Thiruppavai:: Third Pasuram ( Ongi UlagaLantha..)

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Third Pasuram ( Ongi UlagaLantha..) Let us review the two Paasurams that

preceded the One that adiyEn will cover today. The Context & Connection between

the first three Paasurams In the First Paasuram of ThiruppAvai , ANDAL foucsed

on AshtAkshara manthram and celebrated it . She covered the three meanings

incorporated in AshtAksharam in Her first paasuram( ananya

Seshathvam/,unalloyed servitude to Sriman NaarAyaNa ALONE ,ananya

SaraNathvam/seeking Refuge at the feet of Sriman Narayana ALONE ,and ananya

PrApyathvam / Reaching Him ALONE as the supreme goal).Her MahA VisvAsam ( Her

unshakable trust--NaarayaNanE NamakkE PaRai TharuvAn--) is most comforting to

us . In the second Paasuram , She shifted Her attention to Dhvayam , the

Manthra rathnam . In the third Paasuram to be covered today , She elaborated on

the powerful message of Charama SlOkam of GeethAchAryan (MaamEkam CharaNam

vraja-MokshayishyAmi-Maa Sucha:). AshtAksharam , Dhvayam and Charama SlOkam of

GeethAchAryan,the subject of the first three paasurams respectively , have been

described as "Taarakam , BhOgyam and POshakam ". Taarakam is like annam (Food);

BhOgyam is like Milk and Ghee ; Poshakam is like sandal paste and betel leaves

( TaambhUlam ). With these three, we have every thing that we need for our

spiritual nourishment and enjoyment of the ananatha kalyANa GuNams of the

divine couple and gain Moksha siddhi . Another view is that ANDAL invited every

one through the first paasuram ( Maarghazhi ThingaL--)to come and join in the

enjoyment of AchArya GuNa anubhavam (the celebration of the glories of

AchAryan) .In the second Paasuram (Vaiyatthu VaazhveerkAL ),She stressed the

importance of the participants to have the qualifications to obey the dictates

of ShAsthrAs ( Saasthra-Vasya Yoghyathai). In the third paasuram ( Ongi

UlhaLantha--) , She declared that AchArya Kula Sambhandham ( Connection and

involvenment with AchArya Kulam starting from Sriman NaarAyaNA to the present

AchArya in that lineage) will give the Mumukshus ( Those who desire the boon

of MOksham) immense SrEyas( auspiciousness ). Yet another view by Sri Upanishad

BhAshyakArar ,Sri Ranga RaamAnuja Muni is that ANDAL invites Her friends for the

Vratham observance (Sakhi JanAn aahvayanthi). In the second paasuram , She

spells out the rites to be observed and the deeds to be abandoned ( Karma

Phalam upadisanthi).In the third Paasuram , She describes the fruits of the

Vratham (Vrathasya Phalam Vadanthi). Meaning of the Third ThiruppAvai Paasuram(

Dr.V.K.S.N.Raghavan) If we ( who adhere to the Vratam-Paavai nOnbhu) sing in

praise of the holy names of the Utthaman , Lord Thrivikraman ( the most

benovolent Lord) , who grew to a cosmic form and measured the three worlds in

two strides and put His third step on the head of Emperor MahABali , and then

if we take the bath (in sacred YamunA) in the name of our Vratham , then there

will be three timely showers (of rain) throughout the country and there will be

no harm at all (i.e., no drought , nor any famine).The country will be rich and

plentiful (because of the copious rains); the fish (kayal) will roam about

amidst tall stalks of large red paddy crops (drinking sufficient honey from

fallen-pollen and becoming dazed);the bees with spots (all over their bodies)

will fall asleep amidst the petals of KuvaLai-flower ( Blue Lotus/NeelOthpalam

)and the great , profusely milk-giving , generous cows will yield milk just

while being touched on their stout udder filling up a number of

milk-cans very quickly;because of plenty of milk , only skillful people could

undertake to milk these cows. Thus , the whole country will be filled with

undecaying wealth and prosperity (Richness in fields, lands and villages is

assured if the good poeple take to righteous path and sing the glory of Lord

Thrivikrama ). ThrivikramAvathAram: The incarnation dear to ANDAL The glories

of Our Lord's ThrivikramAvathAram celebrated in the VedAs is archived else

where(Bhakthi Archives :August 9, 1997). Other articles in this series also pay

tribute to this unique avathAram . In Her third Paasuram , ANDAL addresses the

Lord as "Ongi Ulahu aLantha UTTAMAN"( The Greatest One ,who reached out and

measured the Universe with His two steps) . Why is Thiruvikraman addressed as

"Utthaman" The salutation of the Lord as Utthaman deserves study .Utthaman is

One who stands at a height , where Paapams can not touch Him . ChAndhOgya

Upanishad called such a lofty personage as "UTH" . A Chethanan after

SaraNAgathi and after leading the prescribed life after SaraNAgathi / Prapatthi

can also become an "UTH " at Sri Viakuntam .The eternally liberated (Nithya

Mutha Jeevans) like Garuda and VishvaksEna have a higher level than "UTH" and

are revered as "Utthara". Even beyond them is the "Utthaman" or PurushOtthaman

(Sriman Narayanan) celebrated in the GithOpanishad of our Lord. In ANDAL's

visualization , Thrivikraman appeared as that " Utthaman " and She addressed

Him as " Ongi Ulahu-aLantha Utthaman " and She invited Her friends to sing

about the glory of that Utthaman's Naamam ( Utthaman pEr Paadi) as an important

part of the Paavai Nonbhu sankalpam to attain the desired fruits (Phalans)of the

Vratham .Thrivikraman is "PurushOtthaman" because His sacred feet touched

devotees and dhvEshis( enemies ) all alike (Samastha Janthus) during this

avathAram and blessed them all with His anugraham. ANDAL hints that the Lord's

name is grander than Him and hence She says " Utthaman pEr Paadi " ( Naama

sankIrthanam of Utthama name).She invites Her fellow-gOpis to sing about the

Naama Mahimai of Thrivikraman and His deeds.She recommended that they do this

Naama sankIrthanam and observe the Vratham with Sankalpam that it is for

Bhagavath-Preethi ( SaaRRI NeerAdinAL). Then she describes what kind of phalans

will result from such an observance . Phalan I: "TheenginRi NaadellAm TingaL

MummAri Peythu " The Vratham observers will be free from the DhOsham of ananya

Seshathvam ( Theenginri NaadellAm ) . MummAri or the three monthly rains in

recognition of the Vedic scholars, the righteous king and the pathivrathA women

will fall. The three rains are also linked to the water poured on the hand of

Vaamanan by Bali Chakravarthi as dhAnam , the Kamandalu Jalam of BrahmA , when

He washed the ascending feet of the Lord and the GangA jalam that flowed from

the sacred feet of Lord Thrivikraman. Those waters will make the lands fertile

and samrutthi ( prosperity) will result ( Ongu Perum Sennel/ tall crops of rice

plant ).Because of this jala samrutthi and fertility of the land , the fish in

the paddy fields have grown to big sizes and jump hither and thither with joy .

Phalan 2: MummAri or the trimonthly rain In Raama Raajyam , there were 9 days

of Sunshine and one day of abubdant rain. This cycle repeated itself every

month. Thus , there were three periods of rain each month.The land was fertile

and there were no inauspiciousness caused by water shortage. Such prospertity

will arise from the proper observance of ThiruppAvai Vratham. Grantha NirmANam

( writing about VedAnthic topics),instructing others about them and performing

MangaLAsAsanam at our Lord's Dhivya desams are also described as the three

benovolent monthly showers. Phalan 3: Ongu perum Sennel--VaLLal perum PasukkaL

Abundant crops of red rice from the plentiness of rain would result.Tall stalks

of rice waving their heads as if they are saluting the Thiruvadis of

Thrivikraman will be seen.In those paddy fields , there will be fat fish

jumping joyously about; and in the blue lotus flowers of that field ,the

well-fed honey bees would be sleeping comfortably.The cows that have grazed

from the rich meadows would yield huge amounts of milk from their udders on

mere touch.Abundance and prosperity is seen everywhere from the Vratham ( Japam

of the three Sri VaishNavite sacred manthrams and singing of the glories of

Sriman Thrivikrama NaarAyanan). The Inner Meanings of the third Paasuram

"SaaRRI NeerAdinAl " here refers to the UpadEsam of SaraNAgathi rahasyam by

SadAchAryAs and the observance of it by SadhsishyAs. " MummAri" here refers to

the benefits of attaining the fruits of the Vratham (SaraNAgathi) through

Upadesam,through study of AzhwAr's Prabhandhams and enjoyment of the ArchA

moorthis at their dhivya desams through pilgrimages. "Ongu peru-sennalUdu Kayal

ukaLa" refers to the tall stalks of PrapannAs thriving in the land rich with

AchAryAs; the strong fishes jumping with joy in the paddy fields are the happy

AchAryAs , who recognize that their efforts through Ukthi and AchArya Nishtai (

to perform SaraNAgathi) have borne fruit . " PoomkuvaLai pOthil PoRi VaNDu kaNN

Paduppa" refers to Sriman NarAyaNa sleeping without worry in our heart lotuses

( Hrudhaya Kamalams) that His work through His AchAryAs has been successful.He

sleeps like a contente farmer , who has realized abundant crops. " TengAthE

pukkirinthu seertha Mulai paRRi Vaangak kudam " refers to the sishyAs , who

have flocked to the AchAryan pulled closer by the affection ( vaathsalyam) of

their AchAryans. " VaLLal perum pasukkaL " refers to the most generous AchAryAs

, who do not expect any returns . They use the equivalent of the four fingers of

the udders of the abundant milk giving cows to impart knowledge about the three

parama rahasyams of Sri VaishNavam .The four fingers of the udder through which

this milk of Knowledge (Jn~ana milk) flows are : Vedam , Smruthi, Saathvika

PurANams and AzhwAr Paasurams. "NeengAtha Selvam NiRainthu" refers to the

undiminishing wealth of Jn~Anam at all times during our stay on His Leela

VibhUthi ( Earth) and in His Transcendent world of Sri Vaikuntam.

 

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