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Reflections of the Ninth day about MelukOte sampradhAyam established by AchArya RaamAnujA : Dhivya Prabhandham recitation tradition at Melukote : Part III

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • March 10, 2000 


SrimathE RaamAnujAya nama:

HAPPENINGS AT MELUKOTE THRU THE AGES (CONTINUED ):
*************************************************

In this posting , we will cover the foundation stone
laid by AchArya RaamAnujA for the Dhivya Prabhandha
PaarAyaNam at ThirunArayaNan's temple .

Srimans Jaggu NarasimhAchAr and R.KrishNa Iyengar
point out that AchArya RaamAnujA incorporated 
the chanting of the hymns of dhivya prabhandhams 
in a particular order as a part of his temple
reforms at MelukOte. This order is followed even
today during the various uthsavams and SaathumuRais. 

The First decad of the Fourth Centum of ThiruvAimozhi
*******************************************************

This decad was identified by AchArya RaamAnuja as NammAzhwAr's
mangaLAsAsanam for ThirunArAyaNan . The first Paasuram 
of this decad that attracted the attention of AchArya
RaamAnujA is :

" oRu naayakamAi OdaulahudanANDavar 
  karunAi kavarntha kaalar sithaihia paanayar 
  perunAdu kaaNa immayilE picchai thaam koLvar
  THIRUNAARANAN THAALL KAALAM PERAC CHINTHITTHU UYMINO "

The fourth line (padham )of the above paasuram has been
identified with the Manthra rathnam (Dhvaya manthram ) 
in Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram saluting the charaNa
Kamalms of Sriman NaarAyaNan .

The meaning of this Paasuram as translated by 
Dr.V.N.VedAntha Desikan is as follows :

"Men, who ruled over vast territories with an
unquestioned suzerainity , are one day driven out,
and are driven to the plight of living on alms, 
roaming , unnoticed , in dark night , out of sheer 
shamefulness. Black dogs chase them and bite 
their legs. What a fate ! With cheap metal dish 
on hand , trying to avoid the sight and identification,
by people whom he would have sent away when he was on
the throne , he now has to live a humble life of 
begging-- in the same life; that is the worst part 
of it. So, please learn the ephemeral and fickle 
nature of prosperity . Contemplate on the Lord's feet 
(charaNam ) in order to gain real prosperity of salvation . 
And do it immediately -not putting it off .

The reference to Dhvaya manthram is very clear 
in the fourth paadham of this ThiruvAimozhi(TVM)
Paasuram . 

In the other paasurams , Swamy NammAzhwAr describes 
the misfortunes befalling the human beings form their
heedless pursuit of perishable wealth of different kinds 
and gives us His UpadEsam based on dhvaya manthrArtha 
vivaraNam (elaboration ). The examples are :

semmin mudit ThirumAlai virainthaDic chErminO--TVM:4.1.2

Meaning: Before all misfortunes cripple you, please seek 
& gain your salvation by rushing to the sacred feet of Sriman 
NaarAyaNan with the radiant crown : Sriman NaarAyaNa
charaNou SaraNam kuru .

KaDisEr ThuzhAi Mudik KaNNan KazhalkaL ninaiminO--TVM:4.1.3

Meaning : (look where all the royal prosperity goes !).
Quickly learn hence to concentrate on the holy feet
of the Lord with the ThuLasI-adorned crown .

PanaitthALL mathakakaLiRattavan padham paNiminO--TVM:4.1.4

Meaning:(this life is far too ephemeral). Please realize this 
and resort to the feet of of the One Lord , who felled
the giant elephant of Kamsan .

MaNiminnu mEni namm Maadhavan pEr solli VaazhuminO--TVM:4.1.5

Meaning :( all  worldly wealth is perishable ). Hence , it is 
wise to cling to the feet of our Lord , the imperishable wealth
and the embodiment of immense charm and enjoyment.

aazhnthAr KadaRp PaLLI aNNal adiyavar aaminO --TVM: 4.1.6

Meaning : ( Life is impermanent ).So , realize that the only 
permanent thing is the Life of Loving servitude at the feet
of the Lord , who is reclining on the ocean-waters almost
as if He is waiting for you and me .

kOmin ThuzhAi mudi AadhiyansOthi guNangaLE --TVM : 4.1.7

Meaning : Learn to munch , digest and live on, the sweet
guNams of the Lord -that food will ever be available and 
will sustain you forever .

paNamkoLL aravaNayAn ThirunAmam padiminO--TVM: 4.1.8

Meaning : Do chant His names , strive for the best goal,
not being deluded by mundane pleasures , which also
arise from ThirunArAyaNan's blessings .

kodimannu puLLudai aNNal KazhalkaL kuRuhiminO--TVM:4.1.9

Meaning : ( even Svargam or Indra"s heaven is to be 
spurned since it is impermanent and is of limited duration ).
Go after the one from which there is no return, the life
of nithya kaimkaryam in Sri Vaikuntam. To secure it ,
you must hover around the Lord's feet .The Lord will
lovingly  accept you and will not let you go , even if 
you want to . 

maRuhalil Isanaip paRRi vidAvidil veedahthE --4.1.10

Meaning : ( Kaivalyam should be rejected as a permanent
bliss).The only lasting bliss is the Lord's abode ,
Sri Vaikuntam .

Swamy NammAzhwAr concludes this decad on ThirunArAyaNan
and His dhvaya manthram this way for our benefit:

" So has SatakOpan sung a thousand verses about 
the sacred feet of the Lord , pointing them out as
the right path for salvation , the life of service 
to Him .Of them all, whosoever masters this decad 
on Sriman NaarAyaNan will be freed from all grief 
and will attain the desired mOksham and nithya-
kaimkaryam to the Lord in His supreme abode ". 

TampirAn Padi's elaboration on ThirunArAyaNapuram
**************************************************

TampirAnpadi speculates that the entire ThiruvAimozhi 
is on the different deities worshipped from ancient
times at ThirunArAyanapuram . Many times Swamy
NammAzhwAr refers in TVM about :

VaNN puhazh NaaraNan ( TVM: 1.2.10 )

Vaazh Puhazh NaaraNan ( TVM: 10.9.1)

Selva NaaraNan ( TVM: 1.10.8)

ThirunAraNan (TVM: 4.4.1)

At MelukOte , all the four forms of NaarAyaNan
are present . " VaNN Puhazh NaaraNan " is the One 
for whom the daily Thirumanjanam is performed .
This SnAnabhEran resides by the side of Moolavar.
Vaazh Puhazh NaaraNan resides with SellappiLLai,
the Uthsavar . He is the BalibhEran. Selva NaaraNan 
is SelvappiLLai Himself, the uthsavar brought back
from Delhi by AchArya RaamAnujar .ThirunAraNan is
the main deity ( Moolavar). 

TampirAnpadi adduces other evidences to conclude
that the entire ThiruvAimozhi is about the four
NaarAyaNa Moorthys of MelukOte.

adiyEn will cover the dhivya Prabhandha anusandhAna
kramam at MelukOte during special days of the year 
as established by AchArya RaamAnujA next.

Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE saraNam 
SrimathE NaarAyaNAya nama:
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil V.SadagOpan  
         
  
  


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