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Mukunda Maala of "Kulasekhara Azhwaar".

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • March 1, 1996 


Dear Members of the Prapatti group:

Before the birthday of Kulasekhara Azhwaar is over 
for this year, I hasten to pay my tribute. Inspite of the
well known debate  about  the authorship of the moving 
verses of Mukundamaala, I recognize that this stotram
has significant messages for Sri Vaishnavas and as 
such deserves the high regard that it has  received over 
the years by Aasthikas .Hence , I will take this opportunity 
to assemble a few words on each of the 40 verses.

NAME : The Name Mukundah can be translated as the 
Salvation giver .It is the 518th name of Sri Vishnu 
Sahasra Naamam. Parasara Bhattar has commented that 
He is the one , who bestows the boon of  Moksham , when
the devotees pray for that boon  with supreme and single-minded 
devotion. He has  observed that the two words "Muktim Dadaati "
have united to form  the single  word "Mukundah " 
 under  the nonstandard use of the grammatical rule of Prishidora.

The other intrepretation of the Mukunda Naamam is that He blesses
each appropriately according to their Karmas ,either  the Nitya Vibhoothi
and  residence in Paramapadam (MUKTHI)  or  Residence in this 
universe/Bhoomi  (Leela Vibhoothi ). The Akshara  MU stands for Mukthi 
( Parama Padam)  and KU stands for Bhoomi ( Leela Vibhoothi) . Since 
the Lord gives(Dadahti )  both MU and KU , He gains the name of MUKUNDA.

The Taniyan for Mukunda Maala is the famous one that has been referred to
earlier by Sri Rangaswami :

Kushyate Yasya Nagreh Rangayaatraa Dinehdineh I
Tamaham sirasaa Vandeh Raajanam Kulasekhram II

Tribute is paid here to the Vaishnava Sikhamani by the 
composer of the Taniyan. The  Azhwaar expressed his intense
 longing to enjoy fully  the beauty of Sri Ranganatha in his 
Thirumozhi on Srirangam. That celebrated devotion of Kulasekhara
for Sri Ranganatha is the theme of the Taniyan.
The author of the Taniyan salutes with his head that King 
of Kolli City , where the echo of the joyous shouts of  "Sriranga Yatraa"
reverberate  every day at all nooks  and corners  of that city. 

I will comment on the individual verses tomorrow.

Sri Kulasekhara Azhwaar Thiruvadigaleh Saranam

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan