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SRI OPPILIAPPAN BHAGAVAT VISHAYAM

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • Wed Mar 13 1996 - 19:09:39 PST 


DEAR MEMBERS OF THE PRAPATTI GTOUP:

Oppilappan (Oppilaa Appan ) Koil is known as 
Thiru ViNNagar or Vaikuntapuri. Here , on the 
banks of AhOratra Pushkarani, the Lord Of Vaikuntam 
stands under Suddhaananda Vimanam with his bride
Bhoomi Devi. Four Azhwaars have dedicated 47 Pasurams 
to him and have received His Anugraham. He blesses us even
today  with His " Panchaavataaram" or five forms (Viz)., Hema
(Ponnappan ), Muktha (Mutthappan ), Mani (Maniappan ), 
Vyoma Pureesan  ( ViNNagarappan ) and Matpathi: (Ennappan ).
One of His MangaLa slokam recognizes him in the tradition 
followed by Nammazhwaar as the one , who reconciles Tattvams,
which normally are not reconcilable. This verse is the essence of 
Nammazhwaar"s ten moving Paasurams :

GATAYITHREH DURGATAANAAM SAMAAHARTHREH CHA SAMPADHAAM I
VINIHANTREH CHA VIPADHAAM MAHEEBHARTHREH ASTHU MANGALAM II

Hail to the Lord , who unites those that are polar opposites, who blesses
one with immense Eisvaryam (moksham ), who wards off all dangers that 
the Prapanna encounters. Hail to that Lord,
who is the Consort of Sri Bhoomi Devi.

Swami Desikan in his Tatparya RatnaavaLi summed up brillaintly
the ten verses of Nammazhwaar this way  and offered his MangaLaasAsanam
to Sri Vaikunta Naathan of Oppiliappan Koil:

SAMPAT DHAARIDRYA BHAAVAAT 
ASUKASUKAKRUTEH: PATTANA GRAAMA BHAAVAAT  
PUNYAAPUNYAADHI BHAAVAAT KAPATARUCHUTAYAA
SARVALOKAADHI BHAVAAT  I
DIVYAADIVYANGAVATVAAT 
SURADHITIJAGANA 
SNIGDHA CHATRUTVA KEERTHYAA 
CHAAYAACCHAYAADHI BHAAVAAT  AAGATITHA GATANAM 
PRAAHA KRISHNAM SATAARI : II

Here, Swami Desikan summarizes tersely the Bhagavad 
Anubhavam of Nammaazhwaar at this Divya Desam. He says:
Thiruvinnagarappan is the antharyaami of opposing concepts (Dvandhvam) 
such as poverty-wealth, sorrow-happiness and  paapam-punyam. 
He rules over both the city and the village . He is the antharyami
and reconciler of polar opposites such as Kapatam and righteousness.
He is the indweller of all chetanas and Achetanas . He has the splenderous 
lustre and yet  has even the lowly worlds as a part of his body .He is the
unfailing
protector of the Prapannas and destroys those , who cause harm to his 
Bhakthaas. He is of the form of both the cooling shade and the scorching heat 
and thus  has the unique power to unite normally  irreconcilable tattvaas.
Swami Desikan echoes the statement of Nammazhwaar that the Lord is 
both Nimmittam and Upaadhaanam, he is both Praapyam and Praapakan.
He is one adorable principle that has spread in many ways and shines in
every corner of His universe.
 
In Thiruvinnagar Kshetram, He hurried to appear before Nammazhwaar ,
who was about abandon him out of anger at the Lord for being insensitive to 
his request to give him Darsanam. Our Lord could not bear with the thought of 
losing His Parama Bhaktha and rushed to his side and made the Azhwaar
enjoy HIS  Ananta Kalyaana Gunas and HIS unmatchable beauty. The Azhwaar
felt thoroughly appeased and specially blessed and declared :

ENNAPPAN ENAKKAYIGULAAI ENNAI PERRAVALAAI
PONNAPPAN MANIAPPAN MUTTHAPPANENAPPANUMAAI
MINNAPPONMADHIL SOOZH THIRUVINNAGAR SERNDA aPPAN 
TANNOPPAARILLAPPAN TANTANAN TANATHAAL NIZHALEH 

Azhwaar describes the Lord as Panchavataaran here and states that  the Lord 
travelled to Thiruvinnagar in search of him  to remove his dejection and 
united with him and gave him the comforting and cool shade of his lotus 
feet as his solace and refuge.

Three years ago, a small group of us formed a Kainkarya Sabha and pledged 
to have a samarpanam of a  Ratnangi for Ponnappan, the Uthsava Moorthy.
Many Aasthikaas and devotees of Sri Oppilappan helped me raise funds from 
here to add to the amount collected in India. Approximately 6  lakhs of rupeees 
were collected . Bulk came from a group of ladies of Madras  singing Azhwaar
Paasurams  
& Swami Desikan"s sthotraas, Desika Prabhandham. This group went to many houses
on
auspicious days and sang these sacred works and collected money.The Kainkryam
is now close to completion. Only the Makutam needs inlay with 180 plus  precious
stones.
Special gold smiths from Naagar Koil have undertaken this complex task 
of inlaying precious stones on the Makutam. The Kainkaryam could  be completed 
in two months' time with His blessings.

There is a last hurdle that this group in India is facing. They need
approximately 
$1,800 to pay for the remaining stones and labor for the Final stage of
completing 
this Kainkaryam. . Each of the  gem stones  will shine for ages to come and
show us the way to his Sacrd feet. My first thought was to collect the amount
from 
two or three  devotees of Sri Oppilippan and  help in the completion of the last

stage of this Once-in-a -life time Kainkaryam. My nex tthought was to brief you 
on this opportunity and suggest that those, who wish to be part of this rare 
kainkaryam can join in with a modest contribution and be linked with one or 
more of the precious stones that are going to adorn the Makutam as Sirorathnam. 
The souvenir that is being prepared will include the name of all the
contributors.
Any small amount will be welcome . Both Rengarajan and Myself will contribute 
the rest to make up the needed sum. Sri Jagaanath can help us get the money 
reach Oppilliappan Kainkarya Sabhaa and get some tax benefits. Alternatively,
you
can send it to me . I am a Vice President of the  Oppiliappan kainkarya Sabha. 
Please do not mind my bringing this rare opportunity to participate in the 
Ratnaangi kainkaryam of the Lord and to  receive His Paripoorna Anugrahams.

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan.