Periyazhwar-Parathva nirnayam and Vaibhavam.
From the Bhakti List Archives
• June 29, 1999
Last week Periyazhwar's Thirunakshatram was celebrated on thursday 24rth
june.At Srivilliputtur Periyazhwar would have taken a ride on his
"chinna ther" on 24rth.I would just like to list a few thoughts that
i had gathered from a book on Andal and listened about Periyazhwar
from a bhagavatha.(Anything useful and correct in the matter below
is due to the information provided by the book and the points
of the bhagavatha.All errors and misinterpretations are MINE alone)
Mithune Swathijanma Vishnorathamasyam Dhanvinahpure
Prapadye svasuram Vishnoha Vishnuchittam Parassikam
( I surrender to Vishnuchittar ,known as periyazhwar born in the
month of Ani ,constellation of Swathi as the mount of Vishnu,amsam
of Periya Thiruvadi at Srivilliputtur(Dhanvinahpuram) in a poorvashikha
Brahmin family who became the father in law of the lord.)
At the court of vallabhabhadeva pandyan he firmly and comprehensively
established once and for all times the supreme nature of Lord
Sriman Narayana using pala aiyira vakyams from vedas,smrithi,Itihasam,
puranam and other pramanams that the entire audience was firmly convinced
about Lord Narayana's parathvam and the entire group of learned Vidwans
fell at his feet and proclaimed Vishnuchittar as their leader and
gave the title "Bhattarpiraan".We can imagine what an exposition it
should have been which transformed a group of learned and hardcore
opponents of Sriman Narayana being the Supreme being into those
who became his followers immediatly after the Urai being totally
convinced about Sriman Narayana's Supreme Nature.Some of the
points that he is supposed to have mentioned are
1.The first syllable of "omkar" AKARAM represents the parabrahmam
Sriman Narayana.
2.The sruthi mentions that one should meditate on this "omkar".
3."Akaram " is the moola aksharam for everything.
4.Once Brahma made a pradakshinam of Lord Narayana saying "There
is no sastram superior to the Vedas.There is no god superior
to Sriman Narayana."
5.The ashtakshara mantram which denotes Sriman Narayana's Parathvam
is superior to all the manthrams.
After the Thiruppalandu Vaibhavam at Madurai Sri Periyazhwar
blessed Vallabhadeva Pandyan with the ESSENCE of Thiruppalandu
"By leading a life completely engaged in singing the glory of
Emperuman and doing service(kaimkaryam) to emperuman and his devotees
(adiyars) is the sure way to earn HIS grace and reach HIM"
What a rare anugraham for periyazhwar to be chosen as the father
of Kothai(Bhooma devi) by emperuman! When boomi piratti had to take
an avatharam Emperuman decided Vishnuchittar to be right choice under whose
care he could leave Bhoomi Piratti among all his GREAT devotees
in the Kali yugam.Janaka maharaja got this honur in the tretha
yugam.
Periyazhwar also has the rare previlege of
perhaps being the ONLY AZHWAR TO SHARE THE SIMMASANAM WITH PERUMAL AND
PIRATTI in a nithya thirukkolam of a temple.At Srivilliputtur
Ranganatha perumal appears as Rangamannar with a 'senkol' in
his hand with his piriya nayaki Andal on the right and
Periyazhwar on the left with his arms across his chest always
ready for kaimkaryam at the Andal Thirukovil.
Periyazhwar spent his last years at Thirumaalirumsolai and
attained paramapadam there.His intention of Nitya kaimkaryam
to Emperuman was TO ALWAYS SING PALLANDU FOR PERUMAL(at Vaikuntam)
Periyazhwar Thiruvadigale saranam
adiyen
Setaloor Sendalangaradasan
Venkat S Iyengar
*PS- I have added more information on Andal and Periyazhwar in the
redesigned website(with around 50 pages and 20 pics) on
SRIVILLIPUTTUR .Information on festivals and nearby shrines has
also been added which can be accesed at
www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/7673