Month: January 2020

           Once  JagathAcharyar Swamy Ramanuja was  giving a discourse on the magnum opus  “Nachiyar Thirumozhi ” from the  4000 Divya Prabhandam composed by Azhwars   .

The disciples were engrossed with the  inner meaning of  “Nachiyar Tirumozhi ”  a set of 143  divine verses that was composed by Andaal the only women saint   among the Azhwars .

Mother  Andaal’s  eagerness to meet Lord Krishna is wonderfully described in these emotional outpourings .

Andaal   attempts various methods  to attain union with  Lord Krishna  which forms the major part of this epic ” Nachiyar Thirumozhi” .

Among these verses ,”Varanamaiyeeram ”  is recited at  all srivaishnava wedding  ceremonies compulsorily . The divine verses narrate   Mother  Andaal’s  experiences with her friends  on her way to submit herself to  the Lordships and  thus fulfill  her purpose of birth .

Another set of verses are chanted  daily in Srivaishnava houses while offering the bhoga to the Lordships ..The verse goes like this ……in tamil

 

nAru narum pozhil mAlirunchOli  nambikku

nAn…… nooru  thadAvil vennai vAi nErindhu parAvi vaiththEn…

nooru thadA  niraindha   akkAra vadisil sonnEn……….

Aruthiruv udaiyAn endru vandhu evai kollungolO??

..In the above   verses Andaal amma  prays to Lord Sundararajan of  “Thirumaliruncholai”  a  srivaishnava divya desam near Madurai  .

She  submits ..

Oh Lord !!   I  would place before your Lordships  ,

One hundred vessels of butter and another one hundred  vessels of  nectarine  sweet pudding ( Akkarav adishil  …. Payasam of rice cooked in Milk with jaggery and ghee ) and If  my Lord   you accept them…..

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  I  would place another one hundred thousand more …………………………..

(This  Nooru Thada (vessel ) utsavam is celebrated to this day in Melkote at Mysore)

 Swamy Ramanuja stopped at this verse  . He looked at his disciples and said ..

Why not we proceed to this Holy shrine “Thirumaliruncholai”  at once…

and carry out our Goddess  Andaal’s wish ?

 

 

So saying this,  they all rose and journeyed to the holy place and spread a great feast before the LORDSHIPS chanting the  divine pasurams .

The occasion was too special for Swamy Ramanuja .

After completion , they  proceeded to Srivilliputtur the appearance place of Goddess Andaal. With tears he submitted his prayer before her in giving him an opportunity to serve the Lordships with by offering the nectarine bhoga .

  As he entered the ardha Mandapam of Andaal’s temple , he was surprised to see  Goddess Andaal eagerly  waiting for him in person to appreciate  for the services he rendered on her behalf to the Lordships  at Thirumalirumcholai .

She moved out of the Inner sanctum  and waited   near the ardha Mantapam  to greet her “elder brother ” for carrying out her task  after  the span of  few centuries just as a responsible elder brother would fulfill the dear wishes of his younger sister.

She  suddenly broke  the protocol of  archa silence and called Swamy Ramanuja as her annan ( brother )  .

She never went back into the sanctum and stays even today at the Ardha Mantapam with Her consort.

Ramanuja is therefore  glorified  with the title KOIL ANNAR .

With humble reverence ,  Swamy Ramanuja proceeds to Azhwar Tirunagari  the appearance place of Swamy Nammazhwar and  offers  his obeisances to Lord Aadi deva perumal .   Further he proceeds  to Thirukkolur with the object of having darshan of Lord Vaithamanidhi Perumal 

 

Being the appearance place of Madhurakavi Azhwar it had special significance  and  is believed that one who reaches this place and has  darshan  of the Lord here seldom wishes  to leave the place  due to the incomparable divine beauty of the  LORD at this place .

This is the place where Nammazhwar imagined himself as a beautiful maiden and sings the wonderful pasuram ..

Unnum sorum..  pasuram ……..

Recollecting the  below sweet verses Swamy Ramanuja  walking along  with his disciples  have Lord’s darshan .  En route , all people from the  nearby  villages  had arrived to seek  Jagathacharyar blessings  .Among them a  lady humbly   prostrated and offered obeisances .  Swamy Ramanuja  pleased with her devotion asked her as to where was she coming from.

The lady  replied that  she was leaving  Thirukkolur once for all .  Swamy Ramanuja smiled and quoted a line from Nammazhwar’s paasuram

and said  my child !!

how is  that when all women are waiting  here to go to Thirukkolur whereas  you have  decided to leave the  divine  place……………..

My child !!  You know ….Thirukkolur is a holy place and most sought by the devotees who rush to be among the wonderful people there worshiping the Lordships .

The lady who was glowing with effulgence  replied eloquently in a free flowing and unimpeded manner   a set of eighty rhetorical questions, which referred to various  divine incidents in the lives of sages, saints and the Lordships  on her eligibility to stay at Thirukolur  .

In each of the questions  she compares the depth of devotion displayed by the  immortal characters  and thus   submits  her ineligibility  to  worship the Lordships  and had no right to expect that Lord  would treat her in a special way.

This  great  work is called ” Thirukkolur Pen Pillai Rahasyam”  written by  the great Acharyar Swamy Thiruvaimozhi Pillai  provides deep insights for a aspiring devotee to spiritually progress in a material world.

The 81 questions referred have been briefly reflected  below along with english translations

( The inner meanings  and reflections shared by advance devotees in their discourses shall be shared separately in the coming posts )

The Thirukkolur Pen Pillai Ammals questions ..…..

Holy sire !!!

What is my eligibity in staying at this holy place …??

Did  I go on a holy mission like  the great devotee Akrura ?

Azhaiththu varugiren endreno akroorarai pOle…

Did I entertain Vidhura in my home ?

Agamozhiththu vitteno vithurarai pole…

Did I cast off my body like the Rishi’s wife ?

Dhegaththai vitteno rishi paththiniyai pole…

Did I cause a  demon Ravana to be killed like Sita

Dhasamuganai setrenO piraattiyai pOle…

Did I raise like the dead like Tondaman Chakravarthy

PiNam ezhuppi vittenO thoNdaimaanai pOle…

Did I offer a corpse like Ghantakarana

PiNavirundhittenO gantaakarNanai pOle…

Did I adorn   Goddess Sita like Anusuya

ThaaikkOlam seydhenO anasooyaiyai pOle…

Did I seek a father like Dhruva

Thandhai engE endREnO Dhruvanai pOle…

Did I repeat the 3 lettered  name like Kshatrabandhu

Moondrezhuththu sonneno kshathra bandhuvai pOle…

Did I get trodden like Ahalya

Mudhaladiyai petREnO agaligaiyai pOle…

Did I ripen while yet raw like Andal

Pinjaai pazhuththEnO aaNdaaLai pOle…

Did I  glorify Lord Narayana like Peria Azhwar

Did I ransack religions like Thirumisai Azhwar ?

Aaraaindhu vittEnO thirumazhisaiyaar pOle

Did I realise  LORDSHIPS  as the subtlest like Nammazhwar

Avan (Naan) siriyan endREnO aazhwaarai pOle

Did I say anything like Kulasekhara Azhwar

Edhenum endreno kulasekararai pOle…

Did I say  !  I pledge my word like little krishna

Yaan saththiyam endreno krishnanai pOle…

Did I give clues to  Lord Rama like Kabandha

Adaiyaalam sonneno kabandhanai pOle…

Did I reveal secrets like Trijatha

Andharangam sonnenO thirijadaiyai pOle…

Did I recognize LORD like Mandodari

Avan dheivam endREnO mandodhariyai pOle…

Did I say   know thee like sage Vishwamitra

Aham vEdhmi endREnO vishwaamiththirarai pOle…

Did I say I know “No god”  like Madhurakavi Azhwar

ThEvu matRaRiyEnO madhurakaviyaarai pOle…

Did I give birth like Devaki

Dheivaththai petREnO dhEvakiyai pOle…

Did i say conceal thy discuss like vasudeva

Aazhi marai endREnO vasudhevarai pOle…

Did I bring up the cowherd like Yasoda

Aayanaai (Aayanai) valarthEno yasodhayai pOle…

Did I do a mite of service like the squirrels..

Anuyaathirai seydheno anilangalai pOle…

Did I take beaten  rice like Kuchela

Aval poriyai eendhEnO kuchelarai pOle…

 

Did I bestow weapons like Agastaya

Aayudhangal eendheno agasthiyarai pOle…

Could I enter the  war mentally  like sanjaya

Andharangam pukkeno sanjayanai pOle…

Could I by works obtain bliss like Janaka

Karmaththaal petREnO janakarai pOle…

Did I bite the toe and see HIM like Kaliyan ( Thirumangai Azhwar )

Kadiththu avanai kandeno thirumangaiyaarai pOle

Did I become an Umbrella like Adhisheshan

Kudai mudhalaanadhu aaneeno ananthaazhwaanai pOle…

Did I carry HIM like Garuda

Kondu thirindhEno thiruvadiyai pOle…

Did I keep up the promise like Nampaduvan

Ilaippu vidaai theertheno nampaaduvaanai pOle…

Did I behold HIM in a nook like the foremost Azhwars

Idai kazhiyil kandEnO mudhalaazhwaargalai pOle…

Did I guard the two princess like sage valmiki

Iru mannarai petREnO vaalmeekarai pOle…

Did I offer the two garlands like Tondaradipodi Azhwar

Iru maalai eendhEno thondaradipodi Aazhwaar pOle…

Did I obtain truths like Thirukachi Nambee

Avan uraikka petREnO thirukkachchiyaarai pOle…

Was I absorbed into God like Tiruppan Azhwar

Avan mEni aanEno thiruppaanarai pOle…

Did I say send them  like vashista

Anuppi vaiyum endREnO vasishtarai pOle……….

Did I worship sandals like Kongil Piratee

Adi vaanginEno kongil piraattiyai pOle…

Did I offer clay flowers like Kuruva Nambi

Mann poovai ittEno kurava nambiyai pOle…

Did I exclaim Oh ! The originator like Gajendra

Moolam endru azhaithEno gajaraajanai pOle

Poosa koduthEno kooniyai pOle…

Did I offer wreaths like Malakara

Did I keep my assigned place like Bharata….

Vaiththa idaththu irundhEno bharathanai pOle…

Did I serve on the way like lakshmana

Vazhiyadimai seydhEno lakshmananai pOle…

Did I land on the other shore like Guha

Akkaraikke vittEno guhaperumaaLai pOle..

Did I fight with the demon Jatayu ?

Arakkanudan porudhEno periyavudaiyaarai pOle…

Did I land on this shore like Vibhishina

Ikkaraikke sendrEno vibheeshananai pOle…

Did I offer sweet fruits like Sabari

Iniyadhendru vaiththEno sabariyai pOle

Did I say Here he is like Prahalada

Ingum undu endrEno prahlaadhanai pOle…

Did I hide Little Krishna like  Dhadhibandha the cowherd

Ingillai endrEno Dhadhipaandanai pOle…

Did I go to the forest like Lord Rama’s followers

Kaattukku pOnEno perumaalai pOle…….

Did I proclaim discovery of Mother Sita like Hanumanjee

Kandu vandhEn endrEno thiruvadiyai pOle…

Did I relinquish both hands like Draupadi

Iru kaiyyum vittEnO Dhraupadhiyai pOle…

Did I say the excuse Milk boils over like Vaduga nambee

Ingu paal pongum endrEno vaduga nambiyai pOle…

Did I hold my throat like Selva pilai

Iru midaru pidiththEno Selva pillaiyai pOle…

Did I deserve the command STOP HERE as Idaiyaitrukkudi nambi

Nillena petrEno idaiyaatroor nambiyai pOle…

Did I carry the message He is dead like Marutiyandan

Avan pOnAn endrEnO maaruthi AndAnai pOle…

Did I go in pursuit like Nathamiunigal

Nedundhooram pOnEno naatha munigalai pOle…

Did I say I want HIM not like kuresa

Anukoolam sonnEno maalyavaanai pOle………

Did I refute Advaita like swamy Ramanuja

adadhwaitham vendrEnO emperumAnArai pOle…

Ananthapuram pukkEno aaLavandhaarai pOle…

Did I go to Anantapuram like Alavandar

Did I feel separation like Teyvavariyanden

Aariyanai  pirindhEno dheivaari aandaanai pOle…

Did  I compose Andhadee like Malyavan

Andhaadhi sonnEno amudhanaarai pOle…

Did I opine mere ocean roar like Mahapurna

SooLuravu kondEno thirukkottiyooraarai pOle…

Did I exact promise like Goshtipurna

yaan siriyan endrEnO Thirumalai nambiyai pOle…

Did I obtain mercy like a dumb person…

Uyiraaya petrEno Oomaiayai pOle…

Did I give up my body like Tirunariyurariyar

Udambai veruththEno thirunaraiyooraararai pOle…

Did I profuse insignificantly like srisailapurna

Sutri kidandhEno thirumaalaiyaandaanai pOle…

Did I  force my finger into snakes mouth like Embar

Vaayil kaiyittEno embaarai pOle…

Did I vanquish a pundit by showing marks on arm like Bhattaraya

ThoL kaatti vandhEno battarai pOle

Did I seek secluded spot like Villiputhur bhagavathar

Turai veru seydhEno bagavarai pOle…

Did I jump into water like kannapurattammal……………..

On hearing these questions and her deep understanding  , Swamy Ramanuja was thunderstruck. Swamy Ramanuja  delivered a sweet discourse that made her reconsider her hasty decision in leaving the holy place .

The lady very respectfully offered obeisance’s to Swamy Ramanuja and requested Swamy to initiate a system to be adopted at the temple where the Lord is  offered traditional poojas daily ,  fortnightly ,monthly and annual festivals with pomp and show .

This would increase the glory of the holy place and force the people to stay there forever .

Swamy Ramanuja ,Ammai along with the disciples entered the holy place  Thirukolur The pious  lady invited Swamy Ramanuja to her house and offered prasada to be honoured by Jagathacharya  . Swamy gladly accepted the same .  

Later all of them went to the  temple at Thirukoloor and offered prayers to the Lordships.

Thus the glory of Thirukolur spread and the great spiritual treasure……

Thirukolur Penpillai rahasyam (Thirukkolur Ammal Varththaigal ) became a legendary guideline  for ardent devotees   seeking Lords lotus feet .

He blessed her and saw to  that the due performance of all festivals connected with LORDSHIPS and Madhurakavi Azhwar are celebrated grandly as emphasised by shastras .

( The inner meanings  and reflections shared by advance devotees in their discourses shall be shared separately in the coming posts in detail very soon by Acharyar’ s abundant mercy )

Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

Photos credits :   Google images and social media pics uploaded by  several devotees

Video credits :   Thanks to  “Sharp videos” / Thirukoshtiyar Vembu/                                     4000 divyaprabhandam

 

During the year 1137 when our beloved Swamy Ramanujar shed his mortal coil and proceeded to Srivaikuntam , Swamy rested himself keeping his head in Embars lap .

Blissful are the experiences of our Poorvacharyas and Peetathipathis .The mystic experiences shared by the great souls instill confidence in a devotee in his spiritual advancements.

Appearing out of a pillar neither man nor an a animal and yet both man and lion HIS avatara bespeaks of LORD’s supremacy and transcendence .

Lord appeared from this place because  the   devotee child prahalada wanted him to appear  ….

Thirumangai Azhwar visualised Lord Lakshmi Narasimhar in Ahobila Kshetra as the Lord who had thousand shoulders and sang several pasurams glorifying this holy place and the Lordships  .

On his journey to Ahobilam he  sang few pasurams which  speaks about the tough conditions prevailing those days to seek Lords darshan  ….

Senru kandarku Ariya koil

A temple where one cannot go with ease and offer worship to Lord

Deiva mallal sella vonna

Except for devas no one can attempt to seek darshan here

soorai kaatru kattu theeyai akasam varaiyil kondu sllugirathu

The devilish whirl wind blew with such force that the flames of the forest fire in that hill almost reached the sky

kanaitha theeum kallum atta villudai vedarumai

the blazing fire and the cracking noise of the dry heat is resounding in the hills.

Thinai thanayum sella onna

It is very difficult to go near this holy place even for few minutes..

All the above said , Lord  Narasingha deva out of abundant mercy   to uplift the jivas decided to make himself available for darshan by  commanding  the the first Pontiff His holiness Sri  Sri Adivan Satakopa Yateendra Mahadesika Jeeyar during the period 1400 to take him to places and instruct  jivas  in the Ashtaksharam , Dwayam and the charama sloka and  guide them in spiritual insights for salvation ….

The presiding deity Sri Lakshmi Narasimhar glorified as Malola  ( The lord who is always fond of his consort Mahalakshmi  as the meaning conveys ) .

To prove this point the LORD is seen with HIS left hand wound around the divine mothers slender waist  .

HIS  glance overlooks our faults  . 

Lord Malola  wears a paduka indicating his divine will to grace us by traveling places

Azhagiya Singar in tamil means beautiful Lion and has been used from time immemorial to glorify Lord Narasingha deva and in recent centuries  as a mark of  respect to  presiding Pontiff of Sri Ahobila Matam …..

A divine incident reveals the greatness of the Lordships and Acharyar both of whom are lovingly called as Azhagiya Singar

During a    journey few hundred years ago ,  Lordships was traveling  along with the    His holiness Sri Sri Athipattu Azhagiya singar 34th jeeyar and  disciples along with  entire paraphernalia .

A  local  affluent devotee  approached his holiness and offered ingredients to prepare  Ksheerannam as bhoga  for the Lordships .

Accordingly the sweet preparations was made and several huge vessels of the nectarine dish covered  to the brim  with  ghee and milk and pieces of cashew nuts , dried grapes , diamond sugar  floating over  the offerings were placed before Lord Malola as naivedyam and  the curtains were drawn.

The bells were  rung  along with the auspicious  drumming  and cymbals being played with devotion .

 

 The Jeeyar with a beatific look folded hands and gleeful heart entreating the LORDSHIPS to have a morsel of bhoga .  The divine chants of glorifying the Lordships begun …..

  A morsel from  Acharyar  Azhagiyasingar’s hand , the LORD would certainly have with great relish .

BUT …. ..Today ??

No ..Nothing of that kind  happened ………………

 Lord Malola a did not stir from his royal seat .

The Jeeyars importunity , prayer and beseechment did not invoke  any response  from the LORD …………..

He implored the Lord to give him some reason in rejecting the offering  ..

At last the LORD spoke .

Swamin …

This food contains few strands of human hair ..and hence we would not have this …….

With tears Jeeyar sought repeated  forgiveness ,  and rushed to the devotees and advised them to immediately prepare  a  fresh offering  to the Lordships . The kainkaryaparas were informed about the grave mistake committed  . At his instance Pongal was prepared quickly and offered to Lord with all reverence  .

However the cooks who prepared the Ksheerannam possessed of curiosity , began to examine the contents of the several vessels . The count went on …the first vessel ..the second …the third …..fourth,   fifth ……sixth …..

Nothing was discovered …

One of the cooks even expressed  a derisive laughter as only two more vessels  remained  to be checked   .

The last vessel was being cleared now ..

And to the astonishment from under its depth…………. strands of hair stuck out !!

The cooks were dumbfounded…

They realised that the Jeeyar was indeed having a dialogue  with Lord daily..

Unable to contain their awe and reverence like a fallen staff all of them prostrated at the lotus feet of Jeeyar seeking pardon …

.Such  was the greatness of both…….

the Azhagiyasingars ..the Acharyar

and

Azhagiyasingar  Lord Lakshminarasimha deva  ..

Let us glorify our LORD …

Ugram  Viram   Maha Vishnum    Jvalantam      Sarvato Mukham

Nirisimham     Bhishanam      Bhadram    Mrutyur Mrutyum       Namamy Aham..

Ugram – the ferocious one

Viram – The most courageous

Mahavishnum – The all-pervasive one (Lord Maha Vishnu)

Jvalantam – the effulgence of fire

Sarvato Mukham – Having his face everywhere (manifested throughout the universe)

Nrisimham – The Lion-man form

Bhishanam – The terrific

Bhadram – The auspicious

Mrutyur Mrutym – death of death

Namamy Aham – I bow down and revere

Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

Pics : Courtesy Google images uploaded by several advanced devotees

Jai Jai Ramakrishna Hari