geethA sAstramum nedunthAndaka sAstramum-7

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

 

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

 

Sri Vara Vara munayE Namaha

 

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

 

 

Arayar sEvai

 

 

 

In Srirangam, the araiyar sevai during the adyayana utsavam during the margazhi

month is a very special occasion. The utsavam actually starts with the

thirunedundAndaka thirunal. Lets enjoy the happenings in srirangam on that

special day. This day precedes the adyayana utsavam by a day that is on the

night of amavasya. After the thirukkarthigai till the end of the adyayana

utsavam, all the other utsavas excluding the nithya utsavams are stopped.

Namperumal does not undergo parvOtsava thirumanjanam on the amavasya that

precedes the adyayana utsavam. On the amavasya day in the evening perumal

quickly accepts sheerAnam prasadam adorning the same garland that he wore during

the Periya avasaram amudhupadi. After that the darshan to sEvArthees is stopped

for the day. The garbhagruham is closed and the screen is put in front of

perumal. The sannadhi vAsal kainkaryaparas and koil mAhAjana kainkaryaparas

obliging to the order of the maniyakkArar go to the house of the araiyars and

welcome them to the temple.

 

 

 

The araiyars who are adorned with a special time of cap on their head (kullAi)

come amidst the sound of divine instruments sent by perumal and visit vudayavar

sannadhi, Sri Parthasarathi sannadhi where thiruvarangaperumal araiyar takes his

place and nammazhvar sannadhi and pay their homage to the acharyas and submit

their tAlams (the instrument used for their music) in the respective sannadhis

to get the anugraham of the acharyas for a flawless araiyar sevai. Later they

reach the Periya sannadhi and seat themselves opposite to the jayavijayal.

 

 

 

Then as per the words of the maniyakkArar emperuman is adorned with new garlands

and then ‘grated coconut’ is offered to perumal. As per the words of the

maniyakkArar the screen in front of the sanctum is opened. The maniyakkArar

invites the araiyar into the sanctum. The araiyars enter the sanctum. The

stalatArs, Acharya purushas, theerthakArars, and other Srivaishnavas remain as a

ghosti outside on either side of the sanctum. The stAneekar who remains inside,

with the permission of the maniyakkArar and archakas welcomes the araiyars with

arulappAdu,

 

“kOyiludaiya perumAlaraiyar, varantharum perumAlarayar!

 

MadhiyAdha deivangal maNavAla perumAlaraiyar, nAdha vinOdha araiyar!”

 

 

 

Among these four either the first two or the last two is recited by the

stAneekar. In such occasions all the araiyars will be present and all of them

will submit their thAlams to the stAneekar who submits them to the archakar who

inturn submits them to the divine feet of emperuman. Then the archakar will

honour all the araiyars with theertham, thiruparivattam, thirumalai, prasadam

etc after which the araiyars take back their thAlams in respective orders and

stand facing west and recite the following:

 

“pongu seer vachanabhoodanam eendha vulagAriyan pORRida thigazhum perumal!

 

POdha manavAla mAmuni eeduraippadhu kEttu pooriththu nindra perumal!”

 

 

 

Following which the araiyars sing the first paasuram in thirunedunthAndakam

“minnuruvAi” in a sweet manner many times. After the completion of the

paasurams the araiyars distribute the grated coconut to the entire ghosti. Then

the stalathAr and others come out and sit in the azhagiya Manavalan mandapam.

The araiyars stand in front of the garudan and enact the “minnuruvAi” paasuram

with music and abhinayam. During the abhinayam the ghosti stands and after the

completion of the abhinayam they sit down. Now proceeds the vyakhyanam.

 

 

 

For the first paasuram, periyavAchan pillai vyakhyanam and from the 1st to the

11th paasuram (“paattutukkum”) tambiran padi vyakhyanam is read by the araiyars

on this day. The araiyars know not only the paasurams but also the vyakhyanams

by heart. So one araiyar will tell the vyakhyanam and the other will check it

out with a palm leaf in his hand. The way the araiyars read the vyakhyanam is

quite amazing and hence the whole crowd will get deeply immersed in it. After

the completion of Periya vachan pillai vyakhyanam for the first paasuram

thirumangai azhvar sends his sandhanam (sandal paste), thAmbhoolam (beetel

leaf), sambhavai and other honours through the archakar incharge of kaliyan

sannadhi and blesses the araiyars who are delivering his paasurams in front of

perumal on that day. The araiyars accept them in front of the ghosti. Then

tambiran padi is read and the occasion comes to an end. In this way the

araiyars present the thirunedunthAndaka paasurams in front of

emperuman with sweet music and abhinayam (a form of dance).

 

 

 

Next posting will deal with ‘muttu kuri’ a special type of araiyar sevai.

 

 

 

Azhvar EmperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharanam

 

 

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

 

Sumithra Varadarajan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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