Thirumangai AzhwAr’s Paasuram on

Thirukkadalmallai

Annotated Commentary in English by

Shriman Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SaThakOpan

sadagopan.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this paasuram, BhUdathAzwAr who was one of the triad of mudal AzwArs, who are extolled for their ayOnija avathArams, praises the many places that are dear to the Lord as His residence.

BhUdathAzhwAr was born at ThirukkaDanmallai, on a 'kurukkaththi' (madhavi or neelotpala) flower bed as an amsam of the Divine mace (called kaumOdaki) of Lord mahAvishNu.

 

AzhwAr knows that the most sought after place for the Lord to make as His Holy Shrine is in His devotees heart, so AzhwAr lists that as the first place, then follows with Thanjai mAmaNi kOvil, SrIrangam, Thiruttankal, Thiruvenkatam, the Milky Ocean and the beautiful and lofty ThirukkaDanmallai, Thirukovalur, and the high walled place of ThirukkuDanthai.

AzhwAr elevates the devotees mind as being more lofty and sought-after by Perumal than all other divya desams and thereby establishes the power of bhakti that makes even the lOkanAyakan to become enslaved in the comparatively small place of a devotees heart!

 

 

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Thirumangai AzhwAr

Periya Thirumoli 2.5

 

 

PAASURAM 1

The Lord – My Emperumaan – who had swallowed the vast universe and brought out later, who is so pleasing to the eyes like the Red Coral, who is like a pillar for us to hold Him firm and tight, who is so sweet like the nectar (amirdham), who reclines so beautifully on the Ocean where pearls and Sapphires are abundant, who is the Strongest one to have torn apart the Kesi asuran, who is my Master, who is like the Sugar cane to His devotees, who broke the tusk of kuvalayaapeetam elephant, who is like the Lion in a battle field, who crawled in front of two marudha trees, who has got the most Beautiful Divine ThirumEni (Body), who removed the sorrow of dark, beautiful GajEndran, who showed Himself (as the Primordial Chief to the world, in the process) – Such Greatest Lord – adiyEn has seen Him at Thirukadalmallai (or Kadanmallai).

 

PAASURAM 2

Don't waste your time reading all your life and learning all those ramble from others who are lowly selves (and are NOT the devotees of Sriman Narayanan) thinking that those words are the ultimate truths and working as their servants. To get saved, come here. Pay obeisance to my Emperumaan to whom I pay my obeisance. He is worshipped as "the Father" by the likes of me (and other Bhagawathas). He is worshipped and praised by learned ones. He is immeasurable. He is my Swami. He has got the Pearl like ThirumEni and is standing at ThiruninRavoor sthalam. He is the One who destroyed the KaaNdaavanam with fire. adiyEn has seen Him at Thirukkadalmallai.

 

PAASURAM 3

(Here AzhwAr brings Empermaan's Parathvam and His greatness to the attention of ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW OR REALISE THAT.)

"udamburuvil moonRu onRaay moorthi vERaay ulaguyya ninRaanai…." Sarveshwaran is the One who stands as the antharAthmA of Sivan and Brahma and in order to protect the world He became three (Trinity – VishNu, Sivan and Brahma) by Himself becoming VishNu and executing His will as the antharyaami of BrahmA and Sivan, while He is not bounded by them and their actions. He is the Most wonderful One to have sucked the life of Puthanai rAkshasi by sucking her poisonous breast milk. He is the One who took such a Sowlabhya avthaar of cowherd boy Kutti KaNNan for chasing the cattle and calves. He is SUCH A SOWABHYAN AND SO MERCIFUL to let the calves learn to drink water by His own enactment by entering into the ponds on the way and shows by His hands to drink water. (Ahaaaa… What an imagination! What a description by AzhwAr! Enna sowlabhyam!) He is the One who stands at the temple of Thanjai maNimADa kOil as the Only means for reaching Him. He is the One who (is going to) gallop on the Horse (as Kalki avataar) to save and protect the world. adiyEn has seen such Greatest lord at Thirukkadalmallai.

 

PAASURAM 4

"pEy thaayai mulai uNda piLLai thannai…" The little infant boy who had expressed desire to suck the demonic Puthanai's breast milk. The mischievous warrior Lord, who had played with the tusks of dark huge elephant. The Lord who lived eating butter and curd from the darting deer eyed YasOdhA. The Lord who is sweetest nectar to Brahmins (His devotees) – "AndhaNartham amudhatthai.." The One who joined with the cowherd women folks; the One danced with the pot; the One who lifted the huge mountain to protect the cattle form their sorrows due to torrential downpour! My Swami – adiyEn has seen Him at Thirukadalmallai.

 

PAASURAM 5

The Lord – who had kicked the wheel – sakataasuran and simply destroyed him, with His cute little Red Lotus Feet; the One enjoyed Himself lying down on the little Banyan leaf as small baby; the One who has got the huge large broad four strong shoulders like the mountains of lustrous pearls or emerald stones; the One who is Swami to all; who hugged the Beautiful shoulders of BhUmi piraaTTi; The One made the wrestlers (appointed by duryOdhanan to let KaNNan fall from the illusory seat (poyyasanam)) get finished off when He had gone to duryOdhanan's sabha (court) as a messenger for paaNdavaas. adiyEn has seen such Greatest Lord – my Swami at Thirukkadalmallai. (emmaanaik kaNdu koNdEn thalasayanatthE..")

 

PAASURAM 6

The Lord, who is having his Yoga nidrA on AdhisEshan at ThiruppaaRkadal (Milky Ocean); Ramapiraan, who ran behind the lovely deer, that had beautiful golden spots all over its body, which was so fondly sought and asked for by SitA PiraaTTi; KaNNa piraan, who plucked the tusk of strong elephant kuvalayaapeetam; Varaaha mUrthy, who had brought the Mother Earth back on His horn; Thirivikraman whose Feet became just too Big for measuring the whole Universe and the vast Space; He grew so Big as Thirvikraman; aDiyEn has seen such Greatest lord at Thirukkadalmallai.

 

PAASURAM 7

The Lord who crushed the asurAs of rAvaNan (who were ignorant of SarvEshwaran's capabilities), with His strong shoulders (by His fighting in the battle); the Great warrior, who tore the chest of hiraNyan; the Garudavaahanan, who reclines on Adhiseshan at the wavy ThiruppARkadal; the One who sucked the poisonous breast milk of rAkshasi Puthanai as if it is the tastiest amudham (nectar); the One who stays in the heart willingly and lovingly of those who are pained at heart to hear such a horrible incident that has happened to our Kutti KaNNan! adiyEn – WHO HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR SUCH GREATEST EMPERUMAAN – have seen Him at Thirukkadalmallai

 

PAASURAM 8

(AzhwAr enjoys Bhagawaan's greatness and merciful nature to take even the form of that which does NOT suit His Purushathvam by taking Mohini avathaaram for the sake of His BhakthAs – Devas in this case) PerumAn – the One who took the Mohini avtaar as a lady to deceive the asurAs and prevent them from eating the amudham; Such deceitful Lord – is the One who grew so huge and ferocious as Narasinghan and appeared from the pillar with the shining crescent like white sharp teeth; the One who reclines at Thirumaayyam on the top of AnanthaaAzhwAn; the One who has got infinite unbounded limitless most auspicious attributes (kalyANa guNAs); the One who has long, dark, beautiful, darting, large, ruddy lined red Lotus like lovely eyes; (adadaaaa… adiyEn wish to have been villi daasar to enjoy those eyes of Sri Ranganatha as shown By YathirAjar). adiyen has seen Him to the complete satisfaction of adiyEn's eyes – at Thirukkadalmallai. (kaNNaarak kaNdukoNdEn thalasyanatthE..).

 

 

PAASURAM 9

This EmperumAn has got the lovely Lotus Feet, most fit to be worshipped, praised and served by His devotees/servants. This Lord is the One who let the body of that strongest – unbeaten great King rAvaNan, (who did not think "Let me be saved by serving The Lotus Feet of Emperumaan who measured the whole Universe in His two steps, as Trivikraman") be eaten by animals and eagles; The Lord – who can be seen and realized by six a~ngas with AchArya upadEsam, by the four permanent Vedas and five yaghams is seen by this lowly self – His servant at Thirukkadalmallai.

 

PAASURAM 10

These ten pAsurams of Kaliyan – Thirumangai AzhwAr with rhythm and set to tune, are on: SarvEshwaran – who sleeps on AnanthAzhwAn; who angered at, and caused the death of, asura chief hiraNyan; the little KaNNan, who crawled between the two marudha trees and made them fall down; the Beautiful Lord – Red Lotus Eyed Lord – Rajeeva lOchanan – Aravinda lOchanan – Senthaamarai kaNNan – Lord of Thirukkadalmallai who sleeps on the earth. Those who read these ten pAsurams (and/or these meanings) will have ALL THEIR SORROWS AND KARMIC DISEASES removed down to the roots.

 

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Thirumangai AzhwAr

Periya Thirumoli 2.6

 

PAASURAM 1

"The Lord – who appeared as a Beautiful Mohini avataar, and gloriously distributed the amudham (nectar) to Devas, deceived the asurAs who are with their swords and who don't take refuge at the Lord and never considered the Greatness of Emperumaan, with Her mOhini alankaram – is here reclining at Thirukkadalmallai (Mahabhalipuram) – Thalasayana perumAn. Those who do not think and meditate on this PerumAn, saying "Alas! What a simplicity! How modest is this PerumAn! What a sowlabhyam! How does He sleep on the floor!" and admiring His greatness – we shall NEVER EVER THINK OF THEM".

PAASURAM 2

BhUmi PiraaTTi, who has great abhimanam for the Earth (and us living on it), stays to the left of Emperumaan, who has got the blue hued colour of the Ocean; Periya PiraaTTi – MahAlakshmi – the PaTTamahishi – One born of cool, beautiful red Lotus flower stays in the right Chest of Emperumaan; Those who think of Them (Periya PiraaTTi and BhUmi PiraTTi) and consider Their (the PiraaTTis') purushaakaaram, will be awe-struck at Emperumaan's KaaruNyam – sowlabhyam of staying (on the floor) of Thirukkadanmallai, hugged by the ocean – Those devotees are ONLY CAPABLE OF BEING OUR MASTERS TO LET US SERVE THEM".

PAASURAM 3

"Once, when the Mother Earth was in trouble, Varaaha PerumAN brought the Earth back from the Ocean's depth and enjoyed the beauty of BhUmi PiraaTTi; Even the celestial bodies – Devas come and praised Him and perform their kaimkaryam at Thirukkadalmallai – He is so blissfully and so gracefully showing Himself there! Devotees – who think of the Divine Body of this Thalasayana PerumAn, which is personification of lustrous jnAnam (Knowledge) and immerse themselves in Him and His ThirumEni – are adiyEn's Masters.

 

PAASURAM 4

rAvaNan – who always won the battles against his enemies and let their dead bodies be eaten by the eagles and wolves, – whose strong broad chest was hugged lovingly by beautiful women – was won over by Emperumaan in the battle filed and his body was let to be engulfed by the pyre – Such greatest and strongest Lord seen in that battle – is reclining and is having His Yoga nidrA at Thirukkadalmallai. Those who worship Him and praise Him keeping Him in the caves of their hearts – BhAgawthas – are the Kula deivams (Lords) for us.

PAASURAM 5

"Oh,my dearest mind that is always bent upon doing good only to me! Please pay your obeisance to those Bhagwathas willingly and lovingly in most endearing manner, who worship the Lord of Thiruvehka, who reclines at Thirukkadalmallai and not to the one who was claimed to be the Lord of all arts by those Jains (loitering around with the peacock feathers)"

 

PAASURAM 6

"Oh my obedient mind! Please circumambulate (perform pradhakshiNam) to those Bhagawthas who with a devout mind are themselves circumambulating the Divya Desam of Thirukkadalmallai, where heaps of Gold are found; where lots of strong elephants are seen; where the Navarathna~ngaL (nine gems) are quite common; (such rich, fertile place it is!)

PAASURAM 7

"Oh my purest mind! Please pay your obeisance to those Bhaagawathas – who think of Emperumaan of Thirukkadalmallai – Thalasayana PerumAn – and pay their obeisance to Him, who, destroyed the evil minded Kamsan in front of him; who is sweet Lord of all; who, as little darling boy Kutti KaNNan, having the beautiful peacock feather on His lovely dark tresses, – sucked the life along with the poisonous breast milk of the cunning demon lady Puthanai." (The mind is addressed as pure because it is willing to listen obediently to pay its obeisance to Bhaagawathas!)

 

PAASURAM 8

The farmers whose duty was only to plough and nothing else, and those farmers utilizing the strong oxen plough the fields, and while doing that, the muddy waters and the lotus flowers get shifted hither and thither; such most fertile beautiful land is Thirukkadalmallai. And those devotees who pay their obeisance to the Lord of such most fragrant Thirukadalmallai – oh my purest mind! Please pay your obeisance to them!

 

PAASURAM 9

"Oh my obedient mind! My pure mind! Please pay your obeisance to those BhAgawathas who worship and pay their obeisance to the Lord of Thirukkadalmallai – where the Lord is worshipped even by Devas living in the heaven -Thalasayana PerumAn – who is the Lord having ChakrA in His Hand; my Lord – who, out of His own will, mercifully, has granted a place in His Divine ThirumEni, for Sivan (the One who has the destruction as the duty given to him; who dances in the graveyard where the corpses are burnt).

 

PAASURAM 10

ThirumangaiAzhwAr always think of the devotees who always mediate and think of the Lotus Feet of Emperumaan – Thalasayanatthu Emperumaan – the Lord of Thirukkadalmallai – which is well laid out with the most fragrant roads (fragrance due to the trees with lots of flowers). He has sung these ten pAsurams on these devotees and the reciters will become the king of kings on this world.

 

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Periya Thirumoli 3.5.8

 

Oh Lord of Thiruvaali, where the singing bees hug the SeNbhaga and jasmine flowers for drinking their honey and where the Conches/sea shells are found everywhere! In that big ThiruppaaRkadal, (Milk Ocean) and the Thirukkadanmallai – at these two places You recline and have Your YOganithrA – and now You, out of Your own free will and grace on me, have entered into my heart, will You ever go out? (Sanghu thanghu.... ini pOyinaal aRaiyO?) Here aRaiyO? means that which has been announced to the world using a koTTupaRai. AzhwAr says – "Oh Lord! You have voluntarily entered my heart and have taken residence there and now that has been announced to the whole world (by AzhwAr) so You (the Lord) are now caught in my heart and can never go out." This is the triumph of AzhwAr's bhakthi that has made a prisoner of even the jagatrakshakan and captured Him in AzhwAr's heart forever!

 

 

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Periya Thirumoli 7.1.4

 

Oh the Pristinely Purest Lord! The one who tore open the beak of the bird! (bakAsuran). Like that adiyEn called You and immediately You came in and stood in adiyEn’s mind and showered me with your Presence! Oh! the Only One unparalleled Lord! kaLvA – The One whose nature can not be comprehended! The sweetest Reclining Lord of Kadalmallai (MahAbalipuram), delectable like the sweet sugar cane! Your greatest dayA and udhAra guNam (of being in adiyEn’s heart even) – How can I ever forget!

 

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19

The SarvEsvara Tattvam of the Lord is saluted by Thirumangai AzhwAr in this pAsuram. He salutes Hara sApa VimOchana mUrthy of KaNdiyUr Divya dEsam along with the presiding archA mUrthys of other sacred sites such as SriRangam, Thirumeyyam, Kanchi, ThiruppEr and Mallai. From the incomplete Darsana Samanaakaram state (resembling direct seeing) of Bhakthi yOgam the AzhwAr goes on to the actual experience of feasting his eyes on the Subhaasryam (Thirumeni) of the ArchAmUrthys of the different Divya dEsams.

 

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9

Salutations to the ArchA Murthys of ThirukkaDanmallai, Kanchi, ThiruppErnagar, PavalavaNNan, ThiruppARkaDal and reference to the Lord housing Sankara on His left side of the Body. ParakAla NAyaki asks the Lord: Where are you? adiyEn is searching for you everywhere.

 

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