nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi-18

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

Sri Vara Vara MunayE Namaha

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

 

 

Paasuram-11

 

 

 

" vAzhththugavAi kAngakaN kEtkasevi makudam

 

thAzhththi vaNangumingal thaNmalarAl-soozhiththa

 

thuzhAimannu neeNmudiyen thollaimAl thannai

 

vazhAvaNkai koopi madhiththu. "

 

 

 

In this paasuram azhvar instructs others to divert the sense organs that are

provided for the purpose of service towards that holy lord who is so easily

attainable by one and all.

 

 

 

(vAzhththugavAi) " sA jihvA yA harim stowthi " That which sings the praise of hari

is regarded as tongue ( " nA " ). So praise him with that tongue, the sole purpose

of the tongue's existence being singing his greatness.

 

 

 

(kAnga kaN) We have two eyes, For What? Emperuman blessed us with two eyes to

enjoy his divya mangala roopam. So see the lord with your eyes.

 

 

 

(kEtka sevi) Our ears have been provided to listen to his greatness and hence

listen to the talk about his kalyana gunas, the greatness of his namas and also

about his sEshtithangal (divine acts).

 

 

 

(makudam thAzhththi vaNangumingal) Our head is bound to bow before the

almighty. So use the head provided to show your gratitude towards the lord.

 

 

 

(vaNangumingal thaNmalarAl) While you go to prostrate the divine lord, don't go

with open hand. Take some divine flowers that will create coolness to the

divine thirumeni of emperuman and fall to his feet.

 

 

 

(malarAl) There is no restriction on which flower you have to take for his

pooja. Whichever flower is available you can take it for the lord provided you

take the same with devotion and deep love towards him. " kallAr thuzhAyum

kaNavalarum koovalaiyum mullAr mulariyum Ambalum kaNdakkAl " When ever you see

any flower imagine how it would be if it is adorned by the divine lord and take

it to his sannadhi with love.

 

GeethAcharyan declares with his own words,

 

" pathram pushpam palam thOyam yO mE bhakthyA prayachchathiI

 

tathaham bhakthyupahrutham asnAmi prayadhAthmana: "

 

 

 

[Whether it is a leaf, or a flower, or a fruit, or just water if a person gives

me the same with bhakthi I accept the same given to me with clean heart and love

with great happiness.]

 

Azhvar says, " purivadhuvum pugai poovE " .

 

 

 

Next azhvar says about the lord so as to invoke us to prostrate in his divine

feet.

 

 

 

(soozhththa thuzhAi mannu) Adorning the thulasi garland is the greatest

identification to the supreme lord (sarvAdhikan), as the lord always likes

adorning the same.

 

 

 

(thuzhAi mannu neeNmudi) " thOlinai mElum nanmArbinmElum sudarmudimElum

thAliNaimElum punaindha thaNNanthuzhAiyudaiyammAn " . 'NeeNmudi' indicates to the

divine crown of emperuman, the sarva lOka nAyakan (king of kings)

 

" AdirAjyam adhikam bhuvanAnAm eesa! thE pisunayan kila mowli: " -

kooraththAzhvan.

 

 

 

(en thollai mAl thannai) the one who is being praised by me. Another

identification for the Adipurushan sarvEshvaran is being the one who is

prostrated by thirumazhisai Azhvar.

 

mAl- periyOn (respectable person, elderly person, superior) Or the one who has

had a special love towards me from the time adiyen was filled with the darkness

of ignorance (mAl-anban)

 

 

 

(vazhA vaN kai koopi) without any change fold your charitable hands. " vudArAs

sarva A-vaiththE " says the geethAcharyan in his bhagavat geetha [those who

prostrate me these people are filled with generosity (vudArargal)]. Whether

they fall to his feet for money or happiness it doesn't matter, emperuman feels

happy that atleast for that they fall to his feet rather than going at the back

of other sudhra devatas and common people.

 

 

 

(thollaimAl thannai madhiththu vaNangumingal) Think about the lord with the mind

given to meditate on him and then fall to his feet. PeriyavAchan pillai in his

commentary says, " sarvEshvaranudaiya thirunAmaththai mArAmal ninaiththu " so fall

to his feet with the meditation and utterance of divine names of bhagavan.

 

 

 

(makudam thAzhththi vanaNgumingal) leave all your ahankara mamakAras and fall to

his feet. Due to your ego and pride your head is heavy like being crowned so

prostrate the lord leaving your entire ego.

 

 

 

The rishis explain the purpose of the sense organs as follows:

 

" vichiththrA dEhasampaththi EswarAya nivEdhithum I

 

poorvamEva kruthA brahman hasthapAdhAdhi samyudhA II " and the mudal azhvars

repeat the same as

 

" vAyavanai alladhu vAzhththAdhu kaiyulagam

 

thAyavanai alladhu thAm thozhA-pEymulainanju

 

vooNAga vundAn vuruvodu pErallAl

 

kAnAkaN kElA sevi " .

 

 

 

(To be continued)

 

 

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

 

 

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

Sumithra Varadarajan