He enjoyed His own wanton acts

COMMENTARY:

Two Srimath NaarAyaNeeya slOkams (Dasakam 45. 8 and 9) celebrate the dance performed by Bala KrishNan for earning Navaneetham and blessing the gopis through that yaachakam. Often He did not beg for Navaneetham but just helped Himself. NaarAyaNa Bhattadhiri says that the Lord did not wish to beg any more after asking for the granting of three feet of land from Mahaa Bali. That is why He decided to help Himself.

Swamy Desikan also describes beautifully the Navaneetha Naatyam before YasOdhA as an act of thanksgiving. Sri NaarAyaNeeya slOkam (Dasakam 45.8) describes the Lord’s dance for Navaneetham this way:

prati-navaneetam gOpikaa dattam-icchan
kaLapadam upagAyan kOmaLam kvApi nruthyan |
sadaya-yuvati-lOkair-arpitam sarpiraSnan
kvacana nava-vipakvam dugdhamapyApibastvam ||

MEANING:

Oh GuruvAyurappA! You longed for the freshly churned VeNNai from the Gopis. To win them over, You sang delectable songs. In another gopi’s house, you performed a wonderful dance. You consumed the ghee and milk presented by the gopis with great affection. Is not that so? (Lord GuruvAyUrappan answered Bhattadhiri’s question in the affirmative with the nod of His head).

 

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PAASURAM 4

vaaraarum mulaimadavaaL pinnaikkaahi,
vaLaimaruppin kadu sinatthu vanthaaLaarntha,
kaaraar thiN vidaiyadarththu vadhuvai aanda
karumuhilpOl thiruniRaththu yen kaNNar kaNDeer,
eraarum malarpPozhilkaL thazhuvi yengum
ezhilmathiyaik kaal thodaara viLangu sOthi,
seeraaru maNimaadam thihazhum naangoorth
thiruttheRRiyambalatthu yensengaNmaalE. (4.4.4)

MEANING:

In this paasuram, Kaliyan continues to enjoy the blissful KrishNAnubhavam. Kaliyan recalls the Vrushabha samhAram at BrundhAvanam to win the hand of Nappinnai, the incarnation of NeeLA Devi. Nappinnai’s father had made a rule that anyone who wishes to marry his daughter should subdue the seven fierce bulls that he had raised. Enchanted by the unparalleled beauty of Nappinnai, many tried to subdue the bulls and got gored during their efforts and gave up.

Young KrishNa arrived at the scene with the determination to win the hands of the most beautiful Nappinnai. He fought with the rushing bulls and killed them one by one. The prize that He won for the display of this unmatched valour was the nithya, noothana yuvathi, Nappinai, who is the embodiment of dhivya soundharyam and Aathma guNams. He fought with these deadly bulls, all for gaining the full breasted Nappinnai with superior virtues as His bride (Vaar aarum mulai madavaaL pinnaikaahi, vaLai maruppin kadu sinatthu vall thAL aarntha kaarAr tiN vidai adartthu vadhuvai aaNDa yen KaNNar). That is my KaNNan, who subjugated the angry bulls with treacherous curved horns to win Nappinnai as His prized bride. At this dhivya dEsam of SenkaNNmaal, the gentle breezes loosen the fully blossomed flowers as if in play and the full Moon’s bright beams illuminate the lofty mansions. Please come and enjoy the divine beauty of my Lord at ThirutheRRiyambalam (ezhil mathiyaik-kaal thodara viLangu sOthi, seer aarum maNi maadam thihazhum Karumuhil pOl thiru niRathu yen KaNNar kaNDeer).

KarumukilpOl thirumukhaththu kannar

COMMENTARY

Kaliyan wishes to have dhruva Smruthi (non-forgetful remembrance) about the Lord and His Vaibhavam thru the keertanam of the Lord’s leelAs during His avathAram as KrishNa. Here at Thiru TeRRiyambalam, Kaliyan focuses on the KanyA sulkam incident that won Him the hands of Nappinnai. The dhAraNam (preservation of the memory and chinthanai about the Lord here) and non- forgetfullness of Him (avismruthi) in the spirit of the 64th Mantram of Mahaa NaarAyaNOpanishad can be recalled here:

namO BrahmaNE dhAraNam mE asthvanirAkaraNam dhArayithA bhUyAsam karNayO: Srutham maa vyODvam mamaamushya Om

“Obeisance unto ParamAtman. May what I have studied be preserved in my memory. May I bear that wisdom (aural and visual) without forgetfulness! May I not swerve from what I have heard with my ears (and seen with my eyes)! Om! "

 

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PAASURAM 5

kalaiyilangum akalalkul kamalap paavai,
kadhimuttha veNNakaiyaaL karunkaNaaychchi,
mulaiyilangu, oLimaNippooN vadamum thEyppa,
moovaatha varainedunthOL moortthi kaNDeer,
malaiyilangu niraichchanthi maada veethi,
aadavarai madamozhiyaar muhaththu, iraNdu
silai vilangi manam siRaiKoNdirukkum naangoorth,
thiruttheRRiyambalatthu yensengaNmaalE. (4.4.5)

INTRODUCTION:

In this Paasuram, Kaliyan points out another unique aspect of this dhivya desam. In the previous paasuram, Kaliyan describes the joyous union of the Lord with Nappinnai and Sri Devi and His eternal sport (nithya vihAram) with them as Their Lord enjoying undiminished youth (the nithya yuvaa). Kaliyan points out that the Lord of this Dhivya dEsam blesses the couples to engage in intense desire (kaamam) for each other stay joyous and become involved in Kaimkaryams for Him and His divine consorts. Kaamam (SiRRinbham) is not the loftiest of the four goals of life compared to the pursuit of Dharmam or Moksham. This pursuit of dharma-viruddha purushArtham of kaamam is encouraged by the Lord at this dhivya dEsam in His role as the greatest SrungAra Purushan sporting with His divine consorts. SengaNNmAl of this Thiruppathi blesses the married couples to enjoy domestic pleasures and material wealth, stay joyous and engage in performing superior kaimkaryams to Him and His Devis in that state of Anandham. GruhasthAsramam is very important as the Lord demonstrated at DhwArakai. In the context of this Paasuram, one has to read ThiruvaLLuvar’s Kaamatthu Paal and aRatthu Paal.

MEANING:

At ThirutheRRiyambalam, the eternal Youth, SenkaNNmAl tightly embraces Sri Devi and Nappinnai with beautiful wide hips, dark eyes and lustrous white teeth and other saamudhrikaa lakshaNams. As the Devis embrace Him back, the gem-laden jewelry and the pearl necklaces resting on the top of their lofty chests rub against the huge shoulders of the Lord, whose Youth never wanes. All these extended unions (samslEshams) do not age these divine couple. The Lord blesses the dampathis of this dhivya dEsam living in palace like mansions to have utmost affection and tenderness for each other. The minds of the husbands are imprisoned in the hearts of the wives known for their beautiful bow like brows. In that state of conjugal bliss, the dampathis perform together many Kaimkaryams for the divya dampathis of this dhivya dEsam.

 

COMMENTS:

Kaliyan’s choice of words describe the dhivya dampathis reveal his extraordinary skills as a poet. He salutes Sri Devi as: “kalai ilangu, akal alkul, kathir muttham veL nakaiyAL, karum kaN Kamalap-Paavai”. She is visualized as a stunningly beautiful lady with the most beautiful silk sari, broad waist, teeth that shine like an assembly of radiant pearls and dark hued eyes. Nappinnai shares all these lakshaNams (marks) of beauty like SrI Devi and Kaliyan salutes Her as “karum kaN Aaycchi” to remind us about the links of His Bhoga Lakshmi with links to the cowherd clan. Kaliyan pays homage to the Lord of the two Devis as an eternal Youth with lofty shoulders that are strong as a mountain (moovAthavarai nedu thOL Moorthy). The rows of houses in the intersecting streets around the ramparts of the Lord’s temple are described by Kaliyan as: “malai ilangu nirai santhi maada veedhi”. The lovely ladies known for their charming speech and beautiful brows resembling the shape of long bows and their captivating power to imprison the minds of their husbands are described by Kaliyan as:

“madam mozhiyAr muhatthu iraNDu silai vilangi Aadavarai manam siRai koNdirukkum naangUr ThiruttheRRiyambalam”.

 

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PAASURAM 6

thaanpOlum yenRezhunthaaNn tharaNiyaaLan,
athukaNdu thariththiruppaan arakkar thangaL,
kOnpOlum yenRezhunthaan kunRam anna,
irupathuthOLudan thuNiththa oruvan kaNDeer,
maanpOlum mennOkkin seyya vaayaar,
maragatham pOl madakkiLiyaik kaimEl KoNdu,
thEnpOlum menmazhalai payiRRum naangoorth
thiruttheRRiyambalatthu yensengaNmaalE. (4.4.6)

 

INTRODUCTION:

Kaliyan salutes the Raghu Veeran, Chakravarthy Thirumahan and His unmatched heroism in cutting the ten heads and the twenty arms of the ego- filled RaavaNan in the battle field at Lankaa.

 

MEANING:

RaavaNan arrived at the battle field full of haughtiness and declared that his opponent was some one in KshathriAs’ garb pretending to be the ruler of the earth and he (RaavaNan) was going to prove that Raamachandran was a pretender and can not come close to him in prowess and martial skills. The Lord of this dhivya dEsam during His vibhava avathAram as Raamachandran of unmatched valor (Mahaa Veeran) engaged the loud mouthed RaavaNan and cut at the same time the ten heads and the twenty shoulders of RaavaNan with His unfailing arrows and put an end to the pretensions of RaavaNan. At this dhivya dEsam of ThiruttheRRiyambalam, the beautiful young ladies with lilting gait, soft gaze and tender red lips hold in their hands the emerald green parrots and teach them the delectable story of the Raghu Veeran (maan pOlum mel nOkkin seyya vaayar, kai mEl maragatham pOl madak-kiLiyai koNdu, tEn pOlum men-mazhalai payiRRum naangUr ThiruttheRRiyambalam).

 

COMMENTARY:

The entire Raghuveera Gadhyam extolling the Vaibhavam of the Mahaa Veeran, Raamachandaran as RaavaNAri has to be enjoyed here.

 

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PAASURAM 7

pongilangu purinoolum thOlum thaazhap,
pollaatha kuRaLuruvaayp porunthaa vaaNan,
mangalam sEr maRaivELvi athanuL pukku,
maNNagalam kuRaiyirantha mainthan kaNDeer,
Konkalarntha malarkkuzhalaar Kongai thOyntha,
kungumaththin kuzhambaLaintha kOlanthannaal,
sengalangal VeNmaNalmEl thavazhum naangoorth
thiruttheRRiyambalatthu yensengaNmaalE. (4.4.7)

INTRODUCTION:

In the previous paasuram, Kaliyan described the Lord, who chastises the haughty ones and in this Paasuram, he salutes the Lord, who arrived humbly as a seeker of the boon of three feet of earth, while He was the owner of all the Universes. In the case of the asuran, Mahaa Bali, the Lord sought latter and arrived at his Yaaga saalaa as Vaamana Murthy because the asuran had some of the auspicious attributes (aathma guNams).

 

MEANING:

With the shining sacred thread hanging from His shoulder and with the enchanting dwarfish form, Kapata Vaamana Moorthy arrived at the Yaaga Saalaa of Mahaa Bali filled with Veda ghOsham in an uninterrupted manner and asked for the gift of three feet of earth and would not be persuaded by Mahaa Bali to ask for some thing else more grand that would befit the stature of Mahaa Bali as an emperor. Next, Vaamana Moorthy transformed right before the astonished Mahaa Bali’s eyes into the heaven and earth-straddling Thrivikrama roopam and destroyed the ahankAram of Mahaa Bali and took back what was His aiswaryam anyway. During the Thrivikrama avathAram, the Lord of this dhivya dEsam washed away the blemishes to the Earth through its association with Mahaa Bali. At this dhivya dEsam, the Sumangalis adorning fragrant flowers in their black tresses and dense red sandal paste on their breasts wash away the sandal paste before immersing themselves in the Cauvery waters. The spilling from the red sandal paste washed away from the breasts of the ladies fall on the white sands on the banks of the river and creates red islands due to the tint of red saffron in the sandal paste.

 

COMMENTARY:

Vaamana-Thrivikrama avathAram has been celebrated by many AzhwArs since Rg Vedam and Sri VishNu sooktham pay heavy homage to this avathAram. Srimath BhAgavatham salutes VaamanAvathAram in the 8th Canto and Srimath NaarAyaNeeyam Devotes two dasakams to celebrate Kapata VaamanAvathAram. Swamy Desikan’s DasAvathAra sthOthram has a beautiful slOkam devoted to VaamanAvathAram.

 

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PAASURAM 8

silambinidaich siRuparalpOl periya mEru,
thirukkuLambil kaNakaNappath thiruvaakaaram,
kulunga, nila madanthai thanai idanthu pulhik,
kOttidai vaiththu aruLiya yem kOmaan kaNDeer,
ilangiyanaan maRai anaiththum angam aaRum,
yEzhisaiyum kELvigaLum yeN dikkengum,
silambiya nal peru selvam thihazhum naangoorth,
thiruttheRRiyambalatthu yensengaNmaalE. (4.4.8)

INTRODUCTION:

This is a beautiful Paasuram about the Lord of ThirutheRRiyambalam being visualized as the BhU VarAhan that towered over the universe in his gigantic form. The Aakruthi (the dimensions) of the BrahmANDa Varaaha Moorthy can be discerned from comparison with The Mahaa Meru Mountain that looked like a pebble at the sacred feet of the Lord and the entire Universe (BhUmi Devi) finding its snug home between the tusks of that VarAham. This BhU VarAhan was as huge as the Thrivikraman that occupied the sky and the earth.

 

MEANING:

ThiruttheRRiyambalam is the dhivya dEsam dear to BhU VarAhan, who incarnated as a giant Boar to punish the mighty asuran HiraNyAkshan, who stole BhUmi Devi and imprisoned Her under the ocean. SenkaNNmaal of ThiruttheRRiyambalam incarnated as the divine Boar that towered over the sky. The gigantic, golden Meru mountain got caught between one of the hoofs of the Lord and rattled like a small pebble caught between the noopuram (silampu, ankle jewelry) as the Lord walked. The sound arising from the movement of the Meru mountain under the hoof of the Lord generated a mesmerizing rhythmic naadham as the Lord’s body shook. BhUmi Devi responded with fear and the compassionate Lord lifted up Bhumi Devi and placed Her safely between His tusks like the prized possession of a Boar that discovered a precious tuber through its search. Thus the Lord rescued all the sentient and insentient who had Mother Earth as their home. At this dhivya dEsam, SenkaNNmaal gives His sevai as Yaj~na VarAhan as well and the sunaadham of the four Vedic recitals, six Veda angams, saptha svarams of Saama ghAnam and many vichAra saasthrams are echoed in all directions due to the abundance of the learned BhAgavathAs performing Bhagavath kaimkaryam. Kaliyan acknowledges that the anugraham of Yajn~a Varaahan, has enriched ThiruttheRRiyambalam with Veda ghOsham and made it known as a place where many Soma Yaagams are performed by experts. Kaliyan invites us to come and witness this BhU VarAha Moorthy holding His dear consort with great affection and tenderness on His tusk (nila madanthai tanai idanthu pulhik-kOttida i vaitt h u ar uLiya yem Komaan kaNDeer ThiruttheRRiyambalathE).

 

COMMENTARY:

Both Srimath BhAgavatham and Sri NaarAyaNeeyam describe at great length BhagavAn’s VarAhAvathAram. The Lord VarAhan’s limbs housing the pathArthams and the utensils used in the Yajn~are saluted in detail by Srimath BhAgavatham. Sri VishNu Sahasra Naamam sums up the Lord’s multifaceted links with Yajn~ams this way:

bhUrbhuva: svastarustAra: savitA prapitAmaha: |
yajn~O yajn~apatir yajvA yajn~Ango yajn~avAhana: ||

yajn~abhrut yajn~akrut yajn~ee yajn~abhuk yajn~asAdhana: |
yajn~ntakrut yajn~guhya mannamannAda yEva ca ||

The entire commentaries on the VishNu sahasra Naamams by Sriman N. KrishNamachari in five volumes can be accessed at the following URL: http://www.ahobilavalli.org

 

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PAASURAM 9

yEzhulagum thaazhvaraiyum yengum moodi,
yeN disaiyum mandalamum maNdi, aNdam
mOzhaiyezhunthu aazhimigum oozhi veLLam,
mun akattil odukkiya yem moorthi kaNDeer,
oozhithoRum oozhithoRum uyarntha selvatthu,
Onkiya naanmaRai anaiththum thaangu naavar,
sEzhuyarntha maNimaadam thigazhum naangoorth
thiruththeRRiyambalatthu yensengaNmaalE. (4.4.9)

INTRODUCTION:

In this Paasuram, Kaliyan salutes the Lord, who took the form of a small child floating on the roaring waters of the universal deluge on a pupil leaf while protecting the entire universe and its entities by holding them safely inside a small portion of His stomach until the danger was over. The incarnation of the Lord as Vadapathra Saayee is evoked here. Sri Krishna KarNAmrutham has beautiful slOkams on Vadapathra Saayee for enjoyment.

 

MEANING:

At this dhivya dEsam of ThirutheRRiyambalam known for its mansions resplendent with pillars and halls enmeshed with precious gems and its Vedic experts reciting the four Vedams that are eternal, my Lord, who saved the world and its beings from destruction as the young child floating on a pupil leaf (Vadapathra saayee) rests. During that time of avAnthara praLayam, my Lord swallowed the worlds to protect them from harm and held them in their entirety inside a small section of His stomach. The seven Universes, the mountains and the oceans as well as the directions found their safe home inside His stomach. On that gigantic mass of PraLaya waters released from the tear in the roof of the aNDam, our Lord floated joyously enjoying the scene around Him. Oh people of this Earth! Come and have His blessed darsanam of this lotus-eyed Lord (SenkaNNmaal) at His dhivya dEsam of ThiruttheRRiyambalam!

 

COMMENTARY:

The creator and protector of the World (Naama roopa Prapancham) is saluted here in the spirit of the 73rd Mantram of Mahaa NaarAyaNOpanishad:

Vidharthaaragum havAmahE vasO: kuvidhvanAthi na:
savithAram nruchakshasam

“We invoke with prayers the Lord, who is the Creator of this universe m who is the unique supporter of this universe and who endows them with knowledge. May that Lord ever grant us (spiritual) wealth”. Sri RangarAmAnuja Muni, the Upanishad BhAshyakArar Points out that the Lord is the unique supporter of the created universe thru His sakthi (Vidhartha= visEsha Jagath dhArakan); SavithA refers to His Jagath Srushti and Nruchakshusam is linked to His conferral of the eye of knowledge (sakala vidhyaa Pradhan). He is always (kuvidh) there to bless us as VidhyA chakshu pradhan.

 

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PAASURAM 10

seeraNintha maNimaadam thikazhum naangoorth,
thirutheRRiyambalaththen senkaN maalai,
kooraNintha vElvalavan aali naadan,
Kodimaada mangaiyar kOn kuRaiyal aaLi,
paaraNintha tholpugazhaan kaliyan sonna
paamaalai ivai ainthum ainthum vallaar,
seeraNintha ulagatthu mannar aagich,
sENvisumbil vaaNavaraayth thigazhvar thaamE. (4.4.10)

INRODUCTION:

In this Thirumozhi, Kaliyan salutes first the lightening of the load borne by BhUmi PirAtti through the destruction of unrighteous ones during the Great War at KurukshEthram. In the second Paasuram, kaliyan focused on Gajendhra Moksham as an example of the Lord’s duties as Saadhu Jana rakshakan. His beauty in the company of SrI and BhU Devi is praised in the third paasuram. This is followed by the anugrahams to the Gopis through the act of stealing VeNNai from their homes. In the fourth paasuram, the winning of the hand of Nappinnai by killing the seven fierce bulls is saluted. In the fifth paasuram the bhOgam of this nithya youvana Moorthy enjoying His two Devis is remembered. The sixth Paasuram covers the RaavaNa samhAram performed for the sake of Sithaa PirAtti. In the seventh Paasuram, VaamanAvathAram is brought before our mind’s eye, when He hid His status as a gruhasthan by hiding His inseparable Devi under the deer skin attached to His sacred thread. The eighth paasuram salutes Varaaha avathAram arising from the Lord’s desire to come to the rescue of the DevAs and to bring back His Devi from under the oceans, where She was imprisoned by HiraNyAkshan. The ninth Paasuram is a celebration of the Lord’s compassion that led to His avathAram as Vada pathra saayee for protecting the chEtanams and the achEtanams from the destructive waters of the universal deluge. The tenth and final Paasuram is the Phala Sruthi Paasuram, where Kaliyan extols the blessings arising from the recitation of his ten paasurams on Lord SenkaNNmaal of ThirunAngUr ThiruttheRRiy-ambala dhivya dEsam.

 

Thiru TheRRiyambalam

MEANING:

ThirutheRRiyambalam shines with palatial mansions embedded with precious gems on their walls and pillars. On this Lord SenkaNNmaal of ThiruteRRiyambalam, Kaliyan holding the sharp spear in his hand, composed and presented this garland of ten paasurams. Those who recite and reflect on the inner meanings of these paasurams of Kaliyan, the Lord of Thirumangai and ThirukkuRayalUr, will be blessed with superior Aathma guNams in this world and will lead their lives in Sri Vaikuntam enjoying the status similar to that of the nithya sooris (the eternally liberated Jeevans) and enjoy BrahmAnandham and nithya Kaimkaryam to the dhivya dampathis.

 

COMMENTARY:

The Aasirvachanams (Benedictory utterances) of Kaliyan remind us of the two mantrams of MahA NaarAyaNOpanishad (76 and 77). Dr. N.S. AnantharangAcchAr’s translations are given below:

Madhu vaadhA ruthAyanthE madhu ksharanthi sindhava: Maadhvirnas-sathvOshadhee:
Madhu nakthamuthOshasi madhumath pArthivagum raja: Madhu dhyourasthu na: pithA

MEANINGS:

“May the winds blow and shower bliss on me, who is desirous of gaining ParamAthman. May the oceans also likewise be blissful to me. May plants and herbs be Blissful to me (sarva VishayE Sarvasya Aanukooluam prArTayathE). May all things agreeably shower sweetness on me day and night. May all particles on earth be likewise sweet towards me. May the Heavens that are my Father yield always Joy.”

The 79th Mantram of Mahaa NaarAyaNa Mantram (Sruthi) resonates with Thirumangai Mannan’s auspicious benedictions housed in the Phala Sruthi paasuram on ThirunAngUr Thriru TeRRiyambalatthu EmperumAn:

Grutham mimikshE gruthamasya yOni, gruthE SrithO gruthamuvasya dhAma
anushvadhamAvaha mAdhayasva svAhAkrutham Vrushabha vakshi havyam

MEANING:

“The ParamAthman (Who is pleasing like the ghee) makes all things tasteful and sweet. This Ghritha (Ghee) alone is the material cause of this Universe. This Universe merges in Ghrita. That alone is the abode of this Universe. Oh VrushabhA (ParamAthman) Having Agni as Your body, You accept and carry the oblation offered with the Utterance of “svAhaa”. Make it similar to Svadhaa. Delight those that are subservient to You in this oblation”.

Invocation of each deity related to each Svadhaa is made and appropriate oblation is made into the fire (Agni) and with the utterance of the word SvAhaa, Agni is requested to carry the oblation forward to the Sarva Seshi, ParamAthmaa. The prayer is for the Supreme Lord to make all His Sesha bhUtha Janams blissful (svaSEshabhUthAn janAn anEna havishA harshaya).