Inputs for CD ROMs : Part VII.1-- ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr Charitham

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Life of Thondaradippodi

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Thondardippodi Azhwar was born in Marghazhi Kettai at

the Chozha Naadu village of Thirumandangudi. His name

was Vipra Narayanan at birth. He is considered as

an amsam of the Lord's Vaijayanthi maalai. Later, he chose

the Bhagavatha naamam of Thondaradipodi or the dust of

the feet of the Lord's servants(Thondars) to show his

utmost reverence for them .He was saved by the redemptive

grace of Lord RanganAthA at a time when he became infatuated

with a beautiful courtesan and gave up his cherished garland

kaimkaryam to the Lord in favor of her.He acknowledges

the divine intervention of Lord RanganAtha at the time

of his distraction from Bhagavath kaimkaryam in the 16th

verse of ThirumAlai this way( Dr.K.C.Varadachari) :

 

" At the time , when I was a gambler and a thief and ,

caught in the net of a woman's fish-like eyes , was

helpless, was it not the Lord of Srirangam , who called

me , entered into my mind and made my love increase for Him? "

 

Lord Ranganatha's intervention

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Vipranarayanan followed the foot steps of Periyazhwar

to perform maala kaimkaryam to the Lord .He built a garden

in Srirangam and cultivated Tulasi bushes and flower trees

for making maalais for Ranganathan's pleasure . He remained

a bachelor and was dedicated to a pious way of life.

 

One day , a beautiful courtesan by the name of Devadevi

was passing by the garden of Vipranarayanan and stopped

there to rest from the heat of the midday sun under

the shade of a tree . Her maid mentioned that the owner

of the garden was a great devotee of Ranganatha and would

not even look at a woman. The haughty Devadevi was intrigued

and vowed to her maid that she will bring the pious brahmin

under her total control in six months and if she failed

in her effort , she would become the servant of her maid.

 

Next day , Devadevi wore simple clothes and showed up

at the hut of Vipranarayana and begged him to accept her

as his helper in bhagavath kaimkaryam . She explained to him

that she was born of a deva daasi caste and regretted over

the wasted days pursuing her trade . She mentioned that she

wanted to turn a new leaf in her life and hence wanted to

join in Bhagavath kaimkaryam .The guileless Vipranarayanan

trusted her and accepted her as a helper in the garden chores.

She was diligent in her assigned duties.

 

One day , there was a heavy down pour of rain and both

Devadasi and Vipranarayanan ran for cover into the hut.

Devadasi was drenched in the rain and the kind Vipranarayana

gave his (spare) dry upper garment for her to dry herself. At

that time, Vipranarayana got a glimpse of her extraordinary

beauty and became infatuated with her irresistible charm.

Devadevi thus accomplished her goal and won the bet with

her maid. Vipranarayana got passionately involved with Devadevi

and neglected completely his duties to Ranganatha . Devadevi

took all the property of Vipranarayana and when he had nothing

more to give her, she left him and went back to her own home.

Vipranarayana was heart broken and begged at Devadevi's

door for reunion . She chased him away through her servants.

 

Sri Ranganayaki took pity on her child's suffering and

appealed to Her Lord to intervene and save His devotee.

Lord took on the role of a servant of Vipranarayanan

by the name of Azhagiya MaNavalan and went to Devadevi's home

and gave her a golden cup used in His daily Aaradhanam and

told her that it was a gift from Vipranarayanan , His master.

Devadevi was pleased and invited Vipranarayanan back to

enjoy her company.

 

Next day , the archakas at the temple noticed that the golden cup

was missing and notified the king . The search revealed

that the missing cup was in the possession of the courtesan.

Devadevi's maid told the king's men that a servant of Vipranarayanan

by the name of Azhagiya manavalan brought the cup to her

mistress. The king arrested both Devadevi and Vipranarayanan ;

latter pleaded that he had no servant and that he was not

guilty of the crime of stealing.Yet , he had to spend the night

in the king's prison. During the night , Ranganatha appeared

in the dream of the king and told him that it was His play

(bringing the golden cup to Devadevi as the servant of

Vipranarayanan)to reclaim both Vipranarayana and Devadevi

as His devotees.Ranganatha said that the humiliation suffered

by Vipranarayanan was sufficient punishment and that he should

be released form prison . After the release from the prison,

Vipranarayanan realized his folly and understood the depth of

love of Ranganatha to rescue him from his utter disgrace . He vowed

to rededicate himself to the Lord's service and took on the name of

Thondaradippodi and composed two prabhandhams --Thirumaalai

and Thiruppalliyezhucchi--to celebrate the divine anugraham of

the parama dayAlu , Lord Ranganathan. He continued with

his Tulasi garland kaimkaryam to the lord all his life.

 

Thondaradippodi has performed Mangalasasanam for four

dhivya desams in his two prabhandhams : Srirangam , AyOddhi,

Thirupparkadal and Vada Mathurai . Strictly speaking , we can

conclude that all of this AzhwAr's paasurams are about

Ranganathan , since the Moolavar and Uthsavar at Srirangam

are recognized as KrishNan(Vada Mathurai) and Raaman (Ayoddhi)

respectively .He is indeed a Ranganatha pathivrathai.