Thazhumbirundha sArnga nAN thOindhavA mangai

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Srimathe Ramanujaya namaha

Srimath Varavaramuneye namaha

"Thazhumbirundha sArnga nAN thOindhavA mangai"

Aazhwar reveals two wonderful lakshanAs of Paramatma-Sriman NArayaNa. Swami ALavandhAr performs an analysis of this SrI sookthi;

Why is Aazhwar singing of Thazhumbu or mark due to regular use of the bow-sArnga? He could have sung of the other beautiful aspects instead of a Thazhumbu. What is so great in the "thazhumbu"?

Swami yAmunAchArya explains,

"The Lord-Sri Raghava `s bow always rests on His enormous shoulders. He always wields the strung bow-sArnga. This has left a mark or thazhumbu on His broad shoulders. Repeated use of the bow to save His adiyArgal has left the mark.

Aazhwar here describes both shoulders of the Lord. Does not the mark appear on just one shoulder? No it appears on both shoulders because the Lord is "SwayasAchi" -or one capable of wielding and stringing the bow and thereby firing arrows with both hands(ambidexterous ). So the mark appears on both shoulders.So is Aazhwar referring to this as a VeeraLakshanam.

Aazhwar explains the thazhumbu not just as a Veeralakshanam but also as Purushothama Lakshanam.

The Bhagavan is Paramatma and SarvathA rakshakan.

 

Ashrithanai rakshikkaiyE purushOthama lakshanam

 

So the description of the Veera Bahu is to drive home the message that the Lord is the Rakshakan and Raghu-Veera: .

Secondly, Sri Piratti-Sita NAchhiyAr who is wonderfully magnificent and radiant ,with ornaments rushing to derive their grandeur from Her-She who is the frontier of beauty She who is the divine mother-She who saves us from the horrible samsAra through PurushakAra , always rests on this Veera BAhu of Raghunatha.

 

Veerapatni veerabhujathAi anRo aNaivadhu

 

SrI RAmayanA says,

 

shayAnE sohamAnkEna sithAyA shObitham purA

 

The Lord's beautiful shoulders radiate with the pristine brilliance of PirAtti's sayana sambhandam.

 

This is to convey the meaning that PurushakAram is possible with only a person who can get the act done. That is a mediator role can be played only with the person who can complete the task. The task here is saving the souls and the Lord is the Rakshakan or saviour. Aazhwar wonders at the appropriateness of Piratti's purushakAram and the Lord's Rakshakatvam- both complete and perfect and capable of saving us. This is the meaning explained by the reference to the Thazhumbu.

 

Even Periyazhwar sings Pallandu to "ThinthOL" first!

purushakArathiRkkum rakshanathiRkkum prathipAdhakam avan thiruthOl thazhumbiRE!

Aazhwar Emberumaanaar Jeeyar ThiruvadigalE charanam

ramanujadasan

ranganathan