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Thiru viN Nagaram - part 6 - vAmanan adiyinai maruvuvarE

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sampath Rengarajan • July 25, 1997 


Four azwars have delivered their pAsurams on this Lord of thiru viN
nagaram. Of which thirumangai have delivered 30 pAsurams with
uncomparable references to thiruvikrama avathAram. When pEy azhwAr
referred to viN Nagram inhis 62 nd pAsuram he lists vin Nagaram first
prior to other divya dEsams and say that the kalyAna gunAs of Lord
thiruvikraman who folded HIS palms to receive the kamandala jalam from
king mahAbali and therey by accpet the yAga dhAnam and claimed the
"title" over all of us legally from there on. There are 2 different
kamandala jalams here that paved way for this proclamation of ownership
over all jivans who have ever since been created and thrived on this
earth.  First the kamandala jalam of King mahAbali washed his hands
while the second one the kamandal jalam of brahma washed HIS holy feet.
This reminds one of the thirumanchana sEvai at this temple.  At the
outset, all the three azhwars unmistakably quotes that this Lord is
thiruvikraman HIMself and none other than HIM.


Poygai aazhwaar

vEnkadamum "viNNagarum vehhaavum
akkaatha poongidankil
neeL kOval ponnagarum
naankidaththum ninRaan irunthaan.

Here aazwaar confirms this SriVaikuNdan in Ninra sayanam

PEy aazhwaar

paNdellaam vEnkadam paaRkadal vaikuntham
koNdaaNG kuRaivaarkku "kOil pOl"
vaNdu vaLankiLaru neeL sOlai vaN poonkadaigai
iLankumaran than "viNNagar".

Here azhwaar confirms that he is ever young and always present

The first pAsuram of thirumangai that was delivered after nammAzhwar's
last pAsuram in chronology catch up with the chronology of events of
vAmana avathAram as well. ie ., this pAsuram explains the events as the
second feet of the Lord raised above, to be placed on viN ulagam.


"paNdai nam vinai keda enRu thoNdarum amaraum paNiya ninRu
andmOdu oR agalidam aLanthavanE"

(please forgive me for erros as I am writing thsi from the way I
chanht it)

Thirumangai aalwaar expresses in three decades, all the attributes of
this Lord and assures  that he does not want his samsaaram if this Lord
will not bless him with HIS grace.

ANdAy unaik kANbathOr "arUL" enakku arULithiyEl vEdEn maNai vAzhk
kaiyai viNNagar mEyavanE

	"Thiruvadi" worship is the most revered form of our worship for
realized and alike srivaishnavaas. After booLogam was measured and
acquired for one foot of land, it is stated that during vaamana
avathaaram all the dEvaas and anthanaas and thoNars and amarars of
vaaNulagam were standing ready with utmost respect for the thiruvadi
sEvai, so that "all" their "vinais" will be washed away by this instant
the feet is placed on their world. It is said that they have been
waiting for this moment fot yugAs. Aazhwaar sings this in his paasurm
"paNdai nam vinai keda" enRu andarum amararum paNiya ninRu". Brahmaa
washed the Lord's feet and performed abishEkam and worshiped the feet
when it entered the sathyaLogam.  The holy water or kamandala jalam
that washed Lord's feet became several folded and fell on earth as
many holy rivers and theerththams (eg
silambAru of thirumAL irum sOlai) and one of the main one was "Ganges"
or gangai. The flower on this thirup paatham was later seen on the head
of Shivaa after these steps were placed. Srivaishnavas are unable to
accpet from this fact that Shiva can be equated to Lord Vishnu in
anyway.  Since Shiva himself was doing a penance to receive this flowers
and blessings from Lord Vishnu during this instant how can he be an
equivalent entity to Lord Vishu or adhimoolam ?

	Since this place of oppiliappan kOil is known as "viNNagar"
ie.. vaan ulagam, this feet is same as it was placed on the viNNulagam
and has the effect of cleansing the sins of even dEvaas. Among all
thiruvadis everyone knows that Sri Vaamanan's thiruvadi is the best to
worship as it was uniquely sought by everyone including Shivaa and
Brahmaa and dEvaas. King Bali was granted mOksham by this thiruvadi (ie
will attain at the end of his desires get fulfilled). Thirumangai
emphasises that one will get the same effect of surrendering to vAmanAs
thiruvadi here when they worship this Lord with those paasurams.

	Similar to boolOgam,  the moment the lord placed HIS holy feet
on the vinnagaram HE is also the owner of the vinnulagam (as promised
in yagaa thaanam by maahaa bali) and such is the vyOma pureesan. i.e.
(lord oppiliappan is the only Lord who is addressed as vyOma pureesan)
the Lord of ether world or aakaasa ulagam or viNNulagam. One should
also note that "thiru Onam" i.e. the star sravanam, (i.e. the star of
Lord Vishnu) is celebrated in kerala to commemorate King Baali's exit.
It is believed that Lord Vamanan appeared on day of this star as
similar to Lord Oppiliappan and took thiruvikrama avathaaram and
established dharma. Hence it is derived that Lord Oppiliappan and Lord
thiruvikarama (owners of viNNulagam) are the same and the holy feet of
them are the same. It is also conceived that doing thirumanchanam (like
how Lord Brahma did with his kamandal theerththam and Ganges,
silambaaRu etc unfolded from it) and consuming thirumanchana thErththam
will clear all our sins. This thirumanchan sEvai is the most desirable
sevai one can do when they visit this kshEthram. Currently there is a
nominal fee of around Rs 2250 for performing the thirumanchanam and the
temple administration arranges for all the necessary supplies including
milk and panchAmirtham for thirumanchanam.  We always used to take an
additional of 25 (twenty five) litres of milk and honey for the same.
We also used to take a set of new vasthram each time we perform
thirmanchanam for the Lord. One has to book in advance for the same.
Ofcourse it has been the Temple management policy lately that
thirumanchanams are not performed on sravanam days to accomodate the
other important aspects of sravanam day worshipping.

Thirumangai finally assures that those woprship this lord realising the
inner meanings of these pAsurams will attain the effects of worshipping
vAmana's thiruvadi.

Sri Boomidevi samEtha Sri Opppiliappan thiruvadikaLE charaNam
Sampath Rengarajan