Pushpa, ThyAga, BhOga....3

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PeriyAzhwar is known for his pongum parivu on Perumal. PoochUttal is the part

where he describes about pushpa kaimkaryam to Perumal. Here is an interesting

reference on the pushpa kaimkaryam from his pasuram,

 

‘Senbaga malligaiOdu sengazhuneer iruvaychi, enbagar poovum konarndu indrivai

chUtta vaavendru…..’

 

He clearly talks about the flowers offered to Perumal. Let us now try to

correlate this pasuram to flowers offered by Kurumbarutha Nambi. Nambi offered 8

types of flowers. This count refers to following eight characters with which he

offered the actual mud flowers to ThiruVenkadamudayAn:

 

Ahimsa

Indriya Nigraham

Daya

Kshama

Shanti

Tapas

Dyanam

Satyam

 

Ahimsa refers to non-violence. Non-violence does not limit just to the physical

level. A person should never offend any creature by manas, vAk or kAyam (mind,

words and bodily activity). All these three put together are known as Trividha

ApachAram. This can be referred to Swami Ramanujar’s Gadyatrayam.

 

Indriya Nigraham refers to control of senses. This is very difficult for anyone

on this earth. Even Azhwars have sung about the problems created by senses. Let

us look at few references from Azhwar’s pasurams.

 

NammAzhwar in his fifth 10, sings on Vanamamalia Perumal by surrendering to Him

explaining His Akinchanyatvam. Here is the reference,

 

‘Agatra nee vaitha mAya val aimpulangalAm avai nangu arinthanan, agatri ennayum

nee arunchEtril veezhthi kandai….’

 

He pleads to Deivanayagan saying that Deivanayagan was the one who has given

these senses to Azhwar and has made him fall into the samsara cycle (he refers

to this as swampy or muddy place). Quoting this aspect, Azhwar request Perumal

to take him back to Paramapadam.

 

NammAzhwar again talks about senses. Here is another reference,

 

‘ aivar thisai thisai valindhu ettugindranar’

 

There was a rich man. One day, five thieves robbed his house and kept the pack

of jewels and other valuables on his head, and each one pulled him from one

direction. This is the kind of impact that senses have on us. Hence it is very

important to control the senses. There are many references from Azhwars’

pasurams on this aspect.

 

Another interesting reference is from Thirumagai Azhwar’s pasurams on

Amaruviappan in ThiruAzhundur.

 

‘aivar ennul Pugundhu ozhiyaadhu, aruvith thinRida anji, nin adaindhEn.. "

 

Here Azhwar says that, ‘These five senses have entered me and torturing me, and

are eating me up. Scared of these senses I am coming to you and falling at your

feet. You are the protector’

 

Thondaradippodi Azhwar was even scared in putting words on the impact of senses

in the stage of youth. Hence he referred to it as ‘adhu’ in his pasuram,

 

‘vEda nool pirAyam noorum…. AdhalAl piravi vEndEn ArangamA nagarulAnE’

 

Here is an easier method taught by our Acharyas to keep the senses under

control. We can do all that we want to with our senses by orienting our thoughts

and actions towards Bhagavat and Bhagavata kaimkaryam.

 

 

 

There is no control on our senses to enjoy the sight of Perumal and Thayar. One

easiet way is to visit Divya Desams. Similarly, we can listen to Bhagavat

vishayam. Here is a reference for Kulasekara Azhwar’s PermAl Thirumozhi on

longing for the joy of senses in worshipping Perumal and Thayar,

 

yenn KaNkaL neermalha yenRu kolO niRkum naaLE

 

He sings longing for the darshan of Ranaganathan. Similarlynin the same 1o, he

also longs for a place in Bhagavata Goshti,

 

Arangan muttrathu adiyAr thangal inbamigu kuzhuvukandu yAnum isaindhudanE endru

kolO irukkum nAlE

 

If we realise the fact that even Azhwars have sung on the influence of senses

and stayed away from their impact, we will surely be able to control our senses.

 

Let us look at other kinds of pushpams in the following postings…

 

aDiyEn,

 

ramanan

 

 

 

 

 

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