Archiradhi - Part 8: ch2 - The Soul enters the Tirumamani mandapam (Lord's residence)

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Dear Members

 

We continue with the translation of Sri P. Lokacharya's Archiradhi by

Ms. M. S. Ramesh. This post concludes the chapter 2. We will continue

with chapter 3, which describes the Lord in detail, next week.

 

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The atma is next welcomed by a number of divine damsels. They take him

around the Raja veedhis i.e. main streets in Vaikuntha. These damsels

offer the Sri Sadagopa i.e. Satari. divya churna (scented articles)

poorna kumbha, mangala dheepa etc. to this soul. The happiness felt by

these ladies while welcoming this atma is akin to the happiness a mother

experiences while welcoming her son who is returning after a long spell

of stay away from her. The faces of those divine damsels looked cool and

calm like the Moon God. Having traversed the main streets, the muktatma

enters a swarna mandir. He again offers his obesience, bows down his

head and says "Sri Vaikuntaya Divya Vimanaya Namaha". When this good

soul enters Vaikuntha, it is said the entire area became more green and

fresh as if it had just received refreshing welcome showers. The whole

of Vaikuntha is breathtakingly beautiful. The muktatma sights the punnai

vriksham (This is a devadaru vruksha i.e. a tree to be found only in

Vaikuntha) absolutely green as the entire tree is covered by fresh

leaves. Different coloured flowers had blossomed all over. These flowers

were something special to Vaikuntha and could not be seen anywhere else.

 

The area was full of karpaga virukshas. The gem set mandapas radiated a

dazzling beauty. Vaikuntha was also full of kreeda parvaths i.e. Hills

of enjoyment. Vaikuntha was filled with beautiful things which provided

entertainment to Sri Vaikuntanatha Perumal and Goddess Mahalaksmi and

enabled them to while away their time with happiness. The air in

Vaikuntha reverbated with the melodious Warbles of cuckoos and other

birds. The steps in Vaikuntha were inset with pearls, corals, rubies and

other precious stones. The divya theerthas in Vaikuntha were filled with

crystal clear water like the minds of the nithya mukthars. The trees

were dripping with honey. The tanks were filled with lotus flowers and

sengani neer flowers (it is a type of lotus) which were as beautiful as

the Moon like faces of the damsels in Vaikuntha. Nay they could only be

compared to the beautiful eyes of those damsels. What is more the entire

area covered with flowers presented a picture of a multicoloured soft

scented bed! The sucking of the honey by the bees from the honey filled

flowers produced a soft music. The divya ganam of the divya vandu (bees)

formed a musical back drop. Vaikuntha was full of udyana vanas which

captivated the minds of those who entered the place. The precious stones

lying strewn all over looked like a gem carpet. It had numerous pillars

inset with precious stones. The vast expanse could easily accommodate

all persons residing in' nitya vibhooti as well as leela vibhooti. Soft

breeze blew (Manda Marutam) wafting with it the gentle smell of full

blown lotus flowers, sengani neer flowers, chandan, camphor, etc. This

Thirumamani mandapa provided limitless, immeasurable anand i.e.

happiness. The muktatma reached this Tirumamani mandapa which is the

place where Perumal is seated. As soon as he reached the mandapa, the

muktatma bows down to the mandapa and says "Ananda mayaya mandapa

rathnaya namaha".

 

When the muktatma reached Tirumamani mandapa the people there again

welcome him, hug him and do atma samarpana to the new entrant. The

atmas in that place, have attained sameepya moksha i.e in their

appearance they resemble the Bhagavan. They will be constantly chanting

samagana and enjoying the great qualities of Perumal. As soon as this

new entrant enters the mamandapa, they point out to him the different

gunas of Perumal. It is said that Baghavath anubhava is like a big

river. The people who are already there point out the different

qualities of God which are meant to be enjoyed even as people plant

poles in a river as marks of identification to indicte the depth of the

river! They are constantly chanting the Ashtakshara mantra i.e. Om Namo

Narayanaya Namaha. They are reported to be as happy as Nammalwar was

when he sang the pasuram starting with the word "Urugumal nenjam"

(Thiruvaimozhi). They are steeped deep in the ananda sagara even as an

unfortunate soul gets drowned in the pralaya kala samudra. The atma

reaches the asana where the Perumal is seated. He is surrounded by divya

purushas who are the masters of astras and sastras (astra is a word that

is used to refer to mantra, Sastras is the word that is used for an

ayudham). The God Who is the Creator, the Sustainer and the Destroyer is

being worshipped by Visvaksena and others. The muktatma also reaches

that place.

 

This concludes chapter II of Archiradhi gathi.

 

 

Sri Pillai Lokacharyar thiruvadigalE Saranam

Jeeyar thirvadigalE Saranam

 

Adiyen

 

Venkatesh K. Elayavalli