nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi-56

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha

Srimad Vara Vara munayE Namaha

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

Paasuram-47

 

“nanmaNi vaNNanoor ALiyum kOLariyum

ponnum maNiyum muththamum poomaramum-panmaNi

neerOdu porudurulum kAnamum vAnaramum

vEdu mudai vEnkatam”

 

In the previous paasuram, azhvar elaborated the nature of one elephant

in thirumalai. Now, in this paasuram azhvar continues to talk about

the other less intellectual objects that act like the most

intellectual nithya sooris concentrating on doing divine service to

the holy lord at thirumalai.

 

(nanmaNivaNNanoor) Like a Cool blue gem (in colour and nature),

emperuman resides in thirumalai.

VaNNam - colour; svabhavam - nature;

Priceless gems will be rare and obtainable by all. But this costly

gem though very precious still is filled with ultimate sowlabhyam

available to all, (“mundAnaiyilE mudindhu AlalAmpadiyAna sowlabhyam”)

If one loses a costly possession then he feels like killing himself

but at the same time if he gets back the same gem he gains extra

strength to do anything in life since many people fall to his feet

due to his richness. Similarly, bhagavatas possess the most valuable

gem, bhagavan in the lockers of their heart and hence they live with

extra strength while along with him but in his viragam (separation)

they go to the extend of even trying to commit suicide like seetha

piratti who suffered due to separation from ramapiran. Everyone

respect bhagavatas and fall to their feet since they possess the

valuable gem emperuman (mAdhavan-maNivaNNan) in their hearts.

All the most precious gems found in this world are just a small

fraction of the emperuman’s greatness. Hence emperuman is referred

to as “nanmaNivaNNan”.

 

(voor) Thirumalai is described as “kAnamum vAnaramum vEdum vudai

vENkatam” Then how can it be called as ‘voor’ (place of human

habitation)? Shouldn’t it be just called as a ‘mountain’ or ‘forest’?

 

Any place under the protection of a king is considered to be a ‘voor’.

In Ramayana, the great epic kaikeyi sent ramapiran to exile. For the

very purpose of protecting the rishis in the forest ramapiran also

accepted the punishment with pleasure. Lakshmana, wanting to do all

sorts of service at all times to his dear brother decided to

accompany Sri Rama and Seetha. At that time Sumithra, lakshmana’s

mother didn’t stop him but advised him as follows:

“rAmam dasaratam vidhdhi mAm vidhdhi janakAthmajAm ayOdhyam madaveem vidhdhi…”

[Oh! Lakshmana you have decided to go to the forest with your beloved

brother. But please think rama to be dasaratha [place the same love

you have on rama on dasaratha also don’t cultivate hatred in your

mind]; you place me in the place of janaki [you may have a hard

feeling towards me since I am dasaratha’s wife still show the same

affection to me as you show to seetha ] ; consider the forest to be

like ayodhya since now the boundary of protection for rama has

extended till the forest.

 

So as per the above sloka, one place is considered to be worthy to

live if it is protected. The great prince rama moved to the forest

and the forest itself became his kingdom. Similarly since emperuman

protects one and all in thirumalai it is nothing wrong to call it as

“voor”.

 

Next azhvar talks about those who are protected: -

(ALiyum kOLariyum) Yali and lion are considered to be enemies in

nature. But here in thirumalai, they forget their mutual enemity and

concentrate on doing divine service to the almighty.

 

(ponnum maNiyum muththamum poomaramum-panmaNi neerOdu porudurulum kAnamum vAnaramum vEdu mudai)

Even the insentient objects, pearls, gems etc do divine service to the

lord at thirumalai. The most intellectual being, blessed with the

utmost knowledge by emperuman himself, kulasekara azhvar also wishes

to do the same sort of kainkaryam irrespective of what roles he

takes.

“vEnkataththu kOnEri vAzhum kurugAi pirappEnE”

“meenAi pirakkum vidhivudaiyEn AvEnE”

“senpagamAi nirkum thiruvudaiyEn AvEnE”

“tanbhagamAi nirkum tavam vudaiyEn AvEnE”

 

(ponnum….vEdumudai vEnkatam nanmaNivaNNanoor) In paramapadam, the

lord’s grace falls on only the nithyasooris who are already the

blessed few. But here in thiruvenkatam the lord’s grace falls on one

and all (sentient and insentient objects, animals and humans) so

thirumalai is considered to be even greater than paramapadam

 

(ALiyum) The commentary reads, “Thirumalaiyil varththikkum

nithyasoorigalai sollugiradhu” This can be either understood as, due

to the great thirst for bhagavat kainkaryam everything in thirumalai

are equal to nithya sooris or otherwise due to their wish to do

kainkaryam to emperuman always the nithyasooris have come down to do

divine service to thiruvenkatamudiyan.

 

(To Be Continued)

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

Sumithra Varadarajan