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Reflections on Sri HemAbjhavalli SamEtha Sri DevanAtha PerumAL of Thiruvaheendhrapuram following Swamy Desikan's dvine footsteps: Part III-> MummaNikkOvai

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • January 18, 2000 


Dear BhakthAs :

We will study the second and third verses of MUmmaNikkOvai(MMK)
in this posting .

(2) Thirumaal adiyavarkku meyaanAr seyya-
    ThirumAmahaL yenRum sErum thirumArbil-
    immaNikkOvayudan yERkinRanAr yenn 
    MummaNikkOvai mozhi 

This verse is set in Nerisai VeNN Paa metre and 
here Swamy Desikan points out that the Sri Sookthi of 
MMK is an object of great relish (parama bhOgyam ) for 
the Lord of ThiruvahIndrapuram .He points out that
DevanAthan in His role as Natha sathyan ( adiyavarkku
meyyan ) wears this prabhandham with great affection
on His divine chest known well for the nithya vaasam of
Periya PirAtti and the famous Kousthubham gem .
He suggests that this prabhandham dear to the Lord 
would also be a cherished bhOgya Vasthu for 
the BhagavathAs as well . The key passage is :
Thiru Maal ( one who is immensely in love with 
His PirAtti : maal koNdavan ) ThirumAmahaL Serum 
Thiru Maarbil YenRan Mozhi, MummaNikkOVai , yERkinRar.

Thiru Maamahal arose out of the Milky Ocean ,
just as the Kousthuba rathnam . Thiru Maal 
gave them both the most honored place on His divine
chest to reside . Swamy Desikan suggests that 
Lord DevanAthan , the Kinkara Sathyan , has 
elevated his Prabhandham by wearing it as a
special necklace made from three kinds of gems
on His divine chest , the traditional residence
of Periya PirAtti and the KousthubA gem .

(3) The third paasuram set in KattaLI kalitthuRai
meter follows the rules of Sangam Tamil poetry 
dealing with ahapporuL subject matter.This class 
of poetry dealing with the Oodal and Koodal
of the Naayakan ( Talaivan ) and Naayaki ( Talaivi)
has the characters of the Mother and the friends of 
the Naayaki appealing to the Naayakan to be kind 
to the suffering Naayaki . They empathize with 
the Naayaki and respond sympathetically to her
plight in a state of compassion (irangal section 
of ahapporuL poems).The mouthpiece for the poet 
in the third paasuram is the ThOzhi or friend of
the Naayaki , who describes to us the sad state
of the Naayaki.The text of the Paasuram is:

mozhivAr mozhivana mummuRai aahum Ayindhayil vanthu
izhivAr izhiha yenRu inn amutha kadalAhi ninRa 
vizhi vaar aruL Meyyar melladi vENDiya melliyal mEl
pozhivAr Anangar tamm poom karumpu unthiya poo mazhayE

The first line of this paasuram , the Thozhi of the Naayaki
celebrates the greatness of ThiruvahIndhrapuram ( Ayindhai)
and points out that the words spoken here by women , children , 
parrots , nightingale are the essence of all Vedams . In this 
sacred place, She says that Dhaivanaayakan arrived to reside to
let all the chEthanams enjoy Him and attain the bliss of 
salvation.Here , the Lord according to the Thozhi is like 
an insatiable nectar to all devotees and showers 
His grace on them through His karuNA katAkshams. 

Now , the Thozhi continues about the particular 
misfortune that has fallen on Her Naayaki inspite of
the greatness of the KshEthram and the loftiness of 
the Lord of ThiruvahIndhrapuram . She says:" My Naayaki , 
who is hopelessly in love with DhaivanAyakan 
wanted to embrace Him physically ; her wish was not fulfilled 
due to His archA samAdhi and as a a result , she is
grieving over her misfortune. At this juncture, 
the God of Love , Ananga Devan, came by
and launched the shower(arrows)of flowers (pushpa -
bhANams)from his sugar cane bow and made my 
Naayaki suffer even more. Why does he do that ?
Does not he recognize my Naayaki's suffering ?
Instead of helping her unite with her Lord , he makes 
my Naayaki suffer even more . What can I do ? ".
So laments the friend of the Naayaki in this paasuram .

Swamy Desikan's ( Sri VenaktanAthan's)choice of words 
to eulogize the KshEthram ,the KshEthra Naathan and 
the sufferings of himself as Venkata Naayaki are 
simply beautiful . 

The KshEthram is full of Veda-saara bhAshanams
(Speeches). The Lord is " izhivAr Izhiha yenRu
inn amudhak kadalAhi niRpavar" (i-e)., He stands here as
the sweet ocean of nectar to let the devotees 
enjoy Him . His natural disposition ( SvabhAvam)
is like  a cloud raining dayA through His katAkshams
( vizhi vaar aruL Meyyar). The one , who did not
benefit from that cool , comforting shower of
anugraham is the Naayaki (Melliyal) , who longed for 
the Lord's soft and sacred feet (Meyyar melladi veNDiyavaL).
The insensitive one is Manmathan , who made the Naayaki 
suffer even more with his flower arrows launched at her
from his sugar cane bow ( Anagar tamm poom karumpu unthiya 
poo mazhai pozhivAr). 

The inner meaning is that the BhagavathAs (Thozhis)
empathized with Swamy Desikan about the prakruthi sambhandham 
that interfered with his great desire to have samsLesham
(union ) with the Lord of ThiruvahIndhrapuram to enjoy
Him fully.

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam,
Daasan, OppilA-appan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan