Eyes That Behold the Divine
Thirukkaṇ (Tamil: tiru = sacred + kaṇ = eye; 'sacred eye/eyes') refers to the eyes of Bhagavān, Āzhvārs, and devout Śrī Vaiṣṇavas — understood as sacred instruments for beholding the divya maṅgala vigraham (divine auspicious form) of the Lord.
Darśana — Sacred Seeing
The act of beholding the deity (darśana / sevai) is not one-directional. The Āgamas teach that both the devotee sees the Lord AND the Lord sees the devotee — tiruvaruḷ (divine grace) flows through the Lord's gaze. When the devotee stands before the deity at darśana, both thirukkaṇs are active — the Lord's eyes bestow grace, the devotee's eyes receive it.
Bhagavān's Eyes
Bhagavān's eyes are described as resembling a pair of lotus blooms (kamalā-nayana) — expansive, beautiful, compassionate. The Āzhvārs are enraptured by these eyes: Nammāzhvār famously addresses the Lord as 'Kaṇṇan' ('the one with beautiful eyes'). The tradition's vast visual art tradition — temple sculpture, paintings — consistently honors the Lord's eyes as among His most accessible and welcoming features.