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| Thiruppaan Azhwar |
After quite a long gap, and in the month of Margazhi, I thought it would be nice to post about Thiruppaan Azhwar (திருப்பாணாழவார்) who was elevated to an Azhwar because of his sheer devotion and the Supreme Being Lord Vishnu bestowed His grace on his ardent devotee, irrespective of his caste, creed, status etc. All that mattered was the absolute devotion.
Originally Azhwars were 10 in number and were referred to as ஆழ்வார்கள் பதின்மர் meaning “The Ten Azhwars”, Thiruppaan Azhwar was the 11th and Aandaal the 12th making the Azhwars count to 12 and also the term became “பன்னிருஆழ்வார்கள்” meaning “The Twelve Azhwars”.
Thiruppaan Azhwar is said to have lived during the 8th Century CE. Not much is known about the life history of Thiruppaan Azhwar, other than the Guru Parambarai and his own songs. Guru Parambarai is a collective reference that tells about the Azhwars and other Gurus of the Vaishnavite tradition. It is also said that there are five different versions of Guru Parambarai written by various persons over various times.
According to the Guru Parambarai, Thiruppaan Azhwar was born in a paddy field, in Thuraiyur near Tiruchirapalli, with the attributes of Lord Vishnu incarnate. A man from the Paanar group (The caste of people who sing songs) of people considered the baby Azhwar as the gift bestowed by Lord Vishnu and raised Thiruppaan Azhwar as his own son, taught him the skills of singing. Thiruppaan Azhwar was shrewd to gain the skills and mastered the art of singing and thereby earned him the name “Thiruppaanar”, among his group, which meant that he was the master and head of all the Paanars.
Thiruppaanar had a deep devotion for Lord Vishnu, especially with Lord Ranganathar of Srirangam. In order to serve Lord Ranganathar, he moved to Srirangam. However, in those days, caste differences in the society were so severe that members of the lower castes were not allowed to enter temples. Hence, the Paanar community considered lower, Thiruppaanar did not dare to enter the temple, so he stayed in the southern bank of the river Cauvery and with his Yaazh (A type of a string instrument like the Veena) started singing looking at the Srirangam Temple.
He sang many songs that mesmerised the people with the devotion and beauty in the songs. People were happy listening to his songs. He will immerse himself in his devotion with Lord Ranganathar, right from early in the morning and start singing songs, forgetting himself in the process.
One day, as usual, Thiruppaanar was devotionally immersed in his songs. At that time, Logasaarangar who used to perform the Poojas and other related duties for Lord Ranganathar, came to the Cauvery banks to collect water in a golden pot used for the Pooja duties of Lord Ranganathar. He found Thiruppaanar sitting in the banks blocking his way to fetch water from the river. He clapped and shouted at Thiruppaanar, to move away. However, Thiruppaanar did not heed to the calls of Logasaarangar as he was completely immersed in his devotional songs.
Logasaarangar lost patience, he took a stone that was lying nearby and threw at Thiruppaanar. Thiruppaanar came out of his trance, he was shocked to see Logasaarangar standing in front. Though blood was oozing out of his head from the impact of the stone that Logasaarangar threw, he thought that he committed some fault unknowingly and moved away apologising.
Logasaarangar went on his way to fetch water and went to the temple carrying the water. When Logasaarangar reached the deity to perform his regular duties, he found the blood was oozing out from Lord Ranganathar’s head as well. Logasaarangar was shocked at the sight of blood oozing out from the deity.
That night in his dreams, Lord Ranganathar told Logasaarangar, “Logasaaranga, Thiruppaanar is my most ardent devotee and you have hurt him without realising that. Please go to him and bring him on your shoulders in front of Me”
The next morning, Logasaarangar, explained the people in the temple who also do Pooja duties and took them along with him to Thiruppaanar as the instructed Lord Ranganathar in his dream. He fell at the feet of Thiruppaanar and explained what instruction of Lord Ranganathar. Thiruppaanar refused to be carried by Logasaarangar as he held him in high regard. However, the persistence of Logasaarangar paid off and Thiruppaanar was carried by Logasaarangar to Lord Ranganathar.
Thiruppaanar looking at the deity, Lord Ranganathar, felt so happy and blessed for he thought he would never be able to enter the temple and have even a glimpse at the deity because of the caste differences, but with the divine grace of Lord Ranganathar he stood right in front on him. He looked at the deity from toe to head to his heart’s and eyes’ content. He started to sing in praise of each part of the deity starting from the toe, the dress, the golden girdle, the chest, the neck, the mouth, the eyes, the whole body and the head.
Now, let’s immerse ourselves in the beauty of those songs
விமலன், விண்ணவர் கோன்விரை யார்பொழில் வேங்கடவன்,
நிமலன் நின்மலன் நீதி வானவன், நீள்மதி ளரங்கத் தம்மான், திருக்
கமல பாதம்வந் தென்கண்ணினுள்ளன வொக்கின்றதே (927)
Meaning: The blemishless Supreme Being, the timeless Creator of the universe, in order to make me the disciple of His disciples. The faultless Lord for the Gods of the Skies, Lord Venkatesan surrounded by the beautiful fragrance filled green fields and lush green mountains. The flawless and the Lord of justice, Lord Ranganathar, who is surrounded by long tall fortified walls of Srirangam has made his Lotus feet appear and stay in my eyes.
நிவந்த நீள்முடியன் அன்று நேர்ந்த நிசாசரரை,
கவர்ந்த வெங்கணைக் காகுத்தன் கடியார்பொழில் அரங்கத் தம்மான், அரைச்
சிவந்த ஆடையின் மேல்சென்ற தாமென் சிந்தனையே (928)
Meaning: The One who is always happy; The One who measured all the worlds with his feet and The One who has a long beautiful hair that pervades all through the expanse. He is Lord Rama who devastated the demon army that came to destroy. Lord Ranganathar, who resides in Srirangam that is the fragrance filled fields, has worn a beautiful Pithambaram that is fixed in my thoughts.
சந்தி செய்ய நின்றா னரங்கத் தரவி னணையான்,
அந்தி போல்நிறத் தாடையு மதன்மேல் அயனைப் படைத்த தோரெழில்
உந்தி மேலதன் றோஅடி யேனுள்ளத் தின்னுயிரே (929)
Meaning: Lord Ranganathar, who also resides in the mountains of Thiruvenkadam (Tirupathi), where the female monkeys jump between the branches of the lush green trees and the Devars would shower Him with garlands. He also lies on the snake bed of Aadhishesan, wearing the Pithambaram that matches the red sunset skies. The navel above his Pithambaram, that created the God of Creation (Lord Brahma), has locked my soul with its grace.
உதிர வோட்டி,ஓர் வெங்கணையுய்த்தவ னோத வண்ணன்
மதுரமா வண்டு பாட மாமயி லாடரங்கத் தம்மான்,திருவயிற்
றுதரபந் தனமென் னுள்ளத்துள்நின் றுலாகின்றதே (930)
Meaning: The King of Srilanka, Ravana, who had a fort that was square and had high walls was defeated with his 10 heads removed by the arrows on Lord Rama. Lord Rama who is in the colour of the blue seas, resides as Lord Ranganathar in Srirangam where the bees hum happily and the peacocks dance to that tune. His golden girdle that adorns his hip is lingering in my heart.
வாரமாக்கி வைத்தான் வைத்ததன்றி யென்னுள் புகுந்தான்,
கோர மாதவம் செய்தனன்கொ லறியே னரங்கத் தம்மான்,திரு
வார மார்பதன் றோஅடி யேனை யாட்கோண்டதே. (931)
Meaning: Lord Ranganathar, cleansed me of my sins of the past and blessed me to be his devotee. Not only that, He also graced me by entering into my mind, heart and soul. I know nothing about what good deed I did in the past to be bestowed by Him like this. His graceful chest, where Goddess Lakshmi resides, has captured my heart.
வண்டுவாழ் பொழில்சூ ழரங்கநகர் மேய வப்பன்
அண்ட ரண்டபகி ரண்டத்தொரு மாநிலம் எழுமால்வரை, முற்றும்
உண்ட கண்டங்கண் டீரடி யேனை யுய்யக்கொண்டதே. (932)
Meaning: Lord Ranganathar, who helped Lord Shiva get out of his curse as Pitchadanar, resides in the lush green lands that have bees having beautiful wings. He who swallowed and showed the entire universe and held in His throat is the one that held me providing my salvation.
மெய்யனார் துளப விரையார் கமழ்நீள் முடியெம்
ஐயனார், அணியரங்கனா ரரவி னணைமிசை மேய மாயனார்,
செய்யவா யையோ. என்னைச் சிந்தை கவர்ந்ததுவே. (933)
Meaning: Lord Ranganathar, Who holds the spiral conch, the flaming and bright Sudharshana Chakkram, His body is like a big mountain. His long hair smells like the fragrance of the Thulasi garland. He lies on the snake bed of Adhiseshan and His reddish lips like a coral has attracted my mind
அரிய ஆதிபிரா னரங்கத் தமலன் முகத்து,
கரிய வாகிப் புடைபரந்து மிளிர்ந்து செவ்வரி யோடி, நீண்டவப்
பெரிய வாய கண்க ளென்னைப் பேதைமை செய்தனவே. (934)
Meaning: The One who incarnated as Lord Narashiman to save Prahaladan and tore apart the gigantic Iranyan - Lord Ranganathar. The One Who is rare to be realized and seen by Lord Brahma and the Devas, and Who has the dark, big, bright and long beautiful eyes. Those eyes made me fall madly in love with its beauty.
ஞால மேழு முண்டா னரங்கத் தரவி னணையான்,
கோல மாமணி யாரமும் முத்துத் தாமமும் முடிவில்ல தோரெழில்
நீல மேனி யையோ நிறை கொண்டதென் நெஞ்சினையே. (935)
Meaning: The One Who, lay innocently on the leaf of a banyan tree, had actually swallowed all the seven worlds with ease, He is the One Who lies in the snake bed of Adhiseshan and also wears the necklace the had big invaluable gems and a garland of pearl. The image of His blue-tinged body filled all my heart.
உண்ட வாயன்என்னுள்ளம் கவர்ந்தானை,
அண்டர் கோனணி யரங்கன்என் னமுதினைக்
கண்ட கண்கள்,மற் றொன்றினைக் காணாவே. (936)
Meaning: I have seen the One whose color is like dark rain clouds. He is the one with the mouth that swallowed the butter of cowherds, He is the Lord of the devas, He is Lord Ranganatha, the nectar of my life. My eyes, having seen my Lord, will see nothing else.
After Thiruppaanar sang the last line, “My eyes, having seen my Lord Ranganathar, will see nothing else”. He merged into the Supreme Being in the form of a light. He never saw anything else like he sang in his song. Lord Ranganathar bestowed him
This incident exalted him to the place of an Azhwar and earned him the name Thiruppaan Azhwar. Though he has sung only ten songs unlike the others who have sung many, except one other Azhwar, Madhurakavi Azhwar, who also has sung only 10 songs that too not in praise of Lord Vishnu but in praise of another Azhwar - Nammazhwar. More about Madhurakavi Azhwar in a later post.
Though his known life history mentions singing songs, however, only 10 have been recorded. No records of his other songs that he sang in the banks of the Cauvery river are found. However, he is an example that the Supreme Being looks only at the pure devotion, and does not consider the caste, creed or status. Let’s sing the songs Thiruppaan Azhwar left for us as a mark of his devotion and we shall be blessed by Lord Ranganathar in our life!
More to come, until then...
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