Bhagavad Ramanuja Vaibhavam- 1.28- KaNNinum chiRuthaambu - 11 verses on Nammazhwar

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya nama:

 

Continuing on the prime sishya of Swami Nammazhwar -Madhurakavi AzhwAr:

Swami Desikan had a high reverence for Madhura Kavi and composed a grantham

known as Madhurakavi Hrudhyam .This Grantham is lost to us now.It is in

celebration of Madhura Kavi " s incomparable devotion to Nammazhwaar. It is a

Rahasya Grantham.

[From Sri Satakopan Swami's write up on Madhurakavi AzhwAr]

 

There are 11 paasurams in KaNNinuNN SiRutthAmpu Prabhandham of Madhura Kavi. The

last paasuram is a Phala Sruthi describing the fruits of reciting this

prabhandham. In the rest of the ten paasurams, Madhura Kavi conceded that all

the relationships that he should have with BhagavAn are instead with Swamy

NammAzhwAr.

 

The Prabhandham of Madhura Kavi is the last of the Prabhandhams of the

Mudalaayiram . The verses are related to one another in the " Anthaadhi " style,

where the last word of one verse becomes the beginning word of the next verse.

The paramount devotion of Madhura Kavi to his Acharya becomes abundantly evident

in these verses of Kanninun-Siritthaambhu.

The Two taniyans for this prabhandham --one in Sanskrit and another in Tamil

--are ascribed to none other than Acharya Natha Muni.

 

Natha Muni is said to have recited the eleven verses of Madhura Kavi many times

to receive the blessings of direct instruction from Nammaazhwar on the lost

works of all of the Aazhwaars. Naatha Muni thus restored for us these Tamil

marai as a result of Nammaazhwaar’s

blessings. Such is the power of Madhura Kavi's Prabhandham. No wonder that Natha

Muni composed two taniyans, one for Sanskrit Vedas and another for Tamil Vedas

to pay his homage to Nammazhwaar, who

distilled the essence of Arya Vedas in Dramida Bhaashaa.

 

The most important lesson here is that Acharya Abhimaanam and

Acharya Bhakthi (worship) is a sure and steadfast route for the realization of

Bhagavaan. Infact, Acharya—Realization according to Sri K.C.Varadachar is

God--Realization. According to him, " Acharya is indeed is the small cord that

binds(one to ) the infinite Divine. Service to the true illumined Acharya is

service to God (that is) pleasing to Him. "

 

Madhura Kavi was a Poorva Sikhai Brahmin of Sama Vedic tradition. He was a

great scholar and was older than Nammazhwaar. Many contemporaries(Brahmins) of

Madhura Kavi looked down on him for his Bhakthi to Nammazhwaar, an Acharya born

in the lower caste of Maran.

Madhura Kavi refers to this in his fourth verse and dismisses it. He states that

SatakOpa is his be-all and end-all. He cites his Acharya as his Father, Mother

and Ruler. He points out that SatakOpa is the

savior of his and has removed all of his Samsaric sorrows.

 

Madhura Kavi was born before Swamy NammAzhwAr, when Lord had incarnated as

KrishNaBhagavAn and He was ruling from DhvArakai. This was at the end of

dhvApara Yugam. Swamy NammazhwAr was born on the 43rd day of Kali Yugam that

follows dhvApara yugam. While the Lord was in this world , Madhura Kavi did not

elect to seek Him out , but waited and sought refuge later at Swamy NammAzhwAr's

Thiruvadi deliberately.He sought all the ten anugrahams normally granted by the

Lord from his AchAryan Swamy NammAzhwAr , since AchAryan was every thing for

Madhura Kavi and he restricted all his sambhandhams to his AchAryan. The

aasrayaNam of his AchAryan was the only thing that mattered to Madhura Kavi. He

performed upadesam for us that without AchArya Sambhandham and AaasrayaNam,

Bhakthi and Prapathti would not become fruitful.

 

Lets us enjoy the 11 verses of his on Swami Nammazhwar

In his first verse, he clearly states that he has set aside deliberately

His father, the Bhagavan and has elected to resort to the

great Acharya of Then-kurukur. He states that his tongue

used before in the enjoyment of unworthy things became

sanctified thru the recitation of the name of his Acharya and

delicious nectar flows now as a result of recitation of his

Acharya " s name.

 

In the second verse, he confesses that he knows of no other

God other than his Acahrya. He states that he enjoys infinite

bliss by eulogizing his Acharya and singing his Acharya's

sweet pasurams in perfect ragam and Talam . He says that

his misison in life to wander from place to place singing his

Acharya's divine Pasurams.

 

In the third verse, he reveals that his practise of reciting

the verses of the divine bard has led him to the gaining

of the boon of obtaining " the beatific vision of the Parma

Purusha's Thirumeni , which is distinguished by

the presence of Maha Lakshmi at his chest .This indded

is my good fortune that results from my service

to SatakOpa .

 

In the fourth verse, he reveals that SatakOpa is

his sarvam . He says that the greatness of satakOpa

will banish all his misgivings and will protect him from

any kind of harm.

 

In the fifth verse, he points out the transformation

in him caused by worshipping SatakOpa. He states

that his lowly ways have vanished and the result of

worshipping his Acharya ahs made him a fulfilled one

in every way.

 

In the sixth verse, he states that he has been blessed by

SatakOpa to sing about his great works and salute his

greatness. His grace and compassion will forever be my

companion from this day on.

 

In the seventh verse, Madhura Kavi reveals

that his Sire SatakOpa accepted him as his

disciple and through his compassion destroyed

all of his sins instantly.He aysthat he will therefore in full

gratitude sing about hymns for the denizens of eight

directions to receive the same boon (removal of

Anaadhi Karmas) that he has been

fortunate to receive .

 

In the eight verse, Madhura Kavi says that his sire

out of compassion for the suffering citizens of

the world revealed the occult meaning of the Vedas in a

language that they can understand. Such an action

arose from his Sire's love of God and that led him

to sing the 1102 pasurams for the benefit of mankind.

 

In the ninth verse, Madhura Kavi in a grateful mood

states that the humble and single-minded service

to his Sire is the only way to thank him adequately

for his magnanimous good deed. His

upakaaram has resulted in him(Madhura Kavi) fixing firmly

in his mind the (esoteric) meanings of the Arya Vedas.

 

In the tenth verse, Madhura Kavi proclaims his great

devotion to the holy feet of SatakOpa. He states that

his sire has nothing to gain thru his selfless efforts

to help him and others , who are not easy to help and yet

out of his great compassion, SatakOpa has trained

us to be become fitting prapannas and thus saved us

thru revelation of the meanings of the Vedas in his

Divine Pasurams.

 

In the Pala Sruthi pasuram (the eleventh one), Madhura

Kavi reveals that SatakOpa is " Anban Tannai Adainthavarkkellam

Anban " . He states that his Sire as a perfect Acharya is

devoted to one and all, who sought the feet of Sriman Narayana

as refuge(saranagathi). He concludes his salutation to

SatakOpa with the decalaration that the songs by this true devotee of

SatakOpa will lead the reciter to Sri Vaikuntam without fail , when

they understand the meaning of Acharya Bhakthi housed in these

eleven verses.

 

 

AzhwAr ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan