Temple Priest Quarters Construction series: Thondardippodi AzhwAr's ThiruppaLLiyezhucchi Paasurams: Part V

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs :

 

The description of the unfolding of the dawn , the sights

and sounds in and around Srirangam are experienced

and described beautifully by ThoNDaradippodi AzhwAr.

 

After his daily anushtAnam following the dip in the sacred Kaveri

river , ThoNdardippodi proceeded to his Nandhavanam , which was

at the fourth SuRRu known as the Thirumangai Mannan suRRu or

the AalinAdAn SuRRu . Here , he picked the flowers and TuLasi

to be offered to the Lord for the day's worship .

 

Later Thirumangai will build the ramparts for the temple around

that Nandavanam site of Thondardippodi out of reverence for the Maalaa

Kaimkaryam of Thondaradippodi AzhwAr.

 

When the garalnds were ready , AzhwAr will hasten in the dawn

to Sri RanganAthan's sannidhi with the basket containing the TuLasi

and the flower garlands and recite his ThiruppaLLiyezhucchi Paasurams and

awaken Lord RanganAtha from His Yoga Nidhrai .

 

Let us recite the slOkam composed by the SveekAra Puthrar of

Lord RanganAtha before studying the meanings of ThiruppaLLiyezucchi

Paasurams :

 

Saptha-prAkara-madhyE sarasija-mukulOdhbhAsamaanE vimAnE

KaavEri madhyadEsE mrudhutara phaNirAD bhOga-paryanka-bhAgE

nidhrAmudhrAbhiraamam kaDinakaDasira: pArsva-vinyastha-hastham

PadhmA-dhAtree-karAbhyAm parichitha-charaNam RangarAjam bhajEham

 

(Meaning): AdiyEn bows before Lord RanganAtha, whose feet are gently

pressed by Sri Devi and BhU Devi and who is engaged in Yoga nidhra with

a beautiful pose with His left hand on the left side and the right hand

resting on His crown . He engages in YoganidhrA under the Sriranga VimAnam

resembling a lotus bud and which is situated amidst the island formed by

the Ubhaya KaavEri and surrounded by the seven ramparts.

 

Raagams for singing the ten Paasurams

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

VeeNai MirAsu Sri Rangarajan Swamy and his family

play on the VeeNa with vocal accompaniment in the following

ten RaagAs :

 

BhouLi , KedAram , Aarabhi , Aanandha Bhairavi , KalyANi ,

Kaanadaa , Mohanam , DhanyAsi , Poorvi KlayANi and

MadhyamAvathi.

 

In the stillnes of the morning and in front of the DhvAra PaalakAs ,

it is a bhAgyam to listen to the lilting melodies of ThoNDaradippodi's

awakening songs .

 

Meaning of First Paasuram

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

Kadiravan GuNatisai sikharam vanthaNainthAn

kanai iruL ahanrathu kalaim pozhuthAi

madhu virinthozhuhina maamalar yellAm

Vaanavar arasarhaL vanthu vantheeNDi

yetir tisai niRainthanar ivarodum puhuntha

irumkaLiRRittamum pidiyodu murasum

adhirtalil alaikadal pOnRuLathengum

ArangatthammA ! PaLLi YezhantharuLAyE

 

(Meaning according to Dr.K.C.VaradAchAri) : The Sun has come up on

the Eastern mountain top. The night's darkness has completely gone.

As the beautiful morning unfolds , big flowers have blossomed and honey

is dripping from them . gods and kings have arrived and are standing

crowding on the opposite sides : elephants , male and female , that have

come with them , and the drums are making loud noises in all directions

resembling the noise of the billows of the ocean . Therefore Oh RanganAthA

!

wake up from Thine sleep .

 

Comments

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

AzhwAr refers to the signs of dawn and cited the reasons for the Lord

to awaken . Oh Sarva Swamy engaged in Yoga NidhrA at Srirangam !

Sooryan has arrived at the top of Udhaya Giri in the Eastern direction.

The dense darkness of the night is leaving . The onset of the beautiful

morning time propells the big flowers to blossom and drip honey all

around. The DevAs and the Kings are jostling with each other and

are standing in thick rows in the southern direction , where Your

first glances are going to fall .With the kings and the DevAs , their mounts

(Vaahanams) , the assembly of the male and the feamale elephants ,

are generating loud noises through their bleatings and those sounds

get mingled with the sounds of BhEri Vaadhyams from all directions.

That kOlAhalam reminds one of the mighty ghOsham of the unceasing

waves on the shores of the ocean . Therefore , My Lord , You should

awaken .

 

Kadiravan is one with multitudes of Kathirs/rays (Sahasra BhAnu/ one of

thousand rays). In the Eastern direction is the Udhaya Giri . The Sun

has travelled and arrived at the Udhaya Giri (vanthu) and is embracing

that mountain's top ( aNainthAn). He is like the gigantic lamp that

has chased away the darkness of the night ( " Veyya KathiRon ViLakkAha " ).

Oh RanganAtha! The Sun , Your servant , can only banish external darkness

but You alone can banish forever the internal darkness . Therefore , Please

wake up and bless the bhaddha chEtanams . Sooryan has hurried to his post

on top of Udayagiri and is halting there to catch Your Dayaa-laden glances

to empower him on his onward journey . Therefore , My Lord , You must

awaken .

 

Oh RanganAtha! It is " kalaimpozhuthu " , beautiful hour of the dawn (Brahma

MuhUrtham ) , which is the time prescribed for Your abhigamana aarAdhanam .

Therefore , You should awaken to recieve that worship.

 

Oh Rangapathy ! All the flowers without any exception (yellAm) have

taken the cue from the Sun's appearance and have blossomed with

joy. That joy flows as the dripping honey in between their petals.

These flowers , which are going to be used in Your worship ( archanaa

and Garlands) are blessed indeed to have that bhAgyam ; therefore

they are fit to be classed as Maa malar /Big flowers( Madhu virinthu ozhina

Maa malar yellAm ).

 

There is kOlAhalam in Your court yard from the bleating elephants

calling Your Thiru Naamams mingled with the sounds of the big drums

that are being beaten . The scene looks like at the beach , where the never

stopping waves crash loudly on the shores of the Ocean . " Kumurum Osai "

reverbarates in all directions as at a Thiruvizhaa ( Vizhaavoli). You are an

Ocean of

mercy . Should not you awaken and accept our Kaimkaryams on hearing these

sounds resembling those on the shores of the Ocean during PourNami ?

 

Oh ArangatthammA ! Please awaken and drench us with Your KaruNA

katAksham and accept our Kaimkaryams !

 

SrI Godharanga ParabrahmaNE Nama:

ThoNDardippodi AzhwAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

 

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka

Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan