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Re: PeriyAzhwAr

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Venkatesh Elayavalli • February 2, 2000 


Dear members:
>
>I have a question about Sri. Vishnuchittar being given the title of
>PeriyAzhwar, etc.  It is generally accepted (as per Sri. ManavAla
>mAmunigaL's Upadesa Rathna Maalai) that Vishnuchittar was conferred
>this divine title because of the "pongum parivu" that he demonstrated
>for Piratti and PerumaL on the streets of Madurai (correction??)...
>

Part of this, I think, is still applicable. The term pongum parivu, to my 
understanding applies more to periyazhwar thirumozhi than to thirup 
pallandu. However, there are few reasons which might have given him the 
title.

1. the pongum parivu, refers to the section where periyaazhwaar brings out 
the mother-son relationship between himself and Lord respectively, which is 
not the case with other azhwars. Even though they all bring out the kalyaana 
gunas and Nayaka-Nayaki bhava etc; in their cases, the Lord is the Master. 
However, in periyaazhwaar's case he seems to view himself of the mother and 
relates to the Lord as Kuttik Kannan and displays the emotions (parivu) that 
is similar to the one between a mother and a baby

2. The other reason for the title, I once read, has to do with the thirup 
pallandu scene at Madurai. It is said that under Lords orders periyaazhwaar 
went to Madurai to prove to the King that Perumal is the Supreme Being. When 
both Perumaal and thaayaar appeared in front of him and others, he was 
afraid that the evil eye (on seeing the thirukkolam of the divya thambadhis) 
of the people assembled would affect Them and blesses Them that the evil eye 
will be cast away.


>However I've heard in a taped upanyAsam by Sri. K.R. ArAvamudhan, that
>Swami Desikan has a different view about the same (as gleaned from the
>godastuti) that Vishnuchittar earned this title because he took the
>"AndAL saatthina poomaalai" to PerumaL and garlanded the moolavar with
>the same maalai.
>

3. This is also the reason for the title, because he became the Father 
-in-law

4. The fourth reason is the entire thiruppallandu which is equivalent to the 
term Om in Vedas (Vedhaththukku Om ennum athup pOl, ullathuk kellam 
surukkaai thaan mangalam aanathaal - as per sri maamuni's upadesa 
rattnamalai).


Adiyen



Venkatesh K. Elayavalli             Cypress Semiconductor
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