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Re: significance of sattumurai

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Sadagopan • October 25, 1998 


Dear Sriman Venkat Iyengar :

You had asked a question about SatthumuRai .My dear 
friend Sri K.Srinivasan has commented that SaatthumuRai is 
a slanged version of SaaRRu + MaRai.I hesitate to
differ from him on this important point .

The etymology of the Compound word : SaathumuRai
*************************************************
Although Vedam/maRai (both Arya and Dramida Vedam ) 
is involved/invoked  in SaatthumuRai ,
the emphasis is on muRai in this compound word 
(sAtthumuRai) refers to the order of execution or Kramam 
of reciting the Vedic , Divya Prabhandham and other texts . 
MuRai is not connected to maRai to the best of my knowledge .
It also implies the kramam in AarAdhanam (i-e), when
these texts are to be recited  during the AarAdhanam . 

SaRRU meaning the essence and sARRumurai 
meaning the essence of Vedams (maRai)
may not fully convey the meaning for this
important step in Bhagavadh AarAdhanam 
prescribed by AchArya RaamAnujA in his
Nithya Grantham , Swami Desikan and 
all the commentators of Ahnika granthams . 

When Is SaatthumuRai Performed ?
*******************************
Satthumurai or SaaRRu muRai in Sri VaishNavite 
tradition is an important one .It is performed 
at one stage of the AarAdhanam for Bhagavaan 
(viz)., PunarmanthrAsanam .In some traditions ,
it is executed in the paryankAsanam stage .
There are some differneces of opinion on
this .We can safely say that SaatthumuRai
is performed during the PunarmanthrAsanam stage 
in the spirit of AchArya RaamAnujA's recommendation
in his Nithya Grantham : " sruthi sukhai: sthOthrai:
sthutthvA ".Although Sri sannidhi Aahnika Granthams
recommend the performance of SaaRRumuRai during
the PunarmanthrAsanam stage , Sri Azhagiyasingars 
perform sARRumuRai for Sri Lakshmi Nrusimhan
during their IjyArAdahanam at the paryankAsanam 
stage . 

The Successive steps of Bhagavadh AarAdhanam
**********************************************

The seven steps of Bahgavadh AarAdhanam are :

1.AavAhanam to SvAgatham (preliminaries)
2.MantrAsanam
3.SnaanAsanam
4.AlankaarAsanam
5.BhOjyAsanam
6.PunarmanatrAsanam
7.ParyankAsanam 

By the way , Sriman Alwar has beautifully 
captured the seven steps of Bhagavadh AarAdhanam 
in the CD ROM on AchArya RaamAnujA . All of you 
would enjoy the authentic performance of 
Sriman NaarAyaNA's AarAdhanam at Melkote 
as visualized in this CD ROM , which is
reaching its final stages prior to release .
Te images , the Vedic and Divya prabhandha 
recitations in this CD ROM are a great treat
for the eyes and ears .I have written about 
the remaining work to complete this CD ROM 
yesterday and have appealed for your support 
to complete this important Kaimkaryam soon 
and make it available to all Sri VaishNavA 
households and the Aasthikaas .

PunarmanthrAsanam step and the SaatthumuRai there 
**************************************************  
The sixth step  of AarAdhanam , PunarmanthrAsanam ,
has the following substeps: PrArthanA , Argyam ,
Paadhyam , Aachamaneeyam , NeerAjanam ,
SAATTHUMURAI (Vedam and Divya Prabhandham 
Recital while the Aaardhakar places flowers 
at the feet of the Lord )and concludes with
TaambhUla samarpaNam .ParyankAsanam follows 
as the last step of AarAdhanam.

The purpose of SaatthumuRai in AarAdhanam
******************************************
SaathumuRai or SaaRRumuRai is the kramam or order of 
saluting the AchAryAs , who opened our eyes 
through blessing us with Tattva-Hitha -Purushaartha
Jn~Anam and brought us to the point of performing
ThiruvArAdhanam for the Divya Dampathis .MuRai means 
order or Kramam and not MaRai . Saatthu means 
pORRi Pukazh Paadal to express our gratitude 
duirng VrathAnushtAnams like AarAdhanam .You 
might recall ANDAL's ThiruppAvai Vaakhyam in
the third ThiruppAvai : Ohngi UlagaLandha
Uttaman pEr paadi , nAngaL namm paavaikku
saaRRi NEERaDINaL -----when She is observing 
Paavai Vratham .

"saaRRi" here is equivalent to pOrrip Paadal
blessed by ANDAL in Her mangaLAsAsanam 
(24th ThiruppAvai Paasuram ) : 

AnRivullagam aLanthAi aDi pORRi
---thiRal pORRi , ---Pukazh pORRi ,
--Kazhal pORRi , --GuNam pORRi ,
-- kayyil vEl pORRi --- 

Who is saluted during the SaatthumuRai ?
***************************************
SaatthumuRai is the offering of
the prescribed muRai of saluting 
AchAryAs and sacred texts to express our 
gratitude . We salute Maharishis , AchAryAs ,
AzhwArs and Veda Purushan by invoking their 
Sri Sookthis in front of the PrathamAchAryan,
Sriman NaarAyaNan  during His AarAdhanam .
This samarpaNam is generally referred to as 
"sEvA sARRumuRaik Kramam " in our SampradhAyam .
In elaborate AarAdhanams , nardhanam , SangItham , 
vAdhya ghOsham is presented before sAtthumuRai .

What Texts are covered in SaatthumuRai ?
***************************************

In a short version of AarAdhanam , aadhyanthams
(the beginning and the end passages) of Vedam ,
selaected Divya Prabhandhams are recited . In 
elaborate aarAdhanams on special days , excerpts
from the Vedams , Upanishads , dharma sAsthram , 
IthihAsams , PurANams , Sri AlavandhAr sthOthram , 
Sri BhAshyam , Sri rahasya traya sAram , Yathi-
rAja sapthadhi , sapthadhi rathnamAlikA ,
PaadhuhA sahasra slOkam ,PeriyAzhwAr, ANDAL , 
NammAzhwaar Paasurams, KaNNInuNN siRutthAmpu 
of Madhura Kavi AzhwAr et al are recited 
during the SaatthumuRai .

AchArya Paramparais and SaathumuRais
*************************************
There will be customizations corresponding
to the particular AchArya paramaparai .
For instance , in the  case of Sri Ahobila Matam ,
Thirumangai's paasurams on Ahobilam will take 
a high precedence . I have posted on the Sri Sannadhi
SaatthumuRai Krama SampradhAyam in an earlier posting .

V.Sadagopan