Thiruvaheendhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimkaryam: Part 173 ( Mey Viratha Maanmiyam )

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs of Swamy Desikan :

 

Today , adiyEn will start on the next dhivya Prabhandham of

Swamy Desikan (viz)., Mey Viratha Maanmiyam .

 

Swamy Desikan had created a MaNipravALa rahasya grantham before

known as Sathya Vratha MahAthmyam . He assembled the Tamil Paasurams

from that rahasya grantham to create the Tamil Prabhandham of Mey Viratha

Maanmiyam. There are 29 Pasurams in this Desika Prabhandham. Swamy

Desikan's skills as Tamil poet are abundantly present here. The

SaasthrArthams

condensed in one single Paasuram houses the quintessence of SrI BhAshyam.

 

Kaanchi KshEthram , where Lord VaradarAja presides over from the top of

Hasthi Giri (Athti Giri) is also known as Sathya Vratha KshEthram and

PerumAL KOil . In this KshEthram , all the vrathams ( vows and observances)

engaged in yield immediate and unfailing fruits.These vows observed become

Sathyam or Mey due to the anugraham of Lord VaradarAja. . Hence these

unfailing vows are called Sathya Vratham or Mey Viratham.

 

The Prabhandham of Mey Viratha Maanmiyam focuses on the avathAram of

Lord VaradarAjan in response to the Yaagam performed by Lord Brahma Devan,

who longed to visualize and enjoy the Dhivya Soundharyam of SrIman

NaarAyaNan . The Yaagam performed was the AswamEdha Yaagam .

It was performed on top of Hasti Giri , which was used as the Yaaga Kuntam

(Yaaga vEdhi).

 

While preparing for this Yaagam , BrahmA's wife , Sarasvathi had left

Her husband due to an altercaton and was doing penance at the banks of

Sarasvathi river in the north. According to our SaasthrAs , a man separated

from his wife is not qualified to perform a Yaj~nam like AswamEdham.

Brahma sent his son , Vasishtan to request his mother to return home and

join him in the performance of the Yaj~nam at Kaanchi as his

sahadharmachAriNi.

Sarasvathi refused that invitation sent by her husband . Brahma replaced

Sarasvathi

thereafter with his other wife Saavithri and commenced the Yaj~nam.

 

The asurAs , who could not stomach the glories of DevAs went now

to Sarasvathi Devi and told her that her husband is insulting her

by starting the Yaj~nam with his other wife. The asurAs had the intent of

interfering with the performance of the Yaj~nam of Brahma Devan.

When Sarasvathi learnt about this news , she was outraged and took

the form of a fast moving river to destroy the Yaaga Saalai. Our Lord

saw this and took the form of a dam (sEthu) across the Vegavathi river

and arrested the flow of that furious river. Our Lord's merciful glances

banished the anger of Sarasvathi and restored her to her senses . She

regretted

her rash deed and came to the side of her husband , who invited her to join

the ongoing Yaj~nam.

 

At the final stages of this Yaj~nam , Brahma dEvan offered his vapaa as

havis and performed a hOmam. Immediately from the center of

the Yaaga Kuntam arose a supreme JyOthi housing PuNya kOti VimAnam

with Lord VaradarAja at its center. Brahma was ecstatic with joy

at the darsana soubhAgyam of the Lord and eulogized Him movingly .

Our Lord asked BrahmA to seek the boons that he desired . BrahmA asked for

the boon of the Lord staying permanently in the Sathya Vratha KshEthram

to bless BhakthAs for all times to come. Lord VaradarAja , the king of

boon givers , agreed and the Yaj~nam of Brahma came to an auspicious end.

Swamy Desikan describes the various scenes associated with the avathAram

of Lord VaradarAja on top of Hasthi Giri in Mey Viratha Maanmiyam.

 

Paasuram 1

***********

 

Vaazhi AruLALar Vaazhi aNi Atthigiri

Vaazhi YethirAsan vAchakatthOr --Vaazhi

SaraNAgathy yenum saarvudan maRRonRai

araNAhak-koLLAthaar anbhu

 

(Meaning): Long life to PeraruLALan and His place of residence , Hasthigiri

;

Long life to those who follow the path of RaamAnuja darsanam and

the UpAyam of Prapatthi ; Long life to the devotion of those PrapannAs

who have performed Prapatthi to Lord VaradarAjan !

 

This is a MangaLAsAsana Paasuram . Hasthigiri is recognized as

the alankAram for the Earth . Long life (PallANDu ) is offered to

those who are steeped in the study of the SrI Sookthis of AchArya

RaamAnujA . Long life is offered to those who perform SaraNAgathy

at the sacred feet of the Lord and do not seek any other upAyam

for their salvation .The devotion of those PrapannAs to PeraruLALan

is hailed here.

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

SrI NaarAyaNa YathIndhra MahA DesikAya Nama:

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan