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PeriyAzhwAr Thirunakshathram: Part V: Fifth Patthu of PeriyAzhwAr Thirumozhi(Paasurams 433-473): Final post of this series.

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • July 2, 2001 


Dear BhakthAs :

After celebrating the leelais of Bala KrishNan
as His Mother Yasodha , after paying tribute to
VibhavathArams and instructing us on Hitham 
and Tathtvams , PeriyAzhwAr reaches now towards 
the end of his prabhandham and touches on lofty
issues related to PurushArtham through Aathma
SamarpaNam and informs the Lord about his thrupthi
(contentment ) as Dhruptha prapannan .

In the remaining 41 paasurams housed in an 
incomplete fifth Patthu , PeriyAzhwAr focuses
on the core doctrines of VisishtAdhvaitham .

Fifth patthu: First Thirumozhi(SenniyOngu paasurams)
****************************************************
In the previous Thirumozhi ( 4.10) , AzhwAr
reminded Lord RanganAthan about the need for Him
to come to his rescue during his time of helplessness
(last moments on earth ), when all his indhriyams
would not be under his control. 

In this Thirumozhi, he blames himself for 
neglecting to enjoy the sweetness of Lord's
ThirunAmam for a long time. He anlayzes the reasons
and concludes that it was his attachment to other
things of a non-lasting nature that led to his 
forgetting the recitation of the Lord's naamams.
He expeiences powerful nirvEdham and naicchiyam .
He begs for the Lord's forgivance for his trespasses
and lapses . He blames himself for uttering the Lord's
ThirunAmams without sufficient mental purity 
and without proper piety . He seeks the dayA of the Lord.
He states that with his impure tongue , he recited
insignificant poems on the Lord's limitless KalyANa
guNams . He pleads with the Lord and reminds Him that
it is the Lord's duty as the Supreme One to forgive 
the mistakes of His servant . He beseeches the boon 
of nithya kaimkaryam , naamAnusandhAnam and removal
of all moksha virOdhis.

Fifth patthu: Second Thirumozhi
********************************
In the previous Thirumozhi , AzhwAr described
his lowliness and said " Sazhakku naakkodu 
punkavi sonnEn "( I composed and recited with
my impure tongue insignificant eulogies about
You and failed to capture the greatness of 
Yours through them ). AzhwAr appeared to hint 
that he would give up such miserable attempts. 
AzhwAr's tongue and mind would not cooperate.
They went on repeating the Lord's names. AzhwAr
asked for aparAdha KshAmaNam (Forgivance ).

The Lord responded. AzhwAr asking forgivance 
appeared to the Lord as failure on His part 
to come close to his dear bhakthan.Therefore , 
the Lord embraced PeriyAzhwAr and took His wonted
seat in the heart lotus of the AzhwAr.The elated
AzhwAr celebrated his good fortune and conceded
that from here on his aathmA has reverted to its
anaadhi pristine state and it is being protected by 
the Lord now .AzhwAr commands all the moksha virOdhis 
to get out of his aathmA , the temple of the Lord 
and dwells with pleasure on the realization of 
the Lord as the protector of his AathmA :

" Vangak Kadal vaNNan AmmAn! valvinayAyina maRRi
  bangappadA vaNNam seythAn , paNDanRu PattiNam KaapE"

(Oh Lord of the hue of the blue ocean! You have saved
me from the many terrible ills and therfore my aathmA 
has regained its original state and is now protected
vigorously by Yourself ).

AzhwAr visualizes the Lord entering inside him with
His bed of Adhi Seshan , milky ocean , nithya sooris
and His Lotus Lady, MahA Lakshmi and resting inside
his heart lotus in a state of YoganidhrA and salutes
Him for performing the task of Aathma Rakshanam.

Fifth Paattu: Third Thirumozhi
*******************************
The Lord , who had peformed His duty was
about to leave the heart lotus of PeriyAzhwAr 
since the requested mission was accomplished:
anishta nivAraNam ( destruction of the enemies 
of Moksham ). AzhwAr could not bear the thought of 
the Lord leaving his hruth-puNDarIkam . AzhwAr 
pleaded with the Lord and begged Him never ever to
leave him . After anishta nivAraNam , AzhwAr pointed
out that it was time for ishta prApthi(Moksha Sukham).
Therefore ,AzhwAr argued that the Lord should not leave , 
since His mission was not fully completed. The Lord whom 
he was addressing was the Lord of ThirumAlirum ChOlai.
These ten paasurams are moving plea to the Lord .

Fifth Paattu:Fourth Thirumozhi
*******************************
In this final Thirumozhi of his Prabhnadham ,
PeriyAzhwAr enlists the many soubhAgyams that
came his way as a result of the Lord taking
residence inside his heart lotus . The paasurams 
are addressed to ThiruvEngadamudayAn.

AzhwAr sees the fulfilment of the twin missions
of the Lord existing in Para , VyUha , Vibhava ,
archA and antharyAmi forms at Thirumalai. These
twin missions are to correct the chEthanmas and
to make those chEthanams become His servants. 
His soulabhyam (ease of access) and all other 
kalyANa GuNams play many roles in accomplishing 
His twin goals. That Lord of ThiruvEngadam feels 
uncomfortable that He has not doen enough for 
His dear devotee , PeriyAzhwAr. AzhwAr recognizes 
the agitated state of mind of the Lord and 
addresses Him to comfort Him:

" Oh My Supreme Lord! all the mOksha virOdhis 
have now been driven out . all my prayers have been
answered by You. There is nothing more to be 
done by You on my behalf.Please do not be perturbed
over the thought that You have not doen enough for me.

In the second paasuram , AzhwAr confesses :

"----------------nee yenniak koNDa pinn
piRavi yennum kadalum vaRRip perumpadham aahinrathAl
iRavu seyyum paavak Kaadu theekkoLI vEhinrathAl
aRivai yennum amudhavARu talaippaRRi vaaikkONDathE "  

(After You accepted me as Your servant , the ocean of
SamsAram has dried up ; the forest of sins have been
burnt to cinders. The nectarine river of Jn~Anam 
flows on and on). 

AzhwAr rejoices over ThiruvEngadamudayAn's DayA
and expresses his gratitude for the MahOpakAram
of the Lord of sapthagiri . He thanks the Lord
for abandoning the Milky ocean , Sri Vaikuntam and 
DwArakai  and choosing his heart lotus as His 
preferred seat of residence :

"vadataDamum Vaikunthamum mathiL dhvArApathiyum
 idavahaikaL ihazhthinttu yenn paal idavahai KoNDanayE "

Thus ends the great Prabhandham of PeriyAzhwAr 
saluting Sriman NaarAyanan as incomparable 
GuNapoornan , who showered His paripoorna 
anugraham .

PeriyAzhwAr ThiruvadigaLE Saranam 
Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan 
  
  


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