nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi-16

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

Sri Vara Vara MunayE Namaha

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

 

 

Paasuram-9

 

 

 

" kurai koNda nAnmugan kuNdikai neer peidhu

 

marai koNda mandiraththAl vAzhththi-karaikoNda

 

kaNdaththAn senni mElErakkazhuvinAn

 

aNdaththAn sEvadiyai Angu "

 

 

 

In the previous paasuram azhvar showed that only emperuman can come to our

rescue in all times of difficulty ( " emperumAnai ozhindhavar rakshakargal

allar " -pillai ulagariyan). In this paasuram, azhvar further establishes the

same fact by showing that not only for ordinary jeevatmas like us, but even for

the brahmarudras who are considered as elevated souls emperuman is only the

saviour.

 

 

 

(kurai koNda) mahabali became powerful and started ruling over the 3 worlds

putting all the devas to sorrow. So the devas lead by brahma wanting back their

kingdom fell to the divine feet of emperuman. To help the devas emperuman took

vamanAvatharam. As a small brahmin boy, vAmana asked for three steps of land

measured with his feet. Inspite of sukrAcharyar, stopping mahabali indicating

the cheating act of Sriman Narayanan mahabali proceeded to give the bhoodhAnam.

As soon as the dhAna jalam (water that is poured in the hands of the acceptor by

the giver) fell to the hands of bhagavan, he took a big trivikrama roopam and

started to measure the 2 worlds in his 2 steps. At that time emperuman's feet

went to the brahma lOkam. Brahma earlier had a worry (kurai) that the devas

were suffering due to mahabali and hence he ran to bhagavan to get his wishes

fulfilled. Now that emperuman has won over mahabali brahma as an act of

gratefulness filled with respect,

 

 

 

(kuNdikai neer peidhu) washed the divine feet of emperuman with the holy water

in his kamandalam. Brahma had 'dharmam' (all good deeds) as the holy water in

his kamandalu.

 

 

 

(marai koNda mandiraththAl vAzhththi) Even we common folks know that there are

procedures to be followed while doing thirumanjanam (divine bath) to emperuman.

Nanmugan, brahma who was created by emperuman in his nAbikamalam was blessed

with the four vedas and four heads to chant the same. Now will he miss this

opportunity? So brahma washed the divine feet of emperuman along with the

chanting of purushasooktham and other Veda manthras. Brahma did mangalasAsanams

to the divine soft feet of emperuman that had to walk in rough forest landscapes

for fulfilling the wishes of the devas.

 

 

 

(karaikoNda kaNdaththAn senni mElErakkazhuvinAn) Once Siva due to anger plucked

one of the heads of his own father, brahma. Due to this he attained the sin of

brahmahaththi. So to purify his son, neelakandan brahma washed the divine feet

of emperuman in such a way that it will fall on the head of Siva. During the

amruthamadhanam (churning of the milk ocean) first AlakAla vishanam (a very

severe poison) emerged out. To save all the devas, Siva swallowed all the

poison. While it entered the throat parvathi stopped it without entering into

the body and hence the throat of Siva turned to blue colour. From that day he

is called as neelakandan. Due to his courageous act of swallowing the heavy

poison Siva considers himself to be great and hence to remove that pride Brahma

washed the divine feet of emperuman in such a way that it fell on the head of

Siva.

 

 

 

(aNdaththAn sEvadiyai) Brahma washed that divine feet of emperuman, who grew as

trivikrama to measure the whole world with his single feet and who is the master

of all the worlds. This act of brahma was like a father sprinkling the sripada

theertham on the head of a very mischievous child.

 

 

 

The following incident has been shown in Ishwarasamhita as follows:

 

" triveebhoodhas tathA dharmO ... mumOcha tathA hara: "

 

[Oh! great rishi, (during the time when bhagavan measured the worlds) due to the

bhakthi towards hari dharmam became the water. I (brahma) for the happiness of

jagannAthan took that water of good deeds and washed the divine feet of

emperuman with deep love. The worship was done along with arkyam and pAdyam.

Seeing the falling water Siva who wanted to purify himself (considering himself

eligible to be purified) held the water in his hair fold (jadai) and for many

many years he preserved it in his head without allowing it to fall down.]

 

 

 

(To be continued)

 

 

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

 

 

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

Sumithra Varadarajan