A Peep into Periya ThiruMozhi 200

[Guest guest]

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