Three mudhalaazhvaargaL

[Guest guest]

The upcoming week is a special week for Sri

Vaishnavaas everywhere. It is blessed with the

thiru nakshathiram of three great AzhvArs, poigai,

bootham and pEyaazhvaar.

 

11/10/94 (Thu) thiruvONam Poigaiaazhvaar

11/11/94 (Fri) avittam boothatthaazvaar

11/12/94 (Sat) sathayam pEyaazhvaar

 

There is no need to repeat the story of the three

aazhvaars spending a rainy night in thorukkOvaloor

in a narrow passage large enough for the three to

just stand. It is quite well known. In stead,

I give below two pasurams, one of poagai and one of

pEyaazhvaar, with the theme Hari and Haran are one

and the same.

 

\bt

mudhal thiru andhaathi, 5th pasuram:

---

aran naaraNan naamam AnvidaipuLLoorthi,

urai nool maRai uRaiyum kOyil, - varai neer

karumam azhippaLippuk kaiyathuvEl nEmi,

uruvam eri kaar mEni onRu.

\et

 

AzhvAr is comparing the two deities thus:

 

Name (naamam):

aran (sivan), nArAyaNan

vAganam (oorthi):

Bulluck (Anvidai), Bird, i.e. Garudan (puL)

Worshipped in (urai nool):

vEdham (maRai) for both

Place where they live (uRaiyum kOyil):

mountain (varai), ocean (neer)

Duty (karumam):

Destroy (azhippu), protect (aLippu)

Weapon held in hand (kaiyathu):

Spear (vEl), disc (nEmi)

Form (uruvam):

Fire (eri), clouds (kaar)

 

mEni onRu: They both are one and the same (i.e.

paramaathmaa)

 

\bt

moonRaam thiru andhaathi, 63rd pasuram:

-----

 

thaazsadaiyum neeNmudiyum oNmazuvum sakkaramum,

soozaravum ponnaaNum thOnRumaal, soozum

thiraNdaruvi paayum thirumalaimEl enthaikku,

iraNduruvum onRaay isainthu.

\et

 

In the first two lines AzhvAr compares the two as

below:

 

Sivan emperumaan

---------------------- ---------------------

thaazsadai (jadaamudi) neeNmudi(long kEsam)

oNmazu (weapon) sakkaram (weapon)

sooz aravu (surrounded pon naaNum (golden

snakes) string around waist)

---------------------- ---------------------

 

 

thiraNdaruvi paayum thirumalai = The hills of

thiruvEngadam where rivulets stream down

 

enthaikku = for our emperumaan (for nArAyaNan)

 

iranduruvum onRaay isanthu = both forms (sivan and

nArAyaNan) are apt.

 

(MS has rendered this pAsuram in her exquisitely

melodious voice)

 

P.S.

1. Both paasurams are interpreted to mean that the

antharaathmaa for sivan is none other than nArAyaNan.

2. Some saivaites use the second pasuram to lay claim

to thiruvEngadam. But this claim has been refuted

by many, most notably by Sri Ramaanuja.