A day in Sri Sannithi - Part 3

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Sri:

Sri Lakshminrisimha parabrahmaNE nama:

Srimate Sri Lakshminrisimha divya paduka sevaka

srivan satakopa sri narayana yatindra mahadesikaya nama:

 

A day in Sri Sannidhi - Part 3: Abhigamanam

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(This post is based on adiyEn's stay at Selaiyur where

Srimad Azhagiya Singar is presently undertaking the

9th Chaturmasya Sankalpam from July 16th to Sep 14, 2000.

The daily routine during Sancaram may not be the same.)

 

At the conclusion of Visvaroopam, Perumal Milk is

distributed. Fruits offerred to Perumal are given

to the cow and calf. After the panjAngam details

are read recitation of Nithyanusandhanam begins.

Srimad Azhagiya Singar initiates the recitation

of Gadya Thraiyam with the first phrase of the

Thaniyan. The Goshti picks up from there.

 

In Sri Muth the recitation of Nithyanusandhanam

is referred to as " Gadyam " . All the Kainkaryaparas

are required to participate in it, from Mrith to

drivers, to alangaram, all of them. Srimad Azhagiya

Singar usually looks around to see whether anyone

is absent or late, enough to keep them on their toes.

Like Sri Lakshminrisimha who exhibited kindness

(towards Prahlada) and fury (against Hiranyakasipu)

at the same time, exhibiting fury and kindness at

the same time is among the kalyana gunas of Srimad

Azhagiya Singar. Even as the kainkaryaparas love

Srimad Azhagiya Singar for HH's deep and loving

care for the welfare of each and every one of them,

they fear HH's divine fury if they fail in such

basic duties as joining the Goshti for Gadyam in

the morning.

 

The Nityanusandhanam covers (1) common recitation in

which everyone joins, and (2) separate recitation

where the Goshti divides into two groups; one

recites Dhivya Prabhandham and the other recites

Vedam. The common part includes, (i) the three

Gadyams, followed by (ii)Sri Nrisimha Pancamrita

Sthothram by Lord Rama, (iii) three of Srimad Mukoor

Azhagiya Singars sthothras, namely, Pancamrita

Sthothram, Sri Lakshminrisimha Karavalamba Sththram,

and Sri Lakshminrisimha Prapatti, (iv) followed by

Dhivya Prabhandha thaniyan, Thiruppallandu Thaniyan

and the first pasuram of ThiruppallaaNdu.

 

Up until Srimad Mukkoor Azhagiya Singar's pancamrita

sthothram the recitation is one voice, but starting

from the Karavalamba Sthothram the recitation proceeds

in " sandhai " format, i.e. the first two padas and the

last two padas are alternated. Also, after the conclusion

of Sri Lakshminrisimha Prapatti, the Goshti pauses for

Srimad Azhagiya Singar to initate the Podu Thaniyan,

namely, " Kesavarya kripA pAtram ... " ; and the goshti

pauses again at the end of the Thaniyans for Srimad

Azhagiya Singar to initate Thiruppallandu with,

" pallANdu, pallANdu.... " .

 

After the conclusion of the first pasuram of Thirup-

pallANdu, the goshti sits down. Until this time the

recitation is done with everyone standing. The goshti

sits down in two separate groups. One group recites

vedam and the other recites the following prabhandhams:

(i) the rest of thiruppallANdu, (ii) ThiruppaLLiyezucci,

(iii) Thirupaavai, (iv) Periya Thirumozhi thaniyan,

(v) angaN nyalamanca (1.7), (vi) kaasaiyaadai (2.2),

vaanilamuRuval (1.6), Adaikkalapattu, and Sri Sannithi

adaikkalappattu (Adivan Satakopan adaikkalappattu and

Sri Lakshminrisimhan adaikkalappattu). The recitation

ends with Srimad Mukkoor Azhagiya Singar's dvAdasa Stotram.

This takes a little over one hour. The time is about

8:20 a.m.

 

While the recitation is going on Srimad Azhagiya Singar

gets ready for Thirumanjanam. Daily thirumanjanam is

performed for Cakraththaazhvar, SaLagramas, Swarna Nrisimha,

two Sri Satharis (silver and golden), and three acaryas,

Injimedu, Devanarvilagam, and Mukkoora Srimad Azhagiya

Singars.

 

Thirumanjanam begins to the accompaniment of vadyam

at about the time the goshti recitation is in the

middle of Thiruppaavai. The sound of vadyam drowns

out the goshti. In fact the goshti sitting in two

rows facing each other will have to move very close

to be able to hear each other for proper syncronization.

 

At about the time thirumanjanam is complete the goshti

recitation will also be over. The kainkaryaparas

disperse once again to resume their duties. Now we are

left with only sevarthees in the hall. By this time

there are about 50 to 60 of them. If it is Sunday or

Dwadasi there will be about 200 or more. All of them

bring something or other for Malolan, flowers, fruits,

nuts, or whatever. Sannidi paricarakas patiently

collect all of them and get them ready for offering

by sprinkling water over them.

 

Srimad Azhagiya Singar takes great care and pride in

properly bedecking Malolan and Dolai Krishna with all

the flowers brought in by the devotees. It is like a

competition between Srimad Azhagiya Singar and the

devotees. As the devotees keep bringing more and more

flowers, HH continues to bedeck Malolan in ever more

creative ways. It is one thing to do alangaram to a

6 feet tall perumaaL, but, it takes divinely ingenuity

to be able to use up roles after roles of flowers upon

a moorthy hardly 2 feet tall. It is almost as if the

only reason Sri Malolan is here with us is to get

bedecked in flowers by Srimad Azhagiya Singar. The

result is a sight to behold and cherish. Please visit

the following link for a picture of Sri Malolan showing

off Srimad Azhagiya Singar's alangaram.

 

http://www.ahobilamutt.org/2000pics/pushpa-alang.html

(This picture was taken on a slow day, typicaly there

will at least 50% mosre flowers, and some days more

than twice as much.)

 

When you are there look for:

(a) swarna nrisimha (right below Dolai Krishnan)

(b) Chakrathazhvar for whom Nithyappadi thirumanjanam

is done (only partially visible; at the level of

Dolai Krishnan's thirumukham, to the left)

© Silver and golden Sri Satharees (at the very bottom)

(d) Swarna pushpams around the divine feet of Malolan

used in archana, and

(e) all the Acaryas at the bottom of the maNdapam.

 

 

.... to be continued

 

srimad azhagiya singar thiruvadigaLE saraNam

 

-- adiyEn ramanuja dasan