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1999 Thiru AdhyayanOthsavam Audio Casette : Part II

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • November 30, 1999 


Dear Sri RanganAtha BhakthAs: 

AdiyEn will start with the summary of the first
side of this tape dedicated to AchAryALs and 
the dhivya Dampathis of Srirangam and other 
dhivya desams .

First 45 minutes of the tape:
******************************

***The tape begins with a salutation to the uniqueness
of ArchAvathAram among the five forms of Sriman NaarAyaNA 
(Para, VyUhA, Vibhava , AntharyAmi and ArchA). The benefits
of ArchA worship by AzhwArs and AchAryAs are next covered .
The special four benefits arising from ArchA worship 
are explained as (1) Ruchi Jaathakthvam or the kindling of 
the spiritual fire in the mind (2) SubhAsrayathvam or the 
attainment of inner peace and tranquility through darsana 
soubhAgyam of the beautiful ArchA Moorthy (3) Akshaya 
Loka CharaNyathvam or the development of the affection for 
the Dhivya dampathis in ArchA form that raises the fire of 
Bhakthi  further and Bhootha dayaa and (4) anubhAvyathvam 
or the enhanced state of spiritual experience that stabilizes
one's dhyAnam and dhArNam preparing one to attain a SadAchAryan
to perform Prapatthi and qualify for MokshAnugraham .The fifteen
aspects of the deep anubhavam Of ThirppANa AzhwAr of the archaa
Moorthy of Sri RanganaathA is described further in the Dec 3,98 
Bhakthi posting .

*** The excerpts from the sri Sookthi of Sri PiLLai PerumAL
Iyengar (Azhagiya MaNavALa Daasar )known as Ashta Prabhandham
are chosen by the artist first to illustrate the bhakthi of PiLLai 
PrumAL IyengAr for ArchA murthys in general and Sri RanganAthA
in particular . These Paasurams are literary master pieces 
from the direct disciple of Paraasara Bhattar .The ecstasy and 
devotion for the Lord of Srirangam found in these paasurams  
of Ashta Prabhnadham earned Iyengar the honorific title of 
"Dhivya Kavi " .

** The first piece is sung in the morning Raagam BhUpALam 
in the viruttham tradition (without ThALam ) to the 
accompaniment of Flute . Here the dhivya kavi salutes
the ArchA Moorthys and states that he is going to
offer his salutations in the AnthAdhi form selected 
by the Mudhal AzhwArs and Swamy NammAzhwAr ( yERRa 
MaNavALan--).The reference is to the Sr RanganAtha
Pathivrathai's ( ThoNDadippoDi's) ThiruppaLLIyezucchi.

** The second paasuram is set in Raagam SourAshtram and
is from the section of Ashta prabhandham known as 
Thiruvaranga Kalambaham .The TaaLam will be Adhi in
most of the renderings except for KaNDa ChApu for two
pieces dealing with OOnJal of Sri RangarAjan and 
Sri RanganAyaki .Mrudhangam joins in  now. In this Paasuram , 
Iyengar performs SaraNAgathi at the sacred feet of 
the 12 AzhwArs in general and Swamy NammAzhwAr in particular 
(Vedham thohutthu Tamizh paadal seytha Vimalan--).
Here thereference is to Madhura Kavi and His AchArya
Bhakthi .

**The third Paaauram is set in Raagam Mohanam to describe
the dhivya soundharyam of Sri RanganAthan , His beautiful
face , His eyes full of Mercy , His sacred ThuLasi MaalA and 
His dhivya Aayudhams .Iyengar says that there is nothing for
him to fear in this world as long as Sri RanganAthA and His
Aayudhams are with him ( Periya PerumAL Arangan ---).

**The Fourth Paasuram is coming from ThiruvarangatthanthAdhi
and is set in Saaveri raagam .Here Iyengar pays tribute to 
his Guru parampara starting from Bhattar , EmbAr upward 
to Sri RanganAyaki and Sri RanganAthA .

** The Fifth verse from ThiruvarangatthanthAdhi is set
in Raagam BhEgaDA and salutes the five AchAryAs of 
RaamAnujar and then ends up stating that EmperumAnAr 
sitting in the middle of the 74 AchAryAs appointed
by him is his succor and sustenance . 

** The Sixth verse is from ThiruvEnkata Maalai and 
is a salute to ThiruvEnakatamudayAn as GajEndhra Varadhan .
This paasuram is set in the evening raagam of HinDOLam .
Iyengar says that his tongue will not praise any deity 
other than SrimanNaarAyaNA standing in the form of 
SeshasEkara Vibhu on top of Thirumalai. 

** The seventh verse is set in the morning raagam of 
DhanyAsi and is from ThiruvEnkata Maalai .Here Iyengar
salutes Sri VenkatEsan as the Maayavan , KaNNan ,MaNivaNNan
and Kesavan . Iyengar also states that the Lord's nayana dhIkshai 
will remove every fear and Sri Vaikuntam will not be far
away for them , who receive such blessings .We must recall 
that Lord RanganAthA spent few years at ThiruvEnakatam hills. 

** The Eighth paasuram comes from Azhagar AnthAdhi dealing
with the praise of Sri SundararAja PerumAL of Solai malai or
ThirumAl Irum Solai . In the beautiful raagam of Valaji ,
the artist and the group sing about the power of Azhagar
to melt the hearts and the minds of BhakthAs , who
recite His 1000 names (sahasra Naamams) .The song starts
with the words , "Nenjum uruhum , Uyir uruhum--).

** The Ninth pasuram is also from Azhagar AnthAdhi
and is sung in Raagam ShaNmuka PriyA ( ParanthAmarai
ThirumAl Irum ChOlai Pazha maRayai--).Here Iyengar begs
his  mind to focus on the sacred feet of Azhagar for
his redemption . Sri RanganAthan spent few more years
as a guest of Azhagar at ThirumAlirum sOlai.

** The Tenth paasuram is about Thirukkudanthai AarAvamudhan 
and is set in Raagam Suddha SaavEri . He asks the Lord :
" Are You really tired form the enormous efforts to 
create the Universe and protect it ? Are You the Lord ,
who extended His feet and measured the Universe during
Your avathAram as Thrivikraman? Please speak to me 
( Kudanthai kiDanthAi pEsu) ".The question is in 
the spirit of Thirumazhisai AzhwAr's paasuram .

** The Eleventh paasuram is about Sri Oppiliappan of
AakAsa Nagaram . Here Iyengar states to the Lord that He
had made him think of Him and as a result, he has rejected
all the worldly pleasures . The mood portrayed is
similar to that Of Thirumangai , who declared 
"vENDEN manai Vazhkai ViNNagar MEyavanE". This Verse
is set in Raagam Hamsadhwani .The passuram starts
with " Kaiyum Karutthum unakkE adimai--).The spirit 
of the paasuram is similar to the famous paasuram
Passage of ANDAL (unakkE naamAtcheyvOm ). 

** The twelfth verse is about Kaanchi PeraruLALan .
Here IyengAr laments that his mind should be constantly 
thinking about Varadhar only and not about anything
else.This piece is set in Raagam Kaapi and starts 
with the words : " PoruLAsai MaNNAsai --" . 

** The thirteenth verse is a marvellous description
of Lord RanganAthA giving His sevai in DolOthsavam 
to Iyengar . The Lord surrounded by Nithya sooris ,
Aayudhams , AchAryALs are visualized by Iyengar
and that results in a PallANDu in the spirit of
PeriyAzhwAr from him . This apporva Paasuram 
providing  a visual image of the Lord swinging
in His dolai and coming towards us and going
away from us is a delight to experience. This Paasuram
is set in Raagam KuRinji , a Janya Raagam of 
SankarAbharaNam ( ThiruvAzhar ThiruvAzhi Sankam 
Vaazha , Thiruvananthan Garudan SenayArum Vaazha,
--AzhwArkaL Vaazha --yathirAjan adiyAr Vaazha --).
The thALam of KaNDa ChApu fits marvellously
with the rhythmic movement of the Dolai .

** The fourteenth Paasuram is from KonEri Appan
Iyengaar , who wished to celebrate the DolOthsavam
of Sri RanganAyaki with Sri RanganAthA on a Panguni
Uttharam day during sErthi sEvai. He was inspired by 
PiLlai PerumAL IyengAr's Oosal Paatu for the Lord.
He is a later day poet.Appan Iyengar paints here 
a wonderful word picture of the movement of the bangles,
the kinkiNi naadham of the bells attached to the ottiyANam ,
the plesant naadham raised by the ankle ornaments as 
Sri RanganAyaki moves back and forth enjoying Her 
swing . The gentle movement of Her forelocks in the breeze
(movement of aLakabhArams) and other AbharaNams are beautifully
described in this paasuram set in KamAs Raagam 
and kanDachApu ThALam .The title of this paasuram
is " Sri RanganAyaki AaDirUnjal--".

This side of the tape concludes with a description of 
AchArya RaamAnujA's saraNAgathi at the sacred feet of
the dhivya dampathis and the birth of SaraNAgathi gadhyam .
Swamy Desikan's celebration of Prapatthi is alluded to 
in the concluding portion of this side .

In the next and final posting , we will cover the contents 
of the second side of this tape .

Namo NaarAyaNA !
Daasan , Oppilaippan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan