KooratthAzhwAn Thirunakshathram (thai hastham)

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Sri:

 

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

 

Today (thai hastham) is the Thirunakshathram of KooratthAzhwAn- KooEsar-

also called "Azhwaan". KoorEsar's jnAnam, respect and reverence for

AchAryA Ramanujar, bhakti, vairAgyam are all in superlative terms. He

was from an affluent family and left all his wealth and joined RamanujA,

as his sishya along with his Dharma pathnI. His sons are the Greatest

Paraasara Bhattar and VyAsa bhattar, who were named so by YathirAjar as

per the promise RamanujA had pledged during YamunAchAryA's (ALavandhaar)

demise.

 

KoorEsar was the one who read the Commentary of Brahmasoothram in one

night and he could remember all when it was stolen and taken away be the

envious enemies on RamaujA's return from kashmir. Based on KoorEsar's

memory and ability, Ramanuj wrote Sri BhAshyam. (Please correct me, if I

am wrong!). Such was the Greatness of KooratthAzhwAn .

 

KoorEsar's eyes were plucked by ChOzhA king. The king, on the advice of

Nalooraan, (a former sishya of KooratthAzhwAn, and was working for the

king) had ordered RamanujA and Periya nambhi to appear in his court to

sign a statement saying "Sivaath Param naasthi", (means: there is none

superior to Siva. When the command of the king was heard by

KooratthAzhwaan first, he wore the sanyaasi's dress, (when Ramanuja at

that time was taking bath in the river), and left his white "gruhastha"

vEshti for Ramanuja, so that he can escape. He along with periya nambhi

went to the king's court and when Periya nambhi refused to sign, he was

executed. KooratthAzhwAn, due to his Sanskrit knowledge, wrote a

statement "Bigger than Sivam is dhrOnam" (I think dhrONam is a measure

in sanskrit like "padi, marakkal, kaal padi, arai padi, in Tamil etc..

Sivam's another meaning is kaal padi, (like 250 ml) and dhrOnam is

araipadi (500 ml)- I don't know the exact measure!). That was KoorEsar's

chaathuryam and that must have really triggered off the king and must

have angered him who was trying to propagate Saivam. the king,

Krimikantha, in a mad rage, ordered his soldiers to arrest Kuresh and

burnt his eyes out. The king’s men took Kuresar to a prison, and after

blinding him, released him in the forest. During the entire horrifying

experience Kuresar never once protested. He found strength within

knowing that his guru was safe.

 

KooratthAzhwAn was so merciful and soft hearted that he requested the

Lord (when he was asked to appeal to the Lord, by RamanujA for getting

back his eyesight) to save him (KoorEsar) and Nalooraan also (who was a

traitor and the "brutus", because of whom KoorEsar was in fact blinded

at all). enna oru hrudhayam; - That is the essential quality of a

srivaishnava;

 

Another interesting anecdote: AzhwAn (KooratthAzhwAn), (before becoming

blind of course!), when he peeped in to a closed room where a dumb and

deaf sishya was being initiated by RamanujA as to how RamanujA could

have initiated him. (can you imagine Dearest sisters and Brothers?) He

would have mimed, acted, shown with his hand movements, gesticulated and

touched the shoulders shown sanghu, ChakrA, shown the form of Sriman

Narayanan in four shouldered form- His beauty etc... to the sishya!.

Seeing that, AzhwAn was weeping and could not control his tears; He went

straight to the Lord and asked him "why did You let me be born without

such disabilities?. I would have also had the greatest hair raising

anubhavam of YathirAjA's blissful sparsam (touch) on my body! Oh No! Why

did you not let me be born dumb and deaf, VaradA! Why?" (If you don't

have tears in your eyes now, it only amounts to my very poor translation

and lack of proper conveying, I apologise!)

 

Great AzhwAn! His pathni AndAL was equally great and highly devoted to

the Lord. Naturally, Bhattar (Paraasara Bhattar), their son was greater

than them! (thaay ettadi paayndhaal, Kutti padhinaaRadi paayum!)-

Bhattar was on "speaking terms" with even Lord Ranganathan at Srirangam!

 

Please read Sri Sadagopan's lovely article on Sristhavam (composed by

KooratthAzhwAn) in bhakti archives sometime in Feb 96, on this day for

being blessed by KooratthAzhwAn.

 

KoorEsar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

 

YathirAjar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

 

Narayana Narayana

 

Narayana dAsan Madhavakkannan

 

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[Guest guest]

Sri Venkata Gurave nama:

 

Most Dear Sri.Madava kannan,

 

I Thank you for your writing on Kuresa vaibhavam.

 

Sri Koorthalwan(Original Name:Srivathsangan) was a Small King of Kooram(

village Hardly 8 k.m. from Kanchi), left all his wealth to rally behind

Our Emperumanar.

 

though elder to Our Udayavar, he took him as his Acharyan as Sri

MadavaKannan Points out, he palyed an important role for SriRamanuja's

Sri Bashyam When he read the scripts overnight before the library was

burnt down by enimies.

 

SriKoortahalwan is also known for his humbleness.

as SriThiruvarangathu Amudanar(Ramanuja noortru andanthi) points out, he

was a person who crossed 3 most important pitfall human beings usually

fall. they are

 

1. proud that you are learned.

2. proud that you are wealthy

3. proud that you are born in so called high caste.

 

like Swamy Desikan in our sampradayam, his works on sanskrit shows his

mastery over his language skills.

 

(i welcome well learnt members to translate some of great works such as

sundara baghu stavam)

 

 

he is considered as one who lost his Darsanam(vision) for Emperumanar's

Darsanam(name given to our sampradayam)

 

there is a story that Sri Rmannuja was slightly afraid that he would not

be granted paramapadam as he went against thiru koshtiyur nambi(Gopuram

episode) since he committed Bagavata abacharam.

 

when he heard that Sri Koorthalwan was Granted Moksham By Sri Varadaraja

for Sri Alwan and all who belonged to Sri Alwan, Sri Ramanuja throw away

his red robe in escatsy saying that he belonged to Alwan and moksham for

him is assured.

 

Sri Ramanuja Considered Sri Alwan as his Pavithram and Sri Mudaliyandan

as His thandam.

 

Such was the greatness of Sri Alwan.

 

i suggest to our esteemed members to vist kooram whenever you happened

to come to Kanchi.

 

SRivatha chinna MIsrebyo nama yukthi mathi mahe,

yathuktya stareyee kande, yanthi mangala Suthratham.

 

Sri Koorathalwan Thiruvadigale Saranam.

 

 

Dasan

 

K.M.Narayanan

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Sadagopan,

 

I do have a copy of all Stavas, however, they are in

Tamil. There is an English translation of all 5

poems by Sri Koorath Azhvan by Nancy Ann Nayar,

published by Ananthacharya Indological Research

Institute.

 

I have added a page today at www.SriVaishnava.org,

describing the life of Sri Kuresa.

 

http://www.SriVaishnava.org/sva.htm

 

With Best Regards,

>

>Anyone , who has copies of the text or Text and

>commentary can contact me so that I can do this

>Kaimkaryamof writing in English . We can also

>share this kaimkaryam . I recall Sri Anbil Swamy

>giving a lecture one time on AthimAnusha Sthavam .

>He can start this effort for others to follow .

>

>I conclude this posting with the Taniyan

>for KurEsar to prostrate before him :

>

>SrivatsachinnamisrEbhyO nama ukthim adhImahE

>YaduktayasatrayIkanthE yAnthi mangaLa sUtratAm

>

>Sri KurEsa GuravE nama:

>Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan

>

>

 

 

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Data Communications Division 3901 N. First St. MS 4

Phone: (408) 456 1858 San Jose CA 95134

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Home Page Location: http://www.SriVaishnava.org

 

 

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[Guest guest]

At 02:39 AM 2/5/99 PST, you wrote:

>Sri:

 

Dear Sri MadhavakkaNNan :

Many thanks for a wonderful and timely

article on Thai Hastham day to celebrate

the Thirunakshathram of KurEsar .

 

I add a few more "snippets " on the glory

of this great AchAryan , who lived for 106 years on

this earth from 1010 A.D . He attained parama padham

in the year 1116A.D. He was older than AchArya RaamAnuja

(1017-1137A.D ) by seven years and ascended to

Sri Vaikuntam twenty one years before his AchAryan.

 

Here are some additional information to compliment

the passages in your excellent posting :

>KoorEsar was the one who read the Commentary of Brahmasoothram in one

>night and he could remember all when it was stolen and taken away be the

>envious enemies on RamaujA's return from kashmir. Based on KoorEsar's

>memory and ability, Ramanuj wrote Sri BhAshyam. (Please correct me, if I

>am wrong!). Such was the Greatness of KooratthAzhwAn .

 

There is another legend that the house , where the Sri Kosams were

burnt down from a fire and the Sri Bhaashyam was lost . It is then

KurEsar recalled form memory the Text of Sri Bhaashyam .

KurEsar was also Sri RaamAnujA's amenuse or the memory

bank and helped a freat deal in the creation of

Sri Bhaashyam by his AchAryan .

>

>KoorEsar's eyes were plucked by ChOzhA king.

 

Another version is that KurEsar himself plucked his eyes and threw

it in front of the Veera Saiva RaajA with the announcement that he did

not want to possess the eyes that had the paapam of seeing that

intolerant NaarayaNa dhvEshi .The king's servants plucked

the eyes of Periya nampi , who accompanied KurEsa

to the king's court to refute the assertion of the king

that SivA wa sthe greatest among Gods . This king later

had throat cancer for his aparAdham and died a miserable

death .

>He along with periya nambhi went to the king's court

>and when Periya nambhi refused to sign, he was

>executed.

 

Periya nampi gave up his own life after losing

his eyes out of heart break about the king's

cruel deed and Sri VaishNava apachAram .

 

Periya Nampi lost his eyes at the order of

the cruel king and on the travel from

the king's court back to Srirangam, Kuresa and Periya nampi

did not travel too far from the King's capital . Periya Nampi

could not bear the suffering and laid his head on the lap

of KurEsar and the feet at the lap of his daughter Atthuzhai

and meditated on his AchAryan, AalavandhAr and

ascended to Paramapadham at GangaikonDa Sozhapuram ,

the very capital of the ChOLA king , where such ignominy had

happened .

>KooratthAzhwAn, due to his Sanskrit knowledge, wrote a

>statement "Bigger than Sivam is dhrOnam" (I think dhrONam is a measure

>in sanskrit like "padi, marakkal, kaal padi, arai padi, in Tamil etc..

>Sivam's another meaning is kaal padi, (like 250 ml) and dhrOnam is

>araipadi (500 ml)- I don't know the exact measure!).

 

The clever Sanskrit slOkam with double meanings is :

" SivAth paratharam naasthi---> dhrONamasthi tatha: param "

Sivam is KuruNi and DhrONam , the measure bigger than

Sivam is Pathakku .

>

>KooratthAzhwAn was so merciful and soft hearted that he requested the

>Lord (when he was asked to appeal to the Lord, by RamanujA for getting

>back his eyesight) to save him (KoorEsar) and Nalooraan also (who was a

>traitor and the "brutus", because of whom KoorEsar was in fact blinded

>at all). enna oru hrudhayam; - That is the essential quality of a

>srivaishnava;

 

AchAryA RaamAnujA expressly returned from Melkote

after hearing about the fate of KurEsar and

Periya Nampi . He went to Kanchipuram

and asked KurEsar to compose a sthOthram

in honor of the boon-granting Sri VaradarAjan

for the return of his (KurEsar"s )eye sight . KurEsar

composed the sthavam on Sri VaradarAjA .

In that sthavam , KurEsar asked for Jn~Ana

chakshus ( Jn~Anak KaNNkaL ) instead of

physical eyes .His prayer was "nEthrasAth Kuru

KarIsa ! sadhA mE ".

>

>Please read Sri Sadagopan's lovely article on Sristhavam (composed by

>KooratthAzhwAn) in bhakti archives sometime in Feb 96, on this day for

>being blessed by KooratthAzhwAn.

 

Thanks very much for reference to this earlier

posting , I almost forgot about . It will be wonderful to get

hold of the other four sthavams of this great AchAryan,

KurEsar ( 1010-1116 A.D ) :

 

1.AthimAnusha sthavam

2.VaradarAja Sthavam

3. Vaikunta Sthavam

4. SundarabAhu Sthavam

 

Anyone , who has copies of the text or Text and

commentary can contact me so that I can do this

Kaimkaryamof writing in English . We can also

share this kaimkaryam . I recall Sri Anbil Swamy

giving a lecture one time on AthimAnusha Sthavam .

He can start this effort for others to follow .

 

I conclude this posting with the Taniyan

for KurEsar to prostrate before him :

 

SrivatsachinnamisrEbhyO nama ukthim adhImahE

YaduktayasatrayIkanthE yAnthi mangaLa sUtratAm

 

Sri KurEsa GuravE nama:

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan