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MangalAsAsanam of Kanchi PEraruLaLan

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Sadagopan • August 19, 1998 


Dear BhakthAs :
A dear and devout bhakthA wrote me the following note
related to a paasuram of PeriyAzhwAr and wondered whether 
this is linkable to Kaanchi PeraruLALan . I thought you
will all be interested in the subject in the context of
the ongoing discussions on Divya Desa EmperumAns .
hence , I have taken the liberty of sharing this response
to theb query of the esteemed BahkthA .The answer follows
after the text dealing with the question . 
 
>Shriman Sadagopan
>
>Shrimathe Ramanujaya Namaha.
>
>As you are aware, an interesting debate is going on in the Bhakti-list
>regarding the most favoured Divya Desam.  One of the presenters, has
>listed seven paasurams which makes reference to Atthiyoouran (in praise
>of  Devaadhirajan- indirect) by Azhwars (TV Venkat- 3rd Aug. -
>Thondar-adi-podi-Azhwar)
>
>In  Periya Azhwar Thirumozhi, the following paasuram (1-10-6) makes
>reference to "Uthara Vedhiyil Ninraan".
>
>            " Satthiramenthi thaniyorumaaniyaay
>                Uttharavethiyil ninra oruvanai
>                Katthiriyar kaana kanimutrumkonda
>                Patthiraakaaran purampulguvaan
>                        Paaralandhaan enpuram pulguvaan."
>                (Mudhal Patthu - Patthaam Thirumozhi - "Vattu Nadhuve" -
>6th Paasuram)
>(Page No.17 in Naalayira Divya Prabhandham - Natteri Kidambi
>Vijayaraghavachariar)
>
>The above paasuram is not included in the list.  I am curious to know
>whether this term used by the Azhwar refers to Deva Perumal.  As you
>very well know, "Uthara Vedhi" is the Yagnya Vaatika from where
>Aavirbhavam of Deva Perumal took place. In the Hasthigiri Mahathmyam
>also Swami Desikan says "Uthara Vedhiyil Udhithhaar Vandhaar".

Although the specific reference to Utthara Vethi is made by
PeriyAzhwAr , this paasuram focuses on the VamAnAvathAram ,
when the Lord appeared as ThirukkuraLappan ( the sacred dwarf /
Kapata Vaamanan) before the uttara vEthi of MahA Bali to 
seek three feet of land as DhAnam .The give aways are :

1. SatthiramEnthi ( holding the umbrella in hand )
2.taniyOr MaaNiyAi ( TannoppAr IllA MaaNi/dwarf  wearing 
the insignias of a BrahmachAri : YajnOpavItham , Deer skin ,
Munji/dharbha belt et al )
3. Katthiriyar kANa ( being seen/witnessed by KshathriyAs 
   like "Emperor " MahA Bali)
4. KaaNI muRRum konda bhatthira AakAran ( the one vilakshaNan ,
who took onthe dwarf rUpam and received the water on His palms 
deeding the three feet of land and took back the whole world 
from the arrogant MahA Bali ) .
5. PaaraLandhAn ( The one Who measured the universe and
the aakAsam as Thrivikraman ). 

PeriyAzhwAr must have had the Srimadh Bhaagavatha SlOkam 
in mind , when he chose the word referrign to the Lord's 
athiadhbhutha BrahmachAri rUpam . The slokam praising the Lord
who arrived at the Yaaga VEdhi with steps that made BhUmi
bend under the weight of His body is as follows :

chathram sadhaNndam sajalam kamandalum ---
mounchyaa mEkalayA veetham upaveethaajinOtharam
jatialm Vaamanam vipram mAyA MaaNavakam Harim
--Srimadh BhAgavatham : 8-18-23, 24 

( Meaning ) : The Lord arrived in the attire of 
a Brahmin BrahmachAri holding the Umbrella , palAs adhaNdam ,
KamaNdalu with water , Munji belt, Jatai . That kapata ( MaayAvi ) 
BrahmachAri was none other than Sri Hari NaarAyaNan to
fulfill His avathAra mission .

BhagavAn VaradarAjA appeared inside  the Agni jwaalai 
with His punyakOti VimAnam and accepted as Agni the 
Havis presented by BrahmA , the performer of 
the Asvametha Yaj~nam'at Hasthigiri :

aalOhithAmsukam anAkula hEthi jaalam 
HairaNya garbha HaymEdha havirbhujam tvam 

( MEANING ) : Thou appeared in the smokeless
flames (agni) of the Yaj~na Kuntam of the 
AsvamEtha Yaagam performed by Chathurmukha BrahmA
and partook the Havis ( Vapai ) offered by him .
You looked like theAgni Bhagavan , who normaaly 
receives such offerings on behalf of other dEvathAs.
This time , You personally appeared and blessed 
the YajamAnan of that Yaj~nam . 

The difference here is that in MahA Bali's Yaj~nam ,
our Lord appeared and stood by the side of the Yaaga
kuntam and not inside it as at Hasthigiri . 

In saluting Sri VaradarAjan as VaamnAvathAran ,
Swami Desikan paints another picture with Vedic
reference ( Sri Varadha Raaja PanchAsath:SlOkam 21):

krAman jagath kapata VaamanathAm upEtha:
trEdhA KarIsa sa BhavAn nidhadhE padhAni
adhyApi janthava imE vimalEna yasya
paadhOdhakEna vidhruthEna SIVAA bhavanthi

(Meaning ) ; O Hasthigiri EmperumAn ! Thou of such
great renown took the form of Kapata Vaamanan to
measure the Universe through three of Your steps.
By receiving the sacred water that was used to wash
Your feet , these janhtUs became and stayed auspicious 
( Sivaa) even today . Oh VaradarAjA !sakala prANis 
became cleansed and attained auspicousness thru 
contact with Your sacred PaadhOthakam during Your 
TrivikramaavathAram .

In summary , this pasasuram of PeriyAzhwAr is
to be associated with the Vaamana-Thrivikrama 
Vibhava avathAram instead of the ArchA mUrthy 
blessing us .

Sri Varadaraaja ParabrahmaNE Nama:
Daasan , Sadagopan