nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi-18

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Sri Parthasarathi thunaiSrimathe Ramanujaya NamahaSri Vara Vara MunayE

NamahaSri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

Paasuram-11

 

“vAzhththugavAi kAngakaN kEtkasevi makudam

thAzhththi vaNangumingal thaNmalarAl-soozhiththa

thuzhAimannu neeNmudiyen thollaimAl thannai

vazhAvaNkai koopi madhiththu.”

 

In this paasuram azhvar instructs others to divert the sense organs

that are provided for the purpose of service towards that holy lord

who is so easily attainable by one and all.

 

(vAzhththugavAi) “sA jihvA yA harim stowthi” That which sings the

praise of hari is regarded as tongue (“nA”). So praise him with that

tongue, the sole purpose of the tongue’s existence being singing his

greatness.

 

(kAnga kaN) We have two eyes, For What? Emperuman blessed us with two

eyes to enjoy his divya mangala roopam. So see the lord with your

eyes.

 

(kEtka sevi) Our ears have been provided to listen to his greatness

and hence listen to the talk about his kalyana gunas, the greatness

of his namas and also about his sEshtithangal (divine acts).

 

(makudam thAzhththi vaNangumingal) Our head is bound to bow before

the almighty. So use the head provided to show your gratitude

towards the lord.

 

(vaNangumingal thaNmalarAl) While you go to prostrate the divine lord,

don’t go with open hand. Take some divine flowers that will create

coolness to the divine thirumeni of emperuman and fall to his feet.

 

(malarAl) There is no restriction on which flower you have to take

for his pooja. Whichever flower is available you can take it for the

lord provided you take the same with devotion and deep love towards

him. “kallAr thuzhAyum kaNavalarum koovalaiyum mullAr mulariyum

Ambalum kaNdakkAl” When ever you see any flower imagine how it would

be if it is adorned by the divine lord and take it to his sannadhi

with love.

GeethAcharyan declares with his own words,

“pathram pushpam palam thOyam yO mE bhakthyA prayachchathiI

tathaham bhakthyupahrutham asnAmi prayadhAthmana:”

 

[Whether it is a leaf, or a flower, or a fruit, or just water if a

person gives me the same with bhakthi I accept the same given to me

with clean heart and love with great happiness.]

Azhvar says, “purivadhuvum pugai poovE”.

 

Next azhvar says about the lord so as to invoke us to prostrate in his divine feet.

 

(soozhththa thuzhAi mannu) Adorning the thulasi garland is the

greatest identification to the supreme lord (sarvAdhikan), as the

lord always likes adorning the same.

 

(thuzhAi mannu neeNmudi) “thOlinai mElum nanmArbinmElum sudarmudimElum

thAliNaimElum punaindha thaNNanthuzhAiyudaiyammAn”. ‘NeeNmudi’

indicates to the divine crown of emperuman, the sarva lOka nAyakan

(king of kings)

“AdirAjyam adhikam bhuvanAnAm eesa! thE pisunayan kila mowli:” – kooraththAzhvan.

 

(en thollai mAl thannai) the one who is being praised by me. Another

identification for the Adipurushan sarvEshvaran is being the one who

is prostrated by thirumazhisai Azhvar.

mAl- periyOn (respectable person, elderly person, superior) Or the one

who has had a special love towards me from the time adiyen was filled

with the darkness of ignorance (mAl-anban)

 

(vazhA vaN kai koopi) without any change fold your charitable hands.

“vudArAs sarva A-vaiththE” says the geethAcharyan in his bhagavat

geetha [those who prostrate me these people are filled with

generosity (vudArargal)]. Whether they fall to his feet for money or

happiness it doesn’t matter, emperuman feels happy that atleast for

that they fall to his feet rather than going at the back of other

sudhra devatas and common people.

 

(thollaimAl thannai madhiththu vaNangumingal) Think about the lord

with the mind given to meditate on him and then fall to his feet.

PeriyavAchan pillai in his commentary says, “sarvEshvaranudaiya

thirunAmaththai mArAmal ninaiththu” so fall to his feet with the

meditation and utterance of divine names of bhagavan.

 

(makudam thAzhththi vanaNgumingal) leave all your ahankara mamakAras

and fall to his feet. Due to your ego and pride your head is heavy

like being crowned so prostrate the lord leaving your entire ego.

 

The rishis explain the purpose of the sense organs as follows:

“vichiththrA dEhasampaththi EswarAya nivEdhithum I

poorvamEva kruthA brahman hasthapAdhAdhi samyudhA II” and the mudal azhvars repeat the same as

“vAyavanai alladhu vAzhththAdhu kaiyulagam

thAyavanai alladhu thAm thozhA-pEymulainanju

vooNAga vundAn vuruvodu pErallAl

kAnAkaN kElA sevi”.

 

(To be continued)

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAseeSumithra Varadarajan