The 20 Bhujanga Sayana divya desams

The 20 emperumAns of ArchAvathaaram blessing us with Bhujanga Sayana Sevai are:

1. Srirangam Ranganathan
2. ThiruevvuLL Veeraraghavan
3. Thiruvananthapuram Padmanaabhan
4. Thiru Anbil Vadivazhagiya nampi
5. Thiru AathanUr ANdaLakkumayan
6. ThirukkarampanUr PurushOtthaman
7. Tiruk Kavitthalam Gajendra Varadhar
8. ThirukkOttiyUr Sowmya NaarAyaNan
9. ThirukkOLUr Vaittha Maa Nidhi PerumAL
10. Thirucchirup PuliyUr: AruL Maa Kadal PerumAL
11. Thirut Therriamblam: SenkaNNmaal
12. Thirup PaaRkkadal: KsheerAbdhi Naathan (VyUham)
13. Thiruppirithi (Joshi Mutt):Parama Purushan
14. Thirup PuLingudi: Kaaicchina vEndhan
15. ThiruppuLLambhUthamkudi:Valli Raaman
16. ThiruppErnahar: Appak kudatthAn
17. ThiruvAttARu: Adhikesavap PerumAL
18. Thiruvillip PutthUr: Vata pathra Saayi
19. ThiruvehhA: YathOktha kaari
20. ThiruveLLIyankudi: Kolavilli Raaman

 

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SRIRANGAM AND THRUVELLUR

Srirangarajan as Veeraraghavan in Thiruve LLUr

 

Sri Raamachandran was born as a son of a human being for the purposes of destruction of RaavANA and other RaakshasAs. He is an avthAram of Sriman NaarAyaNA resting in the middle of the two Cauveris at Srirangam Island. During the Vibhava avathArAm as Sri Raaman, He worshipped His kula Dhaivam, Sri RanganaathA at AyOddhi and at the end of His avathAram entrusted VibhishaNA to perform AarAdhanam for Sri RanganaathA. During Vibhava avathAram, Sri RaaamA worshipped Sri MaalOlan at AhObilam and composed Sri Nrusimha PanchAmrutha shtOthram to gain the blessings of Bhagavaan NarasimhA.

Sri RaamA stopped at ThiruppullANi and received a special bow from Adhi JagannAthan (ArchA mUrthy) of that divya dEsam. There, He rested on Darbha grass bed to seek the help of Samudhra Raajan to build the bridge over the samudhram to cross over to LankhA to destroy RaavaNA.

The reason why I refer to the behavior of Sri RaamA as “a Human being" offering worship to ArchA mUrthys is to point out that He wanted the fellow human beings to consider Him as a mere human being. He has said "AathmAnam Maanusham manye Raaghavam DasarathAthmajam”.

That the Para Vaasudevan, Sriman NaarAyaNan resting at Srirangam took the avathAram of Sri Raghuveeran of ThiruveLLUr is indicated by one of the PaadhukhA sahasra SlOkams of Swami Sri Desikan:

nirvruttha Raakshasa chamU mrugayA vihArO
RangEsvara: sa Kalu Raagava Vamsa GOpthA |
Vamsa kramAth upanatham padham aadhadhAnO
maanyam puna: tvayi padham nidhadhE svakeeyam ||

 — NiryAthana Paddhathi: Slokam 22

MEANING:

Oh, PaadhukhE! Lord RanganAthA incarnated as VeerarAghavan for avathAram purposes and traveled to LankhA to kill all the RaakshasAs and their king, RaavaNA, and then returned to AyOddhyA claim his hereditary crown; thereafter, He returned His lotus feet back to you.

Swami Desikan is referring here to the fact that VeerarAghavan did not wear the PaadhukhAs during His vana Vaasam and LankhA vijayam because He had given them to His brother BharathA for 14 years to rule over the Land. When He returned triumphantly to AyOddhi after destroying RaavaNA, He had the union with His beloved PaadhukhA.

Based on this slOkam, we can take the poetic liberty of recognizing that Sri RanganaathA and Sri VeerarAghavan are one and their Bhujanga Sayanam pose provides additional support for this view. The pattAbhishEkam before AchArya VasishtA can be equated to the MahA SamprOkshaNam at ThiruveLLUr conducted by AchAryAs and Yathi Saarva BhoumAs. The special honoring of the 350 AdhyApAkAs of Divya Prabhandham can be closely connected to the salutation to Naatha Muni as suggested by the inner meaning of another Sri RanganAtha PaadhukA sahasra SlOkam:

BharathAya param namOsthu tasmai prathamOdhAharaNAya Bhakthi bhAjam | Yadhupagyam asEshatha: PruthivyAM prathithO Raaghava PaadhukhA prabhAva: ||

 — PrasthAva Paddhathi: SlOkam 2

MEANING:

The world came to know about the full magnitude of the power of Sri Raama PaadhukhAs only because of Bharathan who ruled the land as its deputy during the Lord's stay in the forest for 14 years. Therefore, I offer my deep salutations to BharathAzhwAr.

COMMENTARY:

Swami Desikan states in Sankalpa- SooryOdhayam that the word Bharatha is the symbolic name for Naatha Muni, since he was the first one to combine Bhaavam, Raagam and Taalam (Bharatham) for the Divya Prabhandha sEvai and taught that to his nephews, which later got established as arayar sEvai at Srirangam and other divya desams. By the way, there will be an arayar sevai for ThiruvELLUr paasurams of Thirumangai during the MahA SamprOkshaNa uthsavam on Sri Naatha Muni's birthday. Deva Ghana PerumAL Arayar Sri Raam aBharathi will take part in the Arayar Sevai tomorrow (July 4) in front of the Divya Dampathis at ThiruveLLUr.

Just as BharathA illustrated the greatness of Raama Paadhukhai (SatAri), Naatha Muni, the other BharathA made known the greatness of Satari Suri (nammAzhwAr).

Thus the glories of Raghuveera-Ranganatha Satari (PaadhukhA/NammAzhwAr) was revealed to the world by Bharatha during RaamAvathAram and by Naatha Muni in Kali yugam. The Paaramparya trustee of ThiruveLLUr temple, His Holiness, SrimathE Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Divya PaadhukhA Sevaka, SrivaNN SatakOPa Sri NaarayaNa Yatheendhra MahA Desikan will be presiding over the JeerNOtthAraNa MahA SamprOkshaNa Kaimkaryam. The 473 Kalasa Thirumanjanam will take place during the MahA SamprOkshaNam.

I am thankful to the saraNya Dampathis to become part of this SapthAham Kiamkaryam to share with You the glories of Sri Kanakavalli SamEtha Sri VeerarAghava Parabrahmam. May Sri Kanakavalli SamEtha Sri VeerarAghava Parabrahmam bless adiyen along with adiyEn's achAryan in the kaimkaryam to share the meanings of Thirumangai's paasurams on them blessing us all at ThiruveLLUr.

 

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THIRUVELLUR PAASURAMS

OF THIRUMANGAI

 

Thirumangai arrived at Thiru EvvuL after performing MangaLASAsanams at Ahobilam and Thiruvenkatam. At Thiru YevvuL, Kaliyan enjoys the Lord as VeerarAghavan. Kaliyan's anbhavam of ThiruvenkatamudayAn as KrishNaavathAran is till fresh in his memory and hence the first paasuram on the Lord of Thiru YevvuL visualizes the reclining Lord there as both Raama and KrishNa avathAran.

 

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PAASURAM 2.2.1:

kAsayAdai mUdiyOdik kAdhalseythAnavanUr
nAsamAga nambavalla nambinamperumAn
vEyinanna thOL madavAr veNNaiyuNdAnivanenRu
EsaninRa emperumAn evvuL kidanthAnE

MEANING:

Sri Raamachandran of all auspicous attributes and the embodiment of dharamam is our Sarva Swami (NamperumAn). His guNams are all trustworthy and hence He is our "nambavalla Nambi ". His words never prove to be in vain. No body can find fault with Him for not fulfilling what He promised. He destroyed the kingdom of RaavaNan, who hid himself under the ochre robe of a SanyAsi and arrived quickly at the ParNasAlaa of Raman, when He was not there and addressed Sitaa PirAtti with words full of Kaamam after identifying himself as the mighty king of Lankaa (Kaasai aadai moodi Odi kaathalm seythaan). Lord Ramachandra laid to waste the kingdom of Lankhaa and killed RaavaNan for the Mahaa aparAdham of behaving inappropriately to SithA PirAtti, who had sought refuge in Him (Kaathal seythAn avan Uhr naasamaaha seythan). While the Lord strived to avoid any complaint about Him in RaamaavathAram through His straitlaced acts, He was the object of frequent complaints from beautiful gopis with slender shoulders reminding one of young bamboos. The Gopis accused Him of stealing butter from their houses for His enjoyment. That Lord, who took Raama-KrishNAvathArams is resting now at Thiru YevuLL dhiya dEsam.

 

He sent Hanuman as His Ambassador

 

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PAASURAM 2.2.2:

thaiyalALmEl kAthalseythathAnanvan vALarakkan
poyyillAthapon mudikaL onpathOdonRum, anRu
Seytha vempOrthannil anggOrsenjaraththAluruLa
Eythaventhai emperumAn evvuL kidanthAnE.

MEANING:

Yennappan, EmperumAN Raamachandran, who engaged RaavaNan at Lankai in a fierce battle and cut off RaavaNan's crowned heads with arrows that spit fire and made them roll on ground (angu anRu seytha vem-pOr tannil ohr semm saratthAl poy ilAtha ponn mudhikaL onpathinOdu onRum uruLa yeythinAn Yenthai). RaavaNan was fierce looking at the battle with his sharp sword and his ten crowned heads (VaaLL arakkan poy ilAtha ponn mudikal onpathOdu onRum). The Lord resting today at Thiru YevvuL as Veera Raaghavan displayed matchless valour in His battle with the asura svabhAvan, RaavaNan for the unpardonable offense of mistreating the Sthree LakshaNa PoorNai, SeethA PirAtti (ThayyalAL mEl kaathal seytha dhAnavan poNN mudikaL uruLa Saram yeythAn).

RaavaNan did not show the respect for SithA PirAtti as Para thAram (wife of another Man) as well as PirAtti (The Empres sof the Universe) and paid for it with his life in the battle field at Lankaa. Such is the matchless valour of the Lord of Thiru YevvuLL.

 

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PAASURAM 2.2.3:

Mun Or thUthu vAnaraththin vAyil mozinthu, arakkan
mannUr thannai vALiyinAl mAlA muninthu, avanE
Pin Or thUthu AthimannarkkAgip, perunilaththAr
innAr thUthanenaninRAn evvuL kidanthAnE

MEANING:

The very same Sriman Narayanan, who sent HanumAn during RaamAvathAram as His ambassador to RaavaNan's court and later destroyed the arrogant RaavaNan and his kingdom with His mighty arrows went as a matchless ambassador to the court of the deceitful DuryOdhanan during His avathAram as KrishNa. As the friend of the PaanDavaas, KrishNa argued for the rights of the PaandavAs and became known as PaaNDava dhUthan. This Saarvabhouman rests today in archAvathAram at Thiru YevvuLL as Sri VeerarAghavan.

 

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PAASURAM 2.2.4:

panthaNaintha melviralAL pAvaithan kAraNaththAl
venniRal ErEzum venRa vEnthan, viripugazsEr
Nanthan mainthanAgavAgum nambinamperumAn
Enthai thanthai thamperumAn evvuL kidanthAnE

MEANING:

For the sake of winning the hand of beautiful Nappinnai, the Lord resting today at Thiru YevvuLL fought with and subdued the seven wild bulls (Paavai tann KaaraNatthAl vemm thiRal yEzhu yERum venRa VEndhan). His fame spread far and wide (viri puhazh sEr) as the son of NandagOpan (Nandhan Maindhan) and as KalyANa guNa PoorNan and our Lord (Nambi, NamperumAn). Now, He is giving His sevai at Thiru YevvuLL and is the Lord of many generations of our kulam (Yenthai tanthai tamm PerumAn).

 

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PAASURAM 2.2.5:

bAlanAgi njAlamEzum uNdu paNdu Alilai mEl
sAlanALum paLLikoLLum thAmaraik kaNNan, eNNil
nIlamAr vaNduNdu vAzum neythalanthaNkazani
ElanARum paimpuRavil evvuL kidanthAnE

MEANING:

In the previous Paasuram, Kaliyan saluted the Lord of Thiru YevvuLL as the Sarva Swami of Nappinai and resting next to Her in the bridal chambers; in this Paasuram, Kaliyan visualizes the Lord as VaDapathra Saayee, who rested on the leaf of a pupil tree as He floated on the waters of PraLaya kaalam. Our Lord swallowed and kept safely all the seven worlds in a small portion of His stomach (PaNDu yEzh Jn~Alam uNDu). If one attempts to visualize this wonderous child that performed such a miracle, it would be impossible to reconstruct in one's mind. He took the form of an infant, swallowed all the worlds and rested on the precarious floating leaf for the entire time of deluge. Such an incredulous Lord with eyes beautiful like the just blossomed red lotus is resting today at Thiru YevvuLL surrounded by cool fields and verdant forests. Azhwar's anubhavam of the small inocent looking infant floating without fear on the dangerous waters of PraLaya Kaalam is exquisite: " BaalanAhi Jn~Alam yEzhum uNDu paNDu Aalilai mEl saala naaLum paLLi koLLum ThAmarai KaNNan ".

 

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PAASURAM 2.2.6:

sOththanambiyenRu thoNdamiriNdiththodarnthazaikkum
Aththan nimbi sengkaN nimbi yAgilum dEvarkkellAm
mUththa nimbi mukkaNnambi yenRu munivarthozuthu
Eththum nimbi yemperumAn - evvuL kidanthAnE

MEANING:

The Lord engaging in Yoga Nidhraa at Thiru YevvuL is the eldest of all devathais (Devarkku yellAm Moottha Nambi); He is the primordial Being. He is worshipped and eulogized by the three eyed Siva and the Maharishis at all times (MukkaNN Nambi, Munivar yenRum thozhuthu yEtthum Nambi). He recieves anjali from the assembly of devotees, who are ParamaikAnthis (those who will not look at any other gods); they perform AarAdhanam for Him and salute Him as the most trust worthy, dependable KalyANa GuNa PoorNan. That Lotus eyed is also the Lord for us and is resting at Thiru YevvuLL.

 

COMMENTS:

All paasurams except the Phala Sruthi (10th) Paasuram of Thirumangai ends with the refrain of "YevvuLL KidanthAnE". There is an astonishment in the voice of Thiru Mangai to recall tha tthe Lord who distinguished Himself in so many ways is now easily accessible to all of us in His sayana ThirukkOlam as Archaa Moorthy at Thiru YevvuLL. In this paasuram, Thirumangais' sense of celebration of the Lord reaches a cresendo as witnessed by his addressing the Lord as "Nambi" six times: (1) "ThoNDar miNDi thodarnthu Nambi sOttham" (the bhakthAs who do not look at any other gods join together and fold their hands with anjali mudhra and salute Him as Parama kalyANa guNa poorNan/Nambi), (2) "azhaikkum Aattha Nambi" (One who is hailed as the most trust worthy Nambi), (3) "Semm KaNN Nambi" (the GuNa PoorNan with the lotus soft eyes), (4) "DEvarkku yellAm Moottha Nambi" (the eldest of the DEvAs), (5) “MukkaNN nambi"

(The KalyANa GuNa PoorNan, who is the antharyAmi Brahman inside Sivan and who destroys the worlds during Mahaa PraLayam with His third eye), (6) “Munivar yenRum thozhuthu yEtthum Nambi" (The Nambi, who is hailed always by the Maharishis). Such a Nambi is our EmperumAn and He is reclining on Aadhi Seshan at Thiru YevvuLL.

 

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PAASURAM 2.2.7:

thingaLappu vAn erikAlAgith, thisaimiganAr
thanggaLappan, sAmiyappan, pAgaththiruntha vaNduN
Thingal appu nINmudiyAn sUzkazal sUdaninRa
enggaL appan emperumAn evvuL kidanthAnE

MEANING:

Here Kaliyan celebrates the Omniscient, Omnipotent, all pervasive Lord's relationship with us as our Father and Master ("YengaL Appan, EmperumAn YevvuLL kidanthAnE"). He recognizes the Lord thru His saaniddhyam makes it easy for all dEvAs to wear His Thiruvadi on their heads to gain their desired wishes ("Soozh kazhal SooDa ninRa YengaL Appan, Empiran"). He is the indweller of the Moon (Thingal/Chandran) and for the Pancha bhUthams (appu, AakAsam, Vaayu, Agni and Earth/ appu vaann yeri kaal aahi). He is the Father of the chathurmukha Brahmaa (Tisai muhanAr Appan). He is the sarva Seshi, SarvEswaran (Saami Appan); He is the One who has given His right side to His grandson, Rudhran, who wears the Lotus feet of His grandfather for the fulfillment of the goals of his tapas. This Lord resting on Aadhi Seshan at Thiru YevvuLL adorns a beautiful garland made up of freshly picked flowers, which are the habitat of the honey-sucking bees.

 

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PAASURAM 2.2.8:

Munivan mUrththi mUvarAgi, vEdham viriththuraiththa
Punithan pUvai vaNNan, aNNal, puNNiyan, viNNavarkOn
Thaniyan, sEyan, thAnoruvan Agilum thannadiyArkku
Iniyan enthai emperumAn - evvuL kidanthAnE

MEANING:

Yenthai (My Father), EmperumAn (Sarva Swami) is YevuuLL kidantha Moorthy. He is easy of access (Bhaktha sulabhan) to those who seek His rakshaNam (AasrithAL). He is delectable to enjoy for His adiyArs (Tann adiyArkku iniyan) He is far away from those who do not seek His rakshaNam (DhUrAth dhUratara:). He is "ViNNavar kOnn" (the Lord of the DEvAs: AmararkaL adhipathy); He is "PuNNiyan" (sakala dharama savroopi, the most auspicious); He is "ANNal" (Sarva vidha Swami). He is the NiyanthA (Commander); He is "Poovai VaNNan" (KaayAmpoo VaNNan/having the most beautiful blue hue like KaayAm Poo). He is "Vedam viritthuraittha Punithan" (Parama Parisuddhan /dharma-adharma vivEki, who is the HayagrIva avathAran instructing Brahma dEvan on Vedams). "thAnn sEyan Oruvan aahilum, Taniyan" (Although He blesses the muktha janangaL with His Saamyam, He is distinctly different Tatthvam form ChEthanam and achEthanam). He is "Munivan Moorthy Moovar aanavan" (He is the Aadhi Moorthy who had the sankalpam of " bahu syaamm" for creating the universe and became first VyUha VaasudEvan and later the other three:SankarshaNa, Pradhyumna, Aniruddhan). That Lord of such vaibhavam is resting on AadhisEshan at the dhivya dEsam of Thiru YevvuLL.

 

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PAASURAM 2.2.9:

pantirukkum melviralAL pAvai panimalarAL
vanthirukkum mArvan nIlamEni maNivaNNan
antharaththil vAzum vAnOr nAyaganAyamaintha
inthiraRkum thamperumAn evvuL kidanthAnE

MEANING:

The Lord at ThiruvaLLUr is the Lord of the slender fingered Mahaa Lakshmi, whose abode is the cool Lotus (Panthu irukkum Paavai Pani MalarAL). She leaves that abode to stay permanently at the broad chest of Her Lord (Pani MalarAL vanthu irukkum Maarvan). He is like a blue gem in hue (Neelam mEni MaNi VaNNan). He is the Lord of even Indhran, who is the king of all celestials (antharatthil vaazhum VaanOr Naay akan Ai amainth a IndhiraRkkum TammperumAn). That Sarva Swamy (Tamm PerumAn) rests on His soft bed of Aadhi Seshan at Thiru YevvuLL dhivya dEsam.

 

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PAASURAM 2.2.10:

iNdai koNdu thoNdarEththa evvuL kidanthAnai
vaNdu pAdum paimpuRavil manggaiyar kOnkaliyan
koNda sIrAl thNdamizsey mAlaiyI rainthum vallAr
aNdamALvaThAnai anREl ALvar amarulagE

PHALA SRUTHI PAAURAM MEANING:

This Paasuram is a celebration of Lord VeerarAghavan as the grantor of all desired pahalans in this and the other world (Ihikaamushmika phalans). In Vibhava avathAram as Lord Raamachandran, He was the Emperor and was not easy to get close to by ordinary citizens but during His archAvathAram as Veera Raaghavan, He becomes Sarva Sulabhan. He is Vaidhya VeerarAghavan and hence treats the variety of illness that chEthanams have by being close to them. At THiru YevvuLL, His devotees approach Him with flower garlands in hand and eulogize Him ("ThoNDar iNDai koNDu YevvuLL kidanthAnai yEttha"). This dhivya dEsam has extraordinary beauty and is known for its verdant groves, where the honey bees are enjoying the fragrant flowers (VaNDu Paadum PaimpuRavil); the dhvirEpams (Bramarams/VaNDu) are performing Hari Naama sankeerthanams at Thiru YevvuLL. Thirumangai Mannan enjoyed the anantha kalyANa guNams of the EmperumAn of Thiru YevvuLL and created the ear pleasing ten Paasurams as SamarpaNam for the Lord (Mangayar kOnn Kaliyan koNDa seerAl Tamizh sey Maalai yeer einthum). Kaliyan instructs us that those of us, who are adept in reciting these ten paasurams will rule this world (Maalai yeer Indhum vallAr aNdam AaLvathu AaNai); if ruling this world is not what they relish (anDam AaLvathu AaNai anREl), then they are destined to enjoy ParipoorNa BrahmAnandham in Sri Vaikuntam.

 

Thirumangai Azhwar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

 

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