All the 4000 divyaprabhandams are the substance of vedas, itihAsas and the purAnas. There is nothing that is not said to be contained in the prabhandams. All these prabhandams were composed and sung by the azhwArs. Rather than just saying these divyaprabhandams were sung by the azhwars, it is more apt to say that an order of the magnitude of whatever has been daily offered in the SriVainkuntam itself can be attributed to these prabhandams that azhwArs have offered to us on Earth. These prabhandams are verily equal to the vedas. It is said to be the "Tamil vedam" or the "Dravida vedam". Whatever pAsurams are being sung in the SriVainkuntam, these pAsurams themselves have been granted to us and we have been very fortunate to be able to get in this earth itself mainly through the grace of the azhwArs.
Because of its nature of secrecy and great importance it has often disappeared from the earth. A thing which is eternal in nature can disappear only for a certain period of time but can never been destroyed. In the same way the 4000 pAsurams disappeared and reappeared again. So even though these pAsurams disappeared and appeared it still has to be safeguarded isn't it. In Srirangam temple, in order to protect Lord Sri Ranganathar, whether by constructing huge forts, high walls or by constructing rajagopurams, having many gates or doors is considered as just one type of protection. But the most illustrious way of protecting the perumal is when the Sri Vaishnavas proclaim "pallAndu pallAndu pallAyirathAndu palakOdi nURAyiram mallAnda thin thOl maNivaNNA" in mangalAsAsanam - the combined strength of these vaishnavas is the real strength for the perumal. If I wished that I need to live well, I will live well and if we wished someone with wellness, they will live well too. Looking at some trees, creepers and if we wished them with good growth and life, the trees and creepers will also flourish well. But more than just saying "I live, you live or that thing should live well", looking at Lord Sri Ranganathar saying "pallAndu pallAndu palakOdi nURAyiram pallAndu", if we wish HIM so, ALL jeevas in the universe will be blessed. The whole of the earth, its inhabitants and the several life forms within will all be totally blessed.
All these sayings of the pAsurams are quite wonderful. Seeing the perumal and by lovingly calling "Pachai ma malai pOl mEni pavazhavAi chengan" is being said in a loving manner. Therefore these pAsurams need to be protected and saved. That is why nAdamunigazh, having obtaining all the 4000 of these pAsurams taught them to kizhaiagathAzhwar and mElaiagathAzhwar exactly in the same manner as how one would perform the veda adhyayana. The Veda Adhyayana uthsavam that was happening in the time of ThirumangaiAzhwar has now been restarted during the time of nAdamunighazh. Anything that is always in practice will live. Anything that is in a book, cassette or library will not potentially live. Some 10 people or so should always be telling these things for it to have life. That is why all these 4000 were not just written as a book and saved but instead brought into practice. Not just carved on rocks but nAdamunighazh trained two people on this. nadamunighazh also knew the gandharva gAnam. Gandharvas are ones who possess the greatest skill in singing. To find out if a person a devan or a manushyan can be determined by 2 things. For a devan the eyelids will not blink nor the legs will touch the floor. Why their legs will not touch, because the devas do not respect the earth itself. An ordinary man who is depositing waste on this earth and on such a soil the devas feel it is not worth stepping upon so they will always stay suspended. Even the greatest singer on earth will only be equated to that of possessing a knowledge of the level of a child singing the geetham when compared to the devas knowledge of singing. Such a great gandharva gnanam was possessed by nAdamunighazh. Amongst the several disciples of nAdamunighazh, two were quite prominent. One was kurugaikAvazhappan and the other was thiruvezhArai pundarikakshan. Nadamunighazh also knew the yama, niyama, Asana, prAnAyama, pratyAhAra, astAnga yOga as well. Even in that astAnga yOga, he knew the yOga rahasyAs and thus he was a yOgEshwarar too. This thiruvezhArai pundarEkakshan had just now joined nAdamunighazh as his disciple. Having read all the sAstras and a yogyatha, he was but very humble. He will not easily show that he knows this and that. He will never move with any high headedness. Folding his hands in supplication, he will be a dAsAdasan. He had read all the sarva sastras yet he was very humble and non assuming. He will always move humbly with everyone. Once nadamunighazh's better half sridevi had gone to her parents home. Nadamunighazh had to bring back sridevi and therefore he sent thiruvezhArai pundarikakshan to escort sridevi back from her parents home. When sridevi saw thiruvezhArai pundarikakshan who was so humbly standing before her and with folded hands, thinking that her husband had sent someone who was just an ordinary servant ordered him about to do the normal household chores, and even asked him to carry her luggage when returning back to the home of her husband..
Because of its nature of secrecy and great importance it has often disappeared from the earth. A thing which is eternal in nature can disappear only for a certain period of time but can never been destroyed. In the same way the 4000 pAsurams disappeared and reappeared again. So even though these pAsurams disappeared and appeared it still has to be safeguarded isn't it. In Srirangam temple, in order to protect Lord Sri Ranganathar, whether by constructing huge forts, high walls or by constructing rajagopurams, having many gates or doors is considered as just one type of protection. But the most illustrious way of protecting the perumal is when the Sri Vaishnavas proclaim "pallAndu pallAndu pallAyirathAndu palakOdi nURAyiram mallAnda thin thOl maNivaNNA" in mangalAsAsanam - the combined strength of these vaishnavas is the real strength for the perumal. If I wished that I need to live well, I will live well and if we wished someone with wellness, they will live well too. Looking at some trees, creepers and if we wished them with good growth and life, the trees and creepers will also flourish well. But more than just saying "I live, you live or that thing should live well", looking at Lord Sri Ranganathar saying "pallAndu pallAndu palakOdi nURAyiram pallAndu", if we wish HIM so, ALL jeevas in the universe will be blessed. The whole of the earth, its inhabitants and the several life forms within will all be totally blessed.
All these sayings of the pAsurams are quite wonderful. Seeing the perumal and by lovingly calling "Pachai ma malai pOl mEni pavazhavAi chengan" is being said in a loving manner. Therefore these pAsurams need to be protected and saved. That is why nAdamunigazh, having obtaining all the 4000 of these pAsurams taught them to kizhaiagathAzhwar and mElaiagathAzhwar exactly in the same manner as how one would perform the veda adhyayana. The Veda Adhyayana uthsavam that was happening in the time of ThirumangaiAzhwar has now been restarted during the time of nAdamunighazh. Anything that is always in practice will live. Anything that is in a book, cassette or library will not potentially live. Some 10 people or so should always be telling these things for it to have life. That is why all these 4000 were not just written as a book and saved but instead brought into practice. Not just carved on rocks but nAdamunighazh trained two people on this. nadamunighazh also knew the gandharva gAnam. Gandharvas are ones who possess the greatest skill in singing. To find out if a person a devan or a manushyan can be determined by 2 things. For a devan the eyelids will not blink nor the legs will touch the floor. Why their legs will not touch, because the devas do not respect the earth itself. An ordinary man who is depositing waste on this earth and on such a soil the devas feel it is not worth stepping upon so they will always stay suspended. Even the greatest singer on earth will only be equated to that of possessing a knowledge of the level of a child singing the geetham when compared to the devas knowledge of singing. Such a great gandharva gnanam was possessed by nAdamunighazh. Amongst the several disciples of nAdamunighazh, two were quite prominent. One was kurugaikAvazhappan and the other was thiruvezhArai pundarikakshan. Nadamunighazh also knew the yama, niyama, Asana, prAnAyama, pratyAhAra, astAnga yOga as well. Even in that astAnga yOga, he knew the yOga rahasyAs and thus he was a yOgEshwarar too. This thiruvezhArai pundarEkakshan had just now joined nAdamunighazh as his disciple. Having read all the sAstras and a yogyatha, he was but very humble. He will not easily show that he knows this and that. He will never move with any high headedness. Folding his hands in supplication, he will be a dAsAdasan. He had read all the sarva sastras yet he was very humble and non assuming. He will always move humbly with everyone. Once nadamunighazh's better half sridevi had gone to her parents home. Nadamunighazh had to bring back sridevi and therefore he sent thiruvezhArai pundarikakshan to escort sridevi back from her parents home. When sridevi saw thiruvezhArai pundarikakshan who was so humbly standing before her and with folded hands, thinking that her husband had sent someone who was just an ordinary servant ordered him about to do the normal household chores, and even asked him to carry her luggage when returning back to the home of her husband..
When thiruvezhArai arrived back home carrying all the luggage, nAdamunighazh inquired with him as to why thiruvezhArai did not tell Sridevi that he was a very learned man with knowledge in all the sastras and was not just doing menial tasks alone. Why did he not tell this? ThiruvezhArai replied that had he told so, he may have lost the opportunity or bhagyam to perform seva to his guru's better half as well.
Such an Acharya bhakthi he possessed. It is not sufficient to just do seva to the Acharya but also to perform seva to the family of the Acharya also, such was his elevated thinking. Looking at this shuddhAtma, nAdamunigazh felt happy. As nAdamunighazh possessed the yOgarahasyam in addition to the pAsurams he obtained from nammAzhwar, he asked both kurugaikAvazhappan and ThiruvezhArai what they wished to learn from him. kurugaikAvazhappan requested to be taught the yOgarahasyam and so he was instructed with that science. When asked of thiruvezhArai as to what he wanted, his answer was similar to the way prahlada replied. When narasimhaswami appeared from the pillar and prahlada was performing the stotra, prahlada said "just having performed dhyAnam, tapas and having seen you is not sufficient. If we look at the world there are lakhs and crores of people who never are able to see bhagavan or being unable to get bhagavath bhakthi. In this world today how many people and population and amongst this populace, how many would have the Asthika buddhi, know that above us their is a God - how many would get this thought. Even if everyone knows it as a deivam, just talking about it as a jyOti or nirgunam, how many yet are those who are not realising that it is periyaperumal. Knowing it as Periyaperumal, then how many would know the means to attain him. How many would think that one would need bhakthi prappathi to know the Periyaperumal. When so many are drowned in this ignorance, how can it be that it is just me attaining your lotus feet". Would this be an intelligent thing. Though being a sadhu, if they stay at a mountain, forest or a cave and not mix with the ordinary people then such a mahan is not useful to the world.
There is a lake within a forest where the lotus flowers are blooming. These lotus flowers need to be offered to the perumal but there is no one doing that. There is no one even smelling it and no one is even bringing water from the lake to be able to use it for their homes. Just like this lake which is not useful to anyone, such is the value of a mahan who just resides in a forest. Such a lake even if it exists amongst 1000s of people living nearby, yet not being of any use to anyone and not being used for the kainkaryam of perumal thirumanjanam, likewise the mahan living amongst the samsaris but not getting involved with them and not being attached to them or being unable to bring them out from the drowning sea of samsara is of no use. That is the reason why bhagavan allows so many sadhus to roam about in this world. The sadhus must know the requirements and behaviour of the people in this world and offer upadesha likewise. If you tell about the severe practices of yoga and other secrets in the first instance itself to the people learning it, they may immediately start to like it very much. They may suddenly feel an upliftment in themselves suddenly and recognize some changes happening but after 10 days they will go mad. Why our mahans did not tell that in the first instance itself is because, for all of these practices one needs a certain level of preparation for this. They knew that already. A new child is born and now say the mother is interested to give this child a feast. For a new born child if one lays a plantain leaf and offers a feast the child will simply faint. One needs to give newborn breast milk and not a feast. That is what it can digest. As days progress when the child has gained the necessary body and strength to take in the amount of food offered in a feast it can be given and not given just out of mere desire isn't it. Likewise it is not advisable for one to start pranAyama, antarmugha kumbakham or bahirmugha kumbakam and taught yoga rahasyams all at once. He will start to feel something wonderful happening and some flows of blood rising within and bodily changes. When one tries to control the prAna there will be some chalanams that will occur. And this will make one feel proud as if he has got something. So one should not think like that. Are these people teaching a new form of yoga which our ancient scholars and tapasvis obtained through pure jnana. Just like how they gave us all this knowledge we also need to know who is fit for what knowledge as well.
Nicely teaching them bhakthi and prapatti, one needs to be taught the correct way to take shelter in the lotus feet of the bhagavan. So prahlada says to the bhagavan that by having just called him and taking a place at his lotus feet attaining srivaikunta, what is the fame in that. Usually one would perform tapas in order for bhagavan to appear before him, but prahlada wants to perform tapas even after seeing the bhagavan. So prahlada says to the bhagavan "you only appeared for me but I want to do tapas so that you appear before everyone else too. I am not a selfish person and it is not just enough that you appeared before me alone. You need to appear before everyone". So, nAdamunigazh now looking at thiruvezhArai pundarEkakshan says "piNam kiDakka manam puNaralAmO". So many people are drowned in samsara with "kandadhe katchi kondathe kOlam" but just for us having learnt some dhyAnam or yOgam and come to the lotus feet of the bhagavan is not enough. Can we just be content and complacent with this. Just myself having attained bhagavan and going to srivaikuntam - is that good?. For everyone if we need to show the path, then we should tell about bhagavath bhakthi and the foundation for bhakthi is keerthanam and the reason for keerthanam is katha shravanam. If both katha shravanam and keerthanam one obtains, then he has got the shravanam. Once shravanam is obtained then seva. Once seva is got then atma nivEdhanam. Like this a jeevan must be made matured in order to attain the feet of the lord. That is why they say "piNam kiDakka manam puNaralAmO".
nAdamunigazh looks and thinks that he has the same illustrious soul as prahalada, such a great soul. Everyone thinks only of themselves. Not only people are selfish even about the devas themselves there is said in the bhagavatham "swakArya kushalAhA". When the devas themselves are selfish, what about the man. In such a situation, he is thinking about others and for others to get bhagavath bhakthi. All these have to get the kripa of the perumal. When Sri Ranganathar who is showering complete kripa, even then many are time and again being reborn.
nAdamunigazh seeing his great bhakthi, acharya bhakthi and looking at him said "uyyakondAnE", after which thiruvezhArai pundarEkakshan was being called with this illustrious name of
uyyakondAn and this name stood eternally in the sastras and the sampradAyams. Like that with nAdamunigazh the other sampradAyam became to be known as uyyakondAn. From uyyakondAn came manakAlnambi. The direct child of nadamunighazh was ishwara muni. ishwari muni direct child was yAmunacharayan, yamunai thuraivan and this was AzhavandhAn.
Subham
Radhe Radhe
Read more translations of the other episodes at: http://aranganinarumai.blogspot.com/
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