thiruppANAzhwAr

sri:
srimathE rAmAnujAya nama:
srimadh varavaramunayE nama:
sri vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:

thirunakshathram: kArthigai, rOhiNi

avathAra sthalam: uraiyUr

AchAryan: vishwaksEnar

Works: amalanAdhipirAn

Place where he attained paramapadham: srIrangam

It is explained in pUrvAchArya charithram that ALavandhAr had special attachment towards thiruppANAzhwAr who is also known muni vAhanar.

periyavAchAn piLLai, azhagiya maNavALa perumAL nAyanAr and vEdhAnthAchAryar have written beautiful vyAkyAnams for AzhwAr’s amalanAdhipirAn prabhandham.

azhagiya maNavALa perumAL nAyanAr wonderfully glorifies the greatness of thiruppANAzhwAr in his vyAkyAna avathArikai (introduction). Let us see that now.

mudhalAzhwArs are focussed on srIman nArAyaNan’s parathvam (supremacy) and also touched upon his archAvathAram. kulasEkarAzhwAr is focussed on srIrAma anubhavam like srI vAlmIki bhagavAn and also engaged in archAvathAram.  Like vEdha vyAsa bhagavAn, nammAzhwAr, periyAzhwAr and ANdAL are focussed on krishNa anubhavam and also enjoyed archAvathAram. thirumazhisai AzhwAr is focussed on dhEvathAnthara parathva nirasanam (removing any thought of attachment towards other dhEvathais as supreme) and also engaged in archAvathAram. thirumangai AzhwAr is focussed on all archAvathAram emperumAns by visiting each one of them and glorifying them. But he also constantly inter-exchanged vibhava avathArams (srI rAman, krishNan, etc) and archAvathArams at various places. thoNdaradippodi AzhwAr fully engaged in enjoying periya perumAL (srI ranganAthan) but at the same time, in his pAsurams, he showed his own limitations, engaged in upadhEsam for others, etc.

thiruppANAzhwAr being in a totally different level than other AzhwArs, is fully focussed on enjoying archAvathAra emperumAn alone, that too periya perumAL. Since katavalli (upanishadh) declares archAvathAram is the complete manifestation of emperumAn, AzhwAr engaged in simply glorifying periya perumAL.

Just like krishNan gave divine eyes to arjunan and showed him his viswarUpam and like he attracted akrUrar, mAlAkArar, etc by showing his beauty, magnanimity, etc., periya perumAL even though being in archA samAdhi (where he does not interact with ordinary people), he showed AzhwAr his beauty and AzhwAr at once enjoys it through out the divine form of periya perumAL.

Since AzhwAr was born in panchama kulam, naichyam (humility) is janma sidhdham (natural by birth). So, he did not have to assume naichyam like other AzhwArs since he naturally had it. He himself considers himself as outside four varNams (as panchama) and periya perumAL also considers himself as outside four varNams (as nithyasUri).

Just like thiruvadi (hanuman) declared to srI rAman that he wants to constantly be immersed in rAma anubhavam and did not want to even go to paramapadham, AzhwAr also only wanted to be immersed in periya perumAL‘s anubhavam and nothing else.

Because of his greatness, just like srI rAman sent sugrIva mahArAjar to bring srI vibhIshaNAzhwAn over to him, periya perumAL sends srI lOka sAranga mahAmuni to bring AzhwAr over to periya kOil. When srI lOka sAranga mahAmuni invites AzhwAr, AzhwAr out of humility refuses to enter the kshEthram. So, mahAmuni then insists him and carries him on his shoulders and brings him over to periya perumAL. AzhwAr sings 9 pAsurams of his dhivya prabhandham amalanAdhipirAn on the way and completes the 10th pAsuram inside the main sannidhi in srIrangam and at once reaches the divine abode of paramapadham to be with paramapadhanAthan and all the nithyas/mukthas eternally glorifying him.

We have already seen mAmunigaL‘s glorification of AzhwAr in http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/10/archavathara-anubhavam-thiruppanazhwar.html.

With this in mind, let us see his charithram now.

thiruppANAzhwAr’s charithram starts with uraiyUr kamala valli nAchiyAr charithram (since they both are born in this dhivyadhEsam).

It is said that whoever breathes cauvEri river’s air, they will get mOksham – what to speak about the ones who live on the banks of that river. nichuLApuri (uraiyUr) is one such kingdom on the banks of cauvEry which had great temples, palaces, etc. There was a king named chOLa bhUpathi coming in sUrya vamsam who was ruling very virtuously. Like srI mahAlakshmi appeared from samudhra rAjan (king of kShIrAbdhi), nILA dhEvi (consort of paramapadhanAthan) appears as uraiyUr nAchiyAr as the daughter of dharmavarmA who is very attached to namperumAL (srI ranganAthan). She grew up always contemplating on namperumAL and once she became matured, she went to a garden in the kingdom. At that time namperumAL arrives at the same place for hunting. Seeing him, uraiyUr nAchiyAr becomes greatly attached and informs her father that she would marry only namperumAL. dharmavarmA, greatly joyed hearing that, goes to namperumAL and informs that to him. namperumAL being very pleased to hear that, accepts that and orders him to arrange for the wedding. A grand wedding happens, where dharmavarmA gives uraiyUr nAchiyAr to namperumAL like janakarAjan gave sIthA pirAtti to srI rAman. The king gives great wealth to namperumAL as srIdhanam and continues ruling the kingdom.

At that time, thiruppANAzhwAr appears on kArthigai, rOhiNi in panchama kulam as some one who has performed all his duties (and have no more obligations to any one). Looking at his glories, it is said by garuda vAhana pandithar in dhivya sUri charitham that he is like the srIvathsam (divine mole on srIman nArAyaNan’s chest) – though all AzhwArs are hand-picked by emperumAn from samsAram and divinely blessed by him with blemishless knowledge.

jAyamANam hi purusham yam pachyEN madhusUdhaNa:
sAthvikassa thu vijnYEyas sa vai mOkshArththa chiNthaka:

ஜாயமாநம் ஹி புருஷம் யம் பச்யேந் மதுஸூதந:
ஸாத்விகஸ்ஸ து விஜ்ஞேயஸ் ஸ வை மோக்ஷார்த்த சிந்தக:

When madhusUdhanan emperumAn blesses a jIvAthmA during
his birth, he will be born with pure sathva guNam. Such jIvAthmA will be fully focussed on mOksham only.

As said in the above slOkam in mahAbhAratham, as emperumAn blesses AzhwAr during his birth, he was born with pure sathva guNam and was like nAradha bhagavAn (who had great attachment towards emperumAn and is constantly glorifying him) and like nampAduvAn (one who was engaged in singing and glorifying thirukkurungudi nambi) who relieved the brahma rakshas (brAhmaNa who became a rAkshasa) from all of his sins as explained in kaisika purANam. From his glories, it looked like a nithya sUri took birth to specifically sing and glorify emperumAn. Following varNAshrama dharmam, without stepping into srIrangam, everyday, he stays in the south side of the river and facing srI ranganAthan, as some one fully surrendered to srIman nArAyaNan who has sudharshana chakram on his right hand, constantly sings and glorifies periya perumAL with great natural emotions. periya perumAL also enjoys AzhwAr’s singing and glorification with great pleasure.

Once, srI lOka sAranga mahAmuni arrives to the place where AzhwAr is present to bring thIrtham (water) for kainkaryam. He sees AzhwAr being fully immersed in anubhavam, but considering his birth, he asks him to move away so that he can fetch water. AzhwAr being immersed in bhagavath anubhavam, does not hear/realize mahAmuni’s words. mahAmuni throws a stone towards AzhwAr which hits him on his forehead and blood starts oozing out. Realizing his action, AzhwAr at once feels very bad for interrupting mahAmuni’s kainkaryam, asks for forgiveness and moves away quickly. lOka sAranga mahAmuni then bathes, performance his nithya karmAnuushtAnams and brings water for periya perumAL kainkaryam also along with chathram (umbrella), chAmaram (fan), mELam (drum), thALam, etc (as it is customary do so while bring thIrtham for emperumAn). periya perumAL being distressed with lOka sAranga muni’s action, nAchiyAr asks perumAL “How can we allow pAN perumAL (as AzhwAr is affectionately called) to be outside our sannidhi?”, periya perumAL at once shuts his sannidhi doors and with anger asks lOka sAranga muni “How can you do this to my dear devotee?”. lOka sArangar realizes his mistake immediately and is upset with himself very much.  He then asks periya perumAL “I have done this great bhAgavatha apachAram (offense). How can I be saved from this great mistake?”. periya perumAL replies out of great mercy towards pAN perumAL and his total independence (of not anyone being able to question him) that “You now go and bring him her by carrying him on your shoulders with great devotion” in his dream that night. lOka sArangar wakes up early in the morning and thinks that this day is a great day for him as akrUra thought “adhyamE sapalam jaNma suprabhAthA cha mE NichA” (அத்யமே ஸபலம் ஜந்ம ஸுப்ரபாதா ச மே நிசா) meaning Today my life became meaningful and it is a great dawn for me today when kamsan asked him to go and bring balarAman/krishNan to mathurA. He went to the cauvery river along with pure hearted devotees, took bathe and performed his nithyAnushtAnams.

As said in “sudhUramapi gaNdhavyam yathra bhAgavathas sthitha:” (ஸுதூரமபி கந்தவ்யம் யத்ர பாகவதஸ் ஸ்தித:)  meaning even if a bhAgavatha is staying in a far away place, one should go to him (and serve him),  lOka sAranga muni goes to thiruppANAzhwAr who is standing farther away from srIrangam. AzhwAr is facing the direction of srIrangam which is covered with beautiful gardens, etc and glorifying srI ranganAthan. lOka sAranga muni falls at the lotus feet of AzhwAr and requests him to enter srIrangam as per the orders of namperumAL. AzhwAr refuses and says he is taken a very lowly birth, not being born in the chatur varNam and is unfit to place his lotus feet in srIrangam. srI lOkasAranga muni, at once says, “Oh yes! You cannot keep your lotus feet on srI rangam, but you can certainly climb my shoulders and I can carry you directly to srI ranganAthan. I insist you do so according to periya perumAL‘s orders”. AzhwAr being totally surrendered to bhagavAn and bhAgavathAs, unable to refuse periya perumAL and lOka sArangar’s words, accepts those words and begins contemplating emperumAn’s most merciful favours for him and gives up all responsibilities and submits to lOka sAranga muni. srI lOka sAranga mahAmunI, being overjoyed, lifts AzhwAr up and places him on his shoulders and carries him towards srI rangam just like AdhivAhikars (the ones who lead jIvAthmA during their final journey towards paramapadham) bring the jIvAthmAs who are becoming mukthas to the thirumAmaNi mandapam (divine mandapam decorated with divine jewels where paramapadhanAthan is seated with his dhivya mahishIs and nithyasUris).

Note: This charithram is shown beautifully by azhagiya maNavALa perumAL nAyanAr in AchArya hrudhayam – 85th chUrNikai.

lOka sAranga mahAmuni, thiruppANAzhwAr, namperumAL

periya perumAL manifests his divine form which is shown to nithyasUris in front of AzhwAr and AzhwAr starts reciting amalanAdhipirAn with beautiful music from his divine vINai and sings 9 pAsurams outside the sannidhi. Once he enters the sannidhi of periya perumAL, periya perumAL manifests in front of him beautifully as explained in srIranga mAhAthmiyam as follows:

brahmA worshipped srI ranganAthan who is beautifully decorated with a crown, shoulder bangles, beautiful ear rings made of diamonds and precious routines, wearing beautiful necklace and garlands made of pure pearls, his broad chest which is shining with srI kausthuba jewel, his greatly masculine chest which is the eternal dwelling place of srImahAlakshmi, wearing a beautiful yellow garment which shines like molten gold, wearing a beautiful waist belt, wearing beautiful anklets in his lotus feet, wearing beautiful and soft yagyOpavItham, gracefully having one hand as support for his head and stretching the other hand towards his lotus feet, having slightly bent and raised lotus feet, having beautiful and long form, having raised shoulders and beautifully decorated, and lying down on thiruvananthAzhwAn (AdhisEshan).

AzhwAr after entering the sannidhi of such magnificent emperumAn who is worshipped by everyone starting from brahmA, just like an infant will only look for the breast of the mother which sustains the infant, AzhwAr looks for the lotus feet because the surrendered ones always sustain by meditating and praying at the lotus feet of the master. This is why AzhwAr also stated in his first pAsuram itself that “aranGgaththammAn thirukkamalapAdham vaNdhu en kanNnNinuLLana okkinRathE” (அரங்கத்தம்மான் திருக்கமலபாதம் வந்து என் கண்ணினுள்ளன ஒக்கின்றதே) meaning my master srI ranganAthan’s lotus feet reaches out and enters into my eyes. arangaththammAn indicates sEshithvam (emperumAn being master), kamalam (lotus) indicates bhOgyathvam (enjoyable) and pAdham indicates upAyathvam (way to attain the goal). periyAzhwAr also glorified emperumAn from his lotus feet

to head in his periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 2nd padhigam in 20 pAsurams. Like wise, thiruppANAzhwAr being brought over by lOka sAranga mahAmuni by the divine orders of periya perumAL, enjoyed periya perumAL’s lotus feet to head fully and the overflowing emotions resulted in the dhivya prabhandham named amalanAdhipirAn which gives the essence of our sampradhAyam – thirumanthra artham – the detailed explanation of thirumanthram. periya perumAL accepted thiruppANAzhwAr at once with the same thirumEni and in front of every one AzhwAr ascended to parampadham through the lotus feet of periya perumAL.

His thanian
ApAtha chUdam anubhUya harim chayAnam
madhyE kavEra hithur mudhithAnthrAthmA
adhrahtruthAm nayanayOr vishayANtharANAm
yO nischikAya manavai munivAhananm tham

ஆபாத சூடம் அனுபூய ஹரிம் சயாநம்
மத்யே கவேர ஹிதுர் முதிதாந்தராத்மா
அத்ரஷ்ட்ருதாம் நயநயோர் விஷயாண்தராணாம்
யோ நிஸ்சிகாய மனவை முநிவாஹநம் தம்

His archAvathAra anubhavam is already discussed in here – http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/10/archavathara-anubhavam-thiruppanazhwar.html.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

archived in https://acharyas.koyil.org/index.php/, also visit http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/, http://srivaishnava-events.blogspot.com

Sources: vyAkyAnams, 6000 padi guru paramparA prabhAvam, periya thirumudi adaivu