PERUMAL TIRUMOZHI*

 PERUMAL TIRUMOZHI*

Quintessence of RAMAYANA

KULASEKARA AZHVAR

KULASEKARA AZHVAR, the next AzhvAr was an incarnation of the divine form of SRI KOUSTHUBHA (The divine jewel worn by Lord ViShNu). He was born in the beginning of “Kaliyuga” in Punarvasu star, in the Tamil month of MASI at TIRUVANJIKKALAM, Kerala in the royal dynasty. Though he was a king of great valour, his interest was towards PurANas and itihAsAs. AzhvAr was especially fascinated by SRIMAD RAMAYANA . He would immerse himself in RamAyanA so much that he would forget everything else. Once when he heard the scholar explain the distress of SITA’S separation from RAMA and the war taking place between RAMA and RAVANA, KulasEkarA got his army ready to go and fight on behalf of RAMA. The king lead the army through the forest, lakes and sea. The depth of the sea receded to the knee level to allow the AzhvAr pass through it. RAMA along with SITA and LAKSHMANA appeared and told him that SitA has been rescued and that he can go to his kingdom. Such was his devotion. He showed eagerness to serve bAgavathAs too.

In another incident, due to his increasing  bAgavatha bakthi, the ministers were not clear as to how to divert him from such activities. So they decided to secretly hide a long jewel (HAram) from the statue of RAmA and reported to the king , that one of the bAgavathA has stolen it away. At once he went into rage and wanted to prove to the ministers that bAgavathAs can never do such an act  by putting his hand into a pot of poisonous snake. To the astonishment of the ministers the snake spared him from biting. Such was his reverence to bAgavathAs.

He was succeeded by his son called Druda vrathan, and a daughter named Ilai (இளை).  His daughter was an ardent devotee of Lord RanganAtha and wished to marry Him. So this AzhvAr king got her married to the Lord in the name of Cherakulavalli. Even this day we have a separate Sannidhi for her

AzhvAr TiruvadigalE sharanam.

*KULASEKARA AZHWAR TANIYAN – 1*

Laudatory verses

*By swami rAmAnuja (uDaiyavar)*

innamudam ooTTugEn ingE vA paingiLiyE 

tennarangam pADavalla cheer perumAL | 

ponnansilai chEr nutaliyar vEL chEralar kOn 

engaL kulaSEKaran enrE kooRu || One ||  

Come to me, my dear green parrot! Let me give you a sweet nectar to drink, in a way similar to KulasEkara AzhvAr ,the King of the Chera dynasty and the Jewel of the human clan, most admired by the beautiful ladies taught his parrot the divine names of Lord rAmA and kept listing the same from it. He is a great person who is the storehouse of all the kalyana gunAs and has rendered verses with sweet notes about Lord RanganAtha of Tiruvarangam. You have to keep chanting his name  "engaL kulaSEKaran" always for me. 

*KULASEKARA AZHWAR TANIYAN – 2*

Laudatory verses by

*By Shri maNakkAl nambi*

Aram keDa paran anbar koLLAr enRu avargaLukkE 

vAram koDu kuDa pAmbil kaiyiTTavan mARRalarai | 

veeram keDutta chengOl kolli kAvalan villavar kOn 

chEran kulachEkaran muDi vEndar chiKAmaNiyE || Two ||

KulasEkar AzhvAr, the ruler of the chErAs and the best among the Kings, proficient in archery, who was a fright for his enemies ruled the region of Kolli. His reverence for srivaishnava bakthAs was so high that once when his ministers laid a false complaint against the Brahmanas, he stood for their side by putting his hands inside a snake pot and proved it false without getting bitten by it.

PERUMAL TIRUMOZHI - 1

*PASURAMS - 647 - 657

IRULIRIYA

DESIRE TO SEE LORD RANGANATHA

647 * iruL iriyach sudarmaNigaL imaikkum neRRi * inaththuththi aNipaNam AyirangkaL Arndha *

aravarasap perunjsOdhi ananthan ennum *

aNi viLangkum uyar veLLai aNaiyai mEvi **

thiruvarangkap perunagaruL theNNIrp ponni * thiraik kaiyAl adivarudap paLLi koLLum *

karumaNiyaik kOmaLaththaik kaNdu koNdu * en kaNNiNaigaL enRu kolO kaLikkum nALE?(2) (1)

647. The thousand headed ADHISESHAN, the king of all the serpent’s forehead is embedded with gems that emit light which shatters the darkness. The PERIYA PERUMAL reclines on this (perum Jyothi) resplendent ‘ananthAzhwAn’, making him the cool white bed in TIRUVARANGAM. AzhwAr  longs and laments, as to when the day will come, that he will be blessed to see with his eyes and rejoice this Lord who is unique and precious as the blue gem stone and who resides on the banks of  the river kauveri where the waves as the hands of the water touches HIS feet. (1)

648 * vAyOr IrainjnjURu thudhangkaL Arndha *

vaLai udambin azal nAgam umizhndha senthI *

vIyAdha malarch senni vidhAnamE pOl *

mEnmElum miga engkum parandhadhan kIzh **

kAyAmpU malarp piRangkal anna mAlaik *

kadi arangkaththu aravaNaiyil paLLi koLLum *

mAyOnai maNaththUNE paRRi ninRu * en vAyAra enRu kolO vAzhththum nALE? (2)

648. The ever chanting (Lord’s nAmA) thousand mouthed whitish AdhisEshan, blows out reddish fire which spreads over the ever fresh as a flower Tirumukha maNdalam of Lord RanganAthA thus forming a protective umbra. Having this ananthAzhwAn as HIS bed this Periya PerumAl, who resembles the KAyAm poo (the kasavu flower) reposes under it. Azhwar waits for that silver lining day when he can hold on to the two pillars (maNathooNgal) and sing in praise of this “mAyOn”, who resides in Tiruvarangam surrounded by tall ramparts, to his heart’s content. (2)

649 emmANbin ayan nAngu nAvinAlum

eduththEththi * IriraNdu mugamum koNdu * emmAdum ezhiRkaNgaL ettinOdum

thozhudhEththi * inidhiRainjcha ninRa sempon ** ammAn than malark kamalak koppUzh thOnRa *

aNi arangkaththu aravaNaiyil paLLi koLLum * ammAn than adiyiNaik kIzh alargaL ittu * angku adiyavarOdu enRu kolO aNugum nALE? (3)

649. The glorious Lord Brahma, praises with all his four tongue (denoting the 4 Vedas) and looking at Lord RanganAthA with all the eight eyes on his four heads, reveres Him with folded hands. Our Lord NamperumAl, who shines as bright as the hot liquid gold reclines at ‘Thiruvarangam’, with the lotus blossom arising from His Naval, having ‘AdhisEshan’, as HIS bed. When will be that day, when I can offer flowers at His matchless Lotus Feet and worship along with all HIS devotees? (3)

650 mAvinai vAy piLandhu ugantha mAlai * vElai vaNNaNai en kaNNaNai van kunRam Endhi *

Avinai anRu uyyak koNda Ayar ERRai *

amarargaL than thalaivanai anthamizhin inbap

pAvinai ** avvadamozhiyaip paRRaRRArgaL *

payil arangkaththu aravaNaiyil paLLi koLLum *

kOvinai nAvuRa vazhuththi enthan kaigaL * koymmalar thUy enRu kolO kUppum nALE? (4)

650. My KaNNan, tore the mouth of Kesi who came in the disguise of a horse. He is so considerate to HIS devotees.  This blue hued cowherd chief protected the cows then by lifting the Govardhana mountain. He is the Head of the ‘Nithyasoories’. He is as sweet and enjoyable as this DIVYA PRABANDHAM which is in Tamizh. He is the embodiment of Sanskrit language. When will I utter praises with my tongue and worship offering the flowers that I have plucked and gathered to this Lord RanganAthan who rests on ‘AdisEshan’, at Tiruvarangam where His devotees free from worldly pleasures live? (4)

651 iNai illA innisai yAzh kezhumi * inbath thumburuvum nAradhanum iRainjchi Eththa *

thuNai illAth thonmaRai nUl thOththiraththAl * thonmalarkkaN ayan vaNangki OvAdhu Eththa **

maNimAda mALigaigaL malgu selva *

madhiL arangkaththu aravaNaiyil paLLi koLLum *

maNivaNNan ammAnaik kaNdu koNdu * en malarch senni enRu kolO vaNangkum nALE? (5)

651.The great Rishis, ‘Tumburu’ and ‘NAradhA’ with their divine Veenas and divine music that gives great pleasure plead and worship Lord RanganAthA. On the other hand Lord Brahma who resides on the Lotus blossom from HIS Naval, prays by chanting the ancient Vedas. When will be the day when I will bow down before this Lord ‘Manivannan ‘, other wise know as ‘Namperumal’, who reclines on ‘Anandhan’ in ‘Tiruvarangam’ which is wealthy and has high raised buildings and bunglows within its rampant walls? (5)

652 aLimalar mEl ayan aran indhiranOdu * Enai

amarargaL tham kuzhuvum arambaiyarum maRRum *

theLimadhi sEr munivargaL tham kuzhuvum mundhith * thisai thisaiyil malar thUvich senRu sErum **

kaLimalar sEr pozhil arangkaththu uragam ERik *

kaN vaLarum kadal vaNNar kamalak kaNNum *

oLimadhi sEr thirumugamum kaNdu koNdu * en uLLam miga enRu kolO urugum nALE?(6)

652. Lord Brahma ,seated on the Lotus flower where bees swarm, Lord Shiva, Indra along with all other Devas, the beautiful Apsaras and the wise sages all throng pushing each other’s way scattering flowers all over their path to come and worship ‘Thiruvarangan’. When will be the day, when my heart will melt with devotion on seeing and worshiping the moon like Lotus eyed face of the blue hued Lord who reclines on the snake in ‘Tiruvarangam’ which is full of honey filled flower groves? (6)

653 maRam thigazhum manamozhiththu vanjchamARRi * vanpulangaL2 adakki idarppArath thunbam

thuRandhu * irumuppozhudhu Eththi ellai illAth thonneRikkaN * nilai ninRa thoNdarAna **

aRam thigazhum manaththavar tham kadhiyaip ponni * aNi arangkaththu aravaNaiyil paLLi koLLum *

niRam thigazhum mAyOnaik kaNdu en kaNgaL * nIrmalga enRu kolO niRkum nALE? (7)

653.The Sri Vaishnava BakthAs, devoid of vices like Killing, anger and evil thoughts , without lying , and with controlled senses, removing their earlier karmas , worship Lord Vishnu and perform the five folded ritual. For these bakthAs who hardly deviate from their age old  endless rituals, this Lord ‘Arangan’ is  the sole reliance. This Lord who is the sole reliance of these kind hearted people rests on the snake bed  in ‘Tiruvarangam’ surrounded by the river ‘Kaveri’. When will be the day, when I will bow and stand before him with my eyes filled with tears on seeing this “mAyOn”? (7)

654 kOlArndha nedum sArngkam kUnaR sangkam *

kolaiyAzhi kodunthaNdu koRRa voLvAL * kAlArndha kadhik karudan ennum * venRik

kadum paRavai ivai anaiththum puRanjsUzh kAppa ** sElArndha nedungkazhani sOlai sUzhndha *

thiruvarangkaththu aravaNaiyil paLLi koLLum * mAlOnaik kaNdu inbak kalavi eydhi *

valvinaiyEn enRu kolO vAzhum nALE? (8)

654. The mighty bow (SArngam) with its sharp arrows, The pure white curved conch (Sankam), The fiery discus (Chakaram) capable of destroying the evil, The frightening mace (Gada), The victorious Sword (Nandhakam), The swift divine bird (Garuda), they all encircle Periya PerumAl and safeguard HIM. When will the day come, when I, the worst sinner can have the darshan, and feel the bliss of ‘TirumAl’, who reclines on the snake bed in “Tiruvarangam” which is enclosed by fields rich in fishes and groves? (8)

655 thUrAdha manak kAdhal thoNdar thangkaL

kuzhAm kuzhumith * thiruppugazhgaL palavum pAdi *

ArAdha manak kaLippOdu azhudha kaNNIr

mazhai sOra * ninaindhurugi Eththi ** nALum

sIrArndha muzhavOsai paravai kAttum * thiruvarangkaththu aravaNaiyil paLLi koLLum *

pOrAzhi ammAnaik kaNdu thuLLip * pUthalaththil enRu kolO puraLum nALE? (9)

655.The loyal devotees gather together, in the temple of the Lord ‘Tiruvarangan’, and with a blemish less devoted heart happily adore and sing in praise of the divine qualities (KalyANa GunAs) of the EmperumAn. They delve in such devotion that the tears of joy from their eyes roll down like rain and flows. The reverberating sounds of the instruments played daily in HIS altar (Sannidhi)is alike the boisterous sound of the ocean. When will the day come, when I shall bow down and spring out in joy and thereafter jump and roll down seeing my Swami, who resides on ‘ananthAzhwAn’, holding the divine discus (ChakrAyudham)? (9)

656 * vanperu vAnagam uyya amarar uyya maNNuyya * maNNulagil manisar uyya *

thunbamigu thuyar agala ayarvonRillAch

sugam vaLara * agamagizhum thoNdar vAzha **

anbodu thenthisai nOkkip paLLi koLLum *

aNi arangkan thirumuRRaththu adiyAr thangkaL *

inbamigu perungkuzhuvu kaNdu * yAnum isaindhudanE enRu kolO irukkum nALE? (10)

656. NamperumAl fondly reposes facing the south, intending to protect the glorious heaven, the Devas, the earth and its beings in addition to removal of the misery caused by sins and virtual happiness to flourish along with the service of the SrivaishnavAs. When will the day come, when I can rejoice joining this group of SriVaishnavAs in this great temple of ‘SriRangam’?(10)

PHALASRUTHI

657 * thidar viLangku karaip ponni naduvu pAttuth * thiruvarangkaththu aravaNaiyil paLLi koLLum *

kadal viLangku karumEni ammAn thannaik * kaNNArak kaNdugakkum kAdhal thannAl **kudai viLangku viRal thAnaik koRRa voLvAL * kUdalar kOn kodaik kulasEkaran soR seydha *

nadai viLangku thamizh mAlai paththum vallAr * nalam thigazh nAraNan adik kIzh naNNuvArE (11)

657. The great generous Chera king KulasekarA, who ruled the regions of Madurai  with a victorious great sword and valorous army under his royal umbrella, desirous of having a satisfied joyous darshan of the blue hued PerumAl who reclines on the snake at ‘Thiruvarangam’,which is located in the midst of river Kaveri banking lot of islets, has rendered these pAsurams. Those desirous of learning and chanting these verses which have a rich tamizh fervour, will reach the Lotus feet of Lord NArAyaNA .(11)

Azhwar thiruvadigale sharanam