Thirukkolur Ammal Varththaigal - 68

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Sri: | Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

 

The name " kalvan " is one of the many names of Sriman Narayana. He is known by

that name in one His divyadesams also. It means, one who steals or one who

cheats/tricks others. He does this for the sake of His devotees in many cases.

 

In the yagasala of Mahabali, He arrived in the form of a small dwarf (va:mana),

asked for and obtained three steps of land, grew up as Trivikrama and measured

all the worlds with His divine feet. At that time, the asura guru, Sukracharya

called Him as a " kalvan " . However, it does not appear appropriate that this is

the incident being referred to in this va:rththai and that Sukracharya is being

called a Loka Guru.

 

It would be appropriate to refer to Swami Nammazhvar as Loka Guru. In several

pasurams, Nammazhvar refers to the Lord as " kalvan " . In Thiruvaymozhi 5-10-4, he

says " kalla ve:daththaik kondu po:yp puram pukkavarum " - here he refers to the

Lord going amidst the asuras and taking away their faith in the Vedas. In

Thiruvaymozhi 3-8-9, Azhvar says " kolvan na:n ma:vali mu:vadi tha: enra

kalvane: " - refering to the Lord's va:mana avtara.

 

In Thiruvaymozhi 2-2-10, he says " kalva:! emmaiyum e:zulagum nin ulle: thorriya

iraiva: ... " - in this pasuram, it is Shiva who calls the Lord " kalva: " . This

refers to the incident where Shiva obtained a boon from Narayana that He would

ask for and get a boon from him. To fulfill that promise, during His Krishna

avatara, He went on a kailasha yatra and asked Shiva to grant Him children.

Shiva calls Him " kalva: " because, it is He who is the father of all including

Shiva and yet He is asking for the boon of a child. Since Shiva is known for the

greatness of his knowledge it would be alright that he is referred to as the

Loka Guru.

 

Thirumangai Azhvar in his Thirunedunthandagam, says " nIragaththAy! ...

kArvAnaththuLLAy! kaLvA! " . Azhvar says it is His trickery that He is hiding and

not showing Himself to Azhvar. At another place in Thirunedunthandagam, Azhvar

says " pullu:rum kalva:! ni: po:ge:l " . Since this Azhvar invited the Lord Himself

to learn from him " kanna nin thanakkum kuRippAgil kaRkalAm kaviyin poruL " , it

would be appropriate to refer to him as Loka Guru.

 

Thirukkolur Ammal is asking " Did I refer to Him as 'kaLvan' like the

knowledgeable devotees who can be called as Loka Guru's? "

 

Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan

http://www.acharya.org/vyakyanam/ThirukkolurammalVarththaigal/