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Divya Prabhandham

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Ramaswami Vasudevan • January 25, 1998 


Dear members,
This time I'm not here in the midst of any flaming  discussion- but just

a musing on Periazhvaar's verses.In the last ten verses of his works
'chenniyOngu than ' Alwar says'
Unnudaiya vikramam onru ozhiyAmal ellAm ennudaiya
nenjagham pAl suvar vazhi ezhudi kondEn'
These lines say that Azhvaar has noted down the magnanimous qualities of

the Lord & it's there to stay in his mind-is the simple meaning.

'ennudaiya nenjhagham' -within the vicinity of my mind.nenjagham-also
implies there is something called-puranenju.It's that frame of mind
given to all vulgarities of emotions& passion.So Azhvaar has assigned
for the Lord his 'nenjhagam'.He doesn't stop with this.'nenjhagam paal'-
into the deep travails of his mind he has inscribed His
thirunaamams.'suvar vazhi ezhudhi konden-like the walls of a temple
painted with numerous verses so is his mind with praise-vikramam of the
Lord..But then, how does he record this?
'onru ozhiyAmal ellAm ezhudinEn'-onru,like we generally startwith
one-onru,&then onru palavaagi,pallaayiramAgi&he goes on to say'onru
ezhudhinEn,Oyaamal ezhudhnEn,ozhiyaamal ezhudhinEn,onru ozhiyaamal-
ezhudhinEn, onrum ozhiyaamal ezhudhinEn.He has not missed out on any of
the 'vikramam'.The propensity of Azhvaar's mind is now inconceivable.Why
should Azhvaar go to such lenghts,he has already enjoyed Lord in
delectable perspectives in his previous verses.We have the answer in the
9th verse.'pani kadalil palli kOllai pazhagavittu Odi vandhen
manakadallil vAzha valla'.When Azhvaar sets the field,his mind
reverberating His praise,God has  forsaken the comforts of
'thirupaarkadal ' &has descended to ascend in Azhvaar's mind.In just a
whiff of the moment the Lord is out of the portals of Dwaraka,Madhura
-'Odi vandhen manaththil'.to be enthrowned in Azhvaar's mind.
For an extended anubavam we can look at this interpretation.It seems,God
too, is given into His own  thoughts & wonders'what's the big fun
hanging out in Vaikundam,PArkadal& other such abodes-.the same couch,
the same conch.the same flawless devotees-but out there in the world are
these hapless mortals-greiving,groaning.grumbling,grudging&who is there
to rescue them.If I were to linger in heaven alone what will happen to
My attribute of'Saranaagadha rakshakan' for here there are no sinners
&hence no redemption.&lo,if the Azhvaar says,'Unnudaiya----------ini
engu pOkindradhE' the Lord has no choice but to quit Vaikundm etc,. to
be enthroned in His devotees mind.
In these closing chapters Periazhvaar has established our Siddaantham on
a firm footing.In the very first verse he says,'ennaiyum en udaimaiyum
nin chakkara pori'-so we begin with bearing on ourselves the Replica of
Sangu&Chakkaram to approach SrimanNarayanan.We move on the next step
Saranaagathi. Once we accomplish this,God will accept us-'nee ennai kai
konda pin'& will rescue us also as seen in 'piravi ennum kadalum
vattri'.Gone are all our wordly attachments& the Assurance comes in the
words'thunbamellAn chum ENadhe kai vittOdi'
With regards,
Subadra Vasudeavan.