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Three mudhalaazhvaargaL

From the Bhakti List Archives

Parthasarati Dileepan • November 6, 1994 


The upcoming week is a special week for Sri
Vaishnavaas everywhere.  It is blessed with the
thiru nakshathiram of three great AzhvArs, poigai,
bootham and pEyaazhvaar.

11/10/94 (Thu) thiruvONam Poigaiaazhvaar
11/11/94 (Fri) avittam    boothatthaazvaar
11/12/94 (Sat) sathayam   pEyaazhvaar

There is no need to repeat the story of the three
aazhvaars spending a rainy night in thorukkOvaloor
in a narrow passage large enough for the three to
just stand.  It is quite well known.  In stead,
I give below two pasurams, one of poagai and one of
pEyaazhvaar, with the theme Hari and Haran are one
and the same.

\bt
mudhal thiru andhaathi, 5th pasuram:
------------------------------------
aran naaraNan naamam AnvidaipuLLoorthi,
urai nool maRai uRaiyum kOyil, - varai neer
karumam azhippaLippuk kaiyathuvEl nEmi,
uruvam eri kaar mEni onRu.
\et

AzhvAr is comparing the two deities thus:

Name (naamam):
   aran (sivan), nArAyaNan
vAganam (oorthi):
  Bulluck (Anvidai), Bird, i.e. Garudan (puL)
Worshipped in (urai nool):
  vEdham (maRai) for both
Place where they live (uRaiyum kOyil):
  mountain (varai), ocean (neer)
Duty (karumam):
  Destroy (azhippu), protect (aLippu)
Weapon held in hand (kaiyathu):
  Spear (vEl), disc (nEmi)
Form (uruvam):
  Fire (eri), clouds (kaar)

mEni onRu:  They both are one and the same (i.e.
paramaathmaa)

\bt
moonRaam thiru andhaathi, 63rd pasuram:
--------------------------------------

thaazsadaiyum neeNmudiyum oNmazuvum sakkaramum,
soozaravum ponnaaNum thOnRumaal, soozum
thiraNdaruvi paayum thirumalaimEl enthaikku,
iraNduruvum onRaay isainthu.
\et

In the first two lines AzhvAr compares the two as
below:

Sivan                       emperumaan
----------------------      ---------------------
thaazsadai (jadaamudi)      neeNmudi(long kEsam)
oNmazu (weapon)             sakkaram (weapon)
sooz aravu (surrounded      pon naaNum (golden
snakes)                     string around waist)
----------------------      ---------------------


thiraNdaruvi paayum thirumalai = The hills of
thiruvEngadam where rivulets stream down

enthaikku = for our emperumaan (for nArAyaNan)

iranduruvum onRaay isanthu = both forms (sivan and
nArAyaNan) are apt.

(MS has rendered this pAsuram in her exquisitely
melodious voice)

P.S.
1.  Both paasurams are interpreted to mean that the
    antharaathmaa for sivan is none other than nArAyaNan.
2.  Some saivaites use the second pasuram to lay claim
    to thiruvEngadam.  But this claim has been refuted
    by many, most notably by Sri Ramaanuja.