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ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr Thirunakshathram..

From the Bhakti List Archives

Madhavakkannan V • January 3, 2000 


Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namah:

Dearest BhAgawathas,

Today (Maargazhi kEttai Nakshathram) is the Thirunakshathram of 
ThoNdaradippodiAzhwAr.
He calls himself as “thoNdar” adippodi, meaning “dust at the feet of 
devotees (of Emperumaan Sri Ranganathan). Let us meditate at the feet of 
this greatest AzhwAr..

The prabhandham (verse) on ThondaradippodiAzhwAr from Swamy DesikanÂ’s 
prabhandhasaaram is:

mannumathit tirumaNdaNG gudithaan vaaza
maar_kazimaa thakkEttai naaLil vanthu
thunnupukazth thoNdaradip podiyE neemun
Ruzaaymaalaip paNiyadimai seythu naaLunN
thennaranga maNavaaLaR kanpu mikkuc
seppiyanNaR Rirumaalai naaRpath thainthum
panniyanNaR RiruppaLLi yezucci patthum
pazavadiyE NnukkaruLsey parinthu neeyE.

(the entire Swamy desikanÂ’s Tamil works (transliterated version) is typed by 
Sri Dileepan and Sri Samapth Rengi and is available in Sri Ahobila Mutt web 
page (http://www.cdc.net/~dileepan/index.html)
and in Swamy Desikan page (http://swamydesika.homepage.com)

One can read the sixth and seventh line ”Thirumaalai naaRpatthu aindhum 
“ThiruppaLLiyezhucchi patthum”, meaning Thirumalai 45 pAsurams and 
ThirupaLLiyezhucchi 10 pAsurams are sung by ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr.

AzhwArÂ’s respects and regards for BhAgawathAs is GREAT! Let us enjoy the 
42nd and 43rd of Thirumaalai:

“pazhuthilaa vozhuka laaRRup palasathup pEthi maar_kaL!
izhikulath thavar_ka LElum emmadi yaar_ka Laakil*
thozhumineer kodumin koLmin!' enRun^in NnOdu mokka,
vazhipada varuLi NnaaypOl mathiLthiru varankath thaanE!  (42)

mathiL ThiruvarangatthaanE! - Oh Sri RanganAthanE!
Vazhipada aruLinaay pOl- (I think) You have instructed The Vedic scholars, 
ChathurvEdis (one who has learnt all four Vedas)- brahmins, saying “Oh 
ChathurvEdis! Even if my devotees are born in the lowliest of low castes 
(izhikulatthavar)- if they are my bhakthAs; (means- devotees of Sriman 
Narayanan- and only HIM), you all prostrate to themÂ… (neer thozhumin); give 
them (kodumin) (money?); get from them knowledge (that I am Parathvam..) 
(koNmin) “ …

(AzhwAr asks Sri RanganAthan).. “Did You instruct this because You declare 
that Your BhakthAs are to be considered equal to You..? (if not even more) 
(enRu ninnodu okka)

“amaravO ranka maaRum vEthamOr naan_ku mOthith/
thamar_kaLil thalaiva raaya saathiyan^ thaNar_ka Lelum/
numar_kaLaip pazhippa raakil nodippathO raLavil, aankE
avar_kaLthaam pulaiyar pOlum arankamaa nakaru LaanE! (43)

(In this pAsuram, AzhwAr condemns those who commit BhAwatha apacharam..)
Oh Sri Ranganatha! Even after having learnt all six Vedha~ngams, and the 
unparalleled four Vedas, completely, and are born in the great Brahmana 
kulam, (as brahmins), if someone scolds “pazhippargaLaagil” (or thinks low 
about) Your devotees (numargaLai), immediately, within a fraction of a 
second (nodippadhOr aLavil), at the same spot (aanghE), he (is worthy to be 
considered) becomes a chaNdaaLar.. (lowliest man) –pulayiarpOlum..

What an assertive truth! Last pAsuram, AzhWar says “Even low caste devotees 
need to considered equal to Emperumaan Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan. Next 
one- he says, even if you are born a highest caste brahmin, if you do not 
respect (or if you think of low of) a BhAgawatha (of Emperumaan), you are 
NOT a brahmin at all. You become lowliest of low castes..

ThoNdaradiAzhWar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Narayana Narayana

daasaanu daasan adiyEn Narayana dAsan





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