Jan 2nd (Maargazhi maasam, Kettai star) is ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr
Thirunakshathram. He is the AzhwAr who considered himself as the dust at the
feet of Bhagawathas, and called himself so.
AzhwArs are those who have immersed themselves in Bhagavath anubhavam and bhakti
towards Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan, the unsurpassed and Supreme Lord. There
is also a reference in srimad Bhagawatham about AzhwArs births:
kalau khalu bhavishyanthi nArAaNa parAyaNah:
kvachin kvachin mahAbhAgA drAmidEshu cha bhUrisa:
thAmaraparaNi nadhI yatra kruthamAlA payasvinI
kAvErI cha mahAbhAgA pratIcI cha mahAnadhI
(meaning: In the beginning of Kaliyuga persons “exclusively” devoted to Sriman
Narayanan and endowed with spiritual knowledge will be born here and there in
the land of dravidas where flow the rivers ThamaraparaNi, Kruthamala (Vaigai),
Payasvini (PaalaaRu) Cauveri, and Mahanadhi (PeriyaaRu).
NammAzhwAr, MadhurakaviAzhwAr were born in the banks of ThamaraparaNi;
PeriyAzhwAr and AndAL close to Vaigai;
Poygai, PuthathAzhwAr and PeyAzhwAr and ThirumazhisaiPiraan near PaalaaRu;
ThoNdaradippodiAzhwAr, ThirumangaiAzhwAr on the banks of Cauveri.
Let us pay our obeisance to ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr (also called
BhakthAngrirENu)
ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr, composed two works:
1. ThiruppaLLiyezhucchi (10 verses) and 2. Thirummalai (45 verses)
Thiruppalliyezhucchi is almost a great multimedia presentation of waking up the
Lord of Srirangam, who is having His YoganithrA; The rising Sun, the gentle
breeze, the fragrance of the flowers, the movement of birds, the bees humming,
etc are greatly described by AzhwAr.
ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr describes to the Lord the events associated with Dawn and
explains to Him as to why He should get up and go about discharging His sworn
duties. These wonderful thoughts of the AzhwAr are captured in the ten beautiful
Paasurams of ThirupaLLiyezhucchi, which has echoes of many passages from
Andal’s ThiruppAvai .
ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr was awakened from his deep samsAric slumber at one time
by Lord RanganAthan at the goading of His PirAtti , SrIranganAyaki. AzhwAr was
forever grateful to the dhivya dampathis of SrIrangam and prayed to Them to
confer similar blessings on the slumbering Jeevans and awaken them from their
deep sleep of ajn~anam and viparItha Jn~Anam and unite them with AchAryAs for
the UpAya
anushtAnams.
ThoNDaradippodi AzhwAr reminds the Lord about the signs of day break , alerts
Him about the enormous assembly of DEvAs, Maharishis,
GandharvAs , KinnarAs, VidhyAdharAs , Navagrahams, kings waiting for the Lord’s
darsana soubhAgyam at the early hours of the day.
The ThiruppaLLIyezhuchci Paasurams invite Sri RanganAthA’s attention to the
unmistakable signs of day break and appeal to Him to awaken from His Yoga NidhrA
and bless all those ( Brahma , DEvAs , Rishis , Kings , maruths, KinnarAs ,
YakshAs, gandharvAs and others)
assembled in front of His PraNavAkAra VimAnam .
At the end of Thiruppalliyezhucchi AzhwAr pleads the Lord to make him the
eternal servant of His devotees. (un adiyaarkku ennai AtpadutthAy)
In Thirumaalai, the necessity to recite the Divya naamams (divine names) of The
Lord Ranaganathan to remove the sins, and the greatest importance of kaimkaryam
to Bhagawaan and more importantly His devotees, irrespective of their castes is
emphasized.
The prabhandham (verse) on ThondaradippodiAzhwAr from Swamy Desikans
prabhandhasaaram is:
mannumathit tirumaNdaNG gudithaan vaaza
maar_kazimaa thakkEttai naaLil vanthu
thunnupukazth thoNdaradip podiyE neemun
Ruzaaymaalaip paNiyadimai seythu naaLunN
thennaranga maNavaaLaR kanpu mikkuc
seppiyanNaR Rirumaalai naaRpath thainthum
panniyanNaR RiruppaLLi yezucci patthum
pazavadiyE NnukkaruLsey parinthu neeyE.
One can read the sixth and seventh line Thirumaalai naaRpatthu aindhum
ThiruppaLLiyezhucchi patthum, meaning Thirumalai 45 pAsurams and
ThirupaLLiyezhucchi 10 pAsurams are sung by ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr.
Let us enjoy one verse from Thirumaalai.
manaththilOr thooymai yillai vaayilOr insol illai,
chinaththinaal seRRam nOkkith theeviLi viLivan vaaLaa,
punaththuzhaay maalai yaanE! ponnisoozh thiruva rangaa,
enakkini gathiyen sollaay ennaiyaaLudaiya kOvE! (30)
I am not pure at heart, nor do I speak sweet words; with anger I behold my
adversaries, and pour out acidic words. Oh Lord Ranganatha! adorned with thuLasi
garland, surrounded by kaavEri water! Who else but you can be my saviour”..
Let us place our heads at the feet of Bhakthaangri rEnu:
ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr ThiruvadigaLE saraNam
AAlvaar Emberumaanaar Jeeyar Thiru Adikale Saranam.
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