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Re: Riot of Colours: /maNi/vaNNan -- I

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Visu9 • September 28, 2002 


/Om namO nArAyaNAya ||

I am reposting herewith the delightful posting of Shri Sadagopan Iyengar on colors of the Lord. There are two words in the posting, which seem mysterious. My purpose is to explore their meanings.

In his posting, Sri Sadagopan Iyengar uses the expression /maNi/vaNNan to refer to the Lord. It is used more than once. One of the references is /tiru/maGkai aZvAr's pAcuram, where the Lord is referred to as having /maNiyin vaNNam puraiyum tiru/mEni: Having a venerable body with the colors of /maNi. 

/maNi is a precious jewel, possibly a diamond stone. The British have wiped our non-renewable wealth so completely that the experience of seeing an authentic /maNi is lost to all of us. This is my belief. Often, the expression /maNi/vaNNan is perceived as the blue colors of /maNi, a kind of diamond whose imitation form is a hallowed tube like jewel. The authentic /maNi-s are with the British Crown, the famous /kOhinoor being one of them.

There is no doubt that the name /maNI/vaNNan refers only to Lord /vishNu. Even though /aruNa/kiri/nAtar refers to Lord Sri /murukan as /maNI/vaNNan, he uses it in a local sense. Globally, the word is used only for Lord /tiru/mAl. Like the words, /sUrya/nArAyaNan and /candra/mauli the word /maNi/vaNNan is also exclusive.

The color of gold is not so exclusive. We have the famous /ponnAr mEniyanE of Sri Sundarar.  Also /citamparam is called /ponn/ampalam. 

But the word /maNi/vaNNan enjoys a uniqueness, and is hardly  contested! 

Thus it is natural to ask what does the word /maNi/vaNNan mean? Why is it exclusive to Lord /tiru/mAl? What is the form of Sriman /nArAyaNan that the name represents? 

The answers are difficult, and can be polymic, even though in a pleasant way. I will attempt to explore its meaning. Memebers will, I am sure, add to the repertoire of meanings.

With these in mind, may I let you first enjoy the colorful Lord as posted by Sri Sadagopan Iyengar.

I will continue my thoughts in my next posting. Thank you for your attention and patience.

/nalan/taruJ collai nAn kaNtu/koNtEn; nArAyaNA ennum nAmam.

Visu



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