Sri Ranagam Adhi Brhma Thirunal 9th Day of utthsavam Panguni Uthhiram Day!

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Dear Srirangangasri members and friends, My Saashtaanga Namaskaram to Periya perumal and Sri Periya Paratiyaar I pray to our Nam perumal and Sriranga Naachiyaar to bless all of us with Prosperity, Happiness, and purify us from all the evil thoughts.

 UTHSAVAM DAY 9 Panguni Uthiram ThirunaaL, Pallakku, PraNaya Kalagam (Mattaiyadi) Uthsavam, NamperumAL ThAyAr SErthi, Gathyathraya Goshti, Dhiyva Thampathi Thrumanjanam (29th March)-- This is one of the most sacred days of the year for all bhakthas of Sri Ranganathan & Sri Ranga Nachiar.  This is the only day of the year when Namperumal  and NamNachiyar are seen together on the same pedestal.  In this article, let us see the events that take place on this very auspicious day at Srirangam.

Lord Namperumal leaves the kannadi arai on his pallakku to go around the prakarams of Srirangam.  This is the only day in this uthsavam, the Lord goes around both the Chithra streets (7th prakaram) and the uthra streets (6th prakaram) of Srirangam.  When He marches through the streets, He stops at every house asking His bhakthas to be on His side when He talks to Sri Ranga Nachiyar because He had been to Woraiyur.  He also knows that Sri Ranga Nachiyar is very upset with Him and wants His bhakthas to stand by Him and help Him when He gets ready to meet with Sri Ranga Nachiyar.  With the temple elephant (Andal) leading the way followed by the dhivya prabhandha goshti, He enters the temple and walks towards the sannidhi of Thayar after three hours walking around the prakarams.  When Sri Ranga Nachiyar sees Lord Ranganatha  coming towards Her, she slams the door shut really hard not letting the Lord enter Her premises.  For the next couple of hours, Pranaya Kalagam Uthsavam (household quarrel between the Lord and His consort) takes place that is wonderfully enacted by Arayar swamy..  We will see a few points of this divine quarrel now.  All the dialogues between Namperumal and Ranganayaki Thayar are sent through Arayar swami (for Namperumal) and through Pandari swami (for Ranganayaki Thayar) and they never face each other during this quarrel.

Sri Ranganayaki is very upset that the Lord went to visit Kamalavalli Thayar at Woraiyur.  She slams the door hard as the Lord prepares to enter her sannidhi. The Lord pleads and tries to appease Her in vain

She asks Him how He got all the scratch marks on His Thirukkazuthu (neck) and that why His Thirukkangal (eyes) are so red.  She also asks why His Thiruman kappu and His Thirukkuzal (hair) are all messed up.  She also goes on to ask Him why His Thiruvadharam (lips) are white, why He has kungumappoo (Saffron powder) all over his Thirumeni (body), His ThiruvadigaL (lotus feet) are red.  Hence, She says that She was very unhappy because He was also late and will not allow people standing outside to come in and the people inside to go out.

The Lord responds back to each question.  Since He is the protector of the universe (Jagadhrakshakan), He was on His horse the night before fighting against all evil to protect His devotees and so His eyes were red.  His hair locks are all messed up because of the fierce winds while riding His horse (kuthirai vaganam).  His Thiruman kappu had dissolved because of the harsh sun rays.  His lips were white because He had to fight against the asuras (demons) to protect the thevathas. His neck was all scratched by thorns while He was riding through thick forests to fight the asurAs.  He continues to say that His legs were red because He had to ride the horse with His feet in the stirrup and finally He has kungumappoo all over His body because the devathAs praised Him after His victorious campaign by showering Him with flowers.  Thus, He says that He was late because of all the battles He had to wage with the asuras.  After the battles, He lost the ring in the river kollidam when He was returning.  So, He had to get a new ring and some flowers for Her.  This caused Him to be late.

She is still not convinced and She refuses all His gifts and flowers and asks Him to never come inside and told Him to go back to where He came from (Woraiyur) a couple of days ago.   Lord Namperumal with a very innocent look replies saying that He doesn’t know of a place called Woraiyur and has never been there. 

 Ranganayaki Thayaar asks the Lord to prove His statements.The Lord offers to put His hands in a vessel full of snake, cross any ocean and offered to promise on His devotees that He has never seen Woraiyur. 

Nachiyar is annoyed and states that all His claims are unjust.  He, the one who sleeps on a bed of Adhi Sesha would never be harmed by any snakes.  He, the one who lies in the great milk ocean (ThiruppArkadal) and for whom the river Yamuna parted to let Him through as baby Krishna will have no problem crossing any ocean.  Also, He, whose lotus feet are sought after by all His devotees would never be betrayed by them.  She instead throws milk, curd, butter and flowers on Him to get Him out of Her sight.

Lord Ranganatha then says that He has come to meet Her after going through such difficulties and She is not letting Him in.  He says He feels very depressed and embarrassed as She shut the door in His face.  The Lord says – “andha avamanam umakku andri yamakku illai†meaning “this embarrassment is not for me but for you.â€

 Seeing the Lord is feeling very sad, Nammazwaar, acts as the mediator and approaches Sri Ranganayaki and says that if the supreme Lord and Goddess fight against each other, then that would be the end of all known universe (PraLayam).  He says that the Lord is for all and She has to understand that He is sought after by all and so She should be able to let Her Azhagiya MaNavalan go to His devotees as well.  So, He humbly requests that Sriranganachiyar  forgive the Lord and allow Him to enter Her premises.

Goddess RanganAyaki then understands NammAzwars reasoning and commands Her assistants to let Her Lord inside.  She mentions to the Lord that She is letting Him in because of His Nammazwar’s words. As soon as the door is opened, Lord Azhagiya Manavalan is delighted and rushed in to be with His consort.  Ranganatha and Ranganayaki come together and exchange garlands, thilakam, turmeric and necklaces.  The Lord entering the sanctum of RanganAyaki is very auspicious and is known as 1st Akantham (1st of three Divine Oneness).  The second Akantham is just before thirumanjanam and the final Akantham is before Lord leaves Ranganayaki sannidhi early the following morning

     

 

 

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