjas. He was simply excited and

deeply attracted by the Divine figure and Golden hue of AzhwAr's face.

Since he was a Sanskrit and Tamil scholar and a great philosopher, too

he wanted to test the azhwAr, without knowing that the azhwAr does not

talk or open his eyes.

 

He just threw a small stone into a nearby pond and for that splash

sound, our azhwAr opened his lotus eyes. Madhurakavi asked in tamil

"Seththathin vayiRRil siRiyadhu piRandhAl yetthai thinRu engE kidakkum?"

(meaning: If the small is born in a dead's body(or stomach), what will

it eat and where

will it stay?). NammAzhwAr, the one who had not opened his mouth since

his birth (not even

for food) opened his lips and answered "aththaith thinRu angE kidakkum"

(meaning: It will eat that and stay there). The interpreation and

discussion has been widely done among Bhakti group members; However, for

the sake of completeness- a small explanation/interpretation is

furnished.

 

The small one refers to the individual soul and the dead one refers to

the gross matter, the body. When the soul enters the body, the body

comes into life; and when it leaves, it becomes a corpse. The soul

experiences the pleasures and pains through the body and its senses and

reaps only what it has sown quite unaware and unconscious of its true

nature of its being part of the Almighty, as His body. So the soul will

eat that and stay there; When the soul realises it true nature and does

prapatti to Him Sriman

nArAyaNan (realising the body/mind and intellect as not attached to its

nature), it will eat His thoughts. verses and pAsurams as his "annam"

and will stay there( at His abode as His servant rendering service to

Him).

 

Madhurakavi was greatly impressed at AzhwAr's depth of answer and his

philosophy. He prostrated at the feet of AzhwAr and with tears in his

eyes said " O, southern sun! Please take me as your disciple: Please

make me cross the ocean of Births and deaths. Please protect me". Seeing

him at his

feet, nammAzhwAr said " Stay with me and write my pAsurams on

Sriya:patih". From then on nammAzhwAr sang with utmost Bhakti, pAsurams

on Sriman nArAyaNan and The Lord along with MahAlakshmi on His Garuda

appeared before nammAzhwAr and blessed him. Not only that, my dear

brothers. It is also told that all perumALs from various Divya Desams

appeared one by one before him and got their quota of pAsurams. Such is

the Greatness of "our AzhwAr". nammAzhwAr stayed under that tamarind

tree for 35 years. His pasurams are compared to essence of all four

vedAs.

 

NammAzhwAr is also considered as the Chief of all AzhwArs and is also

reported as the One constituted by other AzhwArs as the parts of his

form. BhUthathAzhwAr as siras (head), Poigai and pEyAzhwAr as his eyes,

PeriyAzhwAr as his Thirumukham (face), Thirumazhisai vandha jOthi as his

neck, KulasEkara PerumAL and ThiruppANan as His two hands,

ThirumangaiAzhwAr as his chest and Thondaradippodi as his navel.

Madhurakavi as his Thiruvadi (Lotus Feet) and Emperumaanaar Sri

RamanujAchArya as Divya pAdukAs of NammAzwAr. Swami Desikan has equated

Lord Sri RanganAtha PadukA to NammAzhwAr Sri SadagOpar in toto. Hence,

all Sri vaishNava temples, the Emperumaan’s Divya PadukA is called

“sadaari” or “sadagOpam”.

 

Such Greatest AzhwAr, by being away and separated from the Lord, born in

this earthly world, longed to have a darshan of Emperumaan Sriya:

pathih. He suffered with terrible pangs of love and languishing with a

nAyikA bhAvam, as Paraangusa nAyaki. Due to the grace of Divya Dampatis,

He was blessed with growing Para bhakti, ParajnAnam and Parama bhakthi,

and was shown the arcchiraadhi maargam too (refer 10.9), welcomed by

Nithya sUris.

 

After living for 35 years he wished to reach His abode (and so did the

Lord, too). Madhrakavi's eyes were welled with tears and was immensely

pleased and excited when he saw his AchAryA became one with the Lord and

united with Him. Simultaneously, he was also blessed with a swarNa

vigrahA

(Golden statute) of nammazhwAr which he consecrated at the Tamarind

tree. He performed daily ArAdhanA to his AzhwAr and even ignored the

Lord Sriman nArAyaNana since then. (He composed KaNNinun chiRutthaambhu”

ten verses on NammAzhwAr.)

 

Our NammAzhwAr has always the most favourite for Sri RamAnujA , Sri

vEdAntha dEsikA, Sri PiLLai lOkAchAryA, Periyavaacchaan PiLLai, Sri

MaNavaaLa maamunigaL and all Great seers of visishtAdvaita, till the

AchAryAs of present times.

 

NammAzhwAr composed the following:

 

1.Thiruviruttam as the essence of Rg vEdA

2.ThiruvAsiriyam as the essence of yajur vEdA

3.Periya ThiruvandhAdhi as the essence of atharvaNa vEdA

4.ThiruvAimozhi as the essence of sAma vEdA

 

NammAzhwAr, on the 21st day of adhyayana uthsavam, was blessed with the

“kaitthala sEvai” of Emperumaan Lord RanganAthA and was taken to His

Feet, at ThirumaamaNimaNdapam for eternal, permanent Nithya vaasam at

Sri Vaikunatm at His Feet, for performing eternal kaimkaryam to Divya

Dampathis. Even today, this NammAzhwAr mOksha vaibhava uthsavam is

celebrated at Sri Rangam temple. The AzhwAr’s DivyamangaLa vigraham is

taken to Emperumaan NamperumAL, and is gently placed (in prostrating

form) at His Feet,. ThuLasi leaves are offered to AzhwAr at the Lord’s

FEET until the AzhwAr Vigraham is completely immersed in Thirutthuzhaay

at Emperumaan’s Feet. It is a Great Feeling to have a darshan of this

mahOthsavam and soul stirring to witness this NammAzhwAr mOksha

vaibhavam at Sri Rangam.

 

NAMMAZHWAR THIRUVADIGALE SARANAM

 

AzhwAr Emperumannar AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

 

(Dearest Sisters and Brothers, Thanks a lot for your

appreciation/encouraging words on the last ten, also.)

 

Narayana Narayana

 

Narayana dAsan Madhavakkannan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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