Venkata Krishnan

Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

Srimad vara vara munayE Namaha

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

Pranams,

Let us see some interesting facts about the Thiruvallikeni Divyadesam. We know that according to our sampradayam, tattvas are three: Achit, Chit and Ishwaran. Ishwaran refers to Sriyapathi Sriman Narayanan. Ishwaran has 5 forms, namely para, vyuha, vibhava, antaryami and archai. Among these, para form is seen only by the Nityasuri's and even the Devas are not eligible to see this form. Then Perumal by his Nirheduka krupai came to the Thiruparkadal as the vyuha murthy so that the Devas can come to see him and tell their miseries to him. Even this form cannot be seen by the baddha jivatmas. So Emperuman took the vibhava avatara, but the difficulty of this avatara is, he can be seen only by the people in that time and it is difficult to understand him. Then, comes the antaryami, who can be seen only by great people, like the alwars and rishis(yogis). So the easiest form and the one, seen, even by a nastikan is the archavataram. Among the various archavatarams of the bhagavan, 108 have been sung by the divyasuris(the alwars) and hence are called the divya desams. Thiruvallikeni is one such divya desam. Thirumangai alwar, Peyazhwar and Thirumazhisai azhwar have given their Mangalasasanams to the Emperumans of this divya desam.

In mumukshupadi charama sloka prakaranam sri pillai lokacharya says

"KAIYUM VUZHAVU KOLUM, PIDITHA

SIRUVAIKAYIRUM, SENAADHOOLI DHOOSARITAMANA

THIRUKUZHALUM, THERUKKU KHEEZE NAATTRINA

THIRUVADI KALUMAI NIRKINDRA SARATHYA VESHATHTHAI

'MAM'ENDRU KATTUKIRAN"

This portray can be visuvalized in Thiruvallikeni. Even Arjuna for whom Krishna showed this thirukkolam couldn’t have enjoyed it, since he was filled with confusion and vishadam. But even today we are able to enjoy that arpuda divya mangala vigraham in Thiruvallikeni. Even today he shows his feet and says 'mam ekam charanam vraja' and assures that he will release us from all our sins and grant us moksham. The moolavar has only two hands, a site not seen in any other divyadesam (except nachiyar koil). On the right he holds the Panchajanyam, the only Ayudam which Emperuman had with him during the Bhaaradha Uddham.

Even when he sacrificed all other Ayudams and said he will not touch any, till the end of the war he did not give up his sankam. Probably this is why even Sri Andal the consort of Sri Parthasarathi in Thiruvallikeni envies the sanghu and sings "karpuram narumo kamalapu narumo" and all. In this excellent 10 verses in the Nachiyar Thirumozhi actually Sri Andal shows the relation of the Perumal and Sankam and also shows how the other consorts feel jealous of the Divya Panchajanyam which keeps going to the mouth of the Emperuman, day in and day out. For others, they have to take bath before going in front of Perumal but the Sankam never takes bath but it has its bath with the amudham from the Perumal’s mouth itself. These verses are apt to be sung in front of Sri Venkatakrishnan in Thiruvallikeni, where the Sangam gets its major place leaving all other Ayudams, the Emperuman of the other Divyadesams generally have.

In the left is the varada hastam which says 'Mam Ekam Charanam Vraja'. To show the warrior vesham the Emperuman has a moushtache and a small knife in his hip and also a vuzhavu kol as acharya puts it(since he is a Edayan he needs a kol). Till the next posting let the image of Sri Venkatakrishnan remain in all our minds.

adiyen ramanuja dAsee

sumithra varadarajan