Rangan & Arangan : Query of SrImathi KalaivAni Retnavellu: Part II

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

In this cocluding post, adiyEn will draw examples from

the AzhwAr's anubhavams of Rangan/Arangan . adiyEn will

continue with ThiruppANAzhwAr's anubhavam in his one and

only Prabhandham of AmalanAdhippirAn .

 

6. ThiruppANar's Amalan , AadhippirAn of Rangam

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** Nimalan , Ninmalan ,Neethi Vaanavan , NeeL-mathil

ArangatthemmAn --Paasuram 1.

 

The Lord of Rangam with magnificent ramparts

reminding us of His UpAyathvam (means) , PrApyathvam

(being the Object of attainment as the supreme goal

in life),Moksha Pradhathvam ( Power to grant Moksham ),

Jagath-KaaraNathavam ( responsible for the origin of

the Universe with its creations),Souseelyam , Vaathsalyam,

nithya nirdhOshathvam ( forever being free from any

blemishes) is celebrated by Swamy Desikan in his

commentary to the above and other passages of AmalanAdhipirAn.

That is the power of the " Ranga " sabdham.

 

** " KadiyAr Pozhil ArangatthammA " : The rich and verdant

groves of Arangam (aarAmangaL) surround the Koil AzhwAr

(PraNavAkAra VimAnam )of our Sarva Swamy : Rangan.

 

** " ArangattharavinaNayAn " (Paasuram 3): The Lord resting on

His " Surabhi-sukumAra-SeethaLa ( Fragrant , beautiful

and cool)bed of AdhiSEshan is saluted here.

 

** " Madhura maa VaNDU paada , MaamayilAdarangatthammAn "

( Paasuram 4):The MukthAs and the Nithyars take on

the form of singing bees and dancing peacocks and are

engaged in BhOgyathA-PrakAsana- vyApAram ( acts of celebration

of the Vaibhavam of Arangan ).

 

** " VaNDu Vaazh Pozhil Soozh Aranga Nahar mEyavappan " :

He is the Lord of the stage at Aranga Nahar resonant

with singing honey bees roaming in the green groves.

 

** " Amararkku ariyaa AadhippirAn , Arangatthamalan "

(8th Paasuram): One who is not known fully even by

the DevAs , who were created by Him and helped by Him .

That Arangan is invoked here.

 

** " Andar kOn ANiyarangan yenn amudhu " (Paasuram 10):

The Lord of DevAs , who enchants them with His anantha

kalyANa GuNams and displays His Swaamithvam and SvAtanTryam

( Lordship and Independence).

 

The city of Rangam , The Lord inside HIs Koil AzhwAr

there (Rangan) are the objects of high salutations

of BhANa Naathan.

 

7.1 Thirumangai Mannan's Periya Thirumozhi(PTM):

*************************************************

 

** PaLLiyAvathu PaaRkkadal Arangam(PTM 1.8.2).

here the Rangan in the North and the Arangan

of the South are jointly saluted.

 

** ThiruvAli Paasuram Passage(PTM: 3.7.6): " ArangatthuRayum

inn-thuNaivan " : The Lord , who is my sweet companion and

protector and is resting at Arangam.

 

**SrIranga Paasurams ( PTM: 5.4, 5.5, 5.6 , 5.7 & 5.8):

 

" aarAthenRirundhAnaik-KaNdathu TennararangatthE " (PTM 5.6.2)

Here AzhwAr says that he found the AarAvamudham

(the insatiable nectar) at Tennarangam.

 

Thirumangai salutes Him as " TannadiyAr manatthenRum ,

tEnAhi amudhAhi thihazhnthAnai kaNDathu TennarangatthE " .

The Lord Rangan of the Southern land is the antharyAmi

Brahmam tasting sweet as honey and life sustaining as

nectar inside the minds of His devotees (PTM: 5.6.3).

 

In the 5.7 decad, Thirumangai enjoys Rangan as

" Aranga Maanahar amarnthAnE " . The Lord is really

resting. Before resting , He has to arrive there

at Rangam .Hence , AzhwAr salutes Him as " amarnthAnE " :

" aayiram thOLAl alai kadal kadainthAnthAn Aranga Maanahar

amarnthAnE " ( PTM 5.7.4).The Lord , who churned the milky ocean

for amrutham and SrI Devi arrived and rested at Rangam .

 

**The PTM 5.8 paaurams conclude with the refrain of

" ninnadi iNai adainthEn , aNi pozhil ThiruvarngatthammAnE " .

Oh Ranga Ranga ! adiyEn has reached now Your matchless

sacred feet here at the fertile groves surrounding

Your abode at SrIrangam.

 

** In his ThirukkaNNapuram Paasurams (PTM 8.2.7),

Thirumangai takes on the role of ParakAla Naayaki

and expresses that love-stricken damsel's deep desire:

" Thurangam Vaai keeNDu uhanthAnathu ThonmaiUr

ARANGAME yenpathu ivaL tanakku aasayE " .

The ancient seat of the One , who tore the mouth

of the asuran Kesi( taking the Horse form) ,

Arangam , is the object of longing of this

love-sick girl.

 

**Towards the very end of his Periya Thirumozhi,

Thirumangai movingly appeals to the Supreme JyOthi

at Rangapuram to instruct him on the way for Moksham:

 

aNiyAr pozhil soozh Aranga NaharappA

thuNiyEnini ninnaruLallathenakku

MaNiyE MaNi-MaaNikkamE MadhusoodhA

paNiyAyenakku uyyum vahai ParamsOthi

 

This appeal to Aranga Naharappan is the most moving.

Thus concludes the magnificent Periya Thirumozhi.

 

7.2: Thirukkurum-ThANDakam

***************************

** In Thirukkurm thANDakam , Thirumangai salutes

Sri RanganAthan as " Aranga Maal " , the ArchA form

of SrIman NaarAyaNan ( ThirumAl ).He also enjoys

the beauty of Rangam and equates the Lord presiding

there as the delectable sugar cane :

 

" surumbamar sOlai soozhntha Arangamaa kOil koNDa

karumpinaik KaNDu koNDEn KaNNiNai KaLikkumARE "

 

7.3: Thirunedum-ThANDakam

**************************

** In ThirunedumthANDakam , Thirumangai salutes with

great affection Ranga sthAnam as " EmperumAn Thiruvarangam " .

" Thiruvarangam NammUr " and " Punalarangam " .

 

7.3 & 7.4: The two Thirumadals

*******************************

** In SiRiya Thirumadal, Rangam is saluted as

" aarAmam soozhntha Arangam " . In Periya Thirumadal

the Lord of Rangam is worshipped as " Mannu Arangatthu

Yemm-MaamaNiyai " . His divine lustre is compatred

to that of a great, sparkling gem stone.

 

8-10. Mudhal AzhwArkaL (Poygai, BhUtham and pEy):

***********************************************

Poygai states that he saluted the direction , where

Thiruvarangam was as he lay inside the womb :

 

" karuvarangatthutk-kidanthu kai thozhuthEn kaNDEn

ThiruvarangamEyAn tisai " .

 

BhUtham states that he learnt intensively about

Arangam ( PayinRatharangam); Why did he have to

learn intensively and train himself ? It is

becaue all the distractions of the world as well

as the unimaginable glories of the Lord of Rangam

require such a discipline: " Ninappariya neeLarangatthuLLAn " .

BhUtham reveals the Ranga Tatthvam by saluting

Ranga SthAnam as " Talai Arangam " . Rangam is the leader

among Dhivya Desams of the Lord.He acknowledges his

relationship with the Lord of Rangam as " Tennarangatthu

Yenthai " , my supreme Father at Tennarangam.

 

PEy AzhwAr salutes Rangam and RanganAthan in

two paasurams of the Third ThirvanthAthi.

 

11.1 Swamy NammAzhwAr's Thiruviruttham:

****************************************

The coolness and fertility of Ranga SthAnam of

our Lord is saluted by SaThakOpan this way: " poruneer

ThiruvarangA ! " .Poruneer refers to the cool , breaking

waves of Cauvery river competing with each other

to touch the Lord's Thiuvadi to sanctify themselves.

 

11.2: Swamy NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi(Kangulum Pahalum):

*********************************************************

The beauty of Rangam is vividly portrayed by SaThakOpan

as he takes on the role of ParAnkusa Naayaki pining for union

with her Lord. Her Mother's words ask for a clue on

what the intent of the Lord of Rangam is about

the treatment to be accorded by the Lord Arangan to

her distraught little daughter:

 

" Senkayal paay neer ThiruvarangatthA "

 

" Thitkkodi mathiL Soozh ThiruvarangatthA "

 

" sezhu neer ThiruvarangatthA "

 

" TaNN punal Soozh ThiruvarangatthA "

 

" sEl koLL taNN punal Soozh ThiruvarangatthA "

 

" sezhum tadam punal soozh ThiruvarangatthA "

 

The lofty ramparts of the Lord's temple at Arangam,

the cool river of Cauveri surrounding the Ranga

SthAnam as a garland , the fish jumping in the green

paddy fields are visualized here.

 

Swamy ParAsara Bhattar has described with intensity

the beauty of Ranga SthAnam in SrI RangarAja Sthavam

as he pined for return to Srirangam from his self-imposed

exile at ThirukkOttiyUr and reunion with Lord Rangan

at Thiruvarangam ..

 

Swamy Deesikan in four slOkams of His Hamsa sandhEsa

Kaavyam describes the beauty of Ranga SthAnam , the

soundharyam of the River CauvEri Flowing there,

the sacred Sesha PeeDam on which Ranga VimAnam stands

and concludes with this beautiful slautation

to the Lord of SrIrangam:

 

SatthvE dhivyE svayamudhayatas

tasya dhAmna: prasangAth

manjUshAyAm Maragathamiva

bhrAjamAnam tadhantha:

chEthO dhAvath upahitha bhujam

sEshabhOgE sayAnam

dheergApAngam jaladhi-tanayA

jeevitham DEvamAdhyam

 

--Hamsa sandhEasam : SlOkam 46

 

(meaning):Oh Hamsam ! When we talk about the Suddha

Sathva maya , self-manifested SEsha peetam at

Ranga SthAnam , then my mind runs after the Maragatha

MaNi resting inside the VimAnam (petti) standing on

the Sesha Peetam (i-e)., Lord RanganAthA resting on

AadhisEshan with one of His hands serving as His pillow.

He has long glances (Dheerga apAngam ) and is the Life for

MahA lakshmi (SrI RanganAyaki).He is the primordial

cause of this Universe.

 

With ananatha kOti PraNAmams to this Aadhi Moorthy ,

adiyEn concludes this two part salutation to the Lord

of Rangam , Rangan/Arangan .

 

SrI RanganAtha ParabrahmaNE Nama:

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SaThakOpan/Sadagopan