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Thirumangai Mannan vedupari Utsavam

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • Sat Jan 06 1996 - 18:01:10 PST 


                                        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