Search:
Bhakti List Archives

ThiruvahIndhrapuram RathnAngi kaimkaryam: Part III: Kaliyan's (Thirumangai AzhwAr's) First Paasuram : Periya Thirumozhi 3.1.1

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • February 18, 2003 


SrI:

Dear  BhakthAs :

Today is the day  after the measurements were taken 
for the Silver kavacham that forms the base for 
the RathnAngi for Lord  DevanAthan ; we will start today 
with Kaliyan's exquisite enjoyment of the Natha  Sathyan , 
(True to those , who seek His protection ) ; He is also
Bhaktha ParAdhInan (totally under the control of His devotees).

SrI VarAha  Moorthy and  Kaliyan
*********************************

In the first  Paasuram , Kaliyan celebrates
Lord  DhaivanAyakan as the One who incarnated 
as VarAha BhagavAn to bring back BhUmi Devi 
from under the Ocean , where She was hidden by
the Raakshasan , HiraNyAkshan. After the MahA VarAha 
Moorthy destroyed HiraNyAkshan and arose out of 
the ocean waters carrying BhUmi Devi on His powerful 
tusk, our compassionate Mother requested the Lord 
to instruct Her on the sure way to save the destitute 
human beings from their SamsAric afflictions and 
for them to attain mOkshAnugraham.

Our Lord responded to His divine consort and blessed us 
all , Their children , with the powerful and reassuring 
Varaha Charama slOkam (*)in this  context. Along with 
the other two charama slOkams (**)blessed to us by Lord  
Raamachandra and Lord  KrishNaa , the VarAha charama slOkam is 
a marga darsi (path definer ) for the suffering
humans to find the means for liberation from the cycles of 
births and  deaths. Thus , it is no surprise that Kaliyan
chose  VarAha Moorthy behind this most powerful of the three
Charama slOkams at the beginning of his eulogy of the Lord of
ThiruvahIndrapuram.There may be other reasons Kaliyan's choice 
of VaraahAvathAram first . Let us expore them .   

(1)Kaliyan was not  too far from the Svyam Vyaktha kshEtram
( Sacerd abode of the Lord , where He is self-manifested)
of SrI MushNam . The worship of that beautiful archA 
of Adhi VarAhan might have been lingering in the mind
of Kailyan , when he  arirved at ThiruvhIdhrapuram.
Although Kaliyan has  not left us any paasurams about
the ancient SrImushNam PerumAL , it is very possible
that he might have visited this abhimAna sthalam .

(2)There is yet another possibility for Kaliyan selecting
VarAhAvathAram first over all the other avathArams of 
the Lord. Earlier , Kaliyan has performed MangaLAsAsanam 
for Adhi Varahan , who is revered as as Jn~AnappirAn 
at the dhivya  dEsam of Thiruvidaventhai , which is
on the way to Mahabalipuram . The archA Moorthy of 
Adhi Varahan at this dhivya desam is also most beautiful. 
The lingering sweetness of the earlier the sevai of 
Jn~AnappirAn might also have been in Kaliyan's mind.

(3)Finally , ThiruvahIndhrapuram is generally considered
as VarAha KshEthram just as Thirumalai since Dhaiva 
Naayakan is recognized as Lord  SrInivAsan taking His
residence at this  Nadu Naattu Thiruppathi .

The first Paasuram of Kaliyan : VarAhAvathAran
***********************************************

irumtaNN  maanilam yEnam athAi vaLai maruppinil ahatthu odukki
karumtaNN maakadal kaNN thuyinRavan idam kamala Nanmalar-tERal
arunthi innisaimuranru yezhum aLikulam pothuLi ampozhilUdE
Serunthi-naNN malar senRaNainthu uzhi taru ThiruvayIndhirapuramE

yEnam athu aay = after becoming the MahA VarAha Roopi 
                 celebrated by the VedAs (" Sa VarAhO Roopam
                 Kruthva" , "uddhruthAasi VarAhENa KrishNEna
                 Satha BaahunA " are the Veda  Vaakyams 
                 celebrating VarAhAvatharam )

vaLai Maruppinil ahatthu = and holding (Bhumi Devi)on 
                           the inner side of His bent tusk 
                           (kOraippal)

iru taNN maa nilam odukki =  and holding Bhumi Devi on the inner 
                             side of that mighty tusk ; That 
                             Divine  Consort of His revered for 
                             Her giant size (vastness) and 
                             coolness from the surrounding oceans
                             and serving as BhOgya-BhOgOpakarana-
BhOga  sthAnam ( the abode of the most 
                             rich and varied  materials for sustenance
                             and enjoyment )

karu taNN maa kadal kaNN-
thuyinRavan idam           = That BhUvarahan , who enjoys yOga
                             nidhrai normally at the dark bluish 
                             and cool ocean is now presiding over
                             this dhivya desam of ThiruvahIndhrapuram. 

This way , Kaliyan identifies DhaivaNaayakan of 
ThiruvahIndhrapuram with BhUvarAhan and states 
that this BhUvarAhan has elected ThiruvahIndhrapuram 
as His place of preferred residence.

Next  Kaliyan  describes the beauty of ThiruvahIndhrapuram
and elaborates on what he saw there .

Kamalam nall malar-teRal arunthi = after drinking the sweet honey 
from the special lotus flowers from the pond , where MahA Lakshmi
resides in Her Lotus home ( MahA Lakshmi is hinted here to remind us
of Her PurushakAram/sipArsu that is essential for Her Lord's blessings) 

innisai muranru yezhum aLi kulam = the Honey  bees (nithya sooris)
flying in dense groups singing the thousand names of the Lord of
ThiruvahIndhrapuram

(aLi kulam ) pothuLi ampozhiUdu senrU = those honey bees 
flying in tight formations arrive at the groves of Serunthi
(yellow Surappunnai flowers)

naaLL malar anainthu uzhi taru ThiruvayeendhrapuramE = 
and  embrace the freshly  blossomed Serunthi flowers 
and roam around there. Thiruvahindhrapuram is the dhivya
desam , where such nithya sooris ( Honey  Bees ) spend 
their time happily performing Hari Naama sankeerthanam.  

SrI HemAbhja Naayaki SamEtha SrI DEva NaaTa ParabrahmaNE Nama: 
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan

* Varaha Charama slOkam revealed to BhUmi Devi:

sTithE manasi susvasTE sarIrE sathi yO nara:
dhAthusAmyE sTithE smarthA visvaroopam cha maamajam (1)

tatastham mriyamANam thu kAshDapAashana sannibham
aham smarAmi madhbhaktham nayaami paramAm gathim (2)

(Meaning): This whole  world is my body. I have no
birth or death .When a devotee of Mine maintains 
his mind in an auspicious state , his body in 
the healthy state-- where the dhAthus of the body are 
in equipoise-- and thinks of Me in that state and seeks 
Me then as his firm refuge , I do some thing unique for
that devotee , when  he is totally unconscious 
like a log or stone  duirng his last moments.
At that time, I lead him via archirAdhi mArgam 
to My Supreme abode to perform nithya kaimkaryam
for Me there.This is My unfailing assurance .

** The other two Charama slOkams:

(1)SrI Raamachandra  Cahrama SlOkam 

sakruthEva prapannAya tavAsMIthi cha yAchathE
abhayam sarvabhUthEbhyO dadhAmEyathath vratham Mama
--Yuddha KaaNDam:18-33

(Meaning): I vouchsafe protection against all
living beings to him , who seeks that protection
even only once from Me stating "I am Yours".
To protect him without fail is My  vow.

(2) KrishNa Charama slOkam:

Sarva dharmAn Parithyajya MaamEkam SaraNam vraja
Aham Thva Sarva paapEpbhyO mokshayishyAmi maa sucha:
--Bhagavath Gita : 18.66

(meaning) Totally relinquishing all dharmAs ( completely 
relinquishing the sense of agency , posssessiveness 
and fruits of actions) , seek Me alone as Your refuge.
I will free You from all sins .Grieve not.  



 


                  
                              





--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com
Group Home: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bhakti-list
Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/
 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/