Thiru Adhyayana Uthsam: Part V -- IyaRppA Day at Pomona Temple for Lord RanganAthan

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

Yesterday was another grand day at SrI Ranganatha Temple here in New York

and many devotees from the different corners of USA celebrated

IyaRppA day in the time honored tradition of the celebrations of

SrIrangam Temple .The fourth thousand was recited and

this year's Thiru Adhyayana Uthsavam came to a brilliant

conclusion after Deasika Prabhandham was recited followed by

PiLLai AndhAthi SaaRRumuRai . Latter is a tribute of Kumaara

VaradAchAr Swamy to his revered father and AchAryan,

Swamy NigamAntha Desikan. The nigama parimaLam ( Sweet and

nourishing fragrance of VedAs wafted from one end of

the temple to the other.

 

The start of the Day

*********************

After the visEsha Dhanur Maasa AarAdhanam , Lord RanganAtha arrived

at His darbar in front of the 12 AzhwArs to listen to the IyarppA

section of dhivya Prabhandham ( Mudhal AzhwAr ThiruvandhAthis,

the three prabhandhams of Swamy NammAzhwAr , Thirumazhisai's

Naanmukhan ThiruvandhAthi , ThiruvEzhukURRirukkai ,the Two

Thirumadals of Kaliyan and RaamAnuja NooRRandhAthi. Along with

the " Tenn Kuruhaip-pirAn amudha ThiruvAi Eerat-tamizh " recited

yesterday , the IyaRppA provided the Iyal Part of the Tamil

language tradition , which has the three branches of Iyal ,

Isai and Naatakam.

 

Among the NaalAyira Dhivya prabhandham , the fourth thousand

recited yesterday is based on the Iyal Paa tradition .

The reamining three thousnads have both Iyal and Isai

features according to the experts on Tamil Literature.

One can also look at Kaliyan's Two Thirumadals as Naatakam .

ThiruppAvai ( Paa Maalai ) by GodhA PirAtti , who

wore the Poo Maalai (Flower garland constructed by Her

father) can also be included as Naataka Tamizh set to

exquisite poetry ( Iyal Tamizh and that too Sanga Tamizh).

Those flower garlands adorned by Godhai for the Sarva Gandhan

(omnifragrant One ) and the other AzhwAr's verse garlands

(Paa Malai ) have Nigama ParimaLam ( the eternal sweet fragrance of

the VedAs).

 

All the AzhwArs are celebrated in our tradition as

Ubhaya VedAntha siddhAntha Pravarthakars ( Those who

advanced the twin Vedas tradition , the Sanskrit and

Tamil vedAs). They were all proficeint in the ancient

VedAs set in Sanskrit . For the benefit of those ,

who may not be able to access or understand the terse

concepts housed in the Sanskrit VedAs , they chose

Tamil to house their vernacular VedA in Tamil.

 

The echos of the sanskrit VedAs , Upanishads (VedAntham)

are clearly heard in almost all of the aruLiccheyalkaL

of the AzhwArs. adiyEn will attempt to capture a sampling

of such unison of thought ( IykakanDyam) between the Sanskrit

and Tamil Vedaas ( Dhivya prabhandhams ) in future postings.

The goal ( UddhEsyam) of the Ubhaya VedAntham is none other

than the Lord Himself , the BhUlOka Vaikunta Naathan ,

Sri RanganAthan Himself.

 

The unique and overlowing DayA of the Dhivya Dampathis of

Pomona-SrIrangam permitted us to celebrate Thiru Adhyayana

Uthsavam this year in a grand manner.

 

Our sincere thanks to all the devotees , who participated and

supported this important seasonal festival from all corners

of the country .

 

SrI RanganAthO Jayathi,

Swamy NammAzhwAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

SrI RanganAtha PaadhukE ! Thubhyam Nama:

Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SaThakOpan