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MaNavaala maamunigaL's thirunakshattiram

From the Bhakti List Archives

Thirumalai Anandanpillai • November 5, 1997 


Dear bhaagawathaas,

As all of you know, yesterday was the thirunakshatiram of
Sri. MaNavaaLa maamunigaL.

This day brings back memories of the utsavams that are done in
all the divya dEsams for MaNavaaLa maamunigaL. It is a big
utsavam in Aazhwaar thirunagari & Srirangam. In Kanchipuram,
maNavaaLa maamunigaL's thirunakshattiram is probably the most
well attended utsavam, next only to the brahmOtsavam.
For 10 days leading to aippasi moolam, the utsavam takes
place in the maNavaala maamunigaL sannadhi in the temple. The
prabhandham is recited completely by the gOshti during the 10 days.

On the final day of the thirunakshattira utsavam, Varadharaajar
comes to the sannadhi and does mariyaadhai to MaNavaaLa maamunigaL.
There is a patthivilOththal (to crudely translate - taking a
short walk) just outside the sannadhi, and the Lord goes into the
sannadhi. As in any other 10 day utsavam, on the final day, the 10th
century of thiruvaaymozhi is recited in the gOsti, with the
saaRRumarai paasurams being the last two paasurams of
thiruvaaymozhi - soozhnda kanraazhndhu uyarndha and avaavarachchoozh.
Then the thiruppaavai saRRumarai is done. By the time all this is
over, it will be about 2 in the night. Everyone in town will be at
the sannadhi even though it is so late in the night - Such is the
love and affection that sriVaishnavaas have for this beloved aachaaryan.

On this occasion, I would like to share the the history behind the
sreesailEsa dayaapaatram dhaniyan, which is thaniyan to
MaNavaaLa maamunigaL, and which is recited at the beginning and
end of all prabhandham gOshtis by many SriVaishnavaas.

MaNavaaLa maamunigaL was living in Srirangam, perforrming kainkaryam
to the Lord, and giving education to sishyaas. At this time,
periya perumaaL summoned MaNavaaLa maamunigaL and did the niyamanam
that MaNavaaLa maamunigaL do upanyaasam of the eedu muppathu
aaraayirappadi vyaakhyaanam of thiruvaaymozhi  in the periya
thirumandapam in the temple. MaNavaaLa maamunigaL took this niyamanam
as a prasaadham from the Lord and started the upanyaasam.

The upanyaasam lasted 1 full year. Periya perumaal, piraatti,
thiru anandhaazhwaan, periya thiruvadi, sri sEnaapathiyaazhwaan,
nammaazhwaar, the other aazhwaars and other nityasooris in
SriVaikuntam were among the audience for this upanyaasam. The
history is that all the utsavams for the Lord in Srirangam was
stopped for this year so that the eedu upanyaasam could be done
without any interruption.

On the last day of the upanyaasam, when nammaazhwaar ended with
the vyaakhyaanams for the last sentence in thiruvaaymozhi -
'mudindha avaavil andhaadhi ippaththu arindhaar piRandhaar uyarndhE',
periya perumaaL appeared before the gOshti as a small boy - about
5 years in age and with folded hands before maNavaaLa maamunigaL
gave this dhaniyan to the world -

sreesailEsa dayaapaatram dheepakthyaadhi gunaarnavam,
yatheendrap praVanam vandhE ramyajaa maataram munim.

Our poorvaachaaryaas say that periya  perumaaL was saddened by the
fact that even though He, in His vibhavaa avathaarams had aachaaryans,
He felt that none had the aachaarya guNa poorthi that He expected.
After listening to MaNavaaLa maamunigaL's eedu upanyaasam for a year,
He felt that MaNavaaLa maamugaL had the aachaarya guna poorththi
and the kurai of not having learnt under a sadhachaaryan
was now gone. So, He wanted to give a dhaniyan for this aachaaryan.

This dhaniyan is recited every day before and after the prabhandham
by Srivaishnavaas throughout the world.

I will end this posting with the vaazhi thirunaamam for
maNavaaLa maamunigaL -

vaazhi thiruvaaymozhippiLLai maadhavagaal
vaazhum manavaaLa maamunivan - vaazhiyavan
maaRan thiruvaaymozhip poRuLai - maanilaththOr
thErumpadi uraikkumseer

seyya thaamaraith thaaLinai vaazhiyE
sElai vaazhi thirunaabhi vaazhiyE
thuyya maarbum puri noolum vaazhiyE
sundharath thiruththOlinai vaazhiyE
kayyum endhiya mukkOlum vaazhiyE
kaRunai pongiya kaNNinai vaazhiyE
poyyilaadha maNavaaLa maamuni pundhi vaazhi
   pugazh vaazhi vaazhiyE

adiyaargaL vaazha aranga nagar vaazha
sadagOpan thaN thamizh nool vaazha
kadal soozhndha maNNulagam vaazha
maNavaaLa maamuniyE! innum oru nooRRaandu irum.

ippuviyil arangEsarkku eedu aLiththaan vaazhiyE,
ezhil thiruvaaymozhippiLLai iNai adiyOn vaazhiyE,
aippasiyil thirumoolath avathariththaan vaazhiyE,
aravarasap perunsOdhi anandhan enRum vaazhiyE,
eppuviyum seesailam Eththa vandhOn vaazhiyE,
Eraarum ethiraasar enavudhiththAn vaazhiyE,
muppurinool maNivadamum mukkOl thariththaan vaazhiyE,
moodhaRavan MaNavaaLa maamunivan vaazhiyE.

srimate ramyajAmAtr munIndrAya mahAtmane
srirangavAsine bhUyAt nityaSrIr nitya mangaLam


aazhvaar emperumaanaar jeeyar thiruvadigaLe saraNam,

Thirumalai Anandanpillai Varadhan