nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi-16

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Sri Parthasarathi thunaiSrimathe Ramanujaya NamahaSri Vara Vara MunayE

NamahaSri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

Paasuram-9

 

“kurai koNda nAnmugan kuNdikai neer peidhu

marai koNda mandiraththAl vAzhththi-karaikoNda

kaNdaththAn senni mElErakkazhuvinAn

aNdaththAn sEvadiyai Angu”

 

In the previous paasuram azhvar showed that only emperuman can come to

our rescue in all times of difficulty (“emperumAnai ozhindhavar

rakshakargal allar”-pillai ulagariyan). In this paasuram, azhvar

further establishes the same fact by showing that not only for

ordinary jeevatmas like us, but even for the brahmarudras who are

considered as elevated souls emperuman is only the saviour.

 

(kurai koNda) mahabali became powerful and started ruling over the 3

worlds putting all the devas to sorrow. So the devas lead by brahma

wanting back their kingdom fell to the divine feet of emperuman. To

help the devas emperuman took vamanAvatharam. As a small brahmin

boy, vAmana asked for three steps of land measured with his feet.

Inspite of sukrAcharyar, stopping mahabali indicating the cheating

act of Sriman Narayanan mahabali proceeded to give the bhoodhAnam.

As soon as the dhAna jalam (water that is poured in the hands of the

acceptor by the giver) fell to the hands of bhagavan, he took a big

trivikrama roopam and started to measure the 2 worlds in his 2 steps.

At that time emperuman’s feet went to the brahma lOkam. Brahma

earlier had a worry (kurai) that the devas were suffering due to

mahabali and hence he ran to bhagavan to get his wishes fulfilled.

Now that emperuman has won over mahabali brahma as an act of

gratefulness filled with respect,

 

(kuNdikai neer peidhu) washed the divine feet of emperuman with the

holy water in his kamandalam. Brahma had ‘dharmam’ (all good deeds)

as the holy water in his kamandalu.

 

(marai koNda mandiraththAl vAzhththi) Even we common folks know that

there are procedures to be followed while doing thirumanjanam (divine

bath) to emperuman. Nanmugan, brahma who was created by emperuman in

his nAbikamalam was blessed with the four vedas and four heads to

chant the same. Now will he miss this opportunity? So brahma washed

the divine feet of emperuman along with the chanting of

purushasooktham and other Veda manthras. Brahma did mangalasAsanams

to the divine soft feet of emperuman that had to walk in rough forest

landscapes for fulfilling the wishes of the devas.

 

(karaikoNda kaNdaththAn senni mElErakkazhuvinAn) Once Siva due to

anger plucked one of the heads of his own father, brahma. Due to

this he attained the sin of brahmahaththi. So to purify his son,

neelakandan brahma washed the divine feet of emperuman in such a way

that it will fall on the head of Siva. During the amruthamadhanam

(churning of the milk ocean) first AlakAla vishanam (a very severe

poison) emerged out. To save all the devas, Siva swallowed all the

poison. While it entered the throat parvathi stopped it without

entering into the body and hence the throat of Siva turned to blue

colour. From that day he is called as neelakandan. Due to his

courageous act of swallowing the heavy poison Siva considers himself

to be great and hence to remove that pride Brahma washed the divine

feet of emperuman in such a way that it fell on the head of Siva.

 

(aNdaththAn sEvadiyai) Brahma washed that divine feet of emperuman,

who grew as trivikrama to measure the whole world with his single

feet and who is the master of all the worlds. This act of brahma was

like a father sprinkling the sripada theertham on the head of a very

mischievous child.

 

The following incident has been shown in Ishwarasamhita as follows:

“triveebhoodhas tathA dharmO ... mumOcha tathA hara:”

[Oh! great rishi, (during the time when bhagavan measured the worlds)

due to the bhakthi towards hari dharmam became the water. I (brahma)

for the happiness of jagannAthan took that water of good deeds and

washed the divine feet of emperuman with deep love. The worship was

done along with arkyam and pAdyam. Seeing the falling water Siva who

wanted to purify himself (considering himself eligible to be purified)

held the water in his hair fold (jadai) and for many many years he

preserved it in his head without allowing it to fall down.]

 

(To be continued)

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAseeSumithra Varadarajan