AdiyEn's Sep 10-17 trip to Dhivya Desams in Tamil Nadu & Thirumala: Part II/ Sep 11, 2004.

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

The first kshEthram that adiyEn visited during

this special trip was Thirumala . Thiruvaheendhrapuram

DevanAthan is recognized as Nadu Nattu SrinivAsan .

Number of dhivya dEsams have links to Thirumala .

One is Oppiliappan Sannidhi , where ThiruviNNagarappan

is recognized as the elder to Thirumalai SrinivAsan . There is

also another dhivya dEsam ( Annan Koil) , where the Moortham

of the Lord is that of SrinivAsan with Kati and Varadha

Hastha mudhrais . All these EmperumAns hold their left hand

upto their mid thigh indicating that for those who performed

SaraNAgathy to them , SamsAric ocean is only that high and

there is nothing to fear . With their lower left hands , they

point to their sacred feet as the sole object of refuge .

 

Earlier adiyEn has described the Sahasra dhIpAlankAra

Sevai of Malayappa Swamy with His Ubhaya NaacchiyArs .

Today , adiyEn will focus on the Sevai of Lord SrinivAsa

( Moolavar ) inside the Garbha Graham . This may be

an appropriate place to reflect on the short Kattiyam

that visualizes the Lord of Saptha Giri as Kutti KaNNan

(Govindhan ) and Thrivikraman . The beautiful lines

are in the PaadhAdhi KesAntha VarNanam style adopted by

ThiruppANAzhwAr (AmalanAdhipirAn) , Swamy Desikan

(Bhagavath DhyAna SopAnam ) and Thirukkudanthai

Andavan ( AparyApthaamrutha SopAnam on Lord

AarAvamudhan of Thirukkudanthai).

 

Kattiyam ( First two lines

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

 

ThiruppAdham: "TaNDayum Salankayum sAtthina sila Silambum

aNDamaLantha azhahaana ThiruvadihaLum "

 

The sacred feet of the Vamana Govindhan are seen with

the aabharaNams of TaNdai , Salangai and Silambu . These

aabharaNams have been placed by Mother YasOdhA for Her

Kutti Govindhan so that she can foilow His movement around

the house as He takes His lilting steps . TaNDai and Silambu

refer to His aparAjitha Tatthvam ( One who can not be defeated

by anyone in battle).To that extent , they are Veerak-kazhalkaL .

Salangai connects with His nava youvana aakAram . The one who

beautified Him is YasOdhA and that is hinted by the usage of

the word "saatthina Silambu" . This Kutti KaNNan arrived earlier at

Bali's Yaaga Saala as Vaamanan and asked for three measures of

land marked by His tiny feet and then grew into gigantic Thrivikrama

roopam to measure the universe (aNDamaLantha Azhahaana

ThiruvadikaL) . Swamy NammAzhwAr salutes this Thrivikrama

roopam of ThiruviNNagarappan this way : " KaaNminkaL ulaheer!

KaNN muhappe Nimirntha--" ) . He grew into a gigantic form

right in front of the eyes of the astounded watching world .

 

Swamy Desikan describes the sacred feet of the Lord

as having the fragrance of the vEDaS ( Velatheetha sruthi

parimaLam ); Swamy visualizes them as being worshipped by

Brahma dEvan ( VedasAm mouLi sEvyam) and as the ones

recieving the upachArAm of pressings from the lotus soft

hands of BhUmi Devi and MahA Lakshmi ( LakshmI BhUmyO:

kara sarasijai: laalitham) . Swamy Desikan uses the insightful

word " PraathurbhUtham " in connection with those sacred

feet jingling away with the ankle bells and ornaments . Those

Thiruvadis appeared on top of Venkatam hills as they descended

from Sri Vaikuntam . This appearance ( PrAdhurbhAvam ) is

due to His own icchA and sanklapam ( SvEcchayA , svAthmathvEna

prAthurbhAva .

 

Lines 3 - 5 of Kattiyam( ankle & Knee anubhavam)

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

The radiance form the jewels on the TaNDai and Silampu

fall on the ankle and the knee ( JangA) . Their beauty is now

enjoyed as they spread to the knees and past the knees to

the silk vasthrams adorning the waist region of the Lord :

 

" KaNDa Jathayum karuttha muzham-kaalum ,

Senai mudaliyArum , siRu sattayum , pattu-aadayum ,

pala pala aadayum , arayil sinnathum , ohrAr peethambaramum "

 

JangA Soundharyam arises from Jaanu Kaanthi . That lustre

of the Jaanu ( Muzham-kaal) is enhanced by the paadha kaDakam

( gems on the TaNDai and silambu) . " KaDaka ruchibhi: chithra

aakaaram " is Swamy Desikan's dhyAna Janitha anubhavam of

the Lord at Srirangam in Bhagavath DhyAna SopAnam .

 

The union of the kaanthi from the Knee and the radiance of

the region from knee to ankles (Kalaachee) double the beauty

of the Lord ( Jaanu chaayaa dhviguNa: ) . Senai MudaliyAr protecting

all the Iswaryams of the Lord is seen here enjoying the special

beauty that the AaabharaNams achieved thru their

association with the Lord's ThirumEni.

 

On the body of this GopAla Dimpan ( Kutti KaNNan) ,

a small shirt (Sattai) , silken vasthram ( Pattu Udai )

and many other utthareeyams ( Pala pala aadayum)

are seen . A small mutihued peethAmbharam is also

seen adorning the waist region of the Lord ( arayil sinnathum

oru aar Pethambharamum) .

 

Kattiyam lines 6-11( Chest region , shoulders and hands ):

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

" semponnaal saattiya Kousthubhamum

mangalmaaha vala maarbhil Lakshmiyum

Naanku Thirukkaiyum , naRRc-chudar Aazhiyum ,

hasthatthil nAgAbharaNamum , mey vaLayum

thOL valayum , iru kaiyum yEnthina sanku chakkaramum "

 

Now , the author of the Kattiyam has reached the chest region.

adorned by the gem Kousthubham set in gold ( SemponnAl

Saathtiya Kousthubhamum / " MaNivara ruchA ranjitham)

and MahA Lakshmi seated on the right side of the chest ( SrI Padha

nyAsa dhanyam/ mangaLamaaha vala maarbhil Lakshmiyum) .

 

Next , the four hands of the Lord come into view : "Naanku

Thirukkaramum , naRRc-chudar aazhiyum , hasthatthil

nAgAbharaNamum , mey vaLayum , thOL valayum , iru kaium

yEnthina sanku chakkaramum " . There the inspired poet

sees the four auspicious hands holding the radiant Sudarsanam

and Paanchajanyam along with arm aabharaNam ( NaagaabharaNam ) ,

and golden bangles on the wrists .

 

>From the upper ThirumEni , the gaze shifts to the Thirumukha

MaNDalam , the forehead , the sparkling friendly eyes welcoming

the Bhakthan generously to His aasthAnam on top of the seven

hills : " oru karayil mudiyai vaittha senthAmarai kaNNum ,

antha thirukkaNN malarum , neRRip-pattayum , nEranintha

suttiyum . tittip-padhamaum , taaLAtha ThirumEniyum kaNDEn ".

When the Lord sees the dear bhakthan ( PraNayini janam) ,

His smile becomes meaningful (SaabhiprAyam ) and blossoms

into its full measure .He looks across the banks of SamsAric

ocean to give a hand to the devotee on the other bank ,

where He presides .

 

The eyes are beautiful and soft as the lotus petals . Over those

eyes is the broad forehead (neRRip-pattai) with sparkling

KasthUri tilakam ( Kanaka tilakAlankrutham atha yEva

kaantham svAgadha udhAra nEthram) . " nEraNintha suttiyum ,

titthip-padhamum ' refer to the alankArams found on the forehead

to remove dhrushti dhOsham .

 

The composer's gaze shifts now downward in the "KesAdhi

PaadhAntham " style and he is overcome by the dhivya soundharyam

and sighs that he can not fully consume it ( TaaLAtha ThirumEniyum).

He fixes his gaze on the auspicious lotus feet and sees there red lotus

garlands ( suRRat-thriuvadi mEl senkazhuneer maalai saaRRi ) .

Now the eyes of the poet move upward to the crown and the dark

tresses (kesabhAram ) of the GopAlan ( ThiruvenkadamudayAn).

There the poet enjoys the sight of garlands made of MandhAra ,

Kurukkatthi and green Marukkozhunthu adorning the Lord 's

Thirumudi ( Mikkat-thirumudi mEl , manthArai , Kurukkatthi

pacchaik-kathirudanE saaRRi ). The anubhavam is similar to

PeriyAzhwAr's PoocchUttal paasurams .

 

Govindhan of Thirumalai transfroms right before the eyes of

the kattiyakkArar into the world-measuring , gigantic Thrivikraman

with the fooot shooting upward into gaganAkAram ( Ulaham

aLanthAn ThiruvadigaLaik-kaNDEn ! KaNDEn ! ) . The anubhavam

is similar to the Mudal AzhwArs at ThirukkovalUr .

 

The darsana soubhAgyam of Thrivikrama VenkatEsan

assures the poet that no asubham will come his way

anymore and concludes the dhivya darsanam with

the Phala sruthi " Thee vinaikaL vaarAthE ! thee

vinaikaL vaarAthE ! " The inauspiciousness of any kind

will not touch the bhakthan , who has enjoyed Govindhan

of Thirumalai in this fashion as a Rasikan :

 

" aklEsEna praNihitha dhiyAm--aarurukshO: avasTAm

Bhakthim gADAm disathi Bhagavath-dhyAna sOpAnamEtath "

 

is the experience of Swamy Desikan regarding His Bhagavath

dhyAnam of Lord RanganAthA , which is echoed the aanandha

anubhavam of this KattiyakkArar .

 

Next adiyEn will move to the sevai of Sri RanganAthar

on the next day at Srirangam , where Cauveri was

rushing with joy touching both the banks .

 

Thanks to Sriman Vaasu for sharing this Kattiyam

for Lord VenkatEsa .

 

Daasan , V.Sadagopan

http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/oppiliappan/sva