Vaazhi Parakalan Vaazhi Kalikandri

If there is one alwar we owe extreme allegiance to it, it can be to non other than Thirumangai Aazhwar (Of course not including Nammazhwar). He was the person solely responsible for bringing most of the temples hitherto unknown under the single banner of the Shri Vaishnava Sampradyay. From the far flung Vadari(Badri) to the literally unknown interior TN sthalas.

He is an immense source of inspiration to me. For I am a traveller by birth. :)) Not sure what it means though. His movement across the plains and rivers of India, accurate geographical pointers and in the times when travelling was next to impossible on a higher scale : It is something to be proud of. Also of the reigns of kings and the path of rivers..

Without mentioning the beauty and lucidity in the verses of His tamil pasurams. "Theninum iniya tamil pasurams". Many many interesting stories are narrated about this war hero. A brief one here:

Born Neelan in the chola district of Thiruvali Thirunagari, Parakalan (meaning "Enemy of others") was this extremely dashing army chieftain in the chozha's army. Being a naturally aggresive warrior, he was the favorite of his king and was patronized to an extent of being made a "Sittrarasan". He had his young ladies and in his right enjoyed enormous power.

But doesnt the beauty of the Lord lie in recognizing true bhakti even if it is hidden and envelope it in His broad chest?

So He did in the case of Parakalan also. Parakalan fell in love with a beautiful young girl, Kumudavalli. He asked for her hand in marriage. But Kumuda being of a devout Shrivaishnava family, refused on the grounds that he had in his wars killed people that would have heaped "pavas" on his head. When asked how he could absolve himself, Kumuda suggested that he feed 100 brahmins for 365 days. Now. This requires a huge amount of wealth(Brahmins being aggressive attackers when the palate is concerned) which parakala even in his status of a chieftain did not possess.

He used up his wealth, stopped paying taxes to his king, borrowed and finally resorted to stealing to accomplish this. His devotion to the Lord had multiplied over his love for Kumuda ,a 1000 times during this journey of realisation.

The Lord finally relented. In the guise of a young bride and groom, He and the Mother, came down to the earth. When Parakalan attempted to rob them, only a small minji was left on the Lord's foot and Thayar her Thirumangalyam and metti. He put his teeth to the divine foot of the Lord. He at once realised the truth and sang hymns in praise of the Lord standing revealed in His glory.

He leaves at once, his marriage to Kumudavalli now secure, to Vadari(Badri). From there He descends to the plains of Ganges, Hrishkesh, Haridwar, Thirupreethi, Mathura, Ayodhya, down the valleys of Gothavari to the plains of Cauvery.

His hymns have not only been a source of intense self repentance, realisation and the pure joy of one united with the supreme being but also provide very vital geographical pointers to the lands of His time. He is said to be amsam of Sarangam, the Lord's bow.

Vaadinen Vaadi Varunthinen, manaTHal

ePperunthuyar idumbaiyil piranthu

Koodinen koodi, iLayavar thaModu

avar tharum kaLaviye karuthi

odinen odi uyivathor poruLal

unarvenum perum patham thirinthu

Nadinen Nadi nan kandukonden

Narayana ennum namam.

(may have made some mistakes with the intonation. please forgive)

He has sung thousands of hymns literally on various temples all over India. Most famous of them being Siriya Thirumadal, composed in honour of Lord Srinivasan in Thirunaraiyoor.

Thirunaraiyoor is the temple closest to the heart of our saint. He received the Astakshara mantram from the Lord's own lips who also performed Samasrenam for the alwar thus embracing him into the Shri Vaishnava fold. Thus the Lord became the Acharya for Thirumangai alwar.

In this hymn, the alwar assumes the pose of Parakala nayaki and sings of her love towards the Lord. What can't be denied is reiterated in this situation. Even of the highest ideals, purest love towards a "purusha" can only be attained by a "shri" and not by any other.

I can go on writing about Thirumangai Alwar for 10000 more blogs. But. I guess I need to start a blog on Him alone that I adore. He was the alwar who sanctified Thiruvallikeni where I had the blessing of being born.

Manuthan pozhilum vaaviyum mathilum

mada maligaiyum mandapamum

Thennan Thondaiyarkon seitha nan myilai,

Thiruvallikeni nindranai

Kanninan maada mangaiyar thalaivan

kamaruseer kalikandri,

sonna sol maalai pathudan vallar

sugam inithalvar vanulage!

Vaazhi Parakalan. Vaazhi Kali kandri.