It is common knowledge that many of the AlwArs have sung on perumAL in the nAyikhA bhAvam (the mood of an yearning lover). So, it begs the question, “which AzhwAr started it all, and what is the first pasuram??”.
The answer: The great pEyAzhwAr in his work, Moondram ThiruvandhAdhi -69
… The pasuram:
verpendru vEnkatam pAdum viyan thuzhAi
karpendru sUdum karun kuzhal mEl – mar pondra
neenda thOL mAl kidandha neeL kadal neerAduvAn
poonda nAL ellam pugumÂ
veRpu – mountain; endru pAdum: Glorifying (that mountain); viyan thuzhAi: the special thulasi leaves
karpu endru– With utmost sanctity (with the quality that befits chaste women) ; sUdum karum kuzhal mEl: adorning on the thick black hair; mal pondra: capable of defeating any wrestler ; neeNda thOL mAl: The Lord (Sriman nArAyana) who has broad shoulders (; neeL kadal neerAduvAn: Desiring to take bath in the ocean (where the Lord resides); poonda nAL ellam pugum: Going to the ocean everyday (with the desire mentioned above)
In this pasuram, a mother describes her daughter’s deep love for Lord Sriman nArAyAna – the moment any body describes or utters the word “mountain”, the daughter immediately thinks only of Thiruvenkatam. She would wear adorn her hair with thulasi leaves, thinking it as an act of a chaste girl. With the penchant to see the broad-shouldered (that can take n any wrestler – a small reference to Krishna avatAram) Lord who also resides in the milky ocean, the daughter wants to go and take bathe in the ocean everyday!!
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