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Thiruvaai mozhi Thirunaal (Vaikuta ekadeshi 3 Day Festival)
Dear SriRanga Sri Members and Friends,
My Saastanga pranams to Namperumal Azagiya Manavalan and Sri Ranga Nachiyar,
It gives me immense pleasure as I write the events and experiences on the 3rd day of Irapathhu as our Nammazhwar gets closer to attaining Saranagadhi in the days to come.
And I am equally glad to share it all with you. On this day, our Azagiya Manavalan leaves Moolasthanam at around 12:00 pm on Purapaadu ( procession ) in his characteristic Majestic Style
which is also called Simha Gadhi or "the way of a Lion". There are'nt enough words to describe this grand magnificence of the King of Kings marching with his immense splendor.
Our Aranganthan reaches Thirumamani Aasthana mandapam at around 3:00 pm where he has alankaram and Amudha Serpa ( sweet offering ) done.
After this our Lord gives the immense bliss of his sight to all the devotees who have thronged to see him and later at around 6:45 pm we witness the Thiruvaradhanam and Ghosthi followed by
Ubhayakarar Mariyathai.
Dear friends,This festival is also called Thiruvai mozhi Thirunaal. It is also very special because this is time when our Swamy Nammazhwar attains Sarangadhi.
It has to be noted before the start of any Procession, Namperumal turns to looks at him, Emperumaanaar and Thirumangai azhwar and to make sure they are present
and as if to specifically ask Swamy Nammazhawar whether the purappadu is equivalent to what happens in Vaikuntam itself ( Nammazhwar is the only one who has seen vaikuntam )!!
On this day, the 3rd Day of Vaikundta-Ekadesi, our L
rd Ranganatha will be adorned with Diamond AAbhayahastam on his hand and the Pranavakara Vimana Padhakam on his chest. This Pranavakara Vimaana Padhakam is a necklace/chest adornment which is a representation of the Heavenly Abode, the Earth we live in, and the Unseen world. On this Vimaana Padhakam is also seen the Periya Peruma(Moolavar) lying on Adi Sesha, the unique beauty of this is all this is made out of one diamond!Hence, if one is lucky enough to have His Darshan today, it is thought to carry the weight of having been lucky enough to see both the Utsavar and Moolavar at once!
Today's pasuram paththu starts with the Nammazwhar's, where he requests the Lord to grant him to perform an eternal kaimkaryam at His Feet at Tirumala
"ozhivil kaalamellam udanaay manni/
vazhuvilaa adimai seyya vendum naam/
thezhi kural aruvith thiruvenkadatthu/
yezhil kol jothi enthai thanthai thanthaikkr/" (Thiruvaaiy mozhi)
The Emperumaan, The Most Beautiful, infinite illustrious
jothi, my father’s father’s father; He stands gracefully at Tirumala
where the waterfalls fall with thunderous noise; To such Emperumaan-
Please grant us the eternal servitude to perform all sorts of limitless
uninterrupted kaimkaryams (servitude) at all times, under all
situations.
Our Swamy Nammaazhwaar, even as an infant, was totally uninterested in the material world and its activities and was engaged in Yogic trance reflecting on the limitless auspicious attributes of our Sriman Naarayanan as he sat inside the hollow of a tamarind tree inside the temple of theLord of Thirukkuruhor. All the Dhivya Desa Emperumans presented themselves before the Azhwar and received their Mangalasasanams.
The fourth Prabhandham of Swamy NammAzhwar is revered as Thirvaimozhi. Here, Azhwar describes how his prayers for removal of Prakruthi Sambhandham were answered bythe Lord resulting in Moksha siddhi. Since this Prabhandham deals with the state that is beyond all anubhavams (the final beatitude), Swamy Desikan connects this Prabhandham with the words:
“Pinnuraitthathor thiruvaaimozhi …………..
……….. ezhilkurukai varumaaraa virangu neeyae”
I feel incomplete if i don't write some more about our Swamy Nammazhwars' speciality and greatness.Swamy NammAzhwar’s prabandhams form the essence of the Four Vedams, Upanishads and Brahma Soothrams. Since Nammazhwar belonged to the fourth varnam by birth, He could not study Vedams. As a strict observer of Varnasrama Dharmams and with the special anugraham of SrI Vishvaksrnar, third in line in our Acharya Paramparai, VedArthams were revealed to Him without going thru the route of Adhyayanam. He acquired the title of “VEDAMTAMIZH SEYTHA MAARAN”. The Aazhwar’s avataram is also an illustration of the real meaning of varnaasrama which is denigrated nowadays as unjust and irrelevant. It shows that irrespective of one’s birth one can attain moksha by saranaagathi to the Lord. Even while following the rules of study appropriate to the varna, if one is a true devotee of the Lord, He will shower all knowledge on him. This is also an answer to the proponents of throwing open sannadhi kainkaryam to all varnas.
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Let us pray that Kaari Maara Piran guide us to perform correct Saranaagathi of Nam Perumal.
Continuing on the events on 3rd day, our namperumal returns back to Moolshtanam from the Thirumamani Mandapam Purappadu. Given the cold weather of the Margazhi maasam, our Lord is covered by a thin shawl
called Koraa ( which has a Muslim origin) as if to protect him from the cold. After his while the soft strumming of the strings of the Veena fill the cool night air, our Lod Ranganatha makes his way back to his inner abode in the most beautiful Veena Ekantha seva.
Thus concludes the 3rd Iraapathhu day of the celebration, we will continue on to the 4rth day tomorrow. May we pray to our Lord Aranganathan to bring prosperity to the world and peace in the lives of all.
Vachakam dosham Kshamikkam.
Please forgive Adiyen's misinterpretations or mistakes.
Adiyen Dasan
Narasimhabhattar
