Sri Ranga, Sri Ranga.Sri Ranga [ third sequence]

As I stood before Sri Ranganathar ,the very place on which all aazhwars, acharyas and my ancestors have stood since time immemorial paying obeisance to SriRanga, over flowing with unshakable faith and devotion ,I could feel the tears pricking in my eyes.

In a circumbulation of the temple I saw the garden that was so very carefully tended by Thondar adi podi aazhwaar 1300 years earlier. It is lush and green ,with colourful and fragrant flowers enticing one with their hues and scent.It immediately brought to my mind the aazhwars most popular verse ---

Pachai mamaali pol meni pavalla vai kamalasengan,

Achutha! Amarar yere! Ayar tham khozhunde ennum,

ichchuvai thavira yaan poi indira lokham aallum ,

Ach cuvai perinum vende'n arangamanagarullane'.

meaning ----


One who is as pleasant to look at as a emerald green hill is . Whose lips are coral red and eyes are like a lotus,

Achudha, ! lord of all! The fore most amongst the Yadavas!

It gives the greatest pleasure to chant your names in my stay in this world,

Of what use is Indraloka [heaven] though it may be offered to me, o! resident of Sri Rangam, to hold and to rule?

to be contd..