SrI SundarabAhu Sthavam : Part III (SlOkmas: 6-10)

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs of SundarabAhu PerumAL of ThirumAlirum ChOlai :

 

We will study the SlOkams 6-10 of SundarabAhu Sthavam today.

 

SlOkam 6

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

yatthunga-srunga vinashangi surAnganAnAm

nyasthOrdhva puNDra mukha maNDana maNDithAnAm

dharpaNyabhUth dhrutham apanga sasAnka prushtam

taddh dhAma Sundarabhujasya mahAn vanAdhri:

 

(Meaning) : The divya dEsam of ThirumAlirumchOlai , the consorts of the DevAs

flock to have SundararAjan's darsanam. They bathe in Noopura Gangai , adorn

Urdhva PuNDrams with the help of the mirror of Chandran (nyastha Urdhva PuNDra

mukha maNDana maNDithAnAm SurAngaNAnAm ) . The dEva mAthAs appear

to touch the Moon , hold it and fix their Urdhva PuNDrams with the help of

the Moon serving as the Mirror in the poet's imagination ( SurAnganAnAm dhrutham

apanka SasAnka prushDam dharpaNee abhUth ) . Such is the greatness of

dhivya dEsam of ThirumAlirumchOlai( Taddh dhAma Sundarabhujasya

VanAdhri: mahAn ) .

 

(Commentary ) : The thoughts expressed in this slOkam are echos of number of

AzhwArs . For instance , PeriyAzhwAr salutes this dhivya dEsam and refers

to the Deva MaathAs taking bath in the Noopura Gangai and worshipping the Lord

( " SilampArkka vanthu DhaivamahaLirkaL aadum seercchilambhARu paayum tenn

THirumAlirumchOlayE" ) . The union of the Moon with the Dhivya dEsam is celebrated

also by the AzhwAr as : " MalamaRu Mathi sEr MaalirumchOlai " . Swamy KurEsar

is a Masterpoet and has demonstrated his poetic skills by setting the various slOkams

of His Sthavam in many lilting metres .This slOkam is set in Vasantha Tilakam metre.

 

SlOkam 7

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

yadheeya-sikharAgathAm sasikalAm thu sAkhAmrugA:

nireekshya harasEkharee-bhavanam aamrusantha: tatha:

sprusanthy na hi dEvathAnthara samAsrithEthi sphuDam

Sa yEsha sumAhA-taru-vrajagiri gruham SrIpathE:

 

(Meaning) : There are many Monkeys ( SaakhA mrugA: ) on the hills

surrounding the dhivya dEsam . They are ParamaikAnthis (MaRanthum

puRam thozhaar ) and will not think of worshipping anyone but Srimann NaarAyaNan

in His archA form at ThirumAlirumchOlai . The ParamikAnthi monkeys see

the Chandran on the third day of Sukla Paksham or KrishNa paksham

as a crescent Moon and stay away from that form of Chandran since that adorns

Siva"s head due to Daksha Prajaapathi's curse . The monkeys are on

top of the hill and can almost touch the crescent Moon with their hands

but they refuse to do so because of the Moon's sambhandham with

DevathAntharam . They can not do so because of their ParamaikAnthithvam .

 

(Commnetary) : The Moon during the third day of growth or waning is adjascent

to the tall peaks of the mountain and it is seen very close to them by the monkeys

as they sit on top of those peaks ( Yadheeya sikhara aagathAm sasikalAm nireekshya

SaakhA mrughA : ) . They reflect on the thrid day crescent Moon ( aamrusantha:

sasikalAm SaakhA mruga: ) . The monkeys decide not to extend their hands

to touch the Moon because of its dEvathAnthara sambhandham of being adorned

by Lord SivA in His Jadai to give Him the name of Chandra Sekharan ( SasikalAm

nireekshya , HarasEkharee bhavanam aamrusantha: SaakhA MrugA: ) . They do

not touch therefore the Moon unlike the Devasthrees in the previous slOkam .

This is clear (sphuDam) . Such is the glory of this VrushAdhri , the permanent

residence of SundararAjan because of the presence of ParamaikAnthis every where .

Only the Moon crescent of the third day has the dEvathAnthar dhOsham , not the full

Moon or astami chandran et al .The monkeys refuse to have contact with that

particualr Moon crescent .

 

SlOkam 8

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

SundaradhOr-dhivyAj~nA lambhana kaatara-vasaa-anuyAyini kareeNi

praNaya-kalaha samAdhi : yathra VanAdhri sa yEsha SundaradhOshNa:

 

(Meaning) : The male and female elephant couple roaming the VrushAdhri

mountain , the abode of the Lord , some times develop OOdal ( anger from

differences of opinion ) and seperate from each other .The male elephant

can not take the seperation and cries out to its partner that it is the Lord's

command for them to stay united and the female elephant heeds that command

and forgets its anger to rejoin her partner . Swamy KurEsar invokes this

picture of reunion of the elephant couple in this slOkam as visualized earlier by

PeriyAzhwAr in His ThirumAlirumchOlai Paasuram ( PeriyAzhwAr Thirumozhi : 4.2.5) .

Such is the glory of these mountains , where the power of the Lord is evident everywhere .

 

(Commentary) : The male elephant (KariNi ) following the angry female

elephant ( Kaatara vasaa anuyAyini) creates the end to their praNaya

kalaham ( love quarrel) by declaring that it is the divine command of

Lord Sundararajan to be togeether and got reunited with the female

elephant ( DhivyAj~nA lampana praNyaja kalaha samAdhi . Such is

the greatness of the Mountain , where Lord Sundara Rajan resides .

The chandas used in htis slOkam is VaidhALeeyam .

 

SlOkam 9

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

Sa yEsha soundaryanidhE: dhrutha-sriyO

vanaachalO naama sudhAma yathra hi

bhujangarAjasya kulasya gouravAth

na khaNDithA: kuNdalina: sikhaNDibhi:

 

(Meaning) : On this Solai Malai 's hill (VrushAdhri) , the snakes (KuNDalina:)

as descendants of AdhisEshan (Bhujanga Raajan) , are not attacked by

the peacocks (SikhaNDibhi: ) , their natural enemies . Such a hill with

the celebrated name of ThriumAlirumchOlai malai is the auspicious residence

(Sudhama) of the wealth of Beauty ( Soundharya nidhi , Sundara Raajan ) ,

on whose chest resides MahA Lakshmi ( Dhrutha Sriya: = " yERu ThiruvudayAn" of

ANDAL's NaacchiyAr Thirumozhi ) .

 

(Commnetary ) : Sthala PurANam for this dhivya dEsam refers to the Lord mediating

to remove the traditional enimity between the Snakes and the Peacocks . Both respect

the Lord's presence here and desist from attacking each other . Both engage in Bhagavath

Kaimkaryam . The poetic meter used here is "PushpithAgraa" .

 

SlOkam 10:

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

Vrushagirirayam Achyuthasya yasmin

svamatham alangayithum parasparEbhya:

khagapathy charaNou khagaa: sapanthE

BhujagapathE : bhujagAsccha sarva yEva

 

(Meaning): This Solai Malai is a dharma Malai , the mountain which

is the embodiment of Dharma . This dharma mountain belongs to

Achyuthan , who never abandons anyone , who has sought His refuge .

Here , all the birds ( Pakshi , Tiryank ) take a vow in the name of their Kula

Pathi , PakshirAjan and get their wishes fulfilled by Bhaagavaan . Similarly ,

the Snakes take a vow in the name of their king , AdhiSeshan and have

their wishes realized . Such is the power of this mountain embodying Dharma

chosen as the seat of the residence by Lord Achyuthan ( Sundara Raja PerumAL) .

 

(Commnetary ) : The definition of "Vrushaa " is : " VrushO hi Bhagavaan Dharma: ".

This mountain is named Vrsuha Giri or the Dharma Svaroopa Giri . The Achyutha

naamam is chosen for Bhagavaan here because Vrusha Giri has no sambhnadham

with kshudhra dEvathais . The deep meanings of Achyutha Naamam underlying the Lord's

unfailing vow not to abandon anyone , who sought refuge in Him are emphasized here :" yasmaanna chyutha-poorvOham AchyuthastEna karmaNA " ( Other devathais will abandon

those , who sought in refuge in them but not Achyuthan , who practises the Achyutha

Tatthvam through His deeds ) . In Taathparya Chandrikai , Swamy Desikan defined

the Achyutha namam this way : " Aasrithan na chyAvayathi , atha chyuthOasya naasthi".

( Achyuthan never lets down any one , who sought His rakshaNam ) .

 

KurEsar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchari Sadagopan