Reflections of the Ninth day about MelukOte sampradhAyam established by AchArya RaamAnujA : Dhivya Prabhandham recitation tradition at Melukote : Part III

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SrimathE RaamAnujAya nama:

 

HAPPENINGS AT MELUKOTE THRU THE AGES (CONTINUED ):

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In this posting , we will cover the foundation stone

laid by AchArya RaamAnujA for the Dhivya Prabhandha

PaarAyaNam at ThirunArayaNan's temple .

 

Srimans Jaggu NarasimhAchAr and R.KrishNa Iyengar

point out that AchArya RaamAnujA incorporated

the chanting of the hymns of dhivya prabhandhams

in a particular order as a part of his temple

reforms at MelukOte. This order is followed even

today during the various uthsavams and SaathumuRais.

 

The First decad of the Fourth Centum of ThiruvAimozhi

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This decad was identified by AchArya RaamAnuja as NammAzhwAr's

mangaLAsAsanam for ThirunArAyaNan . The first Paasuram

of this decad that attracted the attention of AchArya

RaamAnujA is :

 

" oRu naayakamAi OdaulahudanANDavar

karunAi kavarntha kaalar sithaihia paanayar

perunAdu kaaNa immayilE picchai thaam koLvar

THIRUNAARANAN THAALL KAALAM PERAC CHINTHITTHU UYMINO "

 

The fourth line (padham )of the above paasuram has been

identified with the Manthra rathnam (Dhvaya manthram )

in Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram saluting the charaNa

Kamalms of Sriman NaarAyaNan .

 

The meaning of this Paasuram as translated by

Dr.V.N.VedAntha Desikan is as follows :

 

"Men, who ruled over vast territories with an

unquestioned suzerainity , are one day driven out,

and are driven to the plight of living on alms,

roaming , unnoticed , in dark night , out of sheer

shamefulness. Black dogs chase them and bite

their legs. What a fate ! With cheap metal dish

on hand , trying to avoid the sight and identification,

by people whom he would have sent away when he was on

the throne , he now has to live a humble life of

begging-- in the same life; that is the worst part

of it. So, please learn the ephemeral and fickle

nature of prosperity . Contemplate on the Lord's feet

(charaNam ) in order to gain real prosperity of salvation .

And do it immediately -not putting it off .

 

The reference to Dhvaya manthram is very clear

in the fourth paadham of this ThiruvAimozhi(TVM)

Paasuram .

 

In the other paasurams , Swamy NammAzhwAr describes

the misfortunes befalling the human beings form their

heedless pursuit of perishable wealth of different kinds

and gives us His UpadEsam based on dhvaya manthrArtha

vivaraNam (elaboration ). The examples are :

 

semmin mudit ThirumAlai virainthaDic chErminO--TVM:4.1.2

 

Meaning: Before all misfortunes cripple you, please seek

& gain your salvation by rushing to the sacred feet of Sriman

NaarAyaNan with the radiant crown : Sriman NaarAyaNa

charaNou SaraNam kuru .

 

KaDisEr ThuzhAi Mudik KaNNan KazhalkaL ninaiminO--TVM:4.1.3

 

Meaning : (look where all the royal prosperity goes !).

Quickly learn hence to concentrate on the holy feet

of the Lord with the ThuLasI-adorned crown .

 

PanaitthALL mathakakaLiRattavan padham paNiminO--TVM:4.1.4

 

Meaning:(this life is far too ephemeral). Please realize this

and resort to the feet of of the One Lord , who felled

the giant elephant of Kamsan .

 

MaNiminnu mEni namm Maadhavan pEr solli VaazhuminO--TVM:4.1.5

 

Meaning all worldly wealth is perishable ). Hence , it is

wise to cling to the feet of our Lord , the imperishable wealth

and the embodiment of immense charm and enjoyment.

 

aazhnthAr KadaRp PaLLI aNNal adiyavar aaminO --TVM: 4.1.6

 

Meaning : ( Life is impermanent ).So , realize that the only

permanent thing is the Life of Loving servitude at the feet

of the Lord , who is reclining on the ocean-waters almost

as if He is waiting for you and me .

 

kOmin ThuzhAi mudi AadhiyansOthi guNangaLE --TVM : 4.1.7

 

Meaning : Learn to munch , digest and live on, the sweet

guNams of the Lord -that food will ever be available and

will sustain you forever .

 

paNamkoLL aravaNayAn ThirunAmam padiminO--TVM: 4.1.8

 

Meaning : Do chant His names , strive for the best goal,

not being deluded by mundane pleasures , which also

arise from ThirunArAyaNan's blessings .

 

kodimannu puLLudai aNNal KazhalkaL kuRuhiminO--TVM:4.1.9

 

Meaning : ( even Svargam or Indra"s heaven is to be

spurned since it is impermanent and is of limited duration ).

Go after the one from which there is no return, the life

of nithya kaimkaryam in Sri Vaikuntam. To secure it ,

you must hover around the Lord's feet .The Lord will

lovingly accept you and will not let you go , even if

you want to .

 

maRuhalil Isanaip paRRi vidAvidil veedahthE --4.1.10

 

Meaning : ( Kaivalyam should be rejected as a permanent

bliss).The only lasting bliss is the Lord's abode ,

Sri Vaikuntam .

 

Swamy NammAzhwAr concludes this decad on ThirunArAyaNan

and His dhvaya manthram this way for our benefit:

 

" So has SatakOpan sung a thousand verses about

the sacred feet of the Lord , pointing them out as

the right path for salvation , the life of service

to Him .Of them all, whosoever masters this decad

on Sriman NaarAyaNan will be freed from all grief

and will attain the desired mOksham and nithya-

kaimkaryam to the Lord in His supreme abode ".

 

TampirAn Padi's elaboration on ThirunArAyaNapuram

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TampirAnpadi speculates that the entire ThiruvAimozhi

is on the different deities worshipped from ancient

times at ThirunArAyanapuram . Many times Swamy

NammAzhwAr refers in TVM about :

 

VaNN puhazh NaaraNan ( TVM: 1.2.10 )

 

Vaazh Puhazh NaaraNan ( TVM: 10.9.1)

 

Selva NaaraNan ( TVM: 1.10.8)

 

ThirunAraNan (TVM: 4.4.1)

 

At MelukOte , all the four forms of NaarAyaNan

are present . " VaNN Puhazh NaaraNan " is the One

for whom the daily Thirumanjanam is performed .

This SnAnabhEran resides by the side of Moolavar.

Vaazh Puhazh NaaraNan resides with SellappiLLai,

the Uthsavar . He is the BalibhEran. Selva NaaraNan

is SelvappiLLai Himself, the uthsavar brought back

from Delhi by AchArya RaamAnujar .ThirunAraNan is

the main deity ( Moolavar).

 

TampirAnpadi adduces other evidences to conclude

that the entire ThiruvAimozhi is about the four

NaarAyaNa Moorthys of MelukOte.

 

adiyEn will cover the dhivya Prabhandha anusandhAna

kramam at MelukOte during special days of the year

as established by AchArya RaamAnujA next.

 

Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE saraNam

SrimathE NaarAyaNAya nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil V.SadagOpan