Swamy Deshikan Thiruvadigale Sharanam !!!

Sriman Shathakopan has already described this mega event in a very
spectacular way. adiyEn shall add a few more observations to this.

Margazhi morning at Kanchipuram. Varadan seats himself in the Kannadi
mantapam. Ramanujar in a prostrating posture seats beside him. Varadar could
be seen wearing a velvet garment with the Thiruppavai pasuram for the day
inscribed on it.

At around 11 in the morning the procession amidst a huge sea of Veda goshti
and Prabandha goshti leaves the temple with Perumal inside a palanquin and
Ramanujar following Him.

The procession stops at the entrance of Thuppul, where in maryaadai is
offered to the Lord and Ramanujar. The goshti immediately proceeds further
and reaches the sAlai kiNaru. Meanwhile shARRumuRai is completed at Thuppul
and Deshikan is ready decking himself for the occassion.

The procession reaches the mantapam next to sAlai KiNaru. Arrangements for
Thirumanjanam are made. The representative of Thatha Deshikan brings in
water from the Kinaru amidst a big Veda goshti. Detailed Thirumanjanam is
performed amidst Kattiyam seviththal etc. Thirumanjanam is followed by
Nivedanam, shaRRumuRai, teertha goshti and prasadam. Perumal is now decked
with Bow and arrow signifying His manifestation as a hunter and huntress in
escorting Ramanuja from the forests to Kanchipuram. Perumal now leads the
way and Ramanujar follows behind him, signifying as to how the Hunter
escorted Ramanuja.

As soon as the procession crosses the Thuppul agraharam bend, Deshikan comes
out of his sannidhi and waits anxiously at the entrance.

Deshikan adored in the finest of garments and ornaments. wears a crown of
velvet with konDai enmeshed with pearls. Vadyams double and the goshti
almost triples at this stage.

As soon as the procession arrives at the entrance of Thuppul, Deshikan first
does maryadai to Varadan with pattu-vastrams etc and then to Ramanujar.
Deshikan then recieves maalai from Varadan and Ramanujar and traces his
steps back in an act of welcoming his guests. He stands at the mukha dvaram
of the temple and allows Varadan and Ramanujar to move into the temple and
then gently follows them. Varadan is then seated on a simhasanam. To His
left Ramanujar is seated on an acharya peetam. To Varadan's right Deshikan
seats himself on the floor ! (This shows the peak of his acharya bhakti).
The confluence is bewitching.

Deshikan then performs Thiruvaradhanam to Varadan. TaLigai is then offered
by Deshikan to his roya; guests. Soon after this Varadan blesses Ramanujar
with his shatari and malai, which is in turn conveyed by Ramanuja to Swamy
Deshikan. This is followed by teertha goshti and prasadam.
Soon after this Varadan and Ramanujar decied to take leave of Swamy
Deshikan. Deshikan moves first in an act of escorting them and stands at the
entrance to see his guests off. He then follows them for a few more yards
and stays there for a minute or two. Delighted beyond limits he retires to
his asthanam after this.

vAzhi vyAkhyAmuddirak kai !!!
vedAntasUri haraNau sharaNam prapadye !!!