RathnAngi Kaimkaryam : Part VIII : Kaliyan's Paasurams: 3.1.6

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

Today we will study the Sixth Paasuram

of Thirumangai Mannan on Lord DhaivanAyakan of

ThiruvahIndhrapuram ( Periya Thirumozhi: 3.1.6):

 

Koon-ulAviya madanthai tann kodumcholin-tiRatthu iLam kodiyOdum

kaan-ulAviya karumuhil ThiruniRatthavan-idam kavin-Arum

vaan-ulAviya Mathi-tavazh maal varai mAmathiL pudai soozha

thEn-ulAviya sezhum pozhil tazhuviya ThiruvayeendirapuramE

 

General observations

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In this Paasuram and the next two , Kaliyan celebrates

the incidents that happened during RaamAvathAram .

In the previous paasuram , Kaliyan saw the forests

full of Monkeys plucking Jack fruits for Bhagavath

AarAdhanam . The monkeys reminded him of the Vaanara

Senai in general and the Raama DhUthan, HanumAn

in particular. That reminescence propelled Kaliyan

to perform MangaLAsAsanam for RaamavathAra Dhaiva Naayakan.

The SithA LakshmaNa Hanumath SamEtha SrI Raamachandran

holding the mighty KodhaNdam with seven bells attached

to that bow is one of the most beautiful sevais at

ThiruvahIndhrapuram. Swamy Desikan went on to compose

SrI Raghuveera Gadhyam on this Mahaa Veeran at

this dhivya desam.

 

First Line of the Sixth Paasuram

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

"Koon ulAviya madanthai tann kodum solin thiRatthu"

iLam kodiyOdum" .

 

The wonderfully different usage of the word "UlAviya"

in each line of this paasuram is an attestment to

the prowess of Kaliyan as an accomplished poet

immersed in Raama Bhakthi.

 

Mandarai, the hunch-backed , heriditary maid servant of

Queen KaikEyi is a central character in Lord Raamachandran's

exile to the forest for 14 long years with His young wife.

Young Mandarai according to Kaliyan had not only a crooked spine

(Koon) but also a twisted mind ( koon ulAviya madanthai).

Through her roamings in the palace , she got wind of

the plans for the coronation of Raamachandran by King

DasaraTan and poisoned the mind of KaikEyi leading

up to latter asking her husband DasaraTan for the two boons

that would gurantee her own son Bharathan the throne of

Raghu Vamsam and make sure in Raaman being exiled

to the forest. Mandarai was the erstwhile nurse for Raaman ,

when He was a small boy. She had not forgotten the fun

that Raaman had at her expense linked with her deformity .

 

This maid servant known for her hunch back (koon ulAviya

Madanthai) used her power of persuasion and threats to alter

the mind set of KaikEyi , who adored Raaman as her own son.

VaalmIki decribes Mandarai as one who was adept in the use

of words ( Vaakya VisAradhA ). Mandarai impressed KaikEyi

that the installation of Raama on the throne would spell

disaster for Bharathan , KaikEyi (and herself){ ThrAyasva

PuthramAthmAnam maam cha ..VaalmIki RaamAyaNam AyOdhyA Kaandam}.

 

Kaliyan describes the words of Mandarai and their power

on KaikEyi as "Kodum sollin thiRatthU". They had their predictable

effect on the gullible KaikEyi and she in turn wrested the two boons

desired by her out of her sorrow-stricken husband.

 

Second line of the Paasuram

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" ( kodum sollin thiRatthu iLam kodiyOdum )kaan ulAviya

karu muhil Thiru niratthavan-idam" (kavinArum).

 

As a direct result of those mean and harsh words of

Mandarai , Our Lord had to leave with the beautiful ,

young creeper like lady (iLam kodiyOdu /SitA PirAttiudan)

to the forest and wander there ( Kaan ulAviya karu Muhil).

The Lord who resembled in hue and beauty the dark bluish

clouds of the rainy season ( karu Muhil Thiru niratthavan ).

Kaliyan states here that the preferred place of residence of

such Neela mEgha ShyAmaLa Raama Moorthy is ThiruvahIndhrapuram

(Karu muhil niratthavan idam).

 

Third Line of the Paasuram

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

(kavin-Arum )vaan ulAviya Mathi tavazh maal varai

mAmathiL pudai soozha ". In the previous line , Kaliyan

referred to the clouds of the rainy season and their

beauty. Here , Kaliyan looks up and sees the Moon in clear

skies moving amidst those clouds embracing the tall peaks

of Oushada Giri right in front of the Lord's temple

at ThiruvahIndhrapuram. The ramparts ( MathiL) of

the temple are also tall and compete in height with

the surrounding mountains. Chandran is hugging these

ramparts during his sanchAram (travels) in the sky

(kavin aarum Vaan ulAviya Mathi = the Moon moving

in the beautiful sky ). The ramparts of the temple

and the mountain peaks are reaching all the way

up to the Chandra ManDalam (Mathi tavazh maal varai

pudai soozha).The Oushada Giri has the blessings of

SrI HayagrIva Saannidhyam (presence of Lord HayagrIvan,

who has the hue of Suddha Spatikam / pure white hue).

 

Fourth Line of the Paasuram

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" thEn ulAviya sezhum pozhil tazhuviya ThiruvayeendrapuramE".

That Oushada Giri has fragrant groves of flowering trees

that attract hordes of honey bees . Those flowering tree

groves serve as an embracing canopy for the dhivya dEsam of

ThiruvahIdhrapuram . The Moon is also coursing in between

these tall groves of flowering trees . Such is the abundant

fertility and soubhAgyam of ThiruvahIndhrapuram , which

is the dear place of residence of RaamAvathAra Dhaiva Naayakan .

 

AzhwAr EmperumAnAr Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam,

SrI HemAbja NaayakiA SamEtha SrI Achyutha Para BrahmaNE nama:

 

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan

 

P.S : Please do not forget Lord Dhaiva Naayakan's

kaimkaryam for now and during every day of Your life!