Picture of MakarakaNDi for Swami Desikan at ThUppul & Paayirams 17-20

December 21, 2009

Dear BhakthAs of Swamy Desika :

Paayiram 17:

AanAr ivar Aartamm antamil pErinba

vaan naattu amararO maRRavaRO --thEn aarum

PankayatthAL Naathan pOl paadum pukazh udaya

yemm kavij~nar singatthin paal

thEn aarum PankayatthAL Naathan pOl paaadum puhazh udaya yemm Kavi singatthin paal aanAr ivar AarthAmm =

There is none that does not have the devotion and attachment to our Lion among poets and logicians ( Swamy Desikan) , who is like the Lord of the land known as Thirumangai ( Thirumangai AzhwAr) , who could compose exquisite Tamil Paasurams . Thirumangai comes from a land , which shares the name of the Lady ( Mahaa Lakshmi/ Thirumangai) ,whose abode is the Lotus flower flowing with honey ( thEn Aarum pankayatthAL )

antamil pErinbha Vaann nAttu amararO ? maRRavarO ? =Who are these noble people with devotion and attachment to the Kavi-Taarkika Simham ? Are they the liberated souls ( mukthars) at SrI VaikunTham or are they the fortunate ones living in BhU lOkam ?

(Commentary): MannappangAr cleverly hints that those fortunate ones , who adore Swamy Desikan are equal in stature to the muktAtmAs residing in the land of ParipoorNa BrahmAnandham , SrI VaikunTham .

Using the Sanskrit figure of speech , lakshita LakshaNai , MannappangAr uses the word "PankayatthAL " ( Thiru Mangai , the most auspicious Lady) to denote the land of Thirumangai (AzhwAr). Thirumangai was adept in singing four kinds of Poems ( Madhura Kavi , Chitra Kavi , Aasu Kavi and VistAra Kavi). Among these four kinds of poetry , Aasu Kavitai is a poem composed instantaneously and a poet with such skills is known as Aasu Kavi. Madhura Kavi is one , who uses delectable words to construct a poem that is pleasing to listen to. Chitra Kavi is the one who uses various alankArams and geometric constructions to create a poem. VistAra Kavi is one , who deals at length with a chosen subject . Swamy Desikan like Thirumangai AzhwAr had the skills to compose these four kinds of poetry .

In this verse, MannappangAr salutes the admirers of Swamy Desikan as equal to the eternally liberated jeevans residing in Sri VaikunTham and othoer fortunate ones living in this earth .

Paayiram 18:

inbham peRalAm imayOr tamm naRpadhamum

ambhuviyOdu AaLalAm anbudanE --sempavaLa

vaaAn malarpadhatthAn vaNmai udai VedAntha

Desikanaic-chintippArkku inRu

inRu sempavaLa vaayAn malar paadhatthAn vaNamai udai VedAntha Desikanai anbhudanE chintippArkku inbham peRalAm = Those who reflect on Swamy Desikan's (1)coral like lips, (2) soft feet like a lotus flower and (3) the magnanimous generosity to bless His adiyArs with love and devotion will enjoy limitless bliss .

amm bhuviyOdu imayOr tamm AaLalAm= Such devotees of Swamy Desikan will rule not only over this earth but also the deva lOkams .

(Commentary): Here , MannappangAr points out that those who adore Sawmy Desikan will enjoy the best in

this world and the other ( ika Para sukham). The inspiration for the poet is from Swamy NammAzhwAr :" Vyaam manni veeRRiruntu viNNum AaLvar maNNUDE --Thiruvaimozhi: 4.3.11) ".

In this verse , the words "SempavaLa VaayAn " , "Malar PadhatthAn " and "VaNmayudaya Desikan" follow each other . Sri VNG points out the significance of this grouping of words following one another. " SempavaLa Vaayan " refers to the many sacred works , which emanated from His coral lips as upadEsams to the sufferiggn people . Those who learnt these Sri Sookthis comprehended their meanings and performed SaraNAgathi at His sacred feet ( Malar PadhatthAn). Swamy Desikan was such a generous one (VaNmai) and hence granted all boons for those , who sought His sacred feet as refuge ( VaNmai udaya Desikan). This then explains the sequence of these three groups of words coming successively .

Paayiram 19:

inRu nigamAntha dEsikanai yeNNuvAr

onRum udayAr uRu tuyaram--kunRu yeduttha

Maayan malaradik-keezh vAzcchip-peRuvarE

Maayum vinai anaithtum maRRu

inRu NigamAntha Desikanai yeNNUvaar uRu thuyaram onRum adayAr = Those who meditate on Swamy Desikan here with reverence will not experience any sufferings.

kunRu yeduttha Maayan malar adik-keezh vaazhcchi peRuvar ; maRRu vinai anaitthum maayum =They will gain blissful residence at the soft-flower like sacred feet of the Mysterious One , who lifted and held Govardhana mountain as an umbrella against the stone rain ordered by Indhran and protected the people and cattle of Brundhaavanam ; further, all their sins will be destroyed.

(Commentary): ManappankAr suggests that we hurry and perform SaraNAgathy at the sacred feet of Swamy Desikan . That will lead to the destruction of our sins and assure residence in SrI Vaikuntham , where Maaayak- KaNNan , who protected the gopAs and the Gopis by lifting Govardhana Giri and holding it as a protective umbrella against the fierce hail storm that Indhran sent .

The poet salutes the Lord as "KunRu yeduttha Maayan" to remind us that the mighty Dayaa of the Lord is as huge as the Govardhana Giri (mountain).

The poet is inspired by the many passages from the Paasurams of Swamy NammAzhwAr :

(1) Kannal kaniyinait-thozhumin thUya manattharAi iRayum nillA thuyarangaLE --ThiruvAimozhi(TVM) 3.6.7

( Please worship the Lord delectable as a sweet fruit with pure mind and the sorrows will never come your way).

(2) kunRam yEntik-kuLir Mazhai kAtthavan thozha namm vinai OyumE --TVM : 3.3.8 ( All our sufferings will cease, when we worship the Govardhana Giridharan , who protected the population of BrundhAvanam from the rain of ice and hail).

Paayiram 20:

maRRu onRum sErAmanak-kavalai maanidarkku

chittam teLiyum siRappudanE --kuRRamil seer

ThUppul nahar vanthu udhitta thUya manattarayE

sErpparEl sintai tanitthE

kuRRamil seer ThUppul Nahar siRappudanE vanthu udhittha ThUya manattarayE chintai tanitthu sErparEl = If one meditates with a focused mind on the incarnation of the temple bell of ThiruvEngadamudayAn (Swamy Desikan),who was born at Thuppul , the blemishless and famous city (KuRRamil seer ThUppul nahar) ,

Maanidarkku maRRu nRum manak-kavalai sErA ; chittam teLiyum = For such human beings meditating reverentially on Swamy Desikan , all kinds of mental agitations will stay away from them and their mind will stay tranquil.

(Commentary): ThUppul means the sacred grass (dharbham). Our AchArya Saarvabhouman was born in the sacred agrahAram of ThUppul , where many VaidhikAs performing Yaaga-Yajn~ams resided . Among them , Swamy Desikan is saluted as ThUppul Punithar . For those who engage in pious meditation on Swamy Desikan known for His "vimala Manas" , their worries will be chased away and Saanthi will result . MannappangAr follows the upadEsam of Swamy NammAzhwAr , " MaNivaNNanai --Thozhumin thUya manattharAi , iRayum nilla thuyarangaLE " ( Please worship the Lord with a pure heart and all of Your sorrows will be destroyed ) , when he constructed the passage in his Paayiram ( sinthai tanitthE sErparEl , maRRU onRu sErA manak-kavalai). The poet suggests that worshipping Swamy Desikan known for His pure heart , we can also be blessed with a pure heart .

DhAsan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradachAri Sadagopan

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Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

DhAsan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchari Sadagopan

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