Thirumaalai-37

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Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

 

“ Mattrondrum vEinda Maname Madhilarangar

Kattrinum meitha kazhalinai keezh- uttra

Thirumaalai paadum seer Thondaradipodi Emperumaanai

Eppozhudum peesu”

 

“ Srimat Krishna samahvaya Namo yaamuna soonave

yetkadAkshai kalakshyAnAm sulabha: Sridara: sadaa”

 

Pranams,

 

Paasuram-21

 

“panivinAl manamathondri pavalavAi aranganArkku

thunivinAl vAzhamAtta thollainenjE! Nee sollAi

aniyinAr semponnAya aruvarianaya kOil

maniyinAr kidandha vAttrai manaththinAl ninaikkalAmE?”

 

 

panivinAl manamathondri pavalavAi aranganArkku: We all prostrate when we see

bhagavan in the temple or in front of elders. Some of us know the importance

of prostrating but many may prostrate just for the sake of doing it or because

it is customary to do the same. But alwar in this paasuram says it is atmost

important to know the importance of doing so and do it whole heartedly. When

we fall into perumal’s or acharyas feet we should have the panivu. We should

leave all the ahankAram and mamkAram and whole heartedly surrender under their

feet. We Srivaishnavas prostrate with saying “adiyen Ramanuja Dasan/dasyai” to

bring that panivu to our minds. Prahladan says vandanam to be one of the nava

vidha bhakthi. We may wonder what is so difficult in vandanam. He included

this because there are many who even feel shy to fall under the feet of

bhagavan. Only bhakthas do it whole heartedly. Emperuman and piratti feel very

happy when we fall even once in their feet. Sri Chakravarthi thirumagan was

waiting to save ravana if he fell under his feet once. Even mAlyavAn and

others advised rAvana to do so. But rAvana was so hard minded that he said

“Binna math chetamapi na namEyam tu kasyachith”(Even if you spilit me into two

I will not fall in any ones feet). There are some rAvanas even now. So we

think vandanam is easy but not for all. Some may prostrate just mechanically

but not with the devotion in mind. Again it has no use. That is why alwar

says, with the surrendering attitude in mind, concentrate on him and then fall

in his feet. After this one question may arise. Can I fall into anyone’s

feet. Alwar clarifies this doubt. Never. We srivaishnavas are destined to

fall only into the feet of the bhagavan, pavalavAi aranganAr. Prostrate to

the bhagavan, geethacharyan who said “mam Ekam sharanam vraja”. Thirumazhisai

alwar gives a new name to Srivaishnavas “marandhum puram thozhA mAndar” we

Srivaishnavas should never fall in the feet of anya devatas even by mistake.

Srivaishnavas are always different. When other people do their

kalashepam(kAla-time; shepam-spend) by sleeping and eating Srivaishnava

kalashepam is always listening to bhagavat gunam, talking about the same and

doing kainkaryam in his feet. Rishis refute other kalashepams saying,

“kalashepO na karthavyam”. Even if we prostrate once our mother and

father(lOka pita and mAtha, Sri ranganatha and ranganAyaki) feel bad that we

are taking so much strains when they are waiting to help us just by their

nirheduka krupai. But it is our duty and our pleasure to fall in their feet

and wait for them to lift us up. Akroorar rolled over full of brindavanam due

to his deep bhakthi towards krishna

 

thunivinAl vAzhamAtta thollainenjE! Nee sollAi: Just by having the support of

a lowkika person, who has limited capabilities, people feel free that they will

be saved. But just imagine what the lOka pitha who is capable of doing

anything and everything will do for us if we hold his hands. Even if a son

illtreats his father and runs at the back of others still the father thinks it

to be his duty to protect the son and reserves his love for his son. But if

the son considers his father has his sole refuge then the duty and love of the

father is double folded. Similarly even if we donot go to bhagavan he still

does things for our benefit but if we also understand that we are incapable and

he is our sole refuge then imagine the amount of happiness he will be put into.

When Drowpathi called govinda, bhagavan was in dwarakai still he helped her out

and from that time worked for the pandavas in all aspects. Can we really

explain his karunyam by words? NO not at all possible. So there is no use

being strong just because we have wealth, and we have people around. But

surely a srivaishnava need not worry or fear about anything since he has

bhagavan to come running to his call. Like bhagavan came running to the call

of gajendrazhvan.

 

aniyinAr semponnAya aruvarianaya kOil: Like a jewel which is made of glittering

gold the thiruvarangam periya koil glitters. Even from a long distance we are

able to see the glow of the svarna vimAnam of periya kOil. Our elders say that

even the gopuram darisanam gives us all good effects. That is why in those days

the temple gopurams were constructed in such a way that it could be seen from

miles away.

 

maniyinAr kidandha vAttrai manaththinAl ninaikkalAmE?: Emperuman is considered

as maniyinar because he possesses the kaustubha mani. But Sri PVP has a

different approach. He says, “oru neela rathnaththai”. We earlier saw that the

ranga vimAnam was like a gold ornament. In that golden chain, emperuman

glitters like a beautiful necklace with a blue stone studded in the middle. So

emperuman himself is a mani and hence called maniyan. When we see something

beautiful it stays in our minds forever and we want to possess it. Then how is

that we can stay without constantly thinking of the bhagavan who lies on the bed

of Adhisesha like a blue studded stone in the middle of the ranga vimAnam until

we possess him. When we love a person very much we are ready to do any sort of

work for their sake, so when we start loving emperuman whole heartedly we will

be ready to do kainkaryam to him in all forms like lakshmana who said “aham

sarvam karishyAmi jagradhaha svapadhaschathe” and nammazhvar who prayed to

thiruvenkatamudayan to bless him with his kainkaryam always “ozhivil kAlamellAm

vudanAi manni vazhuvilA adimai seiyya vEndum nAm”. So let us all meditate on

the divine beauty of the emperuman which cannot be equated and long for him to

bestow his divine kainkaryam on us and sing his praise “manivanna nin sEvadi

sevvi thirukkappu”.

 

 

AzhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyar thiruvadigaLE saraNam

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasyai

Sumithra Varadarajan

 

 

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