Meaning
Maṅgaḷāśāsanam (Sanskrit: मङ्गलाशासन — from maṅgala (auspicious) + āśāsana (wishing, blessing)) literally means 'wishing auspiciousness' to the Lord — a form of devotion in which the devotee does not ask the Lord for anything but instead offers blessings and good wishes to Him, as a child blesses its parent or a devotee blesses their beloved deity.
The Āzhvārs' Practice
The unique devotional stance of the Āzhvārs is that they approach the Lord not to receive but to give — to offer their praise, blessings, and well-wishing to the Lord. This reversal of the typical worshiper-deity relationship expresses the Āzhvārs' intense love: they are more concerned about the Lord's well-being than their own.
Specifically, Maṅgaḷāśāsanam refers to the practice of reciting the Āzhvārs' verses at the temple — presenting the Āzhvārs' blessings to the archa-mūrti. The Divya Desam mūrtis are the objects of these blessings.
The Pāśurams
Virtually every hymn in the Divya Prabandham can be read as Maṅgaḷāśāsanam. The verse tradition at Divya Desams assigns specific hymns to specific temples — and the ideal is that the Āzhvārs' blessings are 'delivered' to the Lord at each temple through daily recitation.
Daily Practice
In Śrī Vaiṣṇava temples, the Araiyar Sevai — a traditional performance of the Divya Prabandham through music, dance, and recitation — is the living enactment of Maṅgaḷāśāsanam. The verse offerings are the primary way the Āzhvārs' devotion remains alive and active.