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Tirumangai's pasurams on Manimadakkoil

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Velukkudi Krishnan • June 14, 1999 


Fm : Velukkudi Krishnan.
12th June 99.

Astika Agresaras,
Adiyen saw the explanation to Tirumangai alwars pasurams on Manimadakkoil. 
Great.Let me add to it. The first song starts as "NandA VilakkE 
Alatharkariyay ". Alwar enjoys the ArchA murthy as Gajendra varada in the 
first few songs. This divyadesam is the first among the Tirunangoor 
divyadesams to be sung by Alwar.

Tirunangoor is NAngai or NAgapuri - this is known so because the elephant 
IrAvatam worshipped the Lord here. The episode of another elephant(Gajendra) 
is described in the verses.  One should note a wonderful connection here. As 
saviour of Gajendra, the Lord came on Garuda Vahana. During the 11 Garuda 
seva festival conducted here annually, all the Garudas and the deities on 
them assemble in this DivyadEsam only. This is a feast for our eyes.

Now coming to the importance of the words "NandA VilakkE Alatharku ariyAy". 
NandA vilakku means AnayA vilakku or Akhanda Deepa - denotes the 
SwayamprakAsa GnAna of the Lord. Alatharku ariyay means - one who cannot be 
measured / limited with the yardsticks of Place , time or object, as he is 
omnipresent. His Guna and Vibhooti also cannot be limited.

These words of alwar is just a word to word translation of Vedanta - says 
KooratAlwan.  Sastra says "Satyam Gnanam Anantam Brahma". Here we can say 
"vedam tamil seyda parakalan". Satyam = nandA, Gnanam = VilakkE Anantam = 
Alatharku ariyAy. Satyam means - the Lord remains always the same 
(Sadaikaroopam) in his self being (swaroopam) and Gunas. This is explained 
by nandA. Gnanam means - self illusioned (swayamprakasa) in swaroopam and 
gunAs - this is explained by vilakke. Anantam means - limitless in swaroopa, 
guna, and roopa - this is explained by alatharku ariyAy. All these meanings 
of the sanskrit words are the meanings of the tamil words used by AlwAr.

Tirumangai AlwAr tiruvadigalE Saranam.
PeriavachAn pillai tiruvadigalE Saranam.
KoorathAlwan tiruvadigalE Saranam.