kulasekharapperumal final draft

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*mAsi

AzhvAr 5*

 

*vyAya

AchArya

3*

 

 

 

* Srimathe

ramanujaya Namaha*

 

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SrImathE varavaramunayE Namaha *

 

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KulaSEkharapperumAL

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*thirunakshathram*

 

* *

 

*mAsi – punarpUsam*

 

 

 

* *

 

*mASipunarpUSam kANminintru maNNulaGeer *

 

*thEsitthivasaththukkEthennil pESukintrEn *

 

*kollinagarkOn kulaSEkharan piRappAl*

 

*nallavargaL koNdADum Nal-upadEsa RethinamAlai 13;*

 

 

 

*This year -vyAya -AzvAr thirunakshithram falls on 28.2.2007.*

 

* *

 

*AzvAr*

 

*kulaSEkharAzhvAR was born in the great Chera dynasty at a place called

ThiruvanchikkaLam in present Kerala on a mASi punarpUSam day. He eventually

became the ruler of the kingdom. But his attention was diverted more towards

the servitude of the srivaishnava bhagavathas who visited him day in and day

out than to rule his kingdom. Because of the constant interaction with them,

he developed an immense desire to settle down in the capital of the

Srivaishnava kingdom - SrI rangam. He even tried several times to

relinquish his administrative affairs and take leave for sri rangam. The

ministers of the kingdom knowing the weak point of their king-the bhAgavatha

sEshathvam (which is actually the strong point), managed to find some

bhagavathas every day to block his trips. This is because, seeing them, the

king will be engaged in thadeeyaradhanai and the day becomes too late to

start to Srirangam.*

 

* *

 

*One of the thaniyans explicitly expresses this feeling*

 

* *

 

*ghushyathE yasya nagarE ranga yAthrA dinE dinE *

 

* *

 

*The Name*

 

* *

 

*The emberuman at Thirukkudanthai ArA-amudhan enjoyably swapped His name

with Thirumaizhisai AzhwAr. Likewise, KUlasEkarAzhvar also got the

thirunamam(name) as kulasEkarap perumAL representing his staunch devotion

towards Chakravarthi Thirumagan(Sri Ramar). Once it happened that when SrI

ramayanam was being recited at his palace he got so immersed in the same and

when he heard that Rama had not enough soldiers to fight the rakshasAs, he

went into a trance and even ordered his army to get ready to be for the

battle and start to lanka. His paramabakthi took him years back, the time

machine taking him yugam-s back transforming himself to that age and

mentally placing him there and then.*

 

* *

 

*The Acid Test (Test of Poison)*

 

* *

 

*One of his Thanian quotes*

 

*Aram** keDapparanpar koLLArentru avarkaLukkE vAramkodu *

 

*kuDappAmbil kayyiTTavan mAttralarai vIram keDuttha chenkOl kolli kAvalan

villavarkOn chEran kulaSEkharan mudivEnthar sikhA maNiyE*

 

* *

 

*the incident goes like this. Since azhvar was very much fond of bhaagavatha

thadeeyaradhanai, it eventually became an object of worry to his ministers

due to the depleting financial status of the treasury and they devised a

plan to get rid of the bhAgavathAs from the palace. The ministers themselves

hid a gem studded precious necklace of azhvar's thiruvArAdhana perumAL and

started blaming that it may be done by one of the bhaagavathAs who are

present in the palace. kulasEkharapperumAL ordered to bring a Cobra to be

put in a vessal and got it suffocated by closing the lid of the pot. He then

ordered every one to assemble in his court. The ministers were happy to see

their plans working. But to every ones surprise Azhvar himself put his own

hands in to the pot and vowed that if at all the lowly act is done by the

srivaishnava bhaagavathas let the Cobra bite him. The snake did not even

dare to touch him. Such was his bhAgavatha sEshathvam. *

 

* *

 

*The Divine Work*

 

*KulaSEkharapperumAL blessed us with perumAL thirumozhi which is an essence

of Sri ramayanam. He begins with thiruvaranga anubhavam and finishes off the

prabandham with thillai thirucchitthrakODam anubhavam.*

 

 

 

*I*

 

*The Burning Desire for Thiruvarangam*

 

*The first thirumozhi -'iruL iriya sudar maNigaL..'*

 

*In the second pAsuram:*

 

*"...mAyOnE maNatthUNE pattri nintru en vAyarai entru kolO vAzhthunALE which

became a ray of light for the famous bhattar SrI sUkthi *

 

*SEsha SayanalOchanAmritha nadIrayAkulitha lOlamAnAnAm*

 

*Alambamiva AmOda sthambhadvayamantharamgamabhiyAmaH (59

SrIrangarAjasthvavam pUrvaSAsthakam)*

 

 

 

*The chEra kulathAzvAr succinctly brings out *

 

*The prime Role of Thiruvarangam PerumAL in the tenth pAsuram.*

 

*AzvAr wonderfully summarises the prime role of Periya PerumAL in this

thirumozhi. Thinking of the Welfare of the souls is the prime role of Periya

PerumAL. *

 

*'vaN peru vAngam vuyya amarar vuyya, maNN vuyya, manisar vuyya…'*

 

*This pAsuram was aptly quoted by Sri Azhagiya MaNavALap perumAL nAyanAr in

AchArya Hrdhaya sUthram 16 and terms this role/auspicious quality of the

Lord as*

 

*vyUha sauhArtham. (AchArya Hrdhyam 159)*

 

*II*

 

*Devotion towards Devotees*

 

*The second pathikam ThETTarum thiRal thEninai is par excellence and stands

in the same rank of payilum suDaroLi, nEdumArkkaDimai, naNNAtha vALavunar or

kaNsOravenkuruthi. Deeply bedecked with bhAgavatha sEshathvam*

 

 

 

*meyyaDiyArkaL tham ITTam kaNdiDakkUTumEl athu kaNum kaN payanAvathE 2.1 -

only use of eye is to see bhAgavatha goshTi *

 

*arangan kOyil thirumuttham SERusey thoNdar sEvadi chzhunchERu en

sennikkaNivanE 2.3 – the tears of those bhagvathas who is deeply moved in

bhagavathanubhavam mixes with the mud of Sri rangam produces the wonderful

thirumaNkAppu for me*

 

 

 

*III*

 

*Dos and Donts*

 

*AzhvAr prescribes and proscribes with whom to join hands and with not to.

Those who take seriously this materialistic life and think that this is the

ultimate-proscribed.*

 

 

 

*Being devoted to Lord and crazy towards Him makes others feel that AzvAr is

in fact crazy. *

 

*This is the third thriumozhi 'mey il vAzhkaiyai mey enakk koLLum.."*

 

* *

 

*IV*

 

*ThiruvENkaTam*

 

* **The fourth Thirumozhi*

 

*then comes the great pathikam *

 

* *

 

*All the AzhvArs predominantly aim to be with the Lord in some way or the

other. Preferring the presence in the surroundings of in and around

Thirumalai, AzvAr expresses his immense desire to take any of the following

forms such as: a fish in the divine waters, or as a tree, or a vessel, or

as a step in front of the Lord and finally as any object –yEadhEanum on his

pon malai.(The divine hills)*

 

* *

 

*emperumAn ponmalai mEl EthEnum AvEnE coins AzvAr.*

 

 

 

* This philosophy is directly quoted and taken by Sri Azhaghia maNavALap

perumAL nAyanAr 'ANAiya vUra puNaiya...yEdhEanumAGa janikkap peRugiRa

thriyak sthAvara janmangaLai periyOargaLum perumaKkaLum parigrahithup

prArthippargaL' 87*

 

*What is great in being just a step? One may question. The step in front of

the Lord will be seeing His smile and cherish from the happiness of the

Lord.*

 

*paDiyAykiDanthu un pavaLavAy kANpEnE *

 

* *

 

*one may doubt why a prapannAdhikAri should ask I need such such

kainkaryams. Reply is given by swami ulahAriyar *

 

*paDiyAy kiDanthu un pavaLavAy kANpEnE enkiRapaDiyE kainkarya prArththhanai

vanthEriyantru swarUpa prayuktham (mumukshuppaDi 107)*

 

* *

 

*V*

 

*The Only malai nATTu divya dEsam mangaLA sAsanam by AzvAr*

 

*Leading by Examples*

 

*The fifth Thirumozhi -tharu thuyaram.*

 

*Oh! Lord whether You decide to keep me amidst distress or place me in joy,

It is Your look out. However, like a beloved wife towards her husband, like

a patient towards the doctor, like a child towards the mother, like a lotus

towards the sun, like a river towards the sea, *

 

*AzvAr draws the relationship with EmperumAn.*

 

*this is followed by the wonderful SaraNAgathi on the feets of

ThiruvitthuvakkOTTammAn*

 

 

 

*tharu thuyaram thaDAyEl un SAraN allAl SAraNillai*

 

*virai kuzhuvu malar pozhil sUzh vitthuvakkODammAnE*

 

*arisinatthAl Intra thAy akattriDinum matthavaL than*

 

*aruL ninainthE azhum kuzhavi athuvE pOntrirunthEnE*

 

* *

 

*more and more gems are spread out in the SaraNAgathi pathikam*

 

* *

 

*senthazhalE vanthu azhalai seythiDinum senkamalam antharam sER

venkathirOrkkallAl aralAvAl – depicting ananyArha sEshathvam with a

wonderful arthAntharanyAsam.*

 

 

 

*VI*

 

*AzvAr-s vUDAl*

 

*The Sixth Thirumohzi -yEar malar pUnkuzhal Ayar mAdhar.*

 

*If somebody thinks that kulasekarAzvAr did not turn his eyes towards Sri

krshNA, he would be mistaken. Who would not be attracted towards the Great

Lord krshNA and His pranks and the misgivings of The GopikAs and their

feelings are beautifully brought about in this thirumzohi. These gopikAs are

cross with Sri krshNa and the feelings are precisely portrayed herein. The

vyAkyanam of Sri PeriyavAchAn piLLai is nectar.*

 

*The King of Commentator likens this thriumozhi with 'min idai madavAr' tvm

6-2; of svAmi Nam AzvAr and 'kadhil kadippiTTu' Periya thirumozhi 10-8; of

Thirumangai AzvAr.*

 

*The simile does not end there. Sri NamAzvAr's VUDal with such ferocity

representing his zest and comprehesive involvemnt into bhagavath vishayam.

Kaliyan's VuDal in vibhavam namely kAdhil kadippittu reflects the

gentleness. Here this thriumozhi reflects the royal lineage of Sri

kulasEkarAzvAr.*

 

*The text of the vyAkyAnam in this context:*

 

*Nam** AzvAr Bhagavath vishayathali ninRa vUTRam ellAm thOtra vanmai

vudayiyadhAi irukkum-min idai madavar;*

 

*Thirumangai AzvAr tham mArdvham ellAm thOTra menmaiyAi irukkum -kAdhil

kadippiTtu.*

 

*ivar (kulaskEarapperumAL) thammudaiya rAja kulam ellAm thOTRa irukkum ith

thirumozhi -yEar malar pUnkuzhal.*

 

 

 

 

 

*In the vUdal pathikam kulasEkharapperumAL says *

 

*Innam en kayyakatthu IngorunAL varuthiyEl ensinam thIrvan nAnE 6-8;*

 

 

 

*This is a remarkable pasuram, explicitly showing the nature of

kulasEkharapperumALs nAyika bhAvam and how it is compared to nammAzhvAr and

thirumangai Azhvar. *

 

 

 

* **VII*

 

*AzvAr's lullaby-a mix of archai and vibhavam*

 

* * The sevetnh thirumozhi *-mannu pugazh*

 

*When it comes to vAthsalya bhAvam either of maternal or paternal it is

usual to adopt kaNNan as the kid and sing about him. We have seen so many

lullabies sung for kaNNan. But what about chakravarthi thirumagan. Here

comes the outstanding pathigam of mannu pugazh koausalai than maNivayiRu

vAythavanE*

 

* *

 

*It is a remarkable pathigam, where ThirukkaNNapuram SouripperumAL is

considered as chakravarthi thirumagan and a lullaby as ThAlElO thAlElO is

sung for him. That pathigam immediately followed by the lamentation of

daSaratha for the parting with rama. Such type of anubhavams are not often

seen among other azhvars which makes kulaSEkharar unique among them. And

most remarkably the last words of the first and last pathigams are the same

blessing us to be in the lotus feets of emperuman always.*

 

 

 

*VIII*

 

*The Feelings of DEvaki*

 

*The Eight Thirumozhi-Alai nEL karumbu*

 

*yAsOdhAs greatest happiness lay in her enjoying the pranks of Sri KrshNA

and it reached the ultimate when she essayed to punish the Supreme. Who

cared about Devaki and her feelings. That she missed the presence of the

Lord is in itself a great loss. That she was tied up within four walls is

another misery. The greatest feeling however, was that she missed the sweet

(mis)deeds of the EmperumAn.*

 

 

 

*Who but the one blessed by the Lord Himself, can simulate -no not

simulation- can emulate the feelings and translate these into beautiful

thirumozhi*

 

*'Alai nEL karumbu..' and*

 

*the words that the Lord with a look of fear and submission sobbing when

yasOdha started to punish the Supreme.*

 

*'..azhugaiyum anji nOakkum an-nOakkum aNi koL sen siRu vAi nERippadhuvum*

 

* thozhugaiyum ivai kaNDA asOdhai thollai inbathu irudhi kaNDALEA' 7-8*

 

 

 

*IX*

 

*The Distress of DasarathA*

 

*The ninth thriumozhi -vaN thALiNai vaNangi*

 

 

 

*It is well known that AzvAr ordered his batallion to go in to assist Sri

RamA. Such feelings does not stop just with the Lord. In the eight

thirumozhi he talks of Devaki pirATTi missing all the great deeds of Sri

krshNA. Here AzvAr talks from Sri DasarAtha's point of view and expresses

distress and dismay that the Lord who has been all along having royal living

had to go to exile. He indulges in severe admonition of himself and banishes

himself to the upper world forthwith. However, he desires that perumAL

should be his son in all the births to come.*

 

 

 

*X*

 

*Sri RamAyaNam*

 

 

 

*The Final thirumozhi - angaNedumathiL pudai sUzh*

 

*AzvAr's prabhandham culminates with the chronological narration of Sri

RamAyaNam in these ten pAsuram-s with specific reference to ThriuchithrakUta

EmperumAn.*

 

 

 

*The final pAsuram summarises this '..dasarathan than maganAi thOnRiTru adhu

mudhalA than vulagam pukkadhu ERA"*

 

 

 

*The ultimate aim is underlined in the final line of AzvAr's aruLich cheyaal

-PerumAL Thirumozhi *

 

*The attaining of Lord's Feet *

 

* *

 

*Nalanthigazh nAraNan aDikkIzh naNNuvArE. 1.11 and 10.11*

 

 

 

*vara vara muni dasargaL*