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Re: MahA VidvAn Sri U.Ve. PerukkAraNai Swamy ' ThiruppAvai Monograph: Selected Excerpts: Part IX-> Third day of Dhnaur Maasam: Ongi Ulahalantha dinam

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Sadagopan • December 18, 2000 


Sriamthyai Godhayai Nama:
SrimathE RaamAnujAya Nama:

Dear BhakthAs: 

Let us review the two Paasurams that preceded 
the One that adiyEn will cover today.

The Context & Connection between the first three Paasurams
************************************************************
In  the First Paasuram of ThiruppAvai , ANDAL foucsed on 
AshtAkshara manthram and celebrated it . She covered the three 
meanings incorporated in AshtAksharam in Her first 
paasuram( ananya Seshathvam/,unalloyed servitude to 
Sriman NaarAyaNa ALONE ,ananya SaraNathvam/seeking 
Refuge at the feet of Sriman Narayana ALONE ,and 
ananya PrApyathvam / Reaching Him ALONE as the supreme goal).
Her MahA VisvAsam ( Her unshakable trust--NaarayaNanE 
NamakkE PaRai TharuvAn--) is most comforting to us . 

In the second Paasuram , She shifted Her attention to Dhvayam , 
the Manthra rathnam . In the third Paasuram to be covered today , 
She elaborated on the powerful message of Charama SlOkam of 
GeethAchAryan (MaamEkam CharaNam vraja-MokshayishyAmi-
Maa Sucha:).

AshtAksharam , Dhvayam and Charama SlOkam of GeethAchAryan,
the subject of the first three paasurams respectively , have been 
described as "Taarakam , BhOgyam and POshakam ". Taarakam
is like annam (Food); BhOgyam is like Milk and Ghee ;
Poshakam is like sandal paste and betel leaves ( TaambhUlam ). 
With these three, we have every thing that we need 
for our spiritual nourishment and enjoyment of the ananatha
kalyANa GuNams of the divine couple and gain Moksha siddhi .

Another view is that ANDAL invited every one through 
the first paasuram ( Maarghazhi ThingaL--)to come 
and join in the enjoyment of AchArya GuNa anubhavam 
(the celebration of the glories of AchAryan) .In the second 
Paasuram (Vaiyatthu VaazhveerkAL ),She stressed 
the importance of the participants to have the qualifications 
to obey the dictates of ShAsthrAs ( Saasthra-Vasya Yoghyathai).

In the third paasuram ( Ongi UlhaLantha--) , She declared
that AchArya Kula Sambhandham ( Connection and involvenment 
with AchArya Kulam starting from Sriman NaarAyaNA to 
the present AchArya in that lineage) will give the Mumukshus
( Those  who desire the boon of MOksham) immense SrEyas
( auspiciousness ).

Yet another view by Sri Upanishad BhAshyakArar ,
Sri Ranga RaamAnuja Muni is that ANDAL invites 
Her friends for the Vratham observance
(Sakhi JanAn aahvayanthi). In the second paasuram , 
She spells out the rites to be observed and the deeds
to be abandoned ( Karma Phalam upadisanthi).In the third 
Paasuram , She describes the fruits of the Vratham 
(Vrathasya Phalam Vadanthi). 

Meaning of the Third ThiruppAvai Paasuram( Dr.V.K.S.N.Raghavan)
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

If we ( who adhere to the Vratam-Paavai nOnbhu) sing in
praise of the holy names of the Utthaman , Lord Thrivikraman
( the most benovolent Lord) , who grew to a cosmic form 
and measured the three worlds in two strides and put His 
third step on the head of Emperor MahABali , and then if we
take the bath (in sacred YamunA) in the name of our Vratham , 
then there will be three timely showers (of rain) 
throughout the country and there will be no harm at all
(i.e., no drought , nor any famine).The country will be
rich and plentiful (because of the copious rains); the fish 
(kayal) will roam about amidst tall stalks of large red
paddy crops (drinking sufficient honey from fallen-pollen and 
becoming dazed);the bees with spots (all over their bodies) 
will fall asleep amidst the petals of KuvaLai-flower 
( Blue Lotus/NeelOthpalam )and the great , profusely milk-giving , 
generous cows will yield milk just while being touched on 
their stout udder filling up a number of milk-cans 
very quickly;because of plenty of milk , only skillful people 
could undertake to milk these cows. Thus , the whole country 
will be filled with undecaying wealth and prosperity
(Richness in fields, lands and villages is assured 
if the good poeple take to righteous path and sing 
the glory of Lord Thrivikrama ).

ThrivikramAvathAram: The incarnation dear to ANDAL
***************************************************
The glories of Our Lord's ThrivikramAvathAram celebrated 
in the VedAs is archived else where(Bhakthi Archives : 
August 9, 1997). Other articles in this series also pay 
tribute to this unique avathAram .

In Her third Paasuram , ANDAL addresses the Lord as
"Ongi Ulahu aLantha UTTAMAN"( The Greatest One ,who reached 
out and measured the Universe with His two steps) .

Why is Thiruvikraman addressed as "Utthaman"
********************************************* 
The salutation of the Lord as Utthaman deserves study . 
Utthaman is One who stands at a height , where Paapams 
can not touch Him . ChAndhOgya Upanishad called such a lofty
personage as "UTH" . A Chethanan after SaraNAgathi and
after leading the prescribed life after SaraNAgathi /
Prapatthi can also become an "UTH " at Sri Viakuntam . 
The eternally liberated (Nithya Mutha Jeevans) like 
Garuda and VishvaksEna have a higher level than "UTH"
and are revered as "Utthara". Even beyond them is 
the "Utthaman" or PurushOtthaman (Sriman Narayanan)
celebrated in the GithOpanishad of our Lord.

In ANDAL's visualization , Thrivikraman appeared as
that " Utthaman " and She addressed Him as " Ongi Ulahu-
aLantha Utthaman " and She invited Her friends to sing about 
the glory of that Utthaman's Naamam ( Utthaman pEr Paadi)
as an important part of the Paavai Nonbhu sankalpam to 
attain the desired fruits (Phalans)of the Vratham .
Thrivikraman is "PurushOtthaman" because His sacred feet 
touched devotees and dhvEshis( enemies ) all alike 
(Samastha Janthus) during this avathAram and blessed them 
all with His anugraham.

ANDAL hints that the Lord's name is grander than Him and
hence She says " Utthaman pEr Paadi " ( Naama sankIrthanam
of Utthama name).She invites Her fellow-gOpis to sing about
the Naama Mahimai of Thrivikraman and His deeds.She recommended
that they do this Naama sankIrthanam and observe the Vratham 
with Sankalpam that it is for Bhagavath-Preethi ( SaaRRI
NeerAdinAL). Then she describes what kind of phalans
will result from such an observance .

Phalan I: "TheenginRi NaadellAm TingaL MummAri Peythu "
*******************************************************
The Vratham observers will be free from the DhOsham of
ananya Seshathvam ( Theenginri NaadellAm ) . MummAri 
or the three monthly rains in recognition of the Vedic
scholars, the righteous king and the pathivrathA women 
will fall. The three rains are also linked to the water
poured on the hand of Vaamanan by Bali Chakravarthi as 
dhAnam , the Kamandalu Jalam of BrahmA , when He washed 
the ascending feet of the Lord and the GangA jalam that 
flowed from the sacred feet of Lord Thrivikraman. Those
waters will make the lands fertile and samrutthi ( prosperity)
will result ( Ongu Perum Sennel/ tall crops of rice plant ). 
Because of this jala samrutthi and fertility of the land ,
the fish in the paddy fields have grown to big sizes 
and jump hither and thither with joy . 

Phalan 2: MummAri or the trimonthly rain
******************************************

In Raama Raajyam , there were 9 days of Sunshine and one day 
of abubdant rain. This cycle repeated itself every month.
Thus , there were three periods of rain each month.The land
was fertile and there were no inauspiciousness caused
by water shortage. Such prospertity will arise from 
the proper observance of ThiruppAvai Vratham.

Grantha NirmANam ( writing about VedAnthic topics),
instructing others about them and performing MangaLAsAsanam
at our Lord's Dhivya desams are also described as the three
benovolent monthly showers.

Phalan 3: Ongu perum Sennel--VaLLal perum PasukkaL
***************************************************

Abundant crops of red rice from the plentiness of rain
would result.Tall stalks of rice waving their heads as if
they are saluting the Thiruvadis of Thrivikraman will be seen.
In those paddy fields , there will be fat fish jumping
joyously about; and in the blue lotus flowers of that field , 
the well-fed honey bees would be sleeping comfortably.
The cows that have grazed from the rich meadows would
yield huge amounts of milk from their udders on mere touch.
Abundance and prosperity is seen everywhere from the Vratham
( Japam of the three Sri VaishNavite sacred manthrams and 
singing of the glories of Sriman Thrivikrama NaarAyanan).

The Inner Meanings of the third Paasuram
******************************************

"SaaRRI NeerAdinAl " here refers to the UpadEsam
of SaraNAgathi rahasyam by SadAchAryAs and the observance
of it by SadhsishyAs. 

" MummAri" here refers to the benefits of attaining 
the fruits of the Vratham (SaraNAgathi) through Upadesam,
through study of AzhwAr's Prabhandhams and enjoyment of 
the ArchA moorthis at their dhivya desams through 
pilgrimages.

"Ongu peru-sennalUdu Kayal ukaLa" refers to the tall
stalks of PrapannAs thriving in the land rich with
AchAryAs; the strong fishes jumping with joy in
the paddy fields are the happy AchAryAs , who recognize
that their efforts through Ukthi and AchArya Nishtai
( to perform SaraNAgathi) have borne fruit .

" PoomkuvaLai pOthil PoRi VaNDu kaNN Paduppa" refers to
Sriman NarAyaNa sleeping without worry in our heart 
lotuses ( Hrudhaya Kamalams) that His work through 
His AchAryAs has been successful.He sleeps like a
contente farmer , who has realized abundant crops.

" TengAthE pukkirinthu seertha Mulai paRRi Vaangak kudam " 
refers to the sishyAs , who have flocked to the AchAryan
pulled closer by the affection ( vaathsalyam) of their
AchAryans.

" VaLLal perum pasukkaL " refers to the most generous
AchAryAs , who do not expect any returns . They use 
the equivalent of the four fingers of the udders of 
the abundant milk giving cows to impart knowledge 
about the three parama rahasyams of Sri VaishNavam .
The four fingers of the udder through which this milk
of Knowledge (Jn~ana milk) flows are : Vedam , Smruthi,
Saathvika PurANams and AzhwAr Paasurams.

"NeengAtha Selvam NiRainthu" refers to the undiminishing
wealth of Jn~Anam at all times during our stay on His 
Leela VibhUthi ( Earth) and in His Transcendent world
of Sri Vaikuntam.

Srimath Azhagiya Singar, ANDAL ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam 
DaasOham , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan 

   
     



    


  




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