nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi-56

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha

Srimad Vara Vara munayE Namaha

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

Paasuram-47

 

“nanmaNi vaNNanoor ALiyum kOLariyum

ponnum maNiyum muththamum poomaramum-panmaNi

neerOdu porudurulum kAnamum vAnaramum

vEdu mudai vEnkatam”

 

In the previous paasuram, azhvar elaborated the nature of one elephant in thirumalai. Now, in this paasuram azhvar continues to talk about the other less intellectual objects that act like the most intellectual nithya sooris concentrating on doing divine service to the holy lord at thirumalai.

 

(nanmaNivaNNanoor) Like a Cool blue gem (in colour and nature), emperuman resides in thirumalai.

VaNNam - colour; svabhavam - nature;

Priceless gems will be rare and obtainable by all. But this costly gem though very precious still is filled with ultimate sowlabhyam available to all, (“mundAnaiyilE mudindhu AlalAmpadiyAna sowlabhyam”)

If one loses a costly possession then he feels like killing himself but at the same time if he gets back the same gem he gains extra strength to do anything in life since many people fall to his feet due to his richness. Similarly, bhagavatas possess the most valuable gem, bhagavan in the lockers of their heart and hence they live with extra strength while along with him but in his viragam (separation) they go to the extend of even trying to commit suicide like seetha piratti who suffered due to separation from ramapiran. Everyone respect bhagavatas and fall to their feet since they possess the valuable gem emperuman (mAdhavan-maNivaNNan) in their hearts.

All the most precious gems found in this world are just a small fraction of the emperuman’s greatness. Hence emperuman is referred to as “nanmaNivaNNan”.

 

(voor) Thirumalai is described as “kAnamum vAnaramum vEdum vudai vENkatam” Then how can it be called as ‘voor’ (place of human habitation)? Shouldn’t it be just called as a ‘mountain’ or ‘forest’?

Any place under the protection of a king is considered to be a ‘voor’. In Ramayana, the great epic kaikeyi sent ramapiran to exile. For the very purpose of protecting the rishis in the forest ramapiran also accepted the punishment with pleasure. Lakshmana, wanting to do all sorts of service at all times to his dear brother decided to accompany Sri Rama and Seetha. At that time Sumithra, lakshmana’s mother didn’t stop him but advised him as follows:

“rAmam dasaratam vidhdhi mAm vidhdhi janakAthmajAm ayOdhyam madaveem vidhdhi…”

[Oh! Lakshmana you have decided to go to the forest with your beloved brother. But please think rama to be dasaratha [place the same love you have on rama on dasaratha also don’t cultivate hatred in your mind]; you place me in the place of janaki [you may have a hard feeling towards me since I am dasaratha’s wife still show the same affection to me as you show to seetha ] ; consider the forest to be like ayodhya since now the boundary of protection for rama has extended till the forest.

 

So as per the above sloka, one place is considered to be worthy to live if it is protected. The great prince rama moved to the forest and the forest itself became his kingdom. Similarly since emperuman protects one and all in thirumalai it is nothing wrong to call it as “voor”.

 

Next azhvar talks about those who are protected: -

(ALiyum kOLariyum) Yali and lion are considered to be enemies in nature. But here in thirumalai, they forget their mutual enemity and concentrate on doing divine service to the almighty.

 

(ponnum maNiyum muththamum poomaramum-panmaNi neerOdu porudurulum kAnamum vAnaramum vEdu mudai)

Even the insentient objects, pearls, gems etc do divine service to the lord at thirumalai. The most intellectual being, blessed with the utmost knowledge by emperuman himself, kulasekara azhvar also wishes to do the same sort of kainkaryam irrespective of what roles he takes.

“vEnkataththu kOnEri vAzhum kurugAi pirappEnE”

“meenAi pirakkum vidhivudaiyEn AvEnE”

“senpagamAi nirkum thiruvudaiyEn AvEnE”

“tanbhagamAi nirkum tavam vudaiyEn AvEnE”

 

(ponnum….vEdumudai vEnkatam nanmaNivaNNanoor) In paramapadam, the lord’s grace falls on only the nithyasooris who are already the blessed few. But here in thiruvenkatam the lord’s grace falls on one and all (sentient and insentient objects, animals and humans) so thirumalai is considered to be even greater than paramapadam

 

(ALiyum) The commentary reads, “Thirumalaiyil varththikkum nithyasoorigalai sollugiradhu” This can be either understood as, due to the great thirst for bhagavat kainkaryam everything in thirumalai are equal to nithya sooris or otherwise due to their wish to do kainkaryam to emperuman always the nithyasooris have come down to do divine service to thiruvenkatamudiyan.

 

(To Be Continued)

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

Sumithra Varadarajan