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srI:
SrI  upakAra  sangraham â?? 36
--- 
adikAram â?? 1
poorva upakAra paramparai
(The Foremost Series of Favours) 
---   
SECTION â?? 5 (6) [Continued] 
(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for
MOKSHAM)  
----- 
        We have been seeing the favours done by the Lord
through AzhvArs and covered six of the twelve AzhvArs.
 We are studying this sub-para of SwAmi Desikan's
work:

(6) "AzhvArkaLaiyum AchAryarkaLatyum koNdu,
vEda-tattvArtta-prakAshanam paNNinatuvum;"

        There is an important aspect of SrI nammAzhvar's
TiruvAimozhi. This work is considered as sAma vEdam.
Besides, it establishes our siddhAnta of arthapancakam
-- five essentials -- The Lord, jIvan, the means to be
adopted by the jIva to attain the Lord, the stumbling
blocks of poorvika karmas and the way to overcome them
to attain everlasting Bliss.  All the four works of
the AzhvAr are considered as the commentaries on the
three rahasyas, i.e., Ishvaran, cit and acit and their
relations, as contained in the PAncarAtra scriptures. 

        Next comes in the line of AzhvAras is SrI Kulasekara
AzhvAr, who appeared in the Royal family ruling from
vanjikkaLam in kollinagar of the present Kerala state.
He was born to the Ruler, Drudavratan in the Royal
lineage of cantrakala. His birth star is punarvasu in
the Tamil month of mAsi. He was an incarnation of the
koustubha gem worn by the Lord. This koustubha
represents the jIva samudAyam. Kulasekara had a deep
admiration of SrI rAmA's auspicious qualities.
Besides, he had intense devotion for the arcAmoorti-s
of the Lord. He lived for 120 years. He has left us a
work named, PerumAL Tirumozhi containing 105 verses.
In this, the AzhvAr eulogized the Lord in eight divine
kshEtra-s. 

        The popular "MukundamAlA", is a work of over 40
Sanskrit verses attributed to SrI Kulasekara AzhvAr,
in praise of SrI Krishna.

        The taniyan for the MukundamAlA speaks volumes about
not only the AzhvAr's love for SrI ranganAtha, but
also that of the citizens in his Capital:
        
         "ghushyatE yasya ngarE rangayAtrA dine dine /
         tamaham shirsA vandE rAjAnam kulashEkaram //" 

(I salute, bowing down my head, King KulashEkara in
whose Capital city the journey to SrIrangam is
announced every day.)

        There is a saying, "So the King is, so are the
citizens," which is cent-per-cent true in the case of
this Royal AzhvAr.   

        In his PerumAL Tirumozhi, SrI KulasEkara has
recorded his deep devotion for the Lord. He expresses
his intense desire to be present at the places of
worship as any inanimate object to enjoy the Lord's
presence. This Azhvar' devotion for the Bhagavatas is
also highlighted in a number of verses. He says the
service to the BhAghavatas is the ultimate goal for
him, apart from having the everlasting darshan of the
Lord. He begins this work by expressing his longing
for a visit to SrIrangam to be in the company of His
devotees. His desire for the dust of their feet is
unmatchable. 
        
     Our sampradAya stresses that our ultimate goal
extends beyond our loving service to the Lord, SrIman
nArayaNa. It is the Bhagvata seva -- service to the
last of the devotee in the lineage of the Lord's
devotees -- that should be the life of a
SrIvaishnavite. This reflects the essence of the
PAncarAtra scriptures and also the essence of the
VedAnta, i.e., Upanishads. 
        
       One of the Taniyans for SrI PerumAL Tirumozhi
narrates an incident from this AzhvAr's life. It
records his ardent devotion to the Lord's devotees:
        
     "Aramkedap parananbar koLLArenRu, avarkLukkE
      vArangkodu kudappAmbil kaiyittavan mARRalarai
      vIrangkedutta cengOl kollikAvalan villavarkOn
      cEran kulashEkaran mudivEntar sikAmaNiyE." 

        Once, King KulashEkara, in order to disprove an
allegation against a BhAgavta-gust in his palace, put
his hand in a pot containing a live poisonous snake in
his fully packed Royal Assembly and the snake did not
harm him, proving his highest regard for the Lord's
devotees.

        In his MukundamAlA, SrI KulasEkara AzhvAr says all
our limbs should be directed towards the Lord only.
Our legs are meant for going to His temple. The hands
are for doing archana and worshipping Him. Our tongue
is for uttering His names. This work is a part our
daily recitation. Perhaps this is to help us to
develop similar devotion for the Lord as the AzhvAr.  
        

        After SrI KulasEkara comes SrI periyAzhvAr, whose
original name is SrI Vishnucitta.       

        SrI PeriyAzhvAr appeared as the incarnation of
Garuda, in a SrIvaishnava brahmin family in
SrIvilliputtoor under the constellation of shwAti in
the Tamil month of Ani, as a son to Padumai and
MukundAcAryar. He established the VisistAdvaita
siddhAnta in the presence of a big gathering of
pandits in the Royal Assembly of the PAndia King,
SrIvallabhadEvan at Madurai. PeriyAzhvAr was taken in
a Royal procession on the Royal elephant when the Lord
and His Consort appeared mounted on Garuda. 
PeriyAzhvAr witnessed the un-describable beauty of the
Divine appearance and wished the Lord, His consort,
the Sudarsana cakra, PAncajanya conch and the
relationship between jIva and the Lord, a long life
for thousands of years to come. This opening verse of
his Prapanda has become the starting point of the
recitation of the Divya Prabanda in Temples as well as
homes. This is being followed even now. 

        The work starts with the verses on the birth of Sri
Krishna and His childish pranks in Gokulam while being
under the care of YashOdA and NandagOpa. The later
part of his work deals with the conduct of a devotee
of the Lord, that is, leading a life in the constant
thought of the Lord.
This work contains 473 verses. He has also paid
respects to 20 divya kshEtra-s where the Lord has
taken abode.
                 
          SrI AndAL, the only Lady AzhvAr, appeared in
PeriyAzhvAr's Tulasi garden on the day of the star,
Poorvaphalgini, in the Tamil month of Adi. She is an
incarnation of SrI Bhoodevi, another Consort of the
Lord. She had most intensive devotion for the Lord and
as a child she used to wear the Tulasi garlands
prepared by her foster father, PeriyAzhvAr for the
Lord SrI rangamannAr of SrIvilliputtoor. The Lord also
insisted on SrI PeriyAzhvAr to adorn Him with the
garland after it is worn by SrI AndAL first. This is
being followed even now in all SrIvishnavite temples
as a regular practice. 

        SrI AndAL has left us two works of Tamil pAsurams.
The TiruppAvai is an eminent work with 30 verses,
being recited and sung every day in temples and homes.
It is a depiction of the penance as observed by the
cowherd-women of Gokulam during the incarnation of the
Lord as Krishna. It also contains the essence of Vedic
truths. Every time when it is studied, we come to know
of a new message, indicating the depth of the
literature. 

        SrI AndAL is also credited with another work, named,
nAciyAr Tirumozhi, of Tamil verses totaling 143. In
this, she has poured her deep love for the Lord and
anguish in separation from Him. She wedded the Lord,
SrI ranganAta at SrIrangam, as she was adamant that
she will not marry any male born as a human being, as
she is meant for being the bride of the Lord alone. 

        The ten verses beginning with "vAraNamAyiram" are
recited in wedding ceremonies in the SrIvaishnavite
community. 
        Tondaradipodi AzhvAr, appeared in a Brahmin family in
the village of TirumaNdangudi, under the star of
JyEshta in the Tamil month of mArgazhi. He is the
incarnation of the Lord's SrI vaijayanti garland. He
has left us two works, TirumAlai (40 verses) and
Tirupalli ezhucci (10 verses). He worshipped only SrI
rangantha of SrIrangam. The first work is the essence
of Vishnudharma, a scripture of SrI shounaka. It
highlights the effectiveness of the Lord's names. The
second work is in the form of waking up the Lord,
SrIrangantha. This is also being recited everyday in
all the SrIvaishnavite temples and homes at the
beginning of the morning worship. 

        TiruppANAzhvAr is an incarnation of SrIvatsa which is
a natural mark on the chest of the Lord. He appeared
in a rice field in the outs-curt of uRaiyoor. He was
brought up by a rural singer. TirupANAzhvAr used to
sing in praise of SrIrangantha of SrIrangam from
across the river KAvEri, as he was considered an
untouchable. But the Lord ordered His chief priest to
carry the AzhvAr on his shoulders and bring him to His
sanctum to give darshan to him. On seeing the Lord on
the snake-bed of AdishEsha, the AzhvAr burst out 10
Tamil verses describing the Lord from His foot to head
and merged with Him. These ten verses are regarded as
a rahashya scripture and SwAmi Desikan has written a
commentary on them in his work, named, MunivAhana
Bhogam. 

        The last AzhvAr to appear in this series of saints is
SrI Tirumangai Mannan. He was born as a son of neelan,
a chieftain of a Chola king, in the tamil month of
KArtikai under the Kruttika star. He was the
incarnation of ShArnga, the bow of the Lord. He
desired to marry a girl named, Kumutavalli, but she
expressed her willingness on a pre-condition that he
should feed one thousand eight SrIvaishnava devotees
daily. He did so and in the process he spent all his
wealth. In order to fulfill the promise given to
Kumutavalli, he had to indulge in robbing travelers in
the night. One day, the Lord was traveling as a newly
married bridegroom, along the route accompanied by His
newly wedded Bride, adorning Himself with a lot of
valuable ornaments and intently got Himself captured
by the AzhvAr. While robbing Him, the AzhvAr had to
pick up the ring from the finger of the Lord using his
mouth and that was the moment the Lord showed His real
form and gave him the unique mantra, known as
Tirumantram. That became the turning point in the
chieftain's life. He came to be known as Tirumangai
AzhvAr. He has left us six works: Periya Tirumozhi
(1084 verses), TirukkuRuntANdakam (20 verses),
TiruneduntANdakam (30 verses), TiruvezhukooRRirukkai
(1), ciRiya tirumadal (40 pAsurams) and Periya
Tirumadal (78 pAsurams). These works are considered as
the auxiliary scriptures for nammAzhvAr's four works
which are considered as the four VEdAs. 
        SrI Tirumangai AzhvAr covered as many as 86 divya
kshetras. He lived for 105 years and did yeomen
services to the Lord, which are green in the memory of
SrIvaishnavites even now. 

        SrI Tirumangai AzhvAr begins his work highlighting
the uniqueness of the Lord' name, nArAyaNa. As this
and the other works proceed, the AzhvAr grows from the
level of an ordinary devotee to that of a Lady-love,
named ParakAla nAyaki, with an intensive devotion for
the Lord. The subtle principles of Vedic scriptures,
the way a devotee has to lead his life and the
development of bhakti from the low to the highest
level of Parama bhakti can be realized through a
thorough study of his literature. 

(To continue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivAsan
------- 

                
  



      
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