Upadesa Ratna Malai - Paasuram 4

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UPADESA

RATNA MALAI

Translation

by Sri.U.Ve.Vangipuram Pattangi Srinivasa Varadan

 

4. THE ORDER OF APPEARANCE OF

AZHVARS.

 

 

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நாதன௠அனà¯à®ªà®°à¯ தாள௠தூளி *

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ஈதிவர௠தோறà¯à®±à®¤à¯à®¤à¯ அடைவாம௠இஙà¯à®•à¯

 

poygaiyAr bUdhaththAr pEyAr * pugazh mazhisai

aiyan * aruL mARan sEralar kOn ** - thuyya batta

nAdhan anbar thAL thULi * naRpANan naRkaliyan *

Idhivar

thORRaththu adaivAm ingku

 

 

 

 

 

poygaiyAr

 

 

Poigai

Azhvar is first Azhvar

 

 

 

 

bUdhaththAr

 

 

Bhothatar

is the second Azhvar

 

 

 

 

pEyAr

 

 

PeyAzhvar

is the third Azhvar

 

 

 

 

pugazh mazhisai aiyan

 

 

the

famous Thirumazisai Azhvar is fourth

 

 

 

 

aruL mARan

 

 

The kind

Nammazhvar is fifth

 

 

 

 

sEralar kOn

 

 

Kulasekara

Azhvar is sixth

 

 

 

 

thuyya batta nAdhan

 

 

The

purest person, PeriAzhvar is seventh

 

 

 

 

anbar thAL thULi

 

 

Thondaradippodi

Azhvar is eighth

 

 

 

 

naRpANan

 

 

The

pious ThiruppanAzhvar is ninth

 

 

 

 

naRkaliyan

 

 

The

spectacular Thirumangai Azhvar is tenth

 

 

 

 

Idhu

 

 

This

order

 

 

 

 

Ingku

 

 

In this

world

 

 

 

 

Idhivar thORRaththu adaivAm

 

 

is the order

of birth of these ten Azhvars

 

 

 

This verse

relates to the fact that Azhvars are ten in number and their names and order of

appearance. During the time of Swamy Manavala Mamuni, confusion prevailed

regarding the appearance of Azhvars and their order of appearance. To dispel

such misunderstandings and remove any scope in the future for distortion, the

order in which the Azhvars were born in the world is set in this verse. It is a

great help to all the asthikas.

 

The specialty of each Azhvar is suggested hereafter in the

commentary.

poygaiyAr: This Azhvar was born in a poigai. (Tank of Etho-tha-kari Perumal of

Kancheepuram) He has been known by his place of birth. His aim is to change us

from ignorance to enlightenment. ‘varuth-thum-pura-irul-mattra'.)

 

bUdhaththAr: He earned the name of Lord’s parivaram ‘Madhavan

Bhootham.’ He lit the light of knowledge, ‘Jnana vilakku yetrinen’.

 

pEyAr: Since he was indulged in the

bhaghavad-anubhavam (contemplation on Lord) and neglected the worldly life he

claimed himself that he was a devil. ‘yanum orr peyanay’. He also claimed that

he was chief among tamil poets. (Tamiz Talaivan.) He was the mentor of

Thirumalisai Azhvar who was astray for several thousand years.

 

These three Azhvars took their avatharam (birth in this

world from their celestial place) first and lived during the same period. So

they are known as mudal Azhvars (first Azhvars). When Thirumangai Azhvar refers

to them in his work, they have been named as ‘sen thamiz paduvar’(those who

sing in chaste tamil). This detail is mentioned in the subsequent verse.

 

pugazh mazhisai

aiyan: The Lord of

the place Thirumazisai ‘idam konda keerthi mazisaiku iraivan’. The place is

famously known as Mahi sara kshtram.

aruL mARan: Swami Nammazhvar who is identified

as one full of compassion. The concept ‘pidithar piditharai patru - the

relationship qualification for salvation (sambanda sambandhi) was expounded by

him and later adopted by Swami Emperumanar.

 

sEralar kOn: he was born in the clan ‘seran’.

He was a king. He wished to be a bird, tree or in any other inanimate form at

Thirupathi, the abode of Lord Venkateswara.

 

thuyya batta nAdhan: Indulged in seeking good for the Lord at all times and wished the life

of a Gopikai, the cowheard clan for cherishing the bhakthi of them. These are

the pure things in him. Therefore, ‘thuyya’ which means ‘pure’ is appropriate

for his nature. His contribution is in establishing the ultimate truth is

‘Sriman Narayanan’. So he is referred to as Bhatta Nathan.

 

anbar thAL thULi: Thondar-adi-podi. He was born in

a Brahmin family. He considered that as one which might cause egoism. He gave

up that position. He preferred to be the dust lodged in the holy feet of

devotees of Lord. He showed his humility.

 

naRpANan: He was born in a low caste. His

profession was panan, i.e. street singer. That gave him natural humility. He

need not resort to seek humility as his predecessor did. He showed his

gratitude to Lord for His kindness in making him subservient to the devotee.

(here Lokasaranga Muni.) ‘ adiyarkku ennai atpaduththa vimilan’.

 

naRkaliyan:

We note form his life

history that he had the guts to rob Lord of all his possessions including the irremovable

ring in the leg finger. The adjective ‘nal’ meaning good, is due to his expressing

the ultimate truth of remaining subservient to Lord’s devotees and this is the

lesson one should learn from the study of all scriptures and mantras.

‘Adiyavargal tham adiyan’was his declaration. The essence of Thirumanthram is, to

be devotees of devotee of Lord. ‘un adiyarkku adimai.’

 

thORRam: – Avatharam, avirbhavam or birth. Here the appearance of Azhvars in

this world is meant.

Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadikale SaranamJeeyar Thiruvadikale Saranam

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