Fwd: ThiruvahIndhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimkaryam : Part XVIII :Nava MaNi Maalai

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

SrI HemAbhja Naayaki SamEtha SrI DEvanAtha ParabrahmaNE nama:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

Yesterday , we enjoyed a quick overview of

MummaNikkOvai Paasurams . We will come back to

the individual ten paasurams after overviews of

Nava MaNi Maalai, DevanAyaka PanchAsath ,

Achyutha Sathakam and Para matha Bangam . After these

postings on the highlights of these ThiruvahIndhrapuram

realed granthams of Swamy Desikan , we will continue

with each of the individaul Paasurams and slOkams

of the above Five SrI Sookthis .

 

On this Panguni SravaNam day , the avathAra dinam

of Lord Oppiliappan to marry BhUmi DEvi at TuLasi

Vanam , let us remember another marriage

that took place at ThiruvahIndhrapuram between

HemAbjavalli , the daughter of Brughu Maharishi(Bhaargavi)

and Lord DevanAthan at the request of the Maharishi.

At Oppiliappan Koil , BhUmi Devi appeared in

the TuLasi Vanam and was raised by Sage MarkaNdEyA.

At ThiruvahIndhrapuram , SrI Devi appeared as a small child

and was raised by Bhrughu Maharishi. At the Garbhagraham at

both the Dhivya dEsams , the Father in Laws of the Lord have

a honored seats in front of the Lord .

 

Nava MaNi Maalai of Swamy Desikan

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

MummaNikkOvai was the first Tamil Prabhandham of

Swamy Desikan. The Nava MaNi Maalai is the last of

the Tamil Prabhandhams composed at ThiruvahIndhrapuram .

 

Nine Paasurams of this SrI Sookti are like

the nine gems of a Nava MaNi Maalai . In the final

paasuram of Nava MaNi Maalai, Swamy Desikan

records for posterity that he composed the two

SthOthrams ( SrI Deva Naayaka PanchAsath in Sanskrit

and SrI Achyutha Sathakam in praakrit ) first and then

went on to compose the Tamil Prabhandhams of MummaNikkovai ,

Panthu , Kazhal, AmmAnai, Oosal , yEsal and

Nava MaNi Maalai in that order.

 

The formats chosen from Tamil Poetry grammar for

Nava MaNi Maalai are:

 

(1)First Paasuram set in PathinARu Seer Aasiriya Chanda

Viruttham containing 16 lines. This Paasuram extolls

the glories of the Sacred ThiruvadikaL (the redeeming

Feet ) of Lord DhaivanAyakan.The miracles performed by these

glorious feet and their parama Soulabhyam are saluted .

The miracles performed by these auspicious feet during

ThrivikramAvathAram, KrishNAvatham , RaamAvathAram are

eulogized. Swamy Desikan concludes that the sacred feet of

the Lord have now arrived at the dhivya dEsam of

ThiruvahIndhrapuram to protect His BhaagavathAs .

The chanda Nadai of the paasurams of this SrI Sookthi

( Paasurams 1,,2,3 and 8) have a beautiful musical

effect as one recites. These paasurams are set to

different TaaLams and have a lilting/mesmerizing effect.

 

(2) The Second Paasuram: This is set in IrupattheNN (28)

SeerAsiriya Chanda Viruttham and also has 16 lines of

echoing back and forth chanda nadai. it will be a treasure

for Mrudhanga VidvAns to accompany during singing.

 

This Paasuram passages celebrate ThiruvahIndhrapura

EmperumAn as DasAvathAran in astyle evocative of

the AzhwArs in their paasurams. The anugrahams

conferred on SamsAris , BrahmA, Nithya Sooris like

Adhi sEsahn , Garudan and BhUmi DEvi at this KshEthram

are referred to in this Paasuram . As " MoovarAhiya Oruvan " ,

Lord DevanAthan has the symbols of Lotus ( for BrahmA) ,

the Third eye and Jadai (for Rudran ) and Sankha-Chakram (for

VishNu) in His Archaa Vigraham at Thiruvayindhai.

 

(3) Third Paasuram: The dhivya ChEstithams (Divine Mysterious

acts ) of Lord DEvanAthan become the subject matter for

this Paasuram, which has 4 lines and has the viruttham of

yEzhu (7)SeerAsiriya Viruttham.The destruction of ThripurAsurans,

the Indhra Garva Bhangam during KrishNavathAram through

the lifting of the Govardhana Giri to protect the inhabitants

of Gokulam and the teaching of lesson to Samudhra Raajan

during RaamAvathAram at DhanushkOti are covered here.

 

(4) The fourth Pasuram is set in the simple Kali Viruttham

and salutes the special Maasi Maka uthsavam , when

the Lord DevanAthan travels to the sea side (DevanAm Pattinam)

followed by Vedam . Swamy Desikan went on anuyAthrA

on these Uthsavams and is paying special tribute to

that unique uthsavam (Kadal neerAttam) ,where

Taranga Mukha Nandini takes delight in looking

at the breaking waves on the Ocean shore.

 

5) The Fifth Paasuram: This paasuram is is set in AaRu (6)

seerAsiriya Viruttham . Swamy Desikan prays here for the boon of

anthima smruthi ( memory of Lord DevanAthan) during his last

moments on this earth .He begs the Lord to arrive at his side

(during his last moments) with the ajn~Anam-chasing Chakram

and the Jn~Anam-granting Sankham in His hands.

 

6) In the Sixth Paasuram set in YeNN (8) seerAsiriya Viruttham ,

Swamy Desikan visualizes the Lord of ThiruvahIndhrapuram

as KrishNAvatharan and states that those blessed souls ,

who do not forget the unparalleled beauty of this Lord

will never ever be born in this Karma BhUmi .Swamy Desikan

assures us that those who have anthima smruthi of

the Lord will be blessed with the anugraham of Moksham.

 

7) In the seventh Pasuram set in yEzhu (7) seerAsiriya Viruttham ,

Swamy Desikan requests the Lord for abhaya PradhAnam and

free him from the horrors of naraka Vaasam and punishments

there by the servants of Yama dharman.

 

8) In the 8th paasuram set in pathinAnku (14 ) seerAsiriya

Viruttham , the double of the previous yezhu seerAsiriya

Viruttham , Swamy Desikan pleads with Lord Dhaiva Naayakan

for freedom from fear about samsAric afflictions . Swamy

Desikan reminds the Lord of the many upakArams done by

Him to those , who cried out to Him for protection ,

when they faced danger . Swamy Desikan continues

with the request for abhaya PradhAnam. Later , Swamy

Desikan created later a special ChillaRai Rahasyam

entitled " Abhaya PradhAna Saaram " based on

the many incidents depicted by Sage VaalmIki

in SrImad RaamAyanam.

 

9)The ninth Paasuram is set in KattaLai KalitthuRai

format and Swamy Desikan performs saraNAgathi here

at the Thiruvadi of Lord Dhaiva Naayakan. He seeks

adaikkalam .His appeal for protection by the Lord

is a moving one.

 

10) The final paasuram is a phala sruthi paasuram.

Swamy Desikan here acknowledges that the matchless

Lord of ThiruvahIndhrapuram commanded him to compose

Nava MaNi Maalai and other 8 SthOthrams on Him in the three

different languages of Sanskrit, PrAkrutham and Tamizh.

Swamy Desikan concludes this Prabhandham with

the acknowledgement of kaimkarya prApthi through

the grace of Lord DevanAthan of Thiruayindhai.

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan