Sri Srinivaasa Vaibhavam- Thirumangai AzhwAr anubhavam ThirunedunthANdakam verse 8

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

Dearest all,

 

Let us continue to enjoy Thirumangai AzhwArs wonderful

verses on Thiruvenkatamudiayaan. Now after

ThirukkuRunthANdakam, let us enjoy three verses of

ThirunedunthANdakam.. verse no 8,9 and 16th. All these

three verses refer to ThiruvEnkatam.

 

kalayaami kalidhvamsam kavim lOkadhivaakaram

yaSya kObi: prakaaSaabir aavidhyam niHatham thama:

 

I meditate on the Poet, who is like the Sun for the

whole world, to destroy the darkness of ignorance

(a~jnAnam) with his word and who destroys the Kali

dhOsham.

 

[extract from Sri Satakopan mama’s write up on

ThiruneduthANdakam]Sri Parasara Bhattar the

illustrious son of Swamy KooratthAzhwAn] had defeated

an Advaitic Scholar at Melkote by using TNT as the

basis for discussion and converted him to

Visishtadvaitam . He accepted latter as his prime

disciple and gave him the name of Namjeeyar. Bhattar

returned to Srirangam with Namjeeyar and visited Sri

Ranganatha at his sanctum sanctorum. He had the good

fortune of conversing with the Lord of Srirangam like

Thirukkacchi Nambi could speak with Sri Varadaraja.

Both Rangantha and Varadaraja broke their archaa

Silence to speak to their special devotees .

 

Bhattar told the Lord as to what happened at Melkote

and how he used TNT todefeat the Advaita Vedantin in a

scholastic debate. Sri Ranganatha asked Bhattar to

repeat the winning arguments. The Lord was very

pleased with Bhattar's defense and blessed him. This

event is celebrated even today at Srirangam on the eve

of Adhyayana Utsavam by the Arayar,Who enacts the

incident at Melkote before Sri Ranganatha. This

festival at Srirangam is known as

Thirunedumthaandakam.

 

Guru Parampara states that the Divya Dampathis of

Srirangam adopted Parasara Bhattar as their son. The

name of Parasara was given by Sri Ranganatha Himself.

Parasara is the author of Vishnu Puranam and the

father of Veda Vyasa. Kuratthazhwar had named his son

Ranganatha and the name given by the Lord (Parasara )

stuck over time. Since this Parasara was the Purohita

for the Divya Dampathis, he was also known as Sri

Rangesa Purohita or Parasara Bhattar. His lineal

descendants are known as Veda Vyasa Bhattar and

Parasara Bhattar even today.

 

Thirunedumthaandakam : This sublime work of

Thirumangai has

30 verses. It is known as the Vedantha Sastram.It

starts off with the description of Tattva, Hita and

Purushaartha and continues with the celebration of

the five forms [para, vyooha, vibhava, archaa and

haardha roopams] of the Lord described in Paancharatra

Agama.

 

Todays’ verse is no 8 of TNT

 

neeragatthaay! neduvaraiyi Nnucchi mElaay!

nilaatthingaL thuNdagatthaay! niRaindha kacchi

ooragatthaay, oNthurain^eer veqhaa vuLLaay!

uLLuvaa ruLLatthaay, ulaga mEtthum

kaaragatthaay! kaarvaanath thuLLaay! kaLvaa!

kaamarupooNG kaaviriyin thenpaal mannu

pEragatthaay, pEraathen nenci NnuLLaay!

perumaan_un thiruvadiyE pENi NnEnE. 8

 

 

Verse 8: Salutations to the Archa Murthys at Neeragam,

Thiruvenkatam , Nilaatthingal Thundam, Ooragam,

Thiru Vehhaa , Kaaragam, Kaaarvaanam,Thirupper and

Antaryami

Swaroopam. He states clearly that he seeks the Lord’s

Lotus feet

for protection and offers his Saranaagati.

 

Oh Lord who is at Thiruneeragam! The One who is at the

top of Thirumala [mountain]! The One who is at

NilaathingaL [the One who has crescent moon on his

head- namely Rudran and the Lord who resides in him as

well as the indweller!] The Lord of the most divine

Thirukkacchi Divya Desam! The Reclining Lord of

Thiruve:kaa divya desam in Kaanchi! The object of

meditation and the Lord who resides in the heart of

devotees who perform dhyAnam on Your Lotus Feet! Lord

of Thirukkaaragam! Lord of Kaarvaanam dviya desam !

[Thirunneeragam, Thirukkaaragam and kaarvaanam are

three divya desams].

 

Thus, not only does He reside in these divya desams;

He also resides on the heart of yogins and devotees

who perform unceasing meditation on His lotus feet; He

also obeys the command of His devotee [Thirumazhisai

AzhwAr asking Him to walk behind himself and his

sishya kaNikaNNan at Thiruve:kk divya desam.].

 

What a verse!

 

Thirumangia AzhwAr ThiruvaDigaLE saraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana