The color of the Lord's Body: II(anirdEsya Vapu:)

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear SrImAn Krishnamachari:

 

In addition to the pramANams of Thirumangai

Mannan and Swamy Desikan's PaadhukA Sahasra

SlOkma , there are additional references that

BhakthAs might wish to reflect on:

 

Two paasurams from AzhwArs celebrating the differences

in colors in different yugams:

 

(1)Thirumangai InDaLUr Paasuram:

 

Munnai VaNNam Paalin vaNNam Muzhuthum nilai ninRa

Pinnai VaNNam koNDal VaNNam VaNNameNNunkAl

Ponnin VaNNam MaNiyin VaNNam purayum ThirumEni

inna vaNNam yenRu kaattIr InDaLUrIrE

--Priya Thirumozhi: 4.9.8

 

(Meaning): Oh EmperumAn ! When we research on

the hue of YOur body , it is white in Krutha Yugam ,

like dark rain laden cloud in Kali yugam ; in TrEthA

yugam and DhvApara Yugam , it is golden and green

respectively. Please show me the hue that you have

adopted in Your archai ThirumEni at Your dhivya dEsam

of INDaLUr .

 

(2) Thirumazhisai Paasuram lamenting the poor

faith ofmen , who ought to know of the soulabhyam of

the Lord :

 

Paalin neermai , semponn neermai,paasiyin pasumpuRam

pOlum neermai, poRpudait-tadatthu vaNDu vinDulAm

neela neermai yrnRivai niRaintha kaalam naankumAi

Maalin neermai vyaagam maRiatthathenna neermayaE

--Thurucchandha Viruttham :Paasuram 44

 

(Meaning):" Milk-white in Krutayuga, copper-red in

TrEtA Yuga, moss-green in dhvApara YugA , and the hue of

the blue lotus enjoyed by the bees in Kali yugA ,

the hues taken by Thee will be the hue of the ages.

The accesibility of VishNu in all these periods

not enjoying , what color is it that men of

the earth have ?"

 

MahAmahOpAdhyAya U.Ve. SrI SrIvatsAngAcchAr Swamy

points out that all colors (hues )are taken by the Lord

and His Divine Consort, MahA Lakshmi. He cites as

example the color of the Lords associated with

ThirumaNN SthAnams :

 

Kesavan: golden hue, NaaraYaNan : Muhil VaNNan,

Maadhavan: Neela MaNI, Govindhan: Moon beam ,

VishNu: Lotus stamen hue et al .

 

Similarly , MahA Lakshmi invoked

for SrI ChUrNa DhAraNam Sriyayai,

AmruthOthbhavA , Kamala, Chandra sOdhari,

VishNu pathni , VaishNavi, VaraarOhA ,

Hari VallabhA , SaarngiNI Deva Devi,

Sura Sundari and MahA Lakshmi have

differentt anuroopa VaNNam ( Color).

 

In general however , The Lord is visualized as

dark (bluish) black hue and His PirAtti

is invoked as having HiraNya VarNai (Yellow).

Vedam invokes therefore MahA LakshmI"s hue

as "HiraNya VarNAm HariNIm ".

 

NamO NaarAyaNAya ,

RaamAnuja Daasan , V.SadagOpan