Bhagavad Ramanuja Vaibhavam- 1.29- Acharyas on Madhurakavi and Nammazhwar

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya nama:

 

In Adhikara sangraham, Swamy Desikan gives the essence of KaNNinunchiRuthaambu

 

Inbatthil iRainjuthalil isayum pERRil

ihazhAtha pall uRavilirAgam maaRRil

tann paRRil vinai Vilakkil tahavOkkatthil

tatthuvatthai uNartthutalil tanmai aakkil

anbarkkE avatharikkum Aayan niRka

arumaRaikaL Tamizh seythAn thALE koNDu

thunpaRRa Madhura Kavi thOnRak kaattum

tholl vazhiyE nall vazhikaL thuNivAhatkkE

 

Swami Sri Vedanta Desikan has grouped together all other Alwars in his first

verse and has dedicated the whole of his second verse exclusively to Madhurakavi

Alwar in Guruparampara Saaram of his Rahasya Traya Saaram.The various aspects in

Kanninun Siruthaambu have been listed out in this verse.

Swami Sri Vedanta Desika remarks that while Lord Krishna was very much there for

-

(i ) Inbattil - (i) conferring bliss on his devotees,

(ii ) Irainjutalil - (ii) to be their refuge

(iii)Isaiyum Petril - (iii) to be their final goal

(iv) Igazhaatha Palluravil - (iv) to stand in relation to them as mother,

father etc -

(v) Iragam Maarril - (v) to change their desires for the earthly pleasures

into

(vi) Thun Patril - (vi) a desire for Himself

(vii ) Vinai Vilakkil - (vii) to remove all their sins

(viii) Thagavokkattil - (viii) to show them infinite compassion

(ix) Tattuvam Unarthil - (ix) to reveal the eternal truths and

(x)Thanmai Aakkil - (x) also to bring about in them a likeness of Himself-

 

'Kanninun Siruthambu' emphasizes that Acharya Bhakti is more important than even

Bhakti towards the Lord. Nammalwar knew none other than Bhagavaan true to his '

Unnum Sorum, Parugum Neerum, Thinnum Vetrilayum Ellaam Kannane'- 'the food he

ate, the water he drank and the pleasures he enjoyed ( figuratively referred as

chewing Paan) - all was Kannan for him. For Madhurakavi, Nammalwar was all these

( Vide his statement ' Thevu

Matrariyen'). His practice of " Acharya Nishta' is non-pareil (except long

after we see when Thiruvarangattu Amudhanar wholeheartedly devoted himself

to Emperumaanaar).

 

A quetion arose as to how this work exclusively devoted to the Alwar could be

counted as part of the 4000 Divya Prabandham- the whole of which is claimed to

be dedicated to Bhagavaan. Manavaala Maamunigal has answered this question thus

:

 

Vaitha Thiru Manthirathin Maddhimam Padham Pol /

Seertha Madhura Kavi Sei Kalaiyai- Aartha Pugazh /

Aariyarkal Thangal Aruli Cheyal Naduve /

Servithaar Taathparyam Therindhu /

 

The greatness of its contents raises it to be the central gem that sheds

lustre on the other gems of the garland. That is why it was counted in the

midst of the 4000 Divya Prabandhams.

 

Pillai Lokacharya explains that ' Kanninun Siruthambu' reveals the ideas

underlying such psalms as ' Payilum Sudar Oli', 'Nedumaararku Adimai' etc of

Tiruvoimozhi.

 

It is said that all the other psalms of the 4000 Divya Prabandhams cannot be a

match to the 11 Paasurams of Madhurakavi- because it is this work that

holds the key to the treasure of the rest and it is this work that helped Sri

Nathamuni to unravel the rich treasures to the world. It is truly said

 

" If there were no ' Kanninun Siruthambu', there would be no 4000 Divya

Prabandhams at all " Thus, Madhurakavi was responsible for literally the

rebirth and publicity of the Prabandhams. It is, therefore, customarily

incumbent in ' Anusanthaanam' to traditionally first recite ' Kanninun

Siruthambu' before beginning the other Pasurams especially Nammalwar's

Tiruvoimozhi.

 

There are four kinds of poets viz Aasukavi- Instant poets, Chitrakavi-

Artistic poets, Vistaarakavi - Elaborate poets and Madhurakavi- Sweet poets. Of

these, this Alwar was a specialist in composing sweet songs. Hence, he is called

' Madhurakavi'.

 

Since Madhurakavi helped through his work to retrieve the 4000 Divya

Prabandhams from oblivion for the benefit of humanity, its importance cannot be

brought out better than what Swami Sri Vedanta Desikan had done as explained

above. [srom Sri Anbil Ramaswamy's article]

More on Swamy's verse in next post.

 

AzhwAr ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan