SRI RAMANAVAMI PICS

From the book of Ecstasies of Archavatharam (Thiruppalliezhuchi)

THIRUPPALLIEZHUCHI

Let's first see what is meaning for Thirupalliezhuchi, It's waking up of lord in form of Song. These types of cultures prevalent in Indian countries especially in Hindu clans , day by day it become tradition also.
You may hear in many Temples especially south Indian temple when morning sun appears the Thirupalliezhuchi starts in Hindi it is called Suprabhatham. The famous exhortation of Sage Viswamithra to Lord Rama in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana

"Kousalya Supraja Rama, Poorva Sandhya pravarthathe,

Uthishta Nara Sardula , Karthavyam daivamahnikam"

Kousalya saying to lord Rama. O Lord Rama! Wake up dear, sun has come, you wake up and perform your day to day activities. So wake up please. It's one of the oldest suprabhatam which still exist.

This Thiruppalliezhuchi was narrated differently by my grand pa in a book called Principles of Arachavatharam. How every one waking up Lord Ranga! Let we see few words from his articles below.

There can never be any lapse on the part of the Sun or the Moon in the discharge of their duties ,which continue without any break. They are following their routine. Like Human beings they are not enjoying their rest. There is no weekends or weekdays for Sun or Moon. Once vanish another one rises.

The Sun by it's appearance at dawn and by it's setting on the evening steals away irretrievable and precious day from everyone of  us there by it remembers we are becoming aged day by day. So, only in olden days people use to say Complete your work on the day which we started do not postpone. God only can predict the Phenomenon when it would end.

At home elders and the aged people wake up early before dawn and request youngsters to rise up from the bed. since waking up the early morning will give us pleasant mood for the day. Why we are make to wake up early morning ? Waking early can give you an hour or three of extra time for focus and creativity. It is the perfect time for Meditation, walking ,exercising, jogging and some quiet reading. so, there is one quote people use to say  " Early to bed and Early to rise make you healthy and strong" 

Let we come to the narrations which has been posted in above said books

One of the Twelve alwars it was Vipranarayana (Vipra Narayana or Vipranarayana is also called Thondaradippodi Alwar, or Vipranarayanar or Bhaktanghri Renu Swami). He was a Tamil Vaishnava Saint. He led his life in devotion to Lord Narayana and worked for the Perumal (Lord) by dedicating him with garlands. who is well versed in waking up of Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam. He has sung ten hymns invoking the Lord to wake up from his slumber as the day dawned.

1. Sun is at the vertex of the eastern skies dispelling the darkness that pervaded; the blossomed flowers with honey oozing out are plucked and gathered by the celestial beings and that have assembled in front of you Lord Ranga! with them are the herds of male and female elephants, the sound of drums conjointly create a resonance that the entire place resembles huge tidal wave of the roaring seas. Lord Sri Ranganatha, shall wake up to bless us.

2.  The morning breeze from the eastern directions brings and gently wafts the fragrances of the blossomed "Mullai" flowers from the creepers. The swan wakes up from the lotus on which she was resting overnight flutters the feathers to wipe of the dew that settled on it's wings. O Ranga! you have relieved the elephant from the writhing pain inflicted by the fangs (விஷ பல்)of a crocodile (Makara) and saved it! (Gajendra Moksham) Thou shall wake up to bless us.

The prayer made by Gajendra on this occasion became a famous hymn in praise of Vishnu called the Gajendra Stuti. This can be recited in Vishnu sahasranama as a first stanza.

शुक्लांबरधरं विष्णुं शशि वर्णं चतुर्भुजं ।

प्रसन्न वदनं ध्यायेत सर्व विघ्नोपशान्तये॥

3. The bright sun 's  rays spread far and wide resulting in the shrinkage of the twinkling stars in the firmament and the moon losing it's refreshing chill; the darkness as completely vanished and the ripe arecanut flowers forcibly exfoliate producing a smell of their own mixed with ozone heralding the dawn. Thou Sri Ranganatha the holder of the glowing and powerful discuss that illuminate your hand shall wake up to bless us.

4. The cowherds who have set free the young buffaloes to graze, play on flute and produce pleasing notes in combination with them are the tinkling of the bells fastened to the necks of the cattle they rear, have spread in all directions; in he fields the bees have started droning thus announcing the dawn. Lord Sri Ranganatha! Thou as Sri Rama exterminated the entire clans of demons of Lanka with the bow, and also protected and saw to the successful conclusion of the 'Yagna' by sage viswamitra from the depredations of the demons shall wake up to bless us all.

5. The Birds twitter from the groves as a sign of the night having disappeared and the day has dawned; the roaring tides of the eastern sea joined the rest of the noise of the day; garlands made of flowers on which bees still rest are being brought and held by the celestials  who in order to adore and worship you stand in front of your sanctum ; Thou the Lord being worshipped by Vibishana in the early morning shall wake up to bless us.

6. From this verse onwards sixth in the order Thondaradippodi azhwar relates who are all assembled to have "Darshan" of the Lord in reclining pose to sing in praise of him.

"The Sun on his chariot the eleven Rudras (Ekadase Rudras), Lord Muruga with his affectionate vehicle viz peacock and many equestrians dancing and singing surge forth towards Thy abode like gushing waters to wake you up Sri Ranganatha"

7. " An assembly of Devas, Sages, Lord Indiran in particular seated on his elephant Iravatham stand jostled before Thy threshold forgetting themselves in extreme ecstasy with a view to prostrating before.

8.  The celestial Devas with garlands of fresh flowers that exude fragrance are seen uttering divine expressions. there is Kamadenu , there is reflection of mirror etc in order to feasting their eyes with your entire beautiful features,Saints, Tumburu, Narada have entered. The sun has appeared spreading it's rays dispelling the darkness that prevaded in the sky. Thou Lord Ranga! Wake up and bless us all.

9. Everywhere there is a sound of percussion instruments, of different categories, stringed instruments like veena (Yazh) and wind instruments flute, gently float in the divine atmosphere from all directions. Celestial ministers viz, Kinnaras, Garuda and Gandharvas who were engaged in singing throughout the night await for your "dharshan" and in order to fulfill their desire please wake up. Thou Lord of Sri Ranga to bless us all.

10. "Last but not the least as an evidence of daybreak the lotus blossomed spreading its petals, womenfolk with slender hips are returning from the cauvery river after taking a holy bath changing their sarees and tendering their long hair to dry.; Thou Lord Ranga surrounded by waters of Ubhaya kaveri introduce me by name ' Thondaradippodi' with your incomparable compassion to all those who serve you"

Om Namo Narayana!

About LP Sampath Iyengar

SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA
SRIMATHE VARAVARA MUNIYE NAMAHA

My First Post for my Grandfather

Sri.Ladavaram Parthasarathy Sampath Iyengar popularly known as LPS to his friends and admirers, was born on 24th december 1920 at saidapet. His early years were spent at Saidapet and later at T.Nagar. He shifted his own residence at chrompet Lakshmipuram in the year 1969

He was the eldest son of Sri Parthasarathy Iyengar who was the Patriarch of the society around him. Sri Parthasarathy Iyengar's advice was sought after by everyone. He was very straight forward and self effacing man. He built his house first in the street and the corporation of Madras wanted the street to be named after Sri Parathasarathy Iyengar who refused and Instead name it after Lord Lakshmi Narasimha his presiding deity.

Sri LPS was groomed and guided by his highly principled and disciplined father, who was orthodox too whose benevolence was inherited by him. He showed great interest in English and Tamil Literatures in his early years; also read avidly Kamban, Alwars and Acharyas. He attended literary discourses as well.

He started his career as a bank employee and rose to the position of senior office by hard work and sincerity. His preoccupation with the official duty  pushed his literary pursuits to the background for a while but he slowly showed up in the form of best correspondent. His ability was sought after in dealing with tricky correspondences and forceful official letters. Every letter written by him was read by the European officers for its rich and literary values.

An active mind cannot kept idle for long and his latent talents sprang to the surface in the form of religious literatures . He was good speaker too. He started organising an Annual Sri Rama Navami festival at Lakshmipuram lasting for more than a week, the festival was held in a grand pandal with daily Bajans music katcheris and Ramayana discourses were held. Invitations went around to a wide circle of friends and devotees and the entire Thirmal Adiyar group assembled for a whole day programme of Divya prabandham.

The idol of Sri Rama of the Chrompet ttemple was also brought for that day for Darshan of one and all.. He conducted this Ramanavami festival every year till his end. He took active part in the construction of Sri Lakshmi Narayana Temple at Lakshmipuram

He took part in many Satsangams and was an ace speaker. His first love viz, writing started resurfacing in the form of religious essays which were published in various journals.He wrote many articles in Sapthagiri books which was published by Tirumala tirupathi devastanams. 

His insatible thirst of Lord Sri Rama took him farther and he wanted to spend the rest of his life at the feet of the Lord of Lords at Srirangam. his devotion to him was total and savoured every moment of the daily, Monthly and  annual festivities of Lord Ranganatha. He wrote many articles in both Tamil and English during this time.

Photo : Grandfather receiving award  from Sri Kumaravadi Ramanujachariar

By Blessings of Lord Rama and my Grandfather let me start this blog.

Courtesy : Family of LPS (Great Thanks to Lakshmi Narasimhan)