A Peep into Periya ThiruMozhi 200

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ThEar azhundhUr pAsuram-s ---Beyond Description

 

The eighth ten of the seventh decad (Ezhaam Patthu, Ettaam Tirumozhi)

is unique, in the sense that all the pasurams end with the refrain,

“Amarar Kove!”. This we understand to be a reiteration of the

Emperuman’s tirunamam at this Divyadesam, viz., “Devaadi Raajan”.

This particular group of ten verses finds the Azhwar recounting the

various magnificent avataaras of the Lord, commencing with an

enticing portrait of His supine figure, reclining on Adisesha, with

Sridevi and Bhoodevi gently pressing His delicate feet, with

Maharshis and Sages singing His praise incessantly, in apparent

slumber but ever exercised about the welfare of His devotees.

Azhwar tells us that this Vyooha Vasudeva moorthy is none other than

the one who is adored by the wise and learned of Azhundoor.

 

The extraordinary compassion and mercy Emperuman has for mortals,

which found a reflection in His Hayagreeva Avataram, restoring the

stolen Vedic lore to Brahma and Maharshis who felt lost without them,

is brought out in the second pasuram, while the third recounts how the

Lord came rushing post haste from Srivaikunttam to save a mere

elephant, besieged by a crocodile. The submarine operation mounted by

the Lord for rescuing Mother Earth from the depths of the ocean, in

the form of a Magnificent Boar, is brought out in the fourth pasuram,

while the fifth is about Sri Kalian’s favourite Nrisimha avataram. The

enchanting Brahmachari who sought a mere three feet of land and grew

later into a colossus, measuring the three worlds with His feet,

comes in for praise in the next verse, while it is Sri Rama, whose

glory is recounted in the seventh pasuram. The ever-entertaining

exploits of the mischievous Krishna occupy two pasurams, the eighth

and ninth. Thus, the Vyooha Vasudeva, who is the origin of all

avataras, is praised in the first pasuram and the resulting avataras,

in the rest of the verses.

 

We have heard as to how Piraatti confers distinction on Emperuman,

serving as an unerring identification for the Parabrahmam (“Svaroopa

Niroopaka Dharmam”). Without Her benign presence we would be hard put

to recognise the Ultimate. It is She who is the root cause of all of

the Lord’s accomplishments, says Srimad Ramayanam too—“Aprameyo hi

tat teja: yasya saa Janakaatmaja”. Azhwar tells us that just as

Piratti enhances Emperuman, Her glory, in turn, is accentuated by

association with the Lord. (They are indeed a glorious couple,

complementing, supplementing and enhancing each other). Azhwar brings

out this esoteric purport through the brief appellation, “Tiruvukkum

Tiru aagiya Selva!”.

Does this ring a bell? It should, for, not one, but three of our

Poorvacharyas have used this phrase (its Sanskrit equivalent)

verbatim in their compositions. First is Sri Alavandar, in his Stotra

Ratnam—“Ka: Sree: Sriya:”, followed by Sri Koorattazhwan—“Tvaam hi

Sriya: Sriyam udaahu: udaara vaacha:” (Sri Vaikuntta Stavam) and Sri

Bhattar—“Sriya: Sree: Sri Rangesaya” (Sri Guaratna Kosam).

 

The beauty of Sri Kalian’s Terazhundoor pasurams is beyond

description. They are set to lilting metres, making it as much a

pleasure to recite them as to imbibe their inner purport. Each

pasuram is an incredibly sweet amalgam, consisting of a description

of the Lord’s glories and the magnificence of the locale, a narration

of sublime personal experience and an enlightening exhortation to the

devout. While I have attempted to place before you a severely

abridged and perhaps stilted version of the verses and their

significance, you would find it extremely profitable to peruse the

pasurams one by one. In the process, you would emerge much richer in

spirit, your admiration for the Azhwar increasing manifold.

 

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri

Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

dasan, sadagopan