Sri Parthasarathi Brahmothsavam 2021 - Sesha vahanam

At Thiruvallikkeni divaydesam – for Sri Parthasarathi & Sri Azhagiya Singar brahmothsavam – on day 2 morning would be the beautiful Sesha vahanam.   Today  (4.2.2021) being day 2 of Sri Parthasarathi Special brahmothsavam, there was grand purappadu of Sri Parthasarathi in Sesha vahanam as Paramapatha nathar. 

Of those who render service to MahaVishnu, Ananthan – the Adi Sesha serves Him in the best possible manner that one could visualize.  He is with Him when He is moving, sitting and at Thirupparkadal, Emperuman is reclining on him.  The serpentine Ananthazhwaan is ever at the service of the Lord in every possible manner.    

நமது திருக்கோவில்களில் பிரமோத்சவத்திலே - எம்பெருமானுடன் தொடர்பு கொண்ட - சேஷ, கருட, ஹனுமந்த வாகனங்கள் மிக சிறப்பு.    இன்று சேஷவாஹனம்.  எம்பெருமானுக்கு குடையாகவும், சிம்ஹாஸனமாகவும், படுக்கையாகவும் அவருடன் எப்போதுமே இருந்து சேவை செய்பவர் ஆதிசேஷன்.  கஸ்யபர் எனும் சப்தரிஷிகளில் ஒருவரான மகரிஷிக்கும் (இவர் மரீசி முனிவரின் புதல்வர்), தக்கனின் அறுபது  மகள்களில் ஒருவரான  கத்ருவுக்கும் பிறந்தவர்  ஆதிசேஷன்  படுத்த பைந்நாகணைப் பள்ளி கொண்டானுக்குப் பல்லாண்டு கூறுதுமே, என பெரியாழ்வார் மங்களாசாசனம்.

Snakes have coexisted with humans for millions of years. There are more than 3,000 species of snakes on the planet and they’re found everywhere except in Antarctica, Iceland, Ireland, Greenland, and New Zealand. About 600 species are venomous, and only about 200—seven percent—are able to kill or significantly wound a human.   The serpent, or snake, is one of the oldest and most widespread mythological symbols. The word is derived from Latin serpens, a crawling animal or snake.  Snake  worship has been prevalent in many cultures. The Kingdom of Dahomey was an African kingdom (located within the area of the present-day country of Benin) that existed from about 1600 until 1904, when the last king, Béhanzin, was defeated by the French, and the country was annexed into the French colonial empire.   In Africa the chief centre of serpent worship was Dahomey, but the cult of the python seems to have been of exotic origin, dating back to the first quarter of the 17th century. The rainbow-god of the Ashanti was also conceived to have the form of a snake. His messenger was said to be a small variety of boa, considered sacred.

There is the illustrious lineage of Purvacharyargal – the hierarchy of Srivaishnava preceptors – through whom the glorious traditions passed by in generations.  Its happy culmination with Namperumal Himself becoming disciple of Acarya Mamunigal redounds the wisdom of our holy lineage.  Swami Emperumanar (Sri Ramanujar) and Mamunigal – both were incarnation of Adisesha.  Born as Nayanar, Mamunigal was an ocean of knowledge, yet learnt at the feet of his erudite father and others – the way Sri Rama and Sri Krishna did, during their stay on earth – through courses under great sages of their times like Vasistha, Viswamitra, Sandeepani .. ..  

திருப்பாற்கடலில் பள்ளி கொள்ளும் பெருமானுக்கு 'சேஷசாயி' என அழகான  திருநாமம். அந்த அரவணையானின் பாதங்களை    தொழுது ஏத்துபவர்கள் என்று  என்றும் குறைவிலர் !..  . Here is one of the verses of Boothathazhwar:        

திரிந்தது வெஞ்சமத்துத் தேர்கடவி, அன்று

பிரிந்தது சீதையை  மான் பின்போய், - புரிந்ததுவும்

கண்பள்ளி கொள்ள அழகியதே, நாகத்தின்

தண்பள்ளி கொள்வான்  தனக்கு ..         

                                                                       ~  which would mean  :  

பல்லாயிரக்கணக்கானோர் மாண்ட கொடிய மஹா பாரத யுத்தத்திலே,  நம் பார்த்தசாரதியாய் - பார்த்தனான அர்ஜுனனின்   தேரை நடத்திக் கொண்டு, பீஷ்மர் போன்றோரின் அம்புகளை தான் தாங்கியதும்,  அதற்கு முந்தைய காலத்திலே, ஸ்ரீ இராமனாகத் திருவவதரித்து  மாயமானின் பின்னே சென்று, சீதையை பிரிந்ததும்,

தரையிலே பள்ளி கொள்ள  ஆசைப்பட்டதும் போன்ற திருவவதார லீலைகள் எல்லாம் - திருவனந்தாழ்வான் மேலே குளிரப்பள்ளி கொண்டிருக்க வேண்டிய பெருமானுக்கு ஏற்றவை தானோ ? - என வினவுகிறார் நம் பூதத்தாழ்வார்.   

The Lord who reclines on a cool serpent bed went about driving a chariot in war. He followed a deer and lost his Sita, and slept on the hard floor.  What an irony. though! who are prostrate and worship with most fragrant flowers,  the Lotus feet of the Lord reclining in the Milky Ocean,  will get the benefit of reaching that great Emperuman residing in Paramapadam  ~ the feat that is available to those bright sacred souls of Nithya suris, which is not even available to those like Indira and other devas.   

உத்சவ காலத்திலே 2ம் நாள் காலை இந்த பாசுரங்கள் சேவிக்கப்பெறும்.  எம்பெருமான் தெள்ளியசிங்கரது  திருவடி தொழுது, நாமும், உலக நலனுக்காகவும், நம் சம்ப்ரதாயம் சீர் பெறவும், நம் அனைவரும் வளமுடன் வாழ்ந்து - எம்பெருமானின் பல உத்சவங்களை, பற்பல திவ்யதேசங்களிலே சேவிக்கப்பெறுவோமாக !!

Here are some photos of  Sesha vahana purappadu this morning.

 

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
4.2.2021.  

  

Sri Parthasarathi perumal punnai kilai vahanam 2021

One may instantly remember the purappadu, the day after the birth of Lord Sri Krishna   ~  when our Emperuman Sri Krishna was born  -  Sri Periyazhwar sings that – people living in those beautiful mansions, spilled oil and turmeric powder on one another, in celebrations thus slushing the portico of Sri Krishna’s house.  .. .. ..  next day occurs he grand Uriyadi purappadu of Sri Parthasarathi in Punnaikilai vahanam.   

In Fiji, Dilo oil is made from the dilo nuts and dilo tree (Calophyllum inophyllum), which grows well on the island. By some accounts the selling price of oil 30 ml bottle is   $10. Does a tree that can repair degraded land, heal damaged skin and provide an important source of energy sound too good to be true? Think again.

The oil from the tamanu tree, or nyamplung tree as it’s known locally on the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia, has been used for centuries as a salve for wounds and scars. Now, scientists from the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry and Environment’s Research and Development Agency (FORDIA), Indonesia’s Mulawarman University, Sriwijaya University and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) want to find out how it heals degraded land that has been burned or mined – and simultaneously contribute to bioenergy production.  The Indonesian government is interested in the tamanu tree for more than one reason. The oil from the nut, which has reportedly been burned in lamps for many generations across southern Asia, has significant potential to become an important source for biofuel.

Tamanu oil is extracted from the nuts of Calophyllum inophyllum (Tamanu Tree). The oil is primarily used in skin care treatment. Tamanu oil contains essential fatty acids and minerals that help recover skin from different degrading conditions and also helps in curing acne, scars and even join pains. The major constituents of tamanu oil are linoleic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid of which linoleic acid and oleic acid consit more than 60% by volume. The tamanu oil market is experiencing higher demand rates annually primarily from the western population. The tamanu oil market is expected to be driven by the growing influence of natural remedies through traditional medicines globally.  Wonder what ! – read on !!

Call it Dilo or Tamanu . .. .. on the evening of day 1 of special Brahmothsavam-  3.2.2021,  – it is Punnai Kilai Vahanam with Sri Parthasarathi in His avatar  as Sri Krishna, the Divine Flautist.   Unlike Ramavathara, Lord Krishna exhibited glimpses of divinity many a  times... as he grew up in Vrindavanam, people were attracted to Him with boundless devotion longing for the Lord, longing to hear His melodious flute; yearning to get near and be with Him.  It was not the earthly love but the infinite devotion to the Lord  ~ the Punnaikilaivahanam depicts his iraasaleelai with gopikas.

Forests cover one third of the Earth's land mass, performing vital functions around the world. Around 1.6 billion people - including more than 2,000 indigenous cultures - depend on forests for their livelihoods, medicines, fuel, food and shelter. Forests are the most biologically-diverse ecosystems on land.  Yet despite all of these priceless ecological, economic, social and health benefits, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate - 13 million hectares of forest are destroyed annually. Deforestation accounts for 12 to 20 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. The International Day of Forests is held annually on 21 March to raise awareness of the importance of forests to people and their vital role in poverty eradication, environmental sustainability and food security.  When we drink a glass of water, write in a notebook, take medicine for a fever or build a house, we do not always make the connection with forests. And yet, these and many other aspects of our lives are linked to forests in one way or another.  

This year the International Day of Forests promoted education to Learn to Love Forests. It underscores the importance of education at all levels in achieving sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation. Healthy forests mean healthy, resilient communities and prosperous economies. Trees remove pollutants and fine particulates from the air, reduce noise pollution and act as buffers to keep residential areas quiet and serene.   The best trees to pick are the local varieties that grow easily and are adapted to local conditions. These also use the least water and are best suited for quick growth. Some of the regular ones that we can perhaps identify is -  the Neem (Azadirachta indica), Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) & Calophyllum inophyllum – what  - to those regular temples, it is the common Punnai tree.  We have grand punnai vahana purappadu on day 1 evening of Brahmothsavam at Thiruvallikkeni as also on the day after Sree Krishna Jayanthi -  it is the subject matter of this post.

                            Popularly known in our old Tamil folklore as the 'Tree that cures' or as the 'Tree that protects', the Punnai tree's population along our coastal and river belts has been dwindling in the last three decades owing to its rich timber value.  scientists have now begun repopulating this tree for its biofuel and healing properties.  The  bio-fuel produced from Punnai tree can run a machine like a pumpset or even a generator, say researchers. 

ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி ப்ரம்மோத்சவத்தில், முதல் நாள் மாலை -  ஸ்ரீக்ருஷ்ணாவதார நாயனாக அற்புத சேவை அளிக்கும் -  புன்னைகிளை வாஹனம். வேய்ங்குழல் ஊதும் கண்ணனாக 'புன்னைக்கிளை வாஹனத்தில்  " குரவை  ஆய்ச்சியர்களோடு விளையாடும் திருக்கோலம்." புன்னை மிகவும் அழகிய தோற்றம் கொண்ட மரங்களுள் ஒன்றாகும்.  இதன் இலைகள் சற்று பெரியதாகவும்,பளபளப்பாகவும் இருக்கும். புன்னைமரத்தின் அறிவியற் பெயர்: calophyllum inophyllum : calophyllum என்பதன் பொருள்  அழகான   இலை.

 

 

பெரியாழ்வார்  தனது பாசுரங்களில், கண்ணனின் குழலோசையை : 

"தூவலம்புரியுடைய திருமால் தூய வாயில் குழலோசை வழியே"  எனவும் ........

மதுசூதனன் வாயில் குழலி னோசை செவியைப்பற்றி வாங்க*

நன்னரம்புடைய தும்புருவோடு நாரதனும் தம்தம் வீணை மறந்து*

கின்னரமிதுனங்களும் தம்தம் கின்னரம் தொடுகிலோமென்றனரே."

                                                          ~   என்றெல்லாம் சிறப்புற அனுபவிக்கிறார்.

 

கண்ணபிரானுடைய வாயில் (வைத்து ஊதப்பெற்ற) வேய்ங்குழலினுடைய  ஸ்வரமானது, செவிகளை கவர்ந்திழுக்க, நல்ல வீணையைக் கையிலுடைய தும்புரு முனிவனும், நாரதமஹர்ஷியும் தங்கள் தங்களுடைய வாத்தியங்களை இனி தொடவும் மாட்டோம் என்றனராம் !

 

Here are some photos  & a video of the grand purappadu this night at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam today. 

 
~ adiyen Srinivasa dhasan  
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
3.2.2021

 

Sri Parthasarathi Dharmathipeedam purappadu 2021

Festive days are back again !!  Brahmothsavams are happy occasions – devotees assemble in large numbers, do service to Lord in every possible manner.  At Thiruvallikkeni, there are two grand brahmothsavams [Chithirai for Sri Parthasarathi and Aani for Sri Azhagiya singar –  in the year 2020, when almost the entire globe remained indoors, the brahmothsavams  did not occur. 

It is more than an year since the first case of Covid was detected – Covid today is not yet eliminated but seemingly appears to be under control.  Tamil Nadu recorded 510 positive cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the state tally to 8,39,352. Among these, Chennai reported 142 positive cases, bringing the city’s total to 2,31,563.  It's still far way, we have to continue with our Covid appropriate behaviour, use masks and maintain social distancing along with hand hygiene.

On another front, India is fastest country to reach 4mn vaccination mark.  Indian Govt has done exceedingly well in handling the in-patients, providing hospital facilities and now in vaccine handling.  The Rs 35,000-crore allocation set aside for anti-Covid vaccination in the Budget is intended to cover 50 crore people with the cost of the shots and the accompanying logistic and administrative expenses working out to Rs 700 per beneficiary who is inoculated.  There is news that   India may grant emergency use authorisation to another coronavirus vaccine — Russia's Sputnik V — this month or next, reported news agency ANI.  

A year after Covid-19 first started being reported in China, the resultant pandemic has affected over 100 million people across the world and claimed over 2.2 million lives. The fightback for what has been an unprecedented crisis affecting humankind started towards late 2020 when China and then other countries announced vaccines and schedules by which it would be rolled out to their populations.  While the wealthy nations had a headstart in booking doses for their citizens because of their economic might, they were also accused of hoarding vaccines which would have been much more useful elsewhere. Meanwhile, countries like India, China and Russia are also using the opportunity to engage in diplomacy by sharing stocks with less-equipped nations and those who have lower stocks and sourcing abilities. Days after India started its domestic vaccination drive, it began shipping out the first batch of the Covishield vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and the locally-developed Covaxin, a joint initiative by Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research, to neighbours Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Nepal, as well as strategic partners in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius and Seychelles. India’s vaccine diplomacy has also been extended to Afghanistan, which will get its first consignment after completing regulatory clearance. The Indian government had said that Pakistan had not asked New Delhi for vaccines. Several other nations around the world, including those in the Middle East, have also received consignments of vaccines from India.

Hope in near future, Covid is totally eradicated and humanity lives happily thereafter.  Festive days are back again ~  the special  Bramothsavam for Sri Parthasarathi Perumal  got off to a grand start   at Thiruvallikkeni. After dwajarohanam it was  Dharmathi peedam purappadu at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam this morning @ 07.30 am.     After ankurarpanam on the previous day, Senai Muthaliyar  and Nithya surigal have purappadu in pallakku.  Then the uthsavam is heralded by grand purappadu in    Dharmathipeedam, by some accounts this vahanam was rendered in 1906 and hence more than a century old.   Being day 1 ~ it is Muthal thiruvanthathi of Sri Poigai alwar.

The Muthalazhwargal (Pogai alwar, Boothathalwar and Peyalwar) met at Thirukovalur.... Poigai azhwar started singing the greatness of the Lord by lighting the Earth itself as the light and Ocean as the ghee...... he says.... எம்பெருமானை தங்கள் மனசார அனுபவித்து ஆசையாய் தங்கள் வார்த்தைகள் உரைத்தவர்கள் ஆழ்வார்கள்.

ஒன்றும் மறந்தறியேன் ஓதநீர் வண்ணனை நான்,

இன்று மறப்பனோ ஏழைகாள் – அன்று*

கருவரங்கத்துட்கிடந்து கைதொழுதேன் கண்டேன்*

திருவரங்கமேயான் திசை.

பொய்கையார் ~  ஸ்ரீமன் நாராயணனிடத்தில் பக்தி குறைந்தவர்களை  ஏழைகாள் என விளித்து கூறுகிறார் : அறியா காலத்திலேயே,  வெள்ளம் பரந்தது போன்ற வடிவழகுள்ள பெருமானை மறந்தறிய மாட்டேன்; வளர்ந்து ஞானம் பெற்ற பிறகு,   காவிரி பாயும் திருவரங்கத்திலே பள்ளி கொண்டுள்ள  பெரிய பெருமாளுடைய திசை, எந்நாளும் மறக்க வல்லேன்.

Poigaipiraan, calls those who are less inclined in bakthi towards Sriman Naryaana as poor and says  - that even in those days lying in the womb i.e., when he had no knowledge, he was fully inclined towards the Lord of the Ocean, now after acquiring some knowledge, he cannot but fold his hands and pray towards South  to the Lord reclining on Adisesha at the beautiful Thiruvarangam, enclosed by flowing Thiru kaveri.

                      We live – we pray – we go to temples….. in Sri Vaishnavism, in the various forms of God – the one which is easiest and the form in which the Supreme God makes Himself available to us daily is ‘Idol worship’ in Divyadesams and other temples – this is known as ‘Archai’ ~ Archavatharam, where the Supreme Lord Sriman Narayana  manifests Himself in various idol forms and comes near us to shower his munificence to us …… and this was perfectly experienced when we had darshan of Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman  in dharmathi peedam.  Sharing this darshan with the photos taken this morning of 3^rd Feb 2021.

 

~ adiyen  Srinivasa dhasan.
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
3.2.2021