ThiruvahIndhrapuram RathnAngi kaimkaryam: Part III: Kaliyan's (Thirumangai AzhwAr's) First Paasuram : Periya Thirumozhi 3.1.1

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

Today is the day after the measurements were taken

for the Silver kavacham that forms the base for

the RathnAngi for Lord DevanAthan ; we will start today

with Kaliyan's exquisite enjoyment of the Natha Sathyan ,

(True to those , who seek His protection ) ; He is also

Bhaktha ParAdhInan (totally under the control of His devotees).

 

SrI VarAha Moorthy and Kaliyan

*********************************

 

In the first Paasuram , Kaliyan celebrates

Lord DhaivanAyakan as the One who incarnated

as VarAha BhagavAn to bring back BhUmi Devi

from under the Ocean , where She was hidden by

the Raakshasan , HiraNyAkshan. After the MahA VarAha

Moorthy destroyed HiraNyAkshan and arose out of

the ocean waters carrying BhUmi Devi on His powerful

tusk, our compassionate Mother requested the Lord

to instruct Her on the sure way to save the destitute

human beings from their SamsAric afflictions and

for them to attain mOkshAnugraham.

 

Our Lord responded to His divine consort and blessed us

all , Their children , with the powerful and reassuring

Varaha Charama slOkam (*)in this context. Along with

the other two charama slOkams (**)blessed to us by Lord

Raamachandra and Lord KrishNaa , the VarAha charama slOkam is

a marga darsi (path definer ) for the suffering

humans to find the means for liberation from the cycles of

births and deaths. Thus , it is no surprise that Kaliyan

chose VarAha Moorthy behind this most powerful of the three

Charama slOkams at the beginning of his eulogy of the Lord of

ThiruvahIndrapuram.There may be other reasons Kaliyan's choice

of VaraahAvathAram first . Let us expore them .

 

(1)Kaliyan was not too far from the Svyam Vyaktha kshEtram

( Sacerd abode of the Lord , where He is self-manifested)

of SrI MushNam . The worship of that beautiful archA

of Adhi VarAhan might have been lingering in the mind

of Kailyan , when he arirved at ThiruvhIdhrapuram.

Although Kaliyan has not left us any paasurams about

the ancient SrImushNam PerumAL , it is very possible

that he might have visited this abhimAna sthalam .

 

(2)There is yet another possibility for Kaliyan selecting

VarAhAvathAram first over all the other avathArams of

the Lord. Earlier , Kaliyan has performed MangaLAsAsanam

for Adhi Varahan , who is revered as as Jn~AnappirAn

at the dhivya dEsam of Thiruvidaventhai , which is

on the way to Mahabalipuram . The archA Moorthy of

Adhi Varahan at this dhivya desam is also most beautiful.

The lingering sweetness of the earlier the sevai of

Jn~AnappirAn might also have been in Kaliyan's mind.

 

(3)Finally , ThiruvahIndhrapuram is generally considered

as VarAha KshEthram just as Thirumalai since Dhaiva

Naayakan is recognized as Lord SrInivAsan taking His

residence at this Nadu Naattu Thiruppathi .

 

The first Paasuram of Kaliyan : VarAhAvathAran

***********************************************

 

irumtaNN maanilam yEnam athAi vaLai maruppinil ahatthu odukki

karumtaNN maakadal kaNN thuyinRavan idam kamala Nanmalar-tERal

arunthi innisaimuranru yezhum aLikulam pothuLi ampozhilUdE

Serunthi-naNN malar senRaNainthu uzhi taru ThiruvayIndhirapuramE

 

yEnam athu aay = after becoming the MahA VarAha Roopi

celebrated by the VedAs (" Sa VarAhO Roopam

Kruthva" , "uddhruthAasi VarAhENa KrishNEna

Satha BaahunA " are the Veda Vaakyams

celebrating VarAhAvatharam )

 

vaLai Maruppinil ahatthu = and holding (Bhumi Devi)on

the inner side of His bent tusk

(kOraippal)

 

iru taNN maa nilam odukki = and holding Bhumi Devi on the inner

side of that mighty tusk ; That

Divine Consort of His revered for

Her giant size (vastness) and

coolness from the surrounding oceans

and serving as BhOgya-BhOgOpakarana-

BhOga sthAnam ( the abode of the most

rich and varied materials for sustenance

and enjoyment )

 

karu taNN maa kadal kaNN-

thuyinRavan idam = That BhUvarahan , who enjoys yOga

nidhrai normally at the dark bluish

and cool ocean is now presiding over

this dhivya desam of ThiruvahIndhrapuram.

 

This way , Kaliyan identifies DhaivaNaayakan of

ThiruvahIndhrapuram with BhUvarAhan and states

that this BhUvarAhan has elected ThiruvahIndhrapuram

as His place of preferred residence.

 

Next Kaliyan describes the beauty of ThiruvahIndhrapuram

and elaborates on what he saw there .

 

Kamalam nall malar-teRal arunthi = after drinking the sweet honey

from the special lotus flowers from the pond , where MahA Lakshmi

resides in Her Lotus home ( MahA Lakshmi is hinted here to remind us

of Her PurushakAram/sipArsu that is essential for Her Lord's blessings)

 

innisai muranru yezhum aLi kulam = the Honey bees (nithya sooris)

flying in dense groups singing the thousand names of the Lord of

ThiruvahIndhrapuram

 

(aLi kulam ) pothuLi ampozhiUdu senrU = those honey bees

flying in tight formations arrive at the groves of Serunthi

(yellow Surappunnai flowers)

 

naaLL malar anainthu uzhi taru ThiruvayeendhrapuramE =

and embrace the freshly blossomed Serunthi flowers

and roam around there. Thiruvahindhrapuram is the dhivya

desam , where such nithya sooris ( Honey Bees ) spend

their time happily performing Hari Naama sankeerthanam.

 

SrI HemAbhja Naayaki SamEtha SrI DEva NaaTa ParabrahmaNE Nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan

 

* Varaha Charama slOkam revealed to BhUmi Devi:

 

sTithE manasi susvasTE sarIrE sathi yO nara:

dhAthusAmyE sTithE smarthA visvaroopam cha maamajam (1)

 

tatastham mriyamANam thu kAshDapAashana sannibham

aham smarAmi madhbhaktham nayaami paramAm gathim (2)

 

(Meaning): This whole world is my body. I have no

birth or death .When a devotee of Mine maintains

his mind in an auspicious state , his body in

the healthy state-- where the dhAthus of the body are

in equipoise-- and thinks of Me in that state and seeks

Me then as his firm refuge , I do some thing unique for

that devotee , when he is totally unconscious

like a log or stone duirng his last moments.

At that time, I lead him via archirAdhi mArgam

to My Supreme abode to perform nithya kaimkaryam

for Me there.This is My unfailing assurance .

 

** The other two Charama slOkams:

 

(1)SrI Raamachandra Cahrama SlOkam

 

sakruthEva prapannAya tavAsMIthi cha yAchathE

abhayam sarvabhUthEbhyO dadhAmEyathath vratham Mama

--Yuddha KaaNDam:18-33

 

(Meaning): I vouchsafe protection against all

living beings to him , who seeks that protection

even only once from Me stating "I am Yours".

To protect him without fail is My vow.

 

(2) KrishNa Charama slOkam:

 

Sarva dharmAn Parithyajya MaamEkam SaraNam vraja

Aham Thva Sarva paapEpbhyO mokshayishyAmi maa sucha:

--Bhagavath Gita : 18.66

 

(meaning) Totally relinquishing all dharmAs ( completely

relinquishing the sense of agency , posssessiveness

and fruits of actions) , seek Me alone as Your refuge.

I will free You from all sins .Grieve not.