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Re: mazhisai vandha sOthi

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Ranga Satagopan • February 5, 1996 


> It is this Azhvaar's instructions that the Lord of Thiru
> Veqaa (poygai Azhvaar's birth place and near
> Kanchipuram periya kOvil) followed and came to be
> known as "sonna vaNNam seydha perumaaL" (the Lord
> who obeyed). This wonderful story involves
> KaNikaNNar, a disciple of the Azhvaar.  KaNikaNNar
> provoked the wrath of the local king and got himself
> exiled when he refused to restore the king's youthfulness
> unlike the devout old lady for whom KaNikaNNar had
> obliged.  Not wanting to be separated from his pupil,
> Azhvaar went to the temple and declared to the Lord, "I
> am leaving town with KaNikaNNan, fold Your serpent
> bed and follow me."  Ever waiting to please His
> devotees,  (true to namaazhvaar's words in the 53rd
> paasuram of periya thiruvandhaathi -- "unnadiyaarkku en
> seyvadhu enRE iruththi nee"), the Lord got up
> immediately, folded his "painnaagap paay", and went
> behind the Azhvaar.  Thus, He came to be known as
> "sonna vaNNam seydha perumaaL".  Then, the story
> goes, the king apologized to KaNikaNNar and brought all
> three back to Kanchi.

A few tidbits regarding this story:
This is the Yadoktakari temple at Kanchi (did I spell it right?). The Lord's
sayanam pose here is in the direction opposite to the usual (ie, the feet
are on the left, as you view Him). The Lord chose this pose on his return
with the aazhwar, just to serve as a reminder of this story.

State of temple: bad, as of 3/4 years ago.

- ranga
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Ranga Satagopan                                         (617) 374-8630
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