RathnAngi Kaimkaryam : Part VIII : Kaliyan's Paasurams: 3.1.6

From the Bhakti List Archives

• February 26, 2003


SrI:

Dear  BhakthAs:

Today we will study the Sixth Paasuram
of Thirumangai Mannan on Lord DhaivanAyakan of
ThiruvahIndhrapuram ( Periya Thirumozhi: 3.1.6):

Koon-ulAviya madanthai tann kodumcholin-tiRatthu iLam kodiyOdum
kaan-ulAviya karumuhil ThiruniRatthavan-idam kavin-Arum
vaan-ulAviya Mathi-tavazh maal varai mAmathiL pudai soozha
thEn-ulAviya sezhum pozhil tazhuviya ThiruvayeendirapuramE 

General observations
**********************
In this Paasuram and the next two , Kaliyan celebrates 
the incidents that happened during RaamAvathAram .
In the previous paasuram , Kaliyan saw the forests 
full of Monkeys plucking Jack fruits for Bhagavath 
AarAdhanam . The monkeys  reminded him of the Vaanara
Senai in general and the Raama DhUthan, HanumAn 
in particular. That reminescence propelled Kaliyan 
to perform MangaLAsAsanam for RaamavathAra Dhaiva Naayakan.
The SithA LakshmaNa Hanumath SamEtha SrI Raamachandran
holding the mighty KodhaNdam with seven bells attached
to that bow is one of the most beautiful sevais at
ThiruvahIndhrapuram. Swamy  Desikan went on to compose
SrI Raghuveera Gadhyam on this Mahaa Veeran at 
this dhivya desam.

First Line of the Sixth Paasuram
*********************************
"Koon ulAviya madanthai tann kodum solin thiRatthu"
iLam kodiyOdum" .

The wonderfully different usage of the word "UlAviya"
in each line of this paasuram is an attestment to 
the prowess of Kaliyan as an accomplished poet 
immersed in Raama Bhakthi.

Mandarai, the hunch-backed , heriditary maid servant of 
Queen KaikEyi is a central character in Lord Raamachandran's
exile to the forest for 14 long years with His young  wife. 
Young Mandarai according to Kaliyan had not only a crooked spine 
(Koon) but also a twisted mind ( koon ulAviya madanthai). 
Through her roamings in the palace , she got  wind of 
the plans for the coronation of Raamachandran by King  
DasaraTan and poisoned the mind of KaikEyi leading
up to latter asking  her husband DasaraTan for the two boons 
that would gurantee her own son Bharathan the throne of 
Raghu Vamsam  and make sure in Raaman being exiled
to the forest. Mandarai was the erstwhile  nurse for Raaman ,
when He was a small boy. She had  not  forgotten the fun
that Raaman had at her expense linked with her deformity . 

This maid  servant known for her hunch back (koon ulAviya 
Madanthai) used her power of persuasion and threats to alter
the mind  set of KaikEyi , who adored Raaman as her own son.
VaalmIki decribes Mandarai as one who was adept in the use
of words ( Vaakya VisAradhA ). Mandarai impressed KaikEyi
that the installation of Raama on the throne would spell
disaster for Bharathan , KaikEyi (and herself){ ThrAyasva
PuthramAthmAnam maam cha ..VaalmIki RaamAyaNam AyOdhyA Kaandam}. 

Kaliyan describes the words of Mandarai and their power
on KaikEyi as "Kodum sollin thiRatthU". They had their predictable
effect on the gullible KaikEyi and she in turn wrested the two boons 
desired by her out of her sorrow-stricken husband.

Second line of the Paasuram 
****************************  
" ( kodum sollin thiRatthu iLam kodiyOdum )kaan ulAviya
karu muhil Thiru niratthavan-idam" (kavinArum).

As a direct  result  of those mean and harsh words of 
Mandarai , Our Lord had to leave with the beautiful ,
young creeper like lady (iLam kodiyOdu /SitA PirAttiudan) 
to the forest and wander there ( Kaan ulAviya karu Muhil). 
The Lord who resembled in hue and beauty the dark bluish 
clouds of the rainy  season ( karu Muhil  Thiru niratthavan ). 
Kaliyan states here that the preferred place of residence of 
such Neela mEgha ShyAmaLa Raama Moorthy is  ThiruvahIndhrapuram 
(Karu muhil niratthavan idam).   

Third Line of the Paasuram
***************************
(kavin-Arum )vaan ulAviya Mathi tavazh maal varai
mAmathiL pudai soozha ". In the previous line , Kaliyan
referred to the clouds of the rainy  season and their 
beauty. Here , Kaliyan looks up and sees the Moon in clear
skies moving  amidst those clouds embracing the tall peaks
of Oushada Giri right in front of the Lord's temple
at  ThiruvahIndhrapuram. The ramparts ( MathiL) of
the temple are also tall and compete in height with
the surrounding mountains. Chandran is hugging these
ramparts during his sanchAram (travels) in the sky
(kavin aarum Vaan ulAviya Mathi = the Moon moving 
in the beautiful sky ). The ramparts of the temple
and the mountain peaks are reaching  all the way 
up to the Chandra ManDalam (Mathi tavazh maal varai
pudai soozha).The Oushada Giri has the blessings of
SrI HayagrIva Saannidhyam (presence of Lord HayagrIvan,
who has the hue of Suddha Spatikam / pure white hue).  

Fourth Line of the Paasuram
****************************
" thEn ulAviya sezhum pozhil tazhuviya ThiruvayeendrapuramE".
That Oushada Giri has fragrant groves of flowering trees 
that  attract hordes of honey  bees . Those flowering tree 
groves serve as  an embracing canopy for the dhivya dEsam of
ThiruvahIdhrapuram . The Moon is also coursing in between
these tall groves of flowering trees . Such is the abundant
fertility and soubhAgyam of ThiruvahIndhrapuram , which
is the dear place of residence of RaamAvathAra Dhaiva Naayakan .  

AzhwAr EmperumAnAr Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam,    
SrI HemAbja NaayakiA SamEtha SrI Achyutha Para BrahmaNE nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan

P.S : Please do not forget Lord Dhaiva Naayakan's 
kaimkaryam for now and during every day of Your life!



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