||    Thirumangai Mannan vedupari Utsavam    ||

Yuva Year, Hemanta Rutu, Pushya Baghula prathamai,
Punarvasu Nakshatram
Saturday, January 6, 1996

Monday, January 8 (Marghazhi 24) is the day of Thirumangai Mannan"s Vedu Pari, when he dared to rob the Divya Dampathis for conducting his Dadhiyaaraadhanam for Sri Vaishnavas. The Divya Dampathis wanted to bless their Special Bhaktha and appeared as a newly wed, rich coupledeckedwith precious jewellery. Our Azhwar scouted them and surrounded them. He robbed them and bundled all his loot. When he tried to lift the bundles containing the proceeds of the robbery, he found them too heavy to lift. He then accused the bridegroom that he had cast a spell through a Mantra. Sriman Narayana invited Thirumangai to come closer so that he can share that Mantram with him. The Robber came close and into his right ear, Sriman Narayana gave the upadesam on the AshtAkshara Mantram. The erstwhile robber received thus the initiation from the Lord of the Universe Himself and poured forth his ecstatic experience in the form of majestic Pasurams of the First decad of the Periya Thirumozhi. He explained through those verses the greatness and the uniqueness of the AshtAkshara Mantram to acheive the blessings of Moksham.

He went on an extended pilgrimage from one corner of India to the other and gave us his Pasurams, which are expressions of his Bhagavad Anubhavam. As I mentioned in my Dec 29 posting, He composed a special work to celebrate the glory of the Lord of Thirukkudanthai, Sri AarAvamudan known as Thiruvezhukurrirukkai (TVK). I have summarized in that posting, the meaning of the two Taniyans (Invocatory Verses) composed by Emperumaanaar himself on TVK inview of the Vedasaaram of this work of the Azhwar.

I will comment on the highlights of this Composition. TVK is a poetry style known as Ratha Bhandham or SabdhAlankaram. ThiruJnanasambhandar (Mudal Thirumarai-TevAram number 1464) and Arunagiri Nathar have composed works in the TVK style. Arunagiri Nathar"s work celebrates the presiding Deity at Swami Malai known as Swaminathan. TVK is one long verse with 46 or 47 lines. THirumangai"s TVK has 46 lines and Thirujnana Sambhandar's TVK has 47 lines. Thirumangai"s TVK houses some of the salient metaphysical tenets of VisishtAdvaita as it goes about offering its homage to the Lord of Thirukkudanthai known also as SarangapAni. The Azhwar was probably inspired by the famous, gigantic Chittirai Ther (Temple Car) Of Sarangapani. He constructed the TVK in the form of a Temple Car in Seven (Ezhu) Decks ( Koorru ). Irukkai stands for the ornamental pedestal at the center of this Ratham, where the Lord is seated. The Azhwar is said to have the Darsanam of the Divya Dampathis seated on the Chariot of Garuda , the Veda Swaroopan.

The Ratha Bhandham (Construction/Binding) consists of the following pattern of seven Decks:

the 7th deck consists of 13 compartments
the 6th deck has also 13 compartments (Penultimate)
the 5th deck has 11 compartemnts
the 4th deck has 9 compartments
the 3rd deck has 7 compartments
the 2nd deck has 5 compartments
the first deck has 3 compartments

the words indicating Numerals inlaid in the individual compartments
in the pattern described below:

*
121
12321
1234321
123454321
12345654321
1234567654321
1234567654321

1234567654321
1234567654321
12345654321
123454321
1234321
12321
121
*
The above structure is indicative of the shape of a Ratham or a temple chariot, Swami Desikan has also constructed a similar Ratha Bhandam in his Padhuka Sahasram. The use of Ratha Bhandham is more popular in the Tamil poems composed by Azhwars and Nayanmars. NakkiradevanayAnAr"s twelfth Thirumurai provides another Ratha Bhandham. We will focus on the TKV of Thirumangai here.

To gain a perspective on TVK, we have to understand the structure of Naaliyra Divya Prabhandham and its relationship to Ashtaksharam, which Thirumangai received as Upadesam from the "Peethaka Vaadai PirAnAr as Brahma Guru ".The first thousand or MudalAyiram is associated with the meaning of OmkArA or Pranavam; the second thousand (Thirumozhi Aayiram) of Thirumangai has the purpose of Nama: Sabdhaartham (significance of salutation and performing SaranAgathi at the Lotus feet of the Lord); the third thousand (Thiruvaimozhi of NammAzhvAr) explains the Narayana -SabdhArtha ; the fourth thousand (IyarPaa) explains the Chathurthyartha (the significance of the dative suffix-"AAYA" in NARAAYANAAYA ).

In his TVK, Thirumangai constructed an orderly chariot of words and seated Sri Sarangapani inthe center of that Chariot. Then he asked for the Lord"s blessings and boons. The Azhwar used a Tamil meter known as Aasiriyappaa for his TVK. In this poem, Thirumangai celebrates Sriman Narayana as the supreme being and states that He is transcendent and immanent. He points out that Periya Piratti always resides in His chest and gives him thereby His name Srinivasan. He states that all Jivans from the highest status--holding Brahma to the lowest worm are subservient to Him. The other aspects of Sriman Narayana covered in the TVK are: His creation and preservation of this Universe; His various incarnations and Leelas; His grace to Maheswara to enable Him to administer the Samharam or the dissolution of the Universe; a describtion of Sriman Narayana's divine and beautiful form ; His deep attachment to His three Devis(Sri, BHu and Nappinnai or Nila ).; the natural beauty of the Divya Desam of His celebrated as Thirukkudanthai, where He rests in the Udhyoga Sayanam pose.

In the next posting, I will comment on the meaning of selected sections of TVK and dwell on the significance of the numbers starting from compartment one of the First deck and its orderly ascent to the seventh deck with its 13 compartments followed by a mirror image like descent from those 13 compartments back to deck one. While engaged in this tight rope balancing act of a superb kind, Thirumangai housed the VisishtAdvaita Tattvas and principles in the individual compartments of the Ratham that he designed for the Divya Dampathis of Bhaskara Kshetram.

Significance of today and tomorrow
********************************

The memories of the Thirunangoor Manjal Neerattal and the Padinoru Garuda Sevai of the Archa Murthys of Thirunangoor Divya Desams nudged me to post the sequel to Part 1 (Thiruvezukkorrurikkai) of Thirumangai.

Significance of Thai AmaavAsyai and Padinoru Garudasevai
*******************************************************

Today is Thai AmaavAsyai and tomorrow is the day of the Padinoru Garudasevai. Sri Dillepan's forwarded posting of the two events is moving tribute to the two events related to the Bhagavad Anubhavam of Thirumangai and the Bhagavata Anubhavam of Sriman Narayana enshrined at these temples as well as at Srirangam and Thirukkudanthai. Let us think of the holy feet of Thirumangai and offer our tribute on this special weekend.

The works of THirumangai
*************************

The Azhwar's works are six in number and have been called the six Vedangas for the four Tamil Veda Samhitas of Nammazhwar. I am doing research on the Veda Samhita and Vedanga References. I will share them with you later. In this and the subsequent postings, I will attempt to summarize the essence of (1) Siriya Thirumadal and Periya Thirumadal (2) Thirukkurunthaandakam and the Thirunedumthaandakam. I will leave the Periya Thirumozhi out, because the upcoming CD ROM might include references to many verses associated with the Archa Murthys of the various Divya Desams sung by the Azhwar.

Source Literature for the posting
*****************************

The source Literature for these studies are:
1. Kamattuppaal: ThirukkuraL 2.Sri P.BAnnagaAcharyAr, Iyarpaa, Divyartha Dipikai, Granthamala Office, Vishnu Kanchipuram, 1959. 3.Utttamoor Veeraraghavaacchaariyar"s commentary (Prabhanda Rakshai),
Vishitaadvaita Pracharani Sabha, Madras, 1979. 4.K.C.Varadachari, Azhwars of South India, Bhavan Press, 1966 5.The Thirumadals of THirumangai, A Study, Dr.R.Gopalakrishnan, Journal of the Madras University: SectionA: Humanities, September 1983. 6.Naaliyira Divya Prabhandam, Mayilai Madhava Dasan, 1950.

The themes& structure of the two Thirumadals: Siriya and Periya Thirumadals

Invocatory Verse for Siriya Thirumadal
***********************************

The Taniyan for this Aruliccheyal is by Pillai Thirunarayoor Arayar. It is appropriate an Arayar associated with Thirunarayoor is the author of this Taniyan inview of the special role played by the Archamurthy of Thirunarayoor ( Sugnada Giri Nambi) ).

The Taniyan is as follows:

MuLLicchezhumalaroh taaraan muLaimadhiyam
KoLLikkennuLLam kodhiyameh --vaLLal
ThiruvaaLan siirkkaliyan kaarkkaliyai vetti
MaruvaaLan tanthaan Madal.

(meaning): The mighty Generous Thirumangai ,who wears both the flower garland of thorns and a becoming sword in his hand is the most auspicious Azhwar. He has cut asunder the darkness generated by Kali Yuga and given me the Madals so that my mind tortured by grief over the separation from my Lord will not boil uncontrollably at the sight of the rising moon. (Nayakis suffering from the painful experience of pleasure –giving objects during the times of separation from their Nayakas is alluded to here.)

The Rules of Tamil Poetry and the Madals & the Azhwar's breaking of the
convention

The rules of Tamil poetry require that the Madals should be set in the KaliveNN paa meter. PannirupAttiyal describes further the form and content of the ancient style of Madal poetry as one set in KaliveNpaa and having the poetic features of Ethugai and Monai (Consonance and Rhyme).

The grammar for this poetry also restricts the subject matter to focus on Inbam or Kamam at the expense of other three goals of life (Purushaarthams) such as Dharmam (Aram), Artham (PoruL), Moksham (Veedu). In the Tamil poetry, Madal is a practise restricted to a Male lover , who has been spurned by his lady love. ThiruvaLLuvar describes the Madal custom practised by the lover as follows: "In ancient times those who had failed in their love used to ride over a horse-like carrier (contraption) made of dry palm-leaves (Madal). The pain (Self-torture) of pricking ride they endured in preference to their pain in failure (to win the hand of the lady-love)." This unusual testimony of love was aimed to soften the heart of the woman whom he loved and to win her over. Grief is shamelessly proclaimed in public through the stunt like act of riding on the jagged stems of palm leaves to shame the lady loveand hopefully acheive a change of her attitude of rejection.
Clearly, the performance of Madal (Madalerutal) is not recommended for women as an act of public protest and lamentation against her hard-hearted lover, who did not reciprocate her intense love. It was considered immodest for a woman to engage in such public displays.

Thirumangai, Nammazhwar assumed the Naayika Bhavam in their respective Bhaghavad Anubhavams and adopted the practice of Madalerutal to express their intensity of suffering caused by their separations from their objects of Love (Viz) Sriman Narayana. Both of them rejected the Tamil poetry traditions, which restricted Madalerutal to men, but followed the Tamil grammar recommendations that this type of ancient poem should deal with the worldly love and that it should be set in KaliveNpaa. Thirumangai justifies his practise of Madalerutal by referring to the extensive use of this type of demonstration in the Northern tradition and cites the behavior of Sita, Usha, Vegavati and Ulupikai, the heroins of Ithihasas like Ramayanam and Maha Bharatam. He says that they expressed openly their love and sought their company through a variety of means. He describes in the Periya Thirumadal the behavior of his role models this way: " Sita followed Rama and lived with him in the forest (against the advices of the elders); Vegavati went in search of her lover into the battle field, not heedin gher brother's protest and she enjoyed her lover's company. Ulupikai , aNaga woman made Arjuna be a prey to her lustful advances as alluded in Maha Bharatam. Usha, the daughter of Banaasura had her lover transported by her friend, Chitralekha. Above all Parvati rejected her parents advise and engaged in arduous penance for union with Siva".

Thirumangai with his extraordinary mastery of Tamil poetry and its grammar decided to portray his acute pangs of separation from her Nayaka and decided to practise the ancient custom of Madalerutal, an act prohibited in south for women. He had become Parakala Nayaki to express his pain of searation and to taunt the Lord for his act of abandonment.

What Type of Madal is Thirumangai's Madal ?
*****************************************

Tolkaapiyam, an ancient and authoritative work on Tamil grammar distinguishes berween two kinds of Madal. One type of Madal DECLARES the intention of riding a Madal (IntiNai) and the other consists of actual mounting on the carrier made up of dry and prickly palm leaves and riding on it (PeruntiNai). The Madal literature of Thirumangai Azhwar belongs to the IntiNai variety of Madal. Just a threat to shame the Lord and gain His change of mind. It has been pointed out that "the Azhwar might have wished to make a literary revolution on a spiritual basis. He did break the convention (of Tamil rules of Poetry) an dintroduced a new tradition that a love-smitten lady can develop an inexhaustible and immortal love towards the supreme Lord. If the lady fails in her endeavour to unite herself with the Lord , she resolves that she has no other alternative than to ride on a Madal."

Madal and Ninda Stuti
********************

Another distinguishing feature of the Madals is the Ninda Stuti or praise in the form of censure are no aspersions on the glory of the Lord, but the outbursts of great bhakthas taking liberties with the Lord because of their special relationships with Him a stheir Nayaka. Traducing His name and fame throughout the world is their threat to gain Him back. The deep love of the Azhwar takes the forms of both Ninda or Negative Stuti and postive stuti in the two Madals of Parakala Nayaki. Negatively, the Azhwar abandons all human values (Purusharthas) as worthless except Kamam for Him; on the positive side, the Azhwar emphasizes the importance of Bhakti , Kainkaryam (service) and Thyagam (sacrifice) of other temptations that take one away from Him.

Distinguishing features of Siriya and Periya Thirumadal
**************************************************

The two Madals differ in the length of lines. The breif statement finding its home in Siriya Thirumadal is elaborated upon in Periya Thirumadal (PTM). The second difference is that Siriya Thirumadal (STM) is set as anarration of of the God-intoxicated experience of the Nayaki through some one else; the Periya Thirumadal houses the profound experiences of the Nayaki a s statements by the Nayaki herself. In STM the Nayaki overcome with love for the Nayaka does not know the identity of the one, who is causing her agony. The identity of the culprit is revealed to the Nayaki through a sooth-sayer. Through the latter, The Azhwar praises the kalyana Gunas of the Lord and His sacred Divya Desams. In PTM, The Azhwar describes his harrowing experiences as the rejected lady and speaks out about her devotion.

Deeper Vaishnavite Meanings of the Madals of Thirumangai
******************************************************

The Rakshakatva (Ability to protect the Bhakta in distress), the Saulabhya (ready accessibility) , the Karpanya (prostration born out of utter hopelesnes) are identified by Sri K.C.Varadachari as the inner meanings of the Madals. He says that the Azhwar transfers his affection from his dearly loved wife, ---who had been his teacher too-- to Sriman Narayana. He experiences in that state "a love most all-absorbing ", and appeals to His qualities of Mercy and Grace and come down from his divine heights to accept" the Love-offering (Kama Pushpam) from one, who has thrown away all concerns arising from modesty and Lokaabhavaadham. The Madal threatens to question the sincerity of the Lord's assurnaces in Bhagavad Gita in the Sarama Sloka. Sri K.C.Varadachari the assumptions of the Madals of the Azhwar this way: " God's assurance to the soul (Jivan) that loves Him alone and to whom the soul has totally dedicated itself,is of greatest spiritual value to the soul , and it is on this truth of God"s word that the madals revolve".

Special features of Periya Thirumadal
**********************************

The taniyan was composed by Kambanaatazhwar, the author of Kamba Ramayanam. One poet can appreciate another poet, it seems! While the STM begins with the describtion of the Earth, the PTM begins with an exquisite describtion of Paramapadam and its resident, Sri Vaikundanathan attended by His Devis. on experiencing the conjugal pleasures of the Lord in his supreme abode,the Azhwar suffers the pangs of separation and cries out: " If my body and soul are not subservienbt to You,then, for waht else are they for? What is the use of fragrant flowers grown in an uninhabited forest? Similar is the state of my bosoms untouched by the Lord."She looks for her Nayaka in the Divya Desams of Thiruvinnagar, Thirukkudantai, Kurungudi, Aali nagar, Kannamangai, Vellarai, Vallavazh, Srirangam, Idavendai,Tillai Chitrakootam, Mallai, Venkatam and many other THiruppathis. In the final verse, she complains that the Lord knows all her sufferings. She threatens him that she will perform the act of Madal if he does not come to her rescue and unite with her. She implies that she will be a martyr for his love and become immortal through her sacrifice. After the practise of Karpanyam, the sixth limb of Saranagati through the vow of love unto death, Sri Varadachari points out that the Azhwar goes on to take the Dhandakam (staff) of Sriman Narayana to ascend and to reach Sriman narayana"s abode to become a Nitya Suri and to enjoy the eternal bliss of Kainkaryam to HIm. The Thirukkurmthaandankam and the Thirunedumthaandakam are describtions of the lofty journey with the staff of the Lord.

On this day, when Thirumangai Azhwar conducts the Mangalaasaasanam of the Thirunangoor Archa Murthys, I will assemble some thoughts on the times of Thirumangai and how his two Thaandakam works occupy a unique place in Sri Vaishanvite literature. Parasara Bhattar, the precoccious son of Kuresa chose Thirunedumthaandakam(TNT ) to defeat the Advaita scholar in debate ; the defeated scholar embraced Sri Vaishnavism and became the great savant of Sri Vaishnavism known as Nanjeeyar, a name given by Parasara Bhattar to his star student.

THIRUMANGAI'S TIME & THE PREVALENT PHILOSOPHIES
**************************************************************

There were three original sources in Indian philosophies that were contending for attention by scholars, kings and the public at
large in Azhwar"s time. These three continue even today:

(1) The Aatma Vaada or the SUBSTANCE VIEW OF REALITY developed by Brahminical Systems .This view is derived from the Aatman doctrine of Upanishads. Sri Vaishnavite, Advaita and Dwaita Systems belong to this category. They accept the authority of Vedas and are known as Vaidihic religions. Each have different relationships to the Indian Darsanas like Samkhya, Yoga, Vaiseshika, Nyaya, Poorva and Uttara Mimamamsaa (Vedanta). The entanglement of metaphysical and Philosophical issues with those of a religious or ritualistic character over the years and the attempts to reconcile different points of view in this thicket has occupied the attention of our Achaaryas and we have stayed with one or the other Vaidhika Madham based on our tradition or choice.

(2) The sceond dominant philosophical tradition at the time of Thirumangai was THE MOMENTARY VIEW OF REALITY known as KSHANIKAVAADHA developed and taught by Buddha. He rejected the authority of the Vedas and said that everything is in a state of Flux and there is nothing that exists as inner and immutable core of things. This is also called the Soonyavaadha.

Four classical schools of Buddhism (Vaibhashika, Sautraantika, Vigyanavaada and the Madhyamika) developed as time went on from the main preachings of Buddha as they adapted to the other Darsanas that have been around. Some prefer to classify the four Classic schools of Buddhism into the following three categories: Abhidharmika, Madhyaamika and Yogaachara. The last one is very close to some of the tantric systems developed by Kashmir Saivism, a source of inspiration to Aagamas including Pancharaatra Agama defended later by Yamunaaxharya in his Agama Nirnaya. Buddhism considers the soul as a stream of Consciousness and denies the Vedic Ritualism and the Upanishadic Monism.

(3) The Jains under Maha Vira and the successive Thirtankaras reconciled the view of REALITY AS SUBSTANCE (vedic View) AND AS CHANGE (Buddha's Kshanikavaada). This was a synthesis of the orthodox and heterodox approaches of viewing Reality as either of a substantive nature or of a changing nature. Jainism has its own distinctions as a Heterodox system The situation of viewing relaity as substance and Change is similar to the viewing of the Electron as a particle or as a Wave as per Qunatum theory and the principle of Indeterminacy.

The heterodox Or Veda-Bhaahya views of Buddhism and Jainism were reactions to excessive emphasis on ritualism and the tyranny of the preistly classes. By the time of Azhwars and Nayanmaars (5th to 8th centuries), the Brahminical systems were under intensive attack by the Veda Bahya systems. The Azhwaars and Nayanmaars reestablished the pristine place of Vaidhic systems; the Acharyas that followed were inspired by the works of their predecessors & built the Visishtadvaita, Advaita and Dvaita schools of religion and strengthened the heterodox systems furhter.

Alternate View on the progression of Philosophies
*********************************************

The progressive line of thought behind today's three Veda-based religions can be viewed this way:

FIRST came, the Vedic culture and civilization with the UPANISHADIC period at its end. The Upanishads upheld intution over reasoning as pathway to REALITY.

The SECOND period known as the EPIC period followed; Ramayana and Mahabharata were composed during this period. These two Ithihaasas presented "Philosophical doctrines indirectly in a nonsystematic and non-technical manner. It is generally believed that the heterodox systems and even Dharma Saastraas (works on Ethical and Social philosophy) came into being during this second period.

The THIRD period is recognized as the SUTRA Period, where terse aphorisms for each system of thought have been compiled in a systematic and logical fashion.

The FOURTH period is named the SCHOLASTIC period, here commentaries and
interpretations were created. To some extent this period still continues according to some, although its intensity was muted somewhat by foreign invasions.

We can thus place Thirumangai and the Azhwar's period somewhere between the Sutra and the Scholastic period. Infact, through their inspired Bhakti approach, the Azhwars gave new life to the Scholars of the Scholastic period practicing what is termed as Hermeneutics today.

HERMENEUTICS
******************

S. Pannerselvam"s definition on Hermeneutics states that it is a discipline, which teaches the rules regarding the way to handle and intrepret scriptures. He states: "in one way, Hermeneutics is an attempt to mediate meaning expressed in one context to another. The term is derived from the son of Zeus, Hermes, who served as the messenger of Olympian Gods. Hence, Hermeneuetics may be interpreted as the message given by God through a messenger, who fully understands it and conveys it, intreprets it to other fellow human beings". The Acharyas of our and other traditions can thus be considered as Hermneutics of one sort or another. The Azhwars and Acharyas are the messengers in our traditions and sometimes the Lord himself takes the role of Acharya, just as Lord Krishna played that role in Bhagavad Gita for our benefit. It is generally conceded by Western Scholars Like George McLean (Author of Tradition and Contemproary Life) and Hans-Georg Gadamer (Author of Truth and Method) that language plays a central role in Hermeneutics and there is a powerful relationship between language and interpretation. The Ubhaya Vedanta tradition of ours and the two Sampradhaayams or Traditions emphasizing Sanskrit and Tamil can be understood in this context as the powerful links between language and intrepreatation of the scriptures and other source literature.

Thirumangai"s and other Azhwar's Pasurams inspired both Vedantha Desika and Manavala Maamuni, the two latter day Acharyas, who were intrepretors of Srimad Ramanuja Sampradhayam. From the earlier posting, It was interesting for me to learn about the role of Manavalamaamuni in the Manjal Neerattam festival dedicated for the celebration of Thirumangai's contributions to Naalayira Divya-Prabhandham. Earlier, Swami Desikanhad defended the sacredness of the 4,000 at Kanchipuram and received the Thiruchinnam of Lord Varadaraja as a reward for his noble efforts.

The Name Thaaandakam
***********************

In the next two Subsections (3.2& 3.3), I will focus on the message of
yhe 50 verses of the two Thaandakams ofThirumangai. I mentioned earlier that the two works can be viewed as Dhandam or Staff used by the Azhwar in the ultimate stage of his Spiritual journey after declaring his unfailing love to Sriman Narayana through the two madals. In another view, the assignment of the name of Thaandakam is linked to the Tamil word Thaand(uth)al or leaping over, Just as Hanuman did, when he jumped over the Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka on the Lord's misison. Thirumangai Azhwar is said to have jumped over the sorrows of Samsara with Sriman Narayana"s grace and articulated his experiences assoicated with such Leaps as the two Thandakams. This is the reason for Parasara Bhattar's reverence for these two works of Thirumangai and his choice of The Thirunedumthaandakam to win over "Namjeeyar" to the Sri Vaishnavite Tradition.

Azhwar Thiruvadigaleh Saranam,
Oppilkiappankoil Varadachari Sadagopan

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