Long live ….Hundreds, thousands, and crores of years..my adorable LORD …

 Few hundred years ago , King Vallaba Deva the Pandyan king was going around his kingdom  in a  disguise   .  Somewhere near a temple  he  saw  an   old man sleeping on a pial (thinnai) in front of a house..

The King  out of curiosity , woke him up and asked him who he was and why he was sleeping there in the open. The man answered that he was a temple priest and was supposed to leave in the early hours of the day to Sethu to complete his Thirtha yathra . Being new to the place , he took shelter near to the temple .

Out of devotion the king requested him to chant a good sloka. The Priest chanted a sanskrit sloka  .  Delighted , the King  asked the priest to explain the meaning of the chants .

The Priest  replied  ,  

1) a person  must save for the rainy season in summer,

2) should save for old age when he is young

and  

3) should save punya  for the next birth during the present birth itself .

The king  reflected on the verses .  He  assumed that he had  already accomplished saving for the first two  verses mentioned by the priest, but he never thought about the next birth.

Curious to know what the third verse inner meaning  really meant , he summoned  his Chief advisor Selvanambikal ,   a learned man  in religious and philosophical matters .

The King asked him to enlighten him on

what was the saving one has to do for the next birth ?? 

Selvanambikal submitted to  the King  that there were several paths that lead to salvation but   he was also not sure  about the exact path to be followed aqnd what needs to be saved for gaining it .

He requested the King to allow him to call all the religious heads for a conference and  prove which path could show the jeevatama to attain salvation .

  The King was glad that such an assembly will enlighten him with deeper knowledge on the subject  . The King also advised him to honour that Vedic priest who will  give them a convincing reply .

Accordingly , the minister  orders the assembly  to tie  a cloth bag that shall contain gold coins which is  hung   on to a pole .  It is also informed to the Priests that the most convincing answer  and the  belief  which shows the true path to salvation ,  would be  honored .

The  Royal announcement was made  throughout the  kingdom . Heads of different religions tried to prove that their   faith was the one that could show the true path for salvation . However the outcome was incomplete . The King was keen to meet the great personality who would be able to show him the right  path for salvation .

 Far away  in the same Kingdom  there was a great devotee of Lord who was offering Pushpa kainkaryam ( Flower garland services ) to the Lordships  . His name was Vishnuchittar ( Periazhwar) . His devotion to the LORD was  ultimate .

The compassionate Lord Vadaperum Koil Udaiyan wanted the world to know about his  sincere devotee . Lord  appeared in  Periyazhwar’s dream and  advised  him to   participate in the mammoth  conference .  Periyazhwar was nervous and pleaded Lord that he was not capable to undertake such a difficult task amongst the Royal family . Lord  convinces  Azhwar to proceed  with confidence , as other things  would be taken care . Azhwar wakes up  the next day .

Praying LORD mentally ,   he proceeds  to Naanmadakudal obeying  Lordships   order. Looking at the   huge gathering ,Azhwar   decides this is the best place to glorify LORDSHIPS .  The Vedic pundits and vidwans  looking at  the simple looking  Azhwar ignore him .However   the minister Selvanambikal  observing  the radiance of our Azhwar request  him to go ahead and put forth his knowledge to test as he had already knew about Azhwar’s greatness.

Periyazwar  humbly takes the discussions to the inner truths and  presents  examples from Vedas, Granthas and Srimad Bhagavad Gita to prove that Lord Sriman Narayan is the Supreme Lord who created all the worlds and living beings and everything came from HIM and would merge with HIM only. He further takes Srimad Bhagavatam texts and quotes several truths  much to the astonishment of the gathering .  Azhwars lucid  answers make the pole containing the bag with gold coins   tied already  bends towards  him thus proving the Azhwars words of wisdom.

King Vallaba Deva  along with the royal family are  surprised to see the  miracle happening  The king extremely pleased  with Azhwar  confirms  him the title “ Bhatter Piran” .  With respect , he orders   his men to bring  his  Royal  elephant . The King  requests  Azhwar to alight  on his elephant as he wanted the great devotee to be honored .  With much pomp and show and paraphernalia , the Elephant   takes  him in the  huge  procession.

The all compassionate LORD  is  so pleased that He along with HIS consorts come to  give darshan to Azhwar on His Garuda Vahanam .  Periyazhwar is  overwhelmed to see the Lord in the sky.

( It was Lord Koodal Azhagar Perumal , along with the Goddess Mahalakshmee . who had  arrived to witness their dear devotee   on Garuda Vahanam.)

 

On having darshan of LORD ,

Periyazhwar worried that such a beautiful thirumeni  ( form ) of Lord may attract   ( evil eye ) Drushti , he immediately  takes the bell from the elephant’s neck as symbol and starts  his mangala shashanam to the Lord  instantly , by chanting the introductory verses of Divya Prabhandam

                                                               “Thirup PallaNdu” .

Pallandu,pallandu pallayirath aandu*

Pala koti noor ayiram*Mallanda thin tholl manivanna*

Un sevadi seviithirukappu*

Adiyom odum ninodum*

Piru indri ayiram pallandu*

Vadivay nin vala marpinil *

vaghkindra mangayum Pallandu*

Vadivar sothi valtath urayum sudar azhiyum Pallandu*

Padai por pukku muzhangum ap panchasanniyamum Pallande.

Roughly translated in English

May for many hundreds, thousands and crores of years ,the Gem -Hued LORD with mighty wrestling shoulders, HIS bright red lotus feet be protected. This inseparable bond between us ,may it last many thousand years .To the GODDESS who ever adorns the Lord’s right chest many thousand years. To the fiery luminous sudharshan chakra on the right hand, many thousand years. To the Panchajanya ,the famous conch which stikes terror in the battle field ,many many thousand years………….

Periyazhwar composed hundreds of verses of praise including those that feature as the first 12 songs of the Divya Prabhandham called Thiru Pallaandu. As Garuda served Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam to  reach Srivilliputhur for the marriage festivities faster than was expected, he was accorded a special status here and is seen alongside Lord Rangamannar and Andal.

The Lord himself conferred on him the title “Periyazwar.” Azhwar returned to Srivillipuththur with the prize he got and surrendered it to the Lord at the temple. He continued the pushpa kaimkaryam to the Lord and becomes a guiding force and father to Andal .

Apart from “ThiruppallaNdu containing 12 pasurams Azhwar gave us Periyazwar Thirumozi containing 461 pasurams .

Azhwars pasurams on LORD KRISHNA in matrubhavam  is a must listen .

Azhwar has  glorified LORD KRISHNAs pastimes in detail and the same is recited in all vaishnava temples particularly during   Janmashtami

( Check the appended post below for more details)

https://kazhiyurvaradanblog.in/2015/08/30/periazhwar-as-yashodha-with-chinni-krishna/

Peria azhwar  appeared  during the month of   June – July (Aaani Swathee)  .

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All srivaishnava temples celebrate the appearance day grandly .Lets pray Azhwar and LORD to give us unstinted devotion to HIS lotus feet .

Azhwar thiruadigale sharanam

Pictures and videos : Courtesy : Google pics and You tube  ( Thanks to the devotees )

Adiyen Ramanuja dasan