Vaikunta Ekaadasi- at Srirangam!

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

 

I was blessed to be present at Sriranga Divya kshEthram on Srivaikunta

Ekadasi, and would like to write about what I had enjoyed

The Vaikunta Ekadasi uthsavam starts on the first day of iraapaatthu-

ThiruvaaymozhitthirunaaL. It goes on for ten days from Ekadasi. The Most

beautifully decorated 1000 pillar maNdapam is where Emperumaan -

NampermaaL Sri Ranaganathan shows Himself so gracefully and beautifully.

I don't think we will get such opportunities even at Srivaikuntam to

enjoy Him at such close circles. Since it is line with ThirumaamaNi

maNdapam of Paramapadham, it is called the same at Srirangam too.

 

NammAzhwAr's 10.9- soozhvisumpaNimugil… is enacted here in these ten

days' festival of iraappatthu. (wherein AzhwAr explains and describes

about the Jeevaathma's archiraadhi maargham to Paramapadham )

 

That day (on Vaikunta Ekadasi), NamperumaaL Himself acts as a mumukshu

and enacts the role to go thorugh archiraadhi maargam, comes to

Paramapadha vaasal. The way NamperumaaL comes out of the Sanctum

Sanctorum, in Simha gathi, (at 3.30 a.m, at Santhanu maNdapam, with so

many VIPs, - with so much of Bhagawathaas, all trying to catch a glimpse

of NamperumaaLs), it is just divine bliss to hear in your ears,

"Rangaa!" sabhdham reverberating everywhere, from Bhagawthas, - to see

the "mandhahaasa" smiling face (Thirumukham) of NamperumaaL, with Rathna

anghi, there is one person (called utthamanambhI) who is signalled to

come near by the Sthaanikar (director- executioner?). A small silk

(pattu) cloth is torn from NamperumaaL's dress, and is tied on

utthanambhi's head (to signify that he takes the role of NamperumaaL's

enactment to start the archiraadhi maargham, as a soothradhaari.

 

1. The Jivan thus is called and starts his way towards Paramapadham. The

about eight people also are blessed with the same who keep reciting the

Ranganathan paasurams (sung by PiLLaiperumaal Iyengar?- I could not

hear- someone told me) upto "uLkOdai MaNdapam.

 

2. Then after PerumAL, goes for four- five steps, Saatthaadha

VaishNavas, holding the golden sticks, come in the front to enact

"ezhumin enRu irumarungu isaitthanar munivargaL vazhiyizhu vaikundhaRku

enRE" and act as AdhivaahigargaL. Then after yaagha saalai, PerumAl goes

towards the east and is offered "theertham" by kainkaryaparars, to

denote that the celestial people offering seat and cleaning the feet of

mukhthars with waters. (padhiyinil paanghinil paadhangaL kazhuvinar)

 

3. Thereafter, when PerumAL comes near Paramapadha vaasal, the doors are

opened, by His order. I was told that here "rugra granthi" (the six

statements from Aj~njA chakram) is mentioned here. (?). There is vrajaa

nadhi (depicted by a well). Once perumaaL reaches here, it is assumed

that He taks bath and the "anghi" pOrvai is removed and is offered fresh

garlands. Here it is considered to be mukhthan being offered such

flowers and appraakridha Suddhasatva sarIram (after getting rid of his

old sarIram and praakritha sarIram). (oLikkoNda jOthiyaay udan

kooduvadhu).

 

4. When PerumAL goes thorugh the gate (Paramapadha vaasal), opposite

come NammAzhwAr, Thirumangai mannan and Udayar, along with the recitaion

of Sri Rangaraajasthava Goshti, to welcome the mukhthan. The great sound

and noise reverberate everywhere, with terrific ecstasy on everyone's

face. ("kaaLangal valambhuri kalandhu engum isaitthanar"; " ethiredhi

imaiyavar iruppidam vagutthanar") The tri welcoming mukhthan is equal to

"kudiadiyaar ivar Govndhan thanakkenRu mudiyudai vaanavar muRai muRai

ethirkoLLa"..

 

5. At 1000 pillar maNdapam, it is told the mukhthan is shown the details

of Paramapadham, and is shown AzhwArs to pay His obeisance and

maryaadhai. "kadhiravar avaravar kainnirai kaattinar".

 

6. The patthi ulaatthal is excellent and is so nice and blissful. When

PerumaaL is seated at ThirumaamaNi maNdapam along with AzhwArs, it is

the exquisite pErinbham of mukhtan being seated with the group of

AzhwArs (maamaNi mandapatthu andhamil pErinbhatthu adiyarOdu irundhamai)

 

7. Araiyar starts with uyarvaRa uyarnalam with abhinayam (1st pAsuram of

Thiruvaaymozhi and continues for ten days all pAsurams and on the tenth

day NammAzhwAr mOksham is performed)

 

I could not continue to stand further since the crowd was literally

squeezing me and I should give equal opportunity to others too for

divine enjoyment.

 

8. On the 7th day of uthsavam, NammAzhwAr sings emotionally, the

"kangulum pagalum" and thus is offered the "kaitthala sEvai" of PerumAL.

 

9. On the 8th day, VedupaRi: Thirumangaimannan and his group, try to rob

the Divya Damaptis, and the AzhwAr gets the most glorious manthra

upadEsam from the Lord Himself. AzhwAr bursts out with vaddinEn vaadi..

 

10. On the last day…. NammAzhwAr attains mOksham… with NammAzhwAr in

mukhthan vesham, with no silk, no peethaambharam… only 12 ThirumaN,,

thuLasi maalai, white dress like a mukhthan. NammAzhwAr vigraham is kept

at the Feet of the Lord and is fully covered with thuLasi leaves… to

depict the Saayujya bhogham, (nEsanjeydhu unnOdu ennai uyir vERinRi

onRaagavE koosam seyyaadhu koNdaay… )

 

 

Many times before, I have witnessed this uthsavam. This year, I enjoyed

much more intensively and happily because of my e- involvement with

Great Bhagawathas like you all and reading such lovely informative

posts. It is Divya dampatis' mercy that They have blessed me to be

associated with this group.

 

I prayed to the Srirangam Divya Damaptis to shower Their blessings and

grace on each one of you and your family for more peaceful and

prosperous years with the assurance of final destination at Their Lotus

Feet at Paramapadham.

 

NamO narayana

 

Regards

 

Narayana dAsan Madhavakkannan

 

P.S On one of the days, when I was in Sri Ramaujar sannidhi, trying to

get the maximum from the darshan of Yathiraajar's thaanaan ThirumEni,

there was dheepam offering and one old man behind me was shouting loudly

the ashtaaksharam, Dwayam and CharamaslOkam. When I turned back to see

him, his eyes were closed and the cheeks were filled with tears , and

palms glued to each other were shivering. Then after everyone left, I

went to him and felt like talking to this Bhagawatha. He burst out

again, when I started the topic on Ramanujar. He narrated in both Tamil

and English emotionally "AchAryannaa, ivar AchAryan… enna dayai… enna

karuNai… what a compassion! We would have been terribly deprived of the

Greatest manthraas, and SaraNagathy tatvam- if only He had chosen to

follow ThirukkOttoyoor Nambhi's words…. A few individuals would have

been still enjoying the Prapatthi and mOksham…. No doubt it is

blasphemous to utter such Great manthras, loudly, but I could not resist

to feel thrilled to sharing the same feelings….. and with the smile and

sense of gratitude to Yathiraajar, I left the place. ( I did not bother

to ask him who his AchAryan is and why you shouted those manthras, etc…-

His involvement and excitement was cute!)

 

 

 

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