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Re: Saazhal

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TV.Venkat • August 10, 1998 


                        Srimathe Narayanaya Namaha

     This is a beautiful insight about the paasuram brought out by Sri
     Sudarshan. I don't know whether I am qualified to offer my views and
     comments on this without a thorough knowledge. However I am putting
     down all that I can, to consolidate my claim that Thondar-adi-podi
     AzhwAr is a pativratan with reference to RanganAthan.

     The word "Pachai mA malai" was not given as "uvamai" by the AzhwAr
     with ThiruvengadamudaiyAn in mind. It is true that he could have as
     well referred to any other imagery to describe the "thirumEni azhagu"
     of RanganAthan. But just because there is no hills surrounding
     Srirangam and nearby area this doesn't mean that AzhwAr has never
     heard about the existence of any mountain at all in the Universe.
     (Forget not that the famoust Rockfort hill is in Trichy).

     As told by Sri Sudarsan, a river like KAveri cannot be used to
     describe the beauty of emberumAn for a reason, that the river has
     feminine gender associated with it (This is as understood by me to my
     limited knowledge). However when the beauty of a male is described it
     should be described with respect to those imagery which are masculine
     in nature.

     So a "malai" or the mountain is a strongest image that one could
     readily accept to relate it to a male who is very strong in his
     physique. So the AzhwAr, in my opinion, has used this malai to
     describe the PerumAL's ThirumEni.

     Adding further, a mountain can be of two types one is the rough one
     with just barren rocks and giving a tougher look and the other is with
     a lush of greenery over it giving a soft touch. Our PerumAL, while he
     is strong enough to use the mountain as the "uvamai" he does not have
     that roughness, in look as well as in his inside self. Hence the
     AzhwAr preferred to use the word " Pachhai mA malai " instead of just
     ascribing it to the mountain to refer to the "dhidagAthra sareeram" of
     our PerumAL.

     Hence I finish my note saying that the AzhwAr IS a pativratan with
     respect to RanganAthan and that he used the word "Pachhai mAmalai" as
     just a fitting "uvamai" and not with ThiruvengadmudaiyAn in his mind.

     Please do correct me if I am wrong as all that I have written is what
     I thought of and not what I read.

     Sri RanganAyaki thAyAr samEtha Sri RanganAthan thiruvadigaLE saraNam.

     adiyEn RAmAnuja dAsan


     Thirumalai Vinjamoor Venkatesh