Thirumangai Mannan vedupari Utsavam
From the Bhakti List Archives
• January 6, 1996
Yuva Year, Hemanta Rutu, Pushya Baghula
prathamai , Punarvasu Nakshatram
Satu
rday, January 6, 1996
Dear Members of the Prapatti Group:
Monday, January 8 (Marghazhi 24 ) is the day of
Thirumangai Mannan"s Vedu Pari, when he
dared to rob the Divya Dampathis for conducting
his Dadhiyaaraadhanam for Sri Vaishnavas.
The Divya Dampathis wanted to bless their Special Bhaktha
and appeared as a newly wed, rich coupledeckedwith precious jewellery.
Our Azhwar scouted them and surrounded them . He robbed them
and bundled all his loot . When he tried to lift the bundles
containing the proceeds of the robbery,
he found them too heavy to lift. He then accused
the bridegroom that he had cast a spell through a Mantra.
Sriman Narayana invited Thirumangai to come closer so
that he can share that Mantram with him. The Robber came close
and into his right ear, Sriman Narayana gave the upadesam on the
AshtAkshara Mantram. The erstwhile robber received thus the initiation from
the Lord of the Universe Himself and poured forth his ecstatic experience in
the
form of majestic Pasurams of the First decad of the Periya Thirumozhi.
He explained through those verses the greatness and the uniqueness
of the AshtAkshara Mantram to acheive the blessings of Moksham.
He went on an extended pilgrimage from one corner of India to the
other and gave us his Pasurams , which are expressions of his
Bhagavad Anubhavam. As I mentioned in my Dec 29 posting, He
composed a special work to celebrate the glory of the Lord of
Thirukkudanthai, Sri AarAvamudan known as Thiruvezhukurrirukkai (TVK).
I have summarized in that posting, the meaning of the two Taniyans (Invocatory
Verses )
composed by Emperumaanaar himself on TVK inview of the Vedasaaram of this
work of the Azhwar.
I will comment on the highlights of this Composition . TVK is a poetry style
known as Ratha Bhandham or SabdhAlankaram.. ThiruJnanasambhandar
(Mudal Thirumarai-TevAram number 1464 ) and Arunagiri Nathar have
composed works in the TVK style. Arunagiri Nathar"s work celebrates
the presiding Deity at Swami Malai known as Swaminathan.
TVK is one long verse with 46 or 47 lines . THirumangai"s TVK
has 46 lines and Thirujnana Sambhandar's TVK has 47 lines.
Thirumangai"s TVK houses some of the salient metaphysical
tenets of VisishtAdvaita as it goes about offering its homage to
the Lord of Thirukkudanthai known also as SarangapAni.
The Azhwar was probably inspired by the famous , gigantic
Chittirai Ther (Temple Car) Of Sarangapani. He constructed the
TVK in the form of a Temple Car in Seven (Ezhu ) Decks ( Koorru ).
Irukkai stands for the ornamental pedestal at the center of this
Ratham, where the Lord is seated. The Azhwar is said to have the
Darsanam of the Divya Dampathis seated on the Chariot of
Garuda , the Veda Swaroopan.
The Ratha Bhandham (Construction/Binding) consists of the
following pattern of seven Decks:
the 7th deck consists of 13 compartments
the 6th deck has also 13 compartments(Penultimate)
the 5th deck has 11 compartemnts
the 4th deck has 9 compartments
the 3rd deck has 7 compartments
the 2nd deck has 5 compartments
the first deck has 3 compartments
the words indicating Numerals inlaid in the individual compartments
in the pattern described below:
*
121
12321
1234321
123454321
12345654321
1234567654321
1234567654321
1234567654321
1234567654321
12345654321
123454321
1234321
12321
121
*
The above structure is indicative of the shape of a Ratham or a (temple) chariot
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