Tiruppullaani

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Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

 

 

Tiruppullaani

 

 

There is the sweet fragrance of Saranagati in the air. If you listen carefully,

the twittering birds on treetops appear to cry out, " Prapatti! " Prapatti! " .

Every grain of sand inhabiting the place appears to bear mute testimony to the

divine drama enacted on the soil aeons ago, laying down Saranagati as the sole

strategy for achieving not only liberation, but of every possible desire that

can seize man. The unending waves in the ocean nearby do not roll or thunder,

but lap gently at the coastline, as if trying to find and touch the lotus feet

of the Model Man, who lay on the shores long ago. The waves return in

disappointment, unable to locate their refuge, but ever optimistic, they rush

towards the shore again, hopeful of finding Him sometime or the other.

 

 

 

There are 106 " Divya Desams " or temples on this earth, sanctified by the visits

of Azhwars. All of them are indeed branch offices of the Lord, opened for the

specific purpose of enticing and emancipating errant souls. Thus at every divya

desam, Emperuman awaits our arrival patiently, having spread the net far and

wide through His agents-- the Acharyas. Every divya desam is thus a dispenser of

that panacea, Saranagati.

 

 

 

Though this might be so, there is a particular divya desam that is known

specifically as " Saranagati Kshetram " . It was this particular abode of the Lord

that was eyewitness to the great episode of Vibhishana Saranagati, which

Emperuman used as a vehicle to demonstrate the unfailing efficacy of Absolute

Surrender.

 

 

 

Having left Lanka and with it all his near and dear, untold riches and royal

privileges, Vibhishana fell at the Lord's lotus feet, on the shores opposite

Lanka. Those in the Vaanara sena justifiably doubted his motives in deserting

his blood brother and defecting to the enemy camp, especially on the eve of a

war. When Vibhishana started wondering when he had indeed made the right move,

it was Chakkravartthi Tirumagan who stepped in, convinced the antagonists that

those who surrendered- " Prapannaas " -- should be protected at all cost, even if

their conduct was suspect and even if they were the embodiment of evil- " dosho

yadyapi tasya syaat " . It was at this divya ksetram that the Prince of Ayodhya

enunciated clearly His philosophy of protection to all those who surrendered,

irrespective of caste, creed, colour, race, merit or qualification. Whoever says

to the Lord with sincerity, " I am yours. Please save me " , performing Saranagati

at His lotus feet, is entitled for emancipation, says Raghunandana, in His

famous pronunciation-

 

 

 

" Sakrit eva prapannaaya tavaaham asmi iti yaachate

 

Abhayam sarva bhootebhyo dadaami, etat vratam mama "

 

 

 

It is for this scintillating display of Saranagata Rakshanam that Sri Rama is

acclaimed till today, as the " Sarva avasttha sakrit prapanna janataa samrakshna

eka vratee " .

 

 

 

And the place where it all happened is Tiruppullaani, situated on the

southernmost shores of India. The name has obviously evolved from " Pull anai " or

a bed of grass, referring to the Darbham which Sri Rama lay on ( " tata: saagara

velaayaam darbhaan aasteerya Raghava: " ), during His own ineffective Saranagati

addressed to the Samudra Raja, seeking the latter's cooperation in building a

bridge across the ocean to Lanka, for transporting men and materials for war.

 

 

 

One might ask-if Saranagati is touted to be a fail-safe mechanism for achieving

one's desires, how come Sri Raghava's own effort (in surrendering to the Samudra

Raja) failed?

 

 

 

The answer is that Prapatti is a strategy to be adopted by a helpless person,

who has no other means of accomplishing his goal. " Aakinchanyam " or absolute

helplessness is thus an essential pre-requisite of Prapatti. Since the Prince of

Ayodhya could by no means be termed helpless, and was in fact the all-powerful

Parabrahmam, His Saranagati to the deity of the waters was doomed to failure ab

initio.

 

 

 

We thus find that Tiruppullaani was the stage on which the Lord enacted two

episodes of Saranagati, both intended to drive home to mortals the cardinal

principles and pre-requisites of Prapatti. It is thus Tiruppullani that showed

the rest of the world the real route to Liberation. When we realise that we are

actually standing on the shores where Sri Rama stood, that we are stepping on

the same sands that He lay down upon for three conseuctive days, the same beach

sanctified for posterity by the steps of Siriya Tiruvadi and countless Vaanara

Veeras, tears of devotion cloud our eyes and our mind cannot but re-enact the

glorious scenes on the sands that took place in Treta Yugam, but appear as real

today as they were then.

 

 

 

A short distance from the Sannidhi is the seashore where it all happened. And it

is this shore, from which the Rama Sethu, the bridge across the ocean to Lanka,

was built by that accomplished engineer, Nala, in just five days flat. We are

told that the Vanara veeras brought huge hills, tall trees, massive boulders

and rocks, wrote the Rama nama on them and threw them into the waters-and they

floated due to the glory of the divine name, adhering together and forming a

beautiful, sturdy and unprecedented bridge across the unbridgeable ocean. Sri

Valmiki is so taken up with the mind-boggling logistics, superhuman effort and

enormity of endeavour that went into the project, that he enthuses over the

Sethu time and again, calling it " Mahaa Sethu " , " Sreemaan " etc.

 

 

 

It is no small tribute to Tiruppullani that even the most insignificant of its

inhabitants, creatures like squirrels, rushed to participate in the kainkaryam

of Sethu bandhanam, by dipping their bodies in water, rolling in the sand and

shaking off the sand particles adhering to their bushy coats, in an endearing

effort at filling the ocean. Looking at the monkeys' efforts, the squirrels,

even though endowed with much less strength and size, participated in the

service to the best of their capabilities. Pleased at this endeavour, Sri Rama

is said to have caressed the squirrels' back, resulting in three lines that can

be witnessed on their backs even today. This is no old wives' tale and has the

sanctity of mention in Tirumaalai-recording the squirrel's contribution for

posterity, Sri Tondaradippodi says,

 

 

 

" Kurangugal malayai nookka, kulitthu taam purandu ittodi

 

taranga neer adaikkaluttra chalam ilaa anilum polen "

 

 

 

Though the term " Kulitthu " refers to the squirrels taking a dip in the ocean so

that sand would stick to their bodies, we cannot help but think that they might

have tried to purify themselves with Samudra snaanam, before participating in

Bhagavat Kainkaryam.

 

 

 

And if one needs proof positive that all this happened, that all this is not

merely another Stthala Puraanam concocted to confer greatness on the divya

desam, one just has to go out in the sea a little distance, to witness to one's

eye's content the remnants of the Rama Sethu. A couple of years ago, satellite

pictures taken by NASA of the USA were circulated on the web, confirming for

even the most die-hard doubters, the existence underwater of a bridge-like

structure linking the present day India and Lanka. That this bridge existed

seven hundred and odd years ago, is borne out by Swami Desikan's tribute to this

structure, in Sri Varadaraja Panchasat-

 

 

 

" Tam veekshya Sethum adhunaapi shareeravanta:

 

Sarve shadoormi bahulam jaladhim taranti "

 

 

 

Swami Desikan tells us that a mere sight of this glorious and sacred bridge that

Rama built, ensures our emancipation. The word " adhunaapi " conveys wonderment at

the Rama Sethu remaining visible to mortal eyes till date, even after the

passing of several Yugas. The glory of this immortal bridge is chronicled by the

great Venkataadhvari Kavi of Arasaanipalai, in his " Visva Gunaadarsa Champoo " ,

thus-

 

 

 

" Ya: puraa paapa dasakacchede saadhanataam gata:

 

Sa Sethu: na katham shakta: paapa panchaka bhanjane "

 

 

 

" When this Sethu was instrumental in the destruction of the ten heads of the

dreaded Ravana, what difficulty can it have it destroying our five types of sins

( " Pancha mahaa paatakam " )? And the adage, " Tiru Anai kandaal aru vinai agalum "

confirms our conviction in the purificatory powers of this Sethu. Swami Desikan

is so impressed with the idea that he repeats it in Daya Satakam too-

 

 

 

" Vyabhajyata Sarit pati: sakrideva kshanaat tat kshanaat

 

prakrishta bahu paataka prasama hetunaa Setunaa "

 

 

 

The glories all our Acharyas and elders have attributed to the Sethu have their

origins in the Srimad Valmiki Ramayana Slokam, where Sri Rama, on his return

journey to Ayodhya in the Pushpaka vimaanam, points out to Sri Mythily the

beautiful bridge across the ocean built solely for Her rescue and remarks about

the holiness of the waters at the shores of Tiruppullaani-

 

 

 

" Etat tu drisyate teerttham saagarasya mahaatmana:

 

Sethu bandha iti khyaatam trilokyena abhipoojitam

 

Etat pavitram paramam mahaa paataka naasanam "

 

 

 

The reality and glory of the bridge that Rama built, is further borne out by

references in the Mahabharata. During his travels in the south, Sahadeva is said

to have met Vibheeshana and also had a darshan of the Rama Sethu, which prompted

in him thoughts of Rama's glory-

 

 

 

" Lankaam abhimukho Rajan! Samudram avalokayat..

 

... " Tatra drishtvaa Rama Sethum chintayaamaasa vikramam "

 

 

 

What about the Lord of this great divyadesam?

 

 

 

There appear to be quite a few contenders for the sobriquet " Periya Perumal " .

This title is applied to Emperumans, mainly because Perumal (Chakravartthi

Tirumagan) is said to have worshipped them. First and foremost to come to our

thoughts at the mention of " Periya Perumal " is of course our Ranganatha, the

Kula Deivam of the Ikshvaaku Dynasty, whom Sri Rama worshipped along with His

Consort, on the day prior to His infructuous coronation- " Saha patnyaa

visalaakshyaa Narayanam upaagamat " . The second claimant to the title is Sri

Nrisimha, whom Sri Rama is said to have worshipped at Ahobilam, en route to

Lanka.

 

 

 

You would be surprised to learn that there is a third " Periya Perumal " too, the

Adi Jagannatha Perumal of Tiruppullani. Prior to the battle with Ravana, Sri

Raghava is said to have paid obeisance to the Kalyana Jagannatha Perumal of this

divya desam and obtained a divine bow from Him, with which Ravana samhaaram was

carried out. That this Emperuman was in possession of and sported a mighty bow,

is borne out by Sri Tirumangai Mannan's mangalaasaasanam, calling Him " Deiva

Silayaar " (Silai=bow).

 

 

 

The Lord sits in the sanctum with His twin Consorts, one of His palms extended

in a protective pose ( " Abhaya mudra " ), while the other palm beckons to devotees

( " Aahvaana Hastam " ) to come and seek refuge in His holy feet. The other two

hands at the back hold the Shankham and Chakram respectively. According to the

Stthala Puranam, Dasaratha Chakravartthi, apart from performing Putrakaameshti,

worshipped at this divya desam and it was Adi Jjagannatha Perumal who blessed

Him with progeny. (Sri Valmiki perhaps hints at Sri Raghava being an amsam of

Adi Jagannatha Perumal, when he says " Prodyamaane Jagannatham sarva loka

namaskritam " , while recording Rama's birth.)

 

 

 

Those belonging to the school of Meemaamsa hold that Yagyas and Yagas are by

themselves productive and bestow the desired fruit on the performer. However,

Vedantis affirm that it is Isvara, pleased by the performance of these

sacrifices (which are only modes of worshipping Him) who confers the favours

sought on the devotees. Similarly, though Dasaratha performed Putrakaameshti, it

was Adi Jagannatha Perumal who actually blessed the Emperor with four

illustrious sons in His own mould.

 

 

 

If this Emperuman is reputed to be a " Varaprasaadi " , we owe it in no small

measure to His Consort, Sri Padmaasani Taayaar, whose sannidhi is nearby. The

Divine Consort's compassionate countenance captures our hearts, with its

welcoming smile.

 

 

 

As we perform a pradikshinam, we come to the shrine of Sri Raghava, appearing to

us as He did to Vanara veeras aeons ago, recumbent on a bed of grass. In this

Sannidhi, however, the Prince of Ayodhya is seen lying on a snaky bed, with

Brahma seated on the lotus growing out of the Lord's navel-all of this

indicating that He is indeed the Parabrahmam, despite His protestations to the

contrary ( " Aatmaanam maanusham manye " ). Sri Hanuman is seen at the Lord's left

foot, in a posture of devotion. Unusually, a huge sword lies beside the Lord,

contrary to the popular perception that Emperuman's favourite weapon during the

Ramavatara was the Bow Kodandam. The Lord is seen in " Veera Sayanam " , with his

right hand placed beneath His head as a pillow, and the left hand stretched

alongside.

 

 

 

This pose of the Lord brings to our mind the relative couplets from the Epic,

which prompt the conclusion that the Lord displayed four hands to those present

on the Tiruppullani beach, on that day in Treta Yuga. Describing Rama's supine

posture on a bed of darbham, Sri Valmiki says that He had His arms folded in

supplication ( " anjali " ). Simultaneously, one of His arms was placed behind His

head as pillow with another stretched out. Here is the relative sloka-

 

 

 

" tata: saagara velaayaam darbhaan aasteerya Raaghava:

 

anjalim praang mukha: kritvaa pratisisye mahodadhe:

 

" baahum bhujaga bhogaabham upadaaya ari soodana: "

 

 

 

Thus two of the arms were engaged in a gesture of supplication, with folded

palms beseeching the Samudra Raja to permit access, while another arm was placed

as a pillow behind the head. This definitely presupposes the existence of four

arms, since one cannot use two arms to perform the function of three. It is thus

clear that in this instance, Sri Rama must have displayed His Paratvam

(Supremacy) at Tiruppullani (with the four-armed posture.

 

 

 

Sri Vibheeshana stands as a sculpture just outside the sanctum sanctorum, the

embodiment of devotion, reminding the onlooker of the immeasurable fruits he

derived from his exemplary Saranagati at the Lord's lotus feet.

 

 

 

Two other worthies we see at this Sannidhi are Shuka and Saarana, ministers of

Ravana. These Rakshasas are despatched by Ravana for ascertaining the strengths

and weaknesses of Rama's army, but are caught immediately by Sri Rama's

sentinels, as they land on the beach. When they are brought to Rama's presence,

bound hand and foot and facing certain death at the hands of the enraged

vanaras, Rama intervenes and displays His strategic wisdom. He tells the spies

to have a good look at the army and advises Vibheeshana to take them on a guided

tour of the encampment, so that they could gain a true picture of the army's

invincible might and numerical superiority and report back to their leader. And

Rama's ploy pays off, when these Rakshasas return to Ravana with glowing

accounts of the opposing army, its numbers, the might of its commanders, etc.,

fervently pleading with Ravana to return Sri Mythily to Rama with honour and

escape certain annihilation.

 

 

 

In turn, we reach the Sannidhi of Sri Pattabhirama, with Sri Sita and Lakshmana,

adorned in all their finery.

 

 

 

Unlike other Emperumans who have had to be content with a line or two, or at

best one pasuram, from an Azhwar, this divya desam can boast of no less than

twenty pasurams from the pen of Sri Tirumangai Mannan. Azhwar, floored by the

incredible handsomeness of this Emperuman, has donned the role of a girl

stricken with unbearable yearning for the Lord of Pullaani. Sri Kalian waxes

eloquent in portraying Pullani, with such enchanting phrases as--

 

" poovaar manam kamazhum Pullaani " , " poru tiraigal pondu ulavu Pullaani " ,

" chezhum tadam poonjolai soozh Pullaani " , " pon alarum punnai soozh Pullaani " , "

Poonserundi pon soriyum Pullaani " , " Punnai muttham pozhil soozhndu azhagaana

Pullaani " etc.

 

 

 

Indicating to us the extremely close association this divya desam has with

Saranagati, Sri Tirumangai Mannan punctuates most of his pasurams with the

phrase " tozhudum ezhu " , signifying absolute surrender to this Emperuman. Apart

from Azhwars, the Adi Jagannatha Perumal and the Darbhasayana Rama have drawn

poetic tribute from a host of admirers, ancient and modern, as is evident from

several beautiful compositions like the " Pullai Andaadi " , " Pullaani Maalai,

" Kadavu Tirattal Paattu " , " Vaahana Maalai " , " Vanna Viruttam " , " Deiva Silayaan

Tiruppugazh " , " Nalangu " , " Tiruppullaani Nondi Naatakam " , etc.

 

 

 

An account of Tiruppullaani would be definitely incomplete without a mention of

the Stthala Vriksham, the holy Peepal Tree that spreads its leafy branches over

the Darbhasayana Raman Sannidhi, in an effort to keep the Lord shaded from the

radiation of the overhead Sun. This is indeed a huge specimen, growing

vertically as well as horizontally, spreading its roots and branches far and

wide. In view of its phenomenal growth, this tree is acclaimed as " Valar Arasu " .

A mere sight of this holy tree is reputed to cure us of incurable diseases. Our

reverence for the Vriksham multiplies manifold, when we learn that it has

officiated as arbiter, to determine the correctness of Vedic intonation. We are

told that Saraswati took birth on earth and begot a scholarly

son-Saarasvatan-who was well versed in the Vedas and other Shastras. When a

group of Vidvaans found fault with Saarasvata's intonation of the Shruti, the

latter appealed to Brahma for arbitration. Brahma, however, directed the

contending parties to the Asvattha Vriksham at Tiruppullani. Saarasvata and the

other Vidvans agreed that that version was correct, which the tree heard with

rapt attention, without even a movement of its leaves. After hearing both

parties, the Asvattha tree ruled in favour of Sarasvati's son.

 

 

 

For those suffering from the heat and dust of Samsara as well as the overhead

Sun, the beautiful tank opposite the Sannidhi, pleasingly filled with cool

water, affords great relief. Known as the Chakkra Teertham, this tank is as holy

as the waters of the Sethu.

 

 

 

Abutting the holy tank is Swami Desikan Sannidhi, with palms folded in

supplication to his favourite deity-the Karunaa Kaakuttstha, the

Mahaaveera-whose praise he has sung with fervour in his innumerable

compositions. Quite an ancient shrine, lovingly looked after for centuries by

doting devotees, it now belongs to Srimad Andavan Ashramam. Sri Ahobila Matam

has a large and spacious Sannidhi for Sri LakshmiNrisimha, located very near Adi

Jagannatha Perumal Koil, with provision for accommodating Sevaartthis visiting

this divya desam. A new Vanamamalai Mutt too has come up adjacent to the

Sannidhi. All these institutions ensure that devotees who visit Tiruppullani are

assured of shelter and prasaadam.

 

 

 

Poorvacharyas like Sri Periya Nambi, Sri Bhashyakara, Sri Bhattar, Sri

Nanjeeyar, Swami Desikan and Sri Manavala Mamuni are reputed to have performed

mangalasasanam of this Emperuman. Sri Mamunigal is reported to have composed the

beautiful and extremely moving " Aarti Prabandam " at this divya desam, while his

Acharya and maternal uncle Sri Tiruvaimozhi Pillai was born at Sikkil Kidaaram,

near Tiruppullaani. The glories of this holy place are chronicled in detail in

nine chapters, in the " Bhuvana kosa varnanam " of the Aagneya Puranam.

 

 

 

The Tiruppullani temple has undergone renovation and Samprokshanam recently and

the Gopuram stands tall, beautiful and imposing, a majestic symbol worthy of its

Inner Dweller. The Shrine is under the administration of the Setupati

Samstthaanam, whose rulers have been devoted to the Lord and have performed

several kainkaryams, generation after generation. This dynasty is incidentally

reputed to have been founded by a warrior who was of assistance to Sri Rama and

was crowned by Him as ruler of the " Sethu Naadu " . Figures of generations of

Setupatis adorn the prakaarams of the Sannidhi, their palms folded in devotion

to the Lord of Tiruppullani.

 

 

 

For the information of intending visitors eager to have a glimpse of this

wonderful Emperuman and to purify their bodies and souls through Sethu Snaanam,

Tiruppullani is a small village around 10 kilometres from Ramanathapuram, which

in turn is around two and a half hours from Madurai. The area is well connected

by road and rail, with all creature comforts. Till date, this divya desam is

thronged by devotees with varied wish lists ranging from progeny to Paramapadam.

Till some years back, we are told that Acharyas used to test the conviction and

spiritual strength of their Sishyas seeking Saranagati, by advising them to

perform Sethu Snaanam. Apart from being a powerful panacea for all ills, this

holy dip is specifically prescribed for ridding oneself of impurities accruing

from an overseas trip involving crossing of oceans, officiating in the 11th and

12th day ceremonies following the passing away of a Sri Vaishnava, etc.

 

 

 

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana

Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

dasan, sadagopan