Aranganai KANa Nam PANanidam KarpOm - Post 4

From the Bhakti List Archives

• December 27, 2001


In the last post we completed looking at the greatness of 
Thiruvarangam. Now, why are we looking at these things and what 
relation does it have to the topic. It was just a "Poorva Peedikai" 
or "Avathaarikai" or a Backgrounder that we saw so far. We will 
come to the topic from this post.

What has all this has got to do with the title "Aranaganai 
Kanda Kangal" ??. We all see emperumaan in his bhujanga sayanam 
at Thiruvarangam with our eyes. Our aazhwaars have seen. Our 
aachaaryaas have seen. So whats so special about the title here. 
The word "Kann" here refers not to the physical "Kann" or eyes 
here by which we see emperumaan. The "Kann" here refers to the 
eyes of immense love, bhakthi over emperumaan thorugh which we 
can see his divya sevai. We see emperumaan as an archaavathaaram 
in a reclining posture at Sri Rangam and nothing else. But our 
aazhwaars and aachaaryaas see the same emperumaan in a different 
way. There is huge difference between how we see and how they 
see emperumaan. Out of all the aazhwaars and aachaaryaas one 
param bhakthar or daasar saw emperumaan really with his 
extraordinary love and bhakthi by just singing and not by any 
anushtaanams or yagnams. Adiyen just want to make an attempt to 
bring the greatness of such a prama bhakthar who has mentioned 
"Aranganai Kanda Kangal matronrinai kaanaave" in his famous 
prabandham "Amalanaadhi piraan", through adiyen's lowest of 
lowest knowledge, who is "Thiruppaanaazhwaar", also knows as 
"Munivaahanan". The reason for this name shall be seen 
in this posting at a later stage.

Eyes are not those which just sees emperumaan at thiruvarangam 
like us. Eyes are those which are gifted enough to see 
emperumaan through himself. He should have shown his "Pavazha 
Vaai Kamala Senkaan.." to our eyes. Such a gifted eyes was 
Thirupaanaazhwaar's eyes which saw emperumaan's Kamala 
Chengann through emperumaan itself with his immense live and 
affection to him. Similarly one another gifted eyes were the 
eyes of Swamy Pillai Uranga Villi Daasar'e eyes which saw the 
Kamala Senkann of emperumaan when emperumaanaar showed periya 
perumaal's 
 
  "Kariya vagi pudai parandhu, milirndhu sevvariyodi
   Neendavapperiyavaaya kangal"

(eyes) to Pillai Urangaa Villi Daasar. From that moment Swamy 
Pillai Urangaa Villi Daasar never saw anything else other than 
emeprumaan's eyes and became a daasan to emperumaan at 
thiruvarangan. Hence all these parama bhakthaas were so gifted 
that emperumaan himself showed his eyes to them. But all the 
above did not see emperumaan's eyes thorugh their paasaurams 
or songs. But one person who saw emperumaan's eyes just by 
singing his praise.

Out of all aazhwaars, "Thirupaanaazhwaar" was born as the 9th 
aazhwaar in Uraiyur in the month of Kaarthigai on Rohini star. 
He was so worried that he was born in the lower caste called 
"Paanar Kulam". Hence without having the courage to get into 
the sannidhi of emperumaan at thiruvarngam he stayed outside 
the temple always and was singing the praise of emperumaan 
always. This routine was always followed by aazhwaar.

One day when Loka Saaranga Muni went to the Pushkarini (Tank) 
to fetch theertham for emperumaan's thirumanjanam. At the 
same time aazhwaar was singing the praise of emperumaan
without realizing himself and where he was. Loka Saaranga 
Muni came to aazhwaar and asked aazhwaar to move away from 
his way as he is from lower caste. But aazhwaar could not 
listen to this as he was involved in emperumaan's divya 
sevai. Loka Saranga Muni got wild and threw a stone on 
aazhwar's thirumugam and blood was coming out of aazhwaar's 
face. Due to this aazhwaar came to senses and felt bad that 
he committed an apachaaram with emperumaan's daasan and went 
away from that place. Loka Saaranga Muni returned to the 
temple with the water for thirumanjanam. Since Loka Saaranga 
Muni committed an apachaaram of insulting and physically 
hurting his bhakthan emperumaan felt so sad. At this time 
Ranganaayaki thaayar felt that emperumaan should make aazhwaar 
to reach their lotus feet forever. As emperumaan also felt 
the same to make Loka Saranga Muni realize his apachaaram 
emperumaan closed all the doors and entrances to his sannidhi 
and Loka Saarnaga Muni was unable to open the Sannidhi and 
was very astonished by this. At that time emperumaan spoke to 
Loka Saaranga Muni saying Oh Loka Saaranga Muni..!! you 
committed a mahaa apachaaram of physicaly hurting my sincere 
bhakthan. My bhakthan may be born in any caste or may of any 
creed or sex. But I dont see any difference in my Bhakthaas. 
I only see the bhakthi or love in my bhakthan's mind. Since 
you committed the apacharam you have to bring aazhwaar to my 
sannidhi by falling at his feet and asking for his pardon. 

Loka Saaranga Muni immediately went and fell at aazhwaar's 
feet and told about emperumaan's thiruvulam and his wishes 
and commands. Even then aazhwaar was so worried that a Daasan
to emperumaan fell at his feet. Loka Saaranga Muni also told 
that he will lift aazhwaar on his shoulder as aazhwaar felt 
how he can keep his feet at emperumaan's sannidhi as he was
born in a lower caste. Hence Loka Saaranga Muni asked aazhwar 
to sit on his shoulder and also thought thathe got the great 
bhaagyam of lifting a parama bhaagavthaa with his feet
on his hands. When they reached the sannidhi of emperumaan 
the sannidhi doors opened and emperumaan showed all his divya 
sevai and is splendour to aazhwaar. Seeing this divya sevai
aaazhwaar started siinging his famous prabandham "Amalanaadi 
Piraan" which consists of 10 paasurams. Each paauram explains 
the soundaryam of emperumaan starting from his feet till
his thirumuka mandalam.

We will start with how aazhwaar enjoyed the divya thirumeni of 
emperumaan at Sri Rangam from the next issue.


Meendum KarpippAr Nam PANan, will continue..


Mama Sarvaaparaadham Kshamaswa..
Azhwaar Thiruvadigale Sharanam !!

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan

Narayanan





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