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Arangani KANa Nam PANanidam KarpOm - Post 2

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narayankv • December 21, 2001 


In the last post we saw about the five forms of emperumaan and its 
significance. Let us see what our Aazhwaars say about this :-

Our aazhwaars says they dont even need a place in 
Sri Vaikuntam if they get the bhaagyam to keeppraising 
him and enjoy is Archaa roopan in any of the divya 
desams. Swamy Vedaantha Desikan totaly neglects the 
Sri Vaikunta Praapthi by using the line "Vaikunta 
Vaasepi Namebhilaasha:", if he gets the Nithya Sevai 
of Devaathi Raajan in the following verse from 
Varadaraja Panchaasat :-

"Nirantharam Nirvishatstvadeeyam, 
 Asprushta chintaa padamaabhiroopyam
 Sathyam shape vaarana shaila naatha, 
 Vaikunta Vaasepi Namebhilaasha:"

Meaning :- hE.,Devaathi Raajaa, I vow to you that if I 
get your nithya sevai at Kancheepuram I dont even need 
the Sri Vaikunta Praapthi.

If we look at the above verse, we can clearly say how 
our poorvaachaaryaas enjoyed thearchaavathaaram by 
even refusing to accept the Vaikunta Praapthi. Such a 
precious state is the fifth sate of emperumaan which 
is "Archaavathaaram".

Emperumaan in this state resides in 108 Divya Sri 
Vaishnava Divya Desams which are gegraphically split 
as "Chozha aadu", "Chera Naadu", "Paandiya Naadu", 
"Nadu Naadu", "Thondai Naadu", "Malai Naadu" and 
"Vada Naadu" thirupathis. Out of these 108 divya desams, 
three divyadesams are mentioned as very importantwhere 
emperumaan resides as Archaavathaaram, as Sri Rangaathan 
at Boologa Vaikuntam, Sri Rangam, Thirumalaiyappan or 
hiruvenkatamudaiyaan in Thirupathi and Thiruvathiyooraan 
(or) Kaanthagu Tholannal at Kancheepuram. Adiyen liked 
that name "Kaanthagu Tholannal" so much which many of 
you might not have heard. This name has been given by 
Thiruvarangathamudanaar in "Iraamaanusa Nootrandhaadhi" 
in the verse :-

"Aandugal naal thingalaai, nigazhkaalamellaam maname eendu
 Palyonigal thoruzhalvom, innorenrenniye KAANTHAGU THOLANNAL
 Thenathiyoorar kazhalinaikkeezh, poondavan paalan
 Iraamaanusanai porundhiname"

These three together popularly referred as Koil-Thirumalai-
Perumaal Koil.

Nammaazhwaar says in his prabandham :-

"Vin meeddhiruppai, malai mel nirpaai, kadal serpaai, 
 mann meedhu uzhalvaai, ivarrul engum maraindhu uraivaai.."

Vin meedhiruppaai      -  Paravaasu Devan (Sri Vaikuntam)
Kadal Serppaai         -  Ksheeraabdhi Naathan (Thiruppaarkadal)
Mann meedhu uzhalvaai  -  Vibhavam (Mathsya, koorma etc. avathaarams)
Ivarril engum maraindhu
uraivaai	       -  Antharyaamithvam (As anthraathma bhootan)

Finally "Malai mel nirpaai" refers to the Archaavathaaram.

Out of these three even one is considered to be the 
most important amongst the there and amongst the all 
108 divya desam which is considered as the Sri 
Vaikuntam in Bhoolokam, Sri Rangam at the midst of 
the River Cauvery.

We cannot see the first 4 forms of emperumaan because,
Paravaasudevan can be seen only after our life in this 
world and when we attain paramapadam and the same with 
Ksheeraabdhi naathan too.

We cannot view the Vibhavaavathaaram emperumaan because 
those avathaaram happened in Kruthayugam, Trethaayugam, 
Dwaapara yugam respectively. But we are in the Kaliyugam. 
Anthryaamithvam also can be seen only through doing 
Ashtaanga Yogam. Hence all these states are out of our 
reach in our present yugam. Hence we have the 
"Archaavathaaram" which we can reach easily and enjoy. 
Consider an example that the water in big river or lake
can go to many places, can get stored in tanks, can get 
stored in small lakes which are at different places. 
Similary our divya desams are spread around and it is 
like the water in lakes and tanks. The emperumaan in the 
divya desams are nothing but the water which can be used 
to quench our thirst. If we have water in all these tanks 
and lakes it can be used anytime to quench our thirsts 
whereas if there was water in the river but during the 
rainy season now when it is not there then there is no 
use of having that river. When the water in the river is 
stored in various places we an have it anytime time. 
Similary we cannot keep worrying of not having the sevai 
of emperumaans other four states like param, vyooham etc. 
as they are all like the water in the river which was not 
stored in tanks and lakes. But our Archaavathaara 
Perumaals are like the water in the big river stored in 
small tanks and lakes to quench our thirst anytime we 
want. We can go to Thirupathi or Sri Rangam, or Thirukkachi 
or Thiru Naaraayanapuram or Thiru Allikkeni anytime we 
think because they are all reachable. Thats why all our 
aazhwaars and aachaaryaas have given so much importance 
to emperumaan in "Archaavathaarams". So why should we ever 
worry about not viewing the  the other four forms of  
emperumaan ? Even Bhagavaaan in Gita says :-

"Ye yathaamaam prapadyante taamstathaiva bhajaamyaham"

Meaning :- Hey Arjuna.!! I show my form in whatever way my 
           Bhakthan wants.

If anyone wants to do bhakthi to me using my pictures, I 
stay in the picture to shower my kataaksham on him, if he 
wants me in "Archaavathaaram" I show myself as 
"Archaavathaaram" , or in any other form that my bhakthan 
thinks of me with his love and belief I show myself to him 
in that form.

Swamy Nammaazhwaar says about archaavathaaram :-

"Avan Ivan enru koozhenmin, nejinaal ninaippaan evan, 
 avanaagum neel kadal vannane.."

One who thinks in his mind with love and belief, that 
this is the form in which emperumaan stays in whichever form 
it may be, emperumaan stays there in that form thought by the 
bhakthan.

Thirumangai Aazhwaar has mentioned that he loves to do bhakthi 
only to "Archaavathaaram" and enjoys the "Archaavathaaram" in 
the following paasuram :-

  "Naan avanai kaaraar thirumeni kaanum alavum poi
   Seeraar thiruvenkadame, thirukkovaloore
   Madhil kachi ooragame, peragame
   Peraamarudhiruthaan vellaraiye, vekkaaave
   Peraali thankaal naraiyoor thiruppuliyoor
   Aaraamam soozhndha Arangan, Kanamangai
   Kaaraar mani nirakkannanoor vinnagaram
   Seeraar kanapuram serai thiruvazhundoor
   Kaarar kudanthai kadigai kadal mallai
   Eraarar pozhil soozh idaventhai neermalai
   Seeraarum maliruncholai thirumogoor
   Paaror pugazhum vadari vada madurai
   Ooraaya ellaam ozhiyaame naan avanai
   Oraanai komposithu, oraanai koLvidutha seeraanai
   Senkann nediyaanai, then thuzhaai thaaraanai
   Thaamaraipol kannaanai, en arun seer peraayiramum pidhatri
   Peruntheruve, ooraar igazhilum, ooraadhozhiyen naan
   Vaarar poom pennai madal"

  (Thirumangai Aazhwwar, Iyarpaa, Siriya Thirumadal)

Here in the above paasuram, aazhwaar wishes to sing and have 
divya sevai of emperumaan always as the "Archaamoorthi" in the 
divya desams listed in the above paasuram.

Such an importance has been given by our aazhwaars and 
aachaaryas to the "Archaavathaaram". Out of all the above 
Divya Desams our azhwaars and aachaaryaas always wished that 
one Divya Desam should always live long with al its splendour 
and that was Thiruvarangam. Why not Thiru Venkatam or 
Thirukachi or Thirukudantai or Thiru Allikkeni ? When there 
is big tree we give water only to the roots and its base and 
not to the individual leaves. If the tree has to grow it 
should get enough water through only its stems. Similarly if 
all the other Divya Desam should remain with all its 
splendour Thiruvarangam should remain with all its splendour 
an bless all of us since Thiruvaranam is the first among all 
the Divya Desams and it is compared to the Roots of a tree. 
Just as the roots are the prime cause for the tree with 
branches and leaves to grow well, thiruvaranam should remain 
with all its splendour for the other Divya Desams that 
considered to be the branches of Thiruvarangam to remain with 
all their splendour and bless all of us in this bhoolokam. Such an 
importance has been given to thiruvarangam by all our aazhwaars 
and aachaaryaas.

We will further learn to see Arangan in the next post..

Thodarndhu Karpippaar Nam Paanan, Will Continue..

Mama Sarvaaparaadham Kshamaswa..!!
Raamaanujasya Charanau Sharanam Prapadye.. 
Aazhwaar Thiruvadigale Sharanam..!!





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