Venkatanathanum Thiruvenkadamudayanum - part 2

Continued From : http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2015/09/venkatanathanum-thiruvenkadamudayanum.html

kaNNan adiyiNai emakku kaattum veRpu *

kaduvinaiyar iruvinaiyum kadiyum veRpu *

thiNNamidhu veedenna thihazhum veRpu *

theLindha perum theerththangaL seRindha veRpu *

puNNiyaththin puhal idhena pugazhum veRpu *

ponnulahil bOgamellaam puNarkkum veRpu *

viNNavarum maNNavarum virumbum veRpu *

vEnkata veRpena viLangum vEdha veRpE.

 Swami Desikan’s Tribute To Pei Azhwar and Thirumahizai Piran

In the above pasuram on Tiruvenkatam, Swami eulogizes the holy hills as the divine mountain which reveals to us the thiruvadi of Lord Srinivasa. The word ‘verpu” means mountain in the Tamil language. Although the most commonly used word for mountain in Tamil is “Kunram”, Swami Desikan has purposefully used the word “verpu”.

Swami Desikan was inspired by Sri Pei Azhwar who used this very word in moondram thiruvandhadhi. Azhwar held a special place in Swami Desikan’s heart. The following pasuram is dedicated by Swami Desikan to Mudhal Azhwars. In this pasuram, he addresses Sri Poigai Azhwar as “punitha” ; “the one who is pure”, Sri Bhutat Azhwar as “vende” meaning “the emperor” but, he specifically refers to Sri Pei Azhwar as “Deve” meaning “divine being”.

 

Pei Azhwar captured the heart of Swami Desikan because, he was the first Azhwar to sing in Nayika Bhavam in the 69^th pasuram of moondram thiruvandhadhi. He set the trend for the other Azhwars to sing in Nayika Bhavam.

 

In the above pasuram, Azhwar sings as the Nayaki’s mother who comments that, the moment her daughter hears someone utter the word “mountain”, she immediately starts to sing the praise of Tiruvenkatam. Thirumahizai Piran, the disciple of Sri Pei Azhwar, also used the word “verpu” in the 40^th pasuram of Naanmugan thiruvandhadhi while singing about the glories of Tiruvenkatam.

 

Thus, inspired by both Pei Azhwar and Thirumazhisai Azhwar, Swami Vedanta Desikan has also used the word “verpu” in his pasuram on Tiruvenkatam. By using this particular word, Swami Desikan has made us to recall the Vaibhavam of Sri Pei Azhwar and Sri Thirumahizai Piran.

To Be Continued

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