The Elephant 3- kaLiRu

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kaLiRu

 

The term 'kaLiRu' representing elephant, have been.

liberally used by AzhwAr-s.

 

GajEndjhrAzhwAn has been battling with the crocodile with the desire

for worshipping the Almighty with the fresh flowers.

Sri Nam-AzhwAr describes this crisply as ' thozhum kAdhal kaLiRu'

-ThiruvAi mozhi- 3-1-9; The Elphant which desired with Love to

worship the Lord.

 

The ThiruvEnkatam in those days was just not with plenty of elephants

but these elpehants worshipped The EmperumAn.

 

The Elphant with the due sanctity offers flowers and honey and worships ThiruVEnkaTamudaiyAn.

 

'migumadath ThEan viNda malar koNdu viRal vEankatavanaiyEa

kaNdu vaNangum kaLiRu' mUnRAm ThiruvandhAdhi 70.

 

And here is the masterpiece on kaLiRu.

 

The elphants reach azhagar kOil in herds. AzhwAr describes this as the

meeting of the same clan. How is that? Well, one is the elephant clan

and other is the SundaraRajan Himself -The Lord of ThirumAl irumsOlai

who is a likened to the elephant

 

'..mazhak kaLiRRu inam sEAr mAlirumsOlai' 2-10-9 of ThiruvAi mozhi;

'sOlai mazha kaLiRu..' 4-9-2 of Thirumozhi. Thirumangai mannan likens the Lord to the jumbo.

Let me sign off with the EDu vAkyam for this pAsuram

 

'anguNdAna thiryakkugaLum azhagarOdu OrinamAyAyiRRiruppadhu..angu

niRkiRadhum sOlai mazha kaLiRiREA"

 

In ThirumAl irumsOlai, even the animals become the same class of that

of EmperumAn. Does not Thriumangai AzhwAr term the EmperumAn as

'sOlai mazha kALiRu!'

 

dAsan

vanamamalai padmanabhan