Thirumanjana Kattiyam for Lord Ranganatha by Swamy Parasara Bhattar , 11th century C.E : Part I

[Guest guest]

SrI :

 

Dear Sri Ranganatha BhakthAs :

 

At SrI Rangam Periya Koil , when NamperumAL enjoys Thirumanjanam (Sacred bath) ,

the descendants of Swamy ParAsara Bhattar ( Sri RangEsa PurOhithar) recite in a majestic

way the 27 slOkams of THIRUMANJANA KATTIYAM OF THEIR ANCESTOR EVEN TODAY .

 

These 27 slokams of Swamy Parasara Bhattar have deep meanings on VisishtAdhvaitha

darsanam and have slEdai ( double meanings ) and reveal the genius of Bhattar as a poet

and AchAryan with direct links to AchArya RaaAnujA . Bhattar has witten a profound

commentary to these 27 slOkams , which are treasured by the descendants of his vamsam

at Srirangam .

 

Sri Parasara Bhattar was raised as a child by the Srirangam dhivya dampathis and they

themselves rocked the child in a cradle next to their garbha graham . The dhivya dampathi's

ParipoorNa anugraham was therefore abundantly present for ParAsarar to let him bloom

in to a MahA Medhai , MahA Kavi and brillinat Acharyan conversant with all SaasthrAs

and Sruthis . The Taniyan for Him is :

 

SrI ParAsara BhattArya: Sri RangEsa PurOhitha:

SrIvathsAnga sutha: SrimANn srEyasE mEasthu bhUyasE

 

(Meaning) : May Sri ParAsara Bhattar , the son of KurEsar with parama Sri VaishNava Sri

and serving as the PurOhithar for Lord RanganAtha bless me with all auspiciousness !

 

At Srirangam , Lord RanganAtha enjoys Thirumanjanam on the Maasa PiRapu days ,

every EkAdasi , AmAvAsai , the days on which Revathi nakshathram is in ascendance ,

Solar and Lunar eclipse days and the last days of Uthsavams .

 

As Sri RanganAthan's PurOhithar , Swamy ParAsarar sttod in front of his Lord

on the above days for reciting Vedams and the Thirumanjana Kattiyams as

the Lord enjoyed His sacred bath . The KOil SthAnIkar will invite Swamy ParAsara

Bhattar and give the Lord's command to recite Thirumanjana Kattiyam during

those occasions with a formal declaration : " AruLappADu ParAsara Bhattar "

Our Bhattar will step forward and say "NaayinthE " and then recite these slOkams .

 

adiyEn will take up these Thirumanjana Kattiyam slOkams in the subsequent

postings . These are the SlOkams that we are going to initate at SrI RanganAtha Temple

at Pomona , NY shortly .

 

A similar Thirumanjana Kattiyam on adiyEn's Kula dhaivam , Sri Oppiliappan

is available to you all at the Oppiliappan Home pages . AdiyEn was inspired by

Swamy Parasara Bhattar's dhivya sookti to compose the Oppiliappan Thirumanjana

Kattiyam :

 

http://www.oppiliappan.org

 

Srimath Azhagiya Singar Thiruvadi ,

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan