Chapter 8
The divine Srirangam - 1 - (மா தவத்தோன்)
திருவரங்கம் (1)
The āzhvār is devoted to the Lord of Thiruvarangam, reclining amidst the holy waters of the Kaveri River. "He is Krishna; the one devoted to his acharya; the one who, as Parthasarathy, protected the Pandavas. He is the one who has taken all incarnations. Thiruvarangam is filled with cool groves, a place where the gentle breeze blows, and where the bees sing the praises of the Lord's virtues," says the āzhvār.
ஆழ்வார் திருவரங்கத்தை கங்கையின் புனிதமாய காவிரியின் நடுவில் சயனித்திருக்கும் நம்பெருமாளிடம் ஈடுபடுகிறார். "இவனே கண்ணன்; ஆசார்ய பக்தி கொண்டவன்; பார்த்தஸாரதியாக இருந்து பாண்டவர்களைக் காப்பாற்றியவன். இவனே எல்லா அவதாரங்களையும் மேற்கொண்டவன். குளிர்ந்த சோலைகள் நிரம்பியது திருவரங்கம். தென்றல் தவழும் இடம்; வண்டுகளும் பகவானின் குணங்களைப் பாடுமிடம் திருவரங்கம்" என்கிறார்!
Verses: 402 to 411
Grammar: **Taravu Kocchakakkalippā / தரவு கொச்சகக்கலிப்பா
Recital benefits: Will become beloved devotees of the Lord
- Verse 1:
402. Srirangam is the abode of lord Kannan, who brought back his teacher's (guru Santeepani) son, as an offering for learning, in the same form, when the waves pulled him in. This is a place where the pure Vedic scholars who wear clean clothes bathe, where water flows and honey drips from the flowers that blossom - Verse 2:
403. Srirangam is the place of the lord, who, in a short while, restored the guru's four children, who died the moment they were born, back to life. This is the place where scholars skilled in the Vedās live, making sacrifices in fire and receiving guests happily. - Verse 3:
404. The Thiruppadi of the lord who protected his son-in-law's clan(protected Abhimanyu's son) and gave life to all his brothers-in-law so that they would not be defeated in the Bhārathā war is Srirangam surrounded with water where lotuses as red as his face and kuvalai flowers as dark as his body bloom beautifully everywhere. - Verse 4:
405. Listening to the cruel words of the hunch- backed Mantara, Kaikeyi threw harsh words at Rāma, who left his dear mother and kingdom and went to the forest and destroyed the demons (Rakshasās) This is the place where lord Rāma resides, Srirangam where groves bloom with flowers and drip with honey. - Verse 5:
406. This ( Srirangam) is the place where the lord, as Rāma slew the strong, proud Ravanā, the receiver of many boons and protected the world. Srirangam is surrounded by flourishing groves where cuckoo birds sing and kongu buds open and blossom. - Verse 6:
407. Srirangam is the divine abode of the Lord who went to the underworld and destroyed the asuras and uprooted their clan with His discus(chakra) This is the place where bees buzz like lutes and drink honey from the petals of screw pine flowers and are covered with the coral-like pollen. - Verse 7:
408. Srirangam is the divine place of the Lord who fought against the asuras, made them shed red blood that bubbled and flowed out with their fat and threw them as corpses This is the place where the Kaveri flows with abundant water, uprooting and carrying fragrant sandalwood trees from the huge mountains and placing them at the feet of the dear lord to worship him. - Verse 8:
409. He took the forms of a boar with strong teeth to dig up the immeasurable earth and of a lion with shining teeth to split open the body of the Rakshasā Hiranyan He resides in Srirangam surrounded by walls where dark-winged bees swarm around jasmine flowers and sing the fame of our god, buzzing like the sound of white conches. - Verse 9:
410. He has the lovely color of a beautiful dancing peacock, the blue color of the sounding ocean and the color of dark kuvalai blossoms and of the thick clouds that move above the high hills He resides in Srirangam, surrounded by walls where the breeze blows through the yards, touching the breasts of women with vine-like waists and enters into the groves that grow thick on the hills. - Verse 10:
411. Vishnuchithan composed a garland of ten Tamil pāsurams describing the divine Srirangam, the Thiruppadi of the supreme god who fought and destroyed Rāvana when he, with many boons, came with a large army and opposed Rāma. Those who sing the pāsurams of Vishnuchithan will become the devotees of the lord who destroyed the two Rakshasās, Madhu and Kaitapa.