NavaKariam .By Peria Azhwar.--Pasurums on Sowmya Narayana Perumal at Thirukoshtiyur and Meanings in English.

SowmyaNarayana perumal with Sri Devi and Bhu Devi at Sowmya Narayana temple at Thirukoshtiyoor

 Sowmya Narayana at Sowmya Naryana temple at

Thirukoshtiyur.

Sri Ramanujar 's sculpture on top of the temple.
 

 

                                             Thirukotiyur Sirappu.

                      

                                                    360-370 of Periaazhwar Thirumozhi

                                                        Navakariam---              

 

                              (Words which shouldnot be spoken)                                                                                                    

These 10 verses describe Thirukotiyur and its inhabitants and are in praise of the presiding deity Sowmiya Narayana enshrined  therein.

In these hymns he praises all those inhabitants who worship Perumal/Bhagwan with  wholehearted  devotion and chides those who do not.

Pasuram 1

.Navakariam solliladhavar naadorum virundhombuvar,

Devakariam seidhu vedam payindru vaazh thiru kotiyur,

Moovar kariamum thiruthum mudalvanai sindhiyadhu,

Appava kariangalai padaithavan  yenganaum padaithan kolo?

 

Meaning:

In Thirukottiyur the devout residents do not speak all those words which are not to be spoken.

Each and every day they  greet guests and serve them with hospitality, perform ritual worship of Bhagwan and recite Vedas,

Bhagwan who is enshrined in this temple performs all the duties of Brahma, Siva  ,  and Indra without any fault and is the supreme god .

Why did Brahma create all those sinners who do not think or meditate on this sacred Bhagwan?

Note : Navakarium means and includes speaking words that do not praise human beings , speaking lies and, speaking words that hurt others .It also includes speaking or chantingBhagwan's sacred names and qualities , visiting holy places favoured by Bhagwan and speaking about one's religious and spiritual teacher's(Acharya's) names and qualities

Nacakarium Soliladhavar means persons who speak words that are devoid of above faults .

Thirukotiyur is small temple town near Maduarai --Tamilnadu.

.

In praising and honouring the devotees in Thirukotiyur  Periya azhwar reiterates an important tenet of Sri Vaishnavism --that the devotees of Narayana/Vishnu are equally if not even more important than Bhagwan himself!

Pasuram 2.

Kutramindri  gunnam perukki kurukallukku annukularai,

setra mondru miladhvan kaiyinaargal vazhthiru kottiyur,

thootriyezhala gundathoomani vannanthanai thozhadhavar,

petra thayar vayirrinai perunoi seivaan pirandhargale.

Guiless and faultless always engaged in improving their qualities by controlling their mind and all the five senses,

serving their acharyas [gurus]diligently, lacking in jealousy and generous in giving alms are the persons living in Thirukotiyur.

In such a place there are also persons living who do not worship the blue sapphire hued Bhagwan who in ancient times swallowed all the seven worlds to protect them .He is enshrined in the temple in this place.

All these persons who do not worship him are born only to cause great pain and misery to their mother's womb .

Pasuram 3.

.

Vanna  nunmanium maraghadhamum azhuithee nizhalyezhum,

thinnai choozhthirukotiyur Thirumalavan thirunamungal yenna kanda viralgalal,

iraipozhudhum yennakiladhu poi unna kandadhum ,

oothai vaikku kavalam undhukindrargale!

Pyols studded with many hued gems and emeralds , flashing their lights abound and surround the temple of Thirukotiyur,where Tirumaal is enshrined ,to meditate upon whose sacred names is the purpose for which one is provided with fingers, [ to calculate the number.]                                                                                                       Instead these fingers are used by persons only to shove food into their foul smelling mouth.How very abhorrent!

Pasuram4.

Uraga melannaiyaan kaiyilurai sangam pol mada annangal,

nirai kanam parandherum sengkamala vayal Thirukotiyur,

Naragnasanai navir kondazhaiyadha manida jathiyar,

paruga neerum udukkum kooraiyum pavanj seidhana  thangkolo!

The fields  and ponds of red lotuses of Thirukotiyur  are full of white swans,

which are as white and pure as the conch held by  Bhagwan reclining on Adisesha

Perumal who is enshrined as 'Uragalmelannaiyan' in this temple is capable of dispelling devotees intolerable pain and sorrow.

Water, that are drunk by persons who do not chant his sacred names as well as the clothes worn by them have surely sinned in the past .

Pasuram 5.

 Aamaiyin mudhugathidaikkudhi  kondu thoomalar saadipoi,

Theemai seidhilavalaigal vilayadu neer Thirukotiyur,

nemiser thadangaiyinanai ninaipilla vali nenjudai,

bhoomi bharangallunnnuj sotrinai  vaangi pullai thinnimene'.

Beautiful fishes known as Vallai jump over turtles back dashing against dainty  flowers of water plants and splash around playfully ,chasing away smaller fish in the ponds and lakes of Thirukotiyur.

Those who do not meditate on the deity enshrined in this idyllic place which is blessed with plenty of water , are hard hearted and a burden on this earth.

Seize their food and stuff their mouths with grass.

Note: In all the above five Pasurams Peria aazhwar regrets that many a persons do not realise the importance of being born as a human being and chides them for not using this birth as a human being which is rarest of all births , by refusing to meditate or worship Bhagwan , thus forfeiting a golden oppurtunity to attain Moksham and reach Vaikuntum.

Pasuram 6.

In the following five Pasurams Peria aazhwar praises all such persons who worship Bhagwan and are devoted to him.

Bhoodhamaindhodu vellvi aindhu pulangalaindhu porigalal,

yedhamondrum illadhavan kaiyinargal vaazh Thirukotiyur,

nathanai Narsinganai navinrethu vargal uzhikkia ,

padha thuli padudhalal ivvulagam bhakkiyum seidhadhe.

The residents of Thirukotiyur have within their grasp five elements-[earth,water,fire, wind and sky ],

the five yagams[reciting Vedas, propitiating devas by Agni homam , remembering ancestors by performing Pitru tharpanam, dedicating a part of food and feeding guests and feeding crows, dogs and cats],

the five senses [taste, sight, touch, sound,and smell],the five medium of senses [mouth,eyes, nose , ears and mind].They are without any fault or blemish.

Narsimha the leader of all has risen here to bless all .

This entire world is blessed by the footsteps of those who worship Narsimha enshrined in here.

Thus Periaazhwar celeberates the attributes of a true Sri Vaishnavaite.

Pasuram 7.

Kuruntha montrosith thaanodum sendru koodoadi vizhaseidhu ,

thirundunaan maraiyor irapagal yethi vaazh Thirukotiyur,

karunthada mugil vannanai kadaikondu thozhum bhakthargal ,

irundhavooril irrukkum manidar yethavangal seidharkolo!

Brahmins who are well versed in Vedas read and recite the qualities of One who broke Kurundhu trees [Sri Krishna] and perform festivals and worship day and night  , firmly believing that such pious activities is the best way to spend the time., live in Thirukotiyur..

What penance did all other persons do to live in a place inhabited by devotees who are constantly worshipping  One who is as dark as the clouds?

Note: Periaazhwar declares that the purpose of taking birth as human being is to live in holy places inhabited by Sri Vaishnavaites.

Pasuram 8.

Nallirindha seelan nayasalanabhimanathunganai naadorum,

thelindha selvanai sevangkonda senganmal  Thirukotioyur,

kulirindhu uraikindra Govindan   kunum paduvarulla naatinul vilaindha ,

dhaniyamum irakatthar medhu kollakilaargale.

Pleasant and good natured ,never swerving from the path of justice and dharma having a clear mind at all times and is full of pride at his devotion to Bhagwan is Selva nambi , who has been enslaved by the red eyed Tirumaal  [Mahavishnu]who is enshrined at Thirukotiyur,

The residents of Thirukotiyur recite and sing the pleasant qualities of Govinda 

.Hence even Rakshasas lose their strength to rob and carry away the grains in this country.

Note:    Selva nambhi was a close friend of Periaazhwar.                                 Periazhwar observes that Rakshasas can steal grains kept for oneself and not the grains kept for bhagvatars--devotees.

Pasuram 9.

Kombhinar pozhil vaikuilinam Govindan kunum paaduseer,

semponnar madhilchooz sengkazhaniudaiya  Thirukotiyur,

nambhanai Narasinghan navinrethu vaargalai kandaakaal,

Embhirantrana sinnangal ivar ivarendru aasaigal theervane'.

The koels in the groves of Thirukotiyur sing the qualities of Govindan,

This place is reef with ponds reddened by lotuses flowering in profusion and is guarded on all sides by thick and strong compound walls.

When I see all those persons who worship Narasimha who is enshrined in here to bless us  all they appear as representatives  of Sriman Narayana himself and this sacred sight satisfies my life long quest .

Pasuram 10.

Kaasin vaikaram virkilum karavadhu matrili  sorrittu,

desa vaarthai padaikum vankainaargal vaazh thirukotiyur,

Kesava! Purutothama! Kilar jyothiyai! Kuralayendru!,

pesuvar adiyargal yenthamai virkavum peruvaargale.

When a fistful of grains are sold at exhorbitant prices as during famines ,

The residents of Thirukotiyur do not hide or hoard their grains but feed their guests.

They are lauded  for this generosity  by all those living in other countries.

To those residents of Thirukotiyur who praise Perumal enshrined there as Kesava! Purushothama! Jyothi! Vamana! ,

I am willing to sell and enslave myself and do their bidding

Pasuram11.

Seedhaneer pudaichoozh sengkazhani udai Thirukotiyur,

Aadhiyanadi yaaraiyum adimai indri thirivaraiyum ,

kodhil battar pirankulir pudhuvaiman  Vittuchithan sol ,

yedhumindri uraipavargal Irudikesanukku aalare!

Thirukotiyur is blessed genoursely with fresh water bodies and fertile field,

The foremost god Sriman Narayana has risen here to bless us all,

Vishnuchithar has written about persons who are devoted to Hrishikesa and also about those persons who are not devoted and are roaming around aimlessly.

Those who recite these  Pasurams faultlessly will be considered as true devotee of that Perumal .

                                   _______________________________

Aazhwar thiru adigale saranam 

Sreerar Toopul Sri Venakatamudaiyan thiru adigale saranam.

                                        ********************

Acknowlegement

Nallayira divya prabhandham  Moolamum vilakyuraiyum by Sri Kamala kannan

,

Kapisthalam Desikachariar Swami's publications.

Written by K.C.Narsimahan

1.Vyasa Siddantha  Marathandam[1925]--sanskrit

2. Siddhanta Traya Sangraha [1934]--Tamil

3.Sri Sariraka Adikarana Ratnamala [1938]--Sanskrit

4.Narayana Anuvaka Bhashyam-1938 --Sanskrit

Vyasa Siddhantha Martahndam deals with Brahmasutras.As per Sri V.V. Srinivasa Ayengar   who has written an introduction to this book .  The Brahma sutras those wonderful apophthegems of Vedanta Philosophy are admitted as paramount authority of Vedas and Upanishads .Hence it is that all the different schools of philosophy  are schools of of interpretations and not of independant speculations '

But Sri Vedavyasa the author of Brahmasutras could not be credited with ahving purposefully amibiguos or had all the contradictory doctrines in view.The first claim therefore of this work is ,even as clearly indicated in its tittle that the author of Bramahsutras could have had only one doctrine which he cherished and gave expression to .To seek to find out that doctrine is the avowed enterprise of the author in this book.                                         
The learned author by the process adopted by him of independant investigations has arrived at conclusions same as Sri Ramanuja :the Visishtadvaita or differntiated non dualism is finally pronounced to be the true doctrine propounded by Badarayana in the Bramahasutras"" He has purpoted to set about the task as a j udge following accepted rules of interpretation and principles of construction .His verdict is in favour of Visishtadavaitic doctrine he was born to and brought up in .He would prefer that he be judjed by his reasoning than pre-existing bias.This book is achallenge to similar works in Adavitic school,but such challenges are the very life of progressive philosophic speculation .

Note: The sanskrit text is available in Hyderabad  IIT as well as in Indian instituteof sciences Bangalore in digital  form in their web page.Digital Library of India  .

2.Siddhantha traya Sangraha --
                                                This Tamil book has been written in a very simple and lucid style in order to be understood and easily assimilated by all The doctrines of the three major siddhanthas Adavita, Visishtadavita and Dvaita are lucidly and briefly explained by Swami Kapisthalam Desikachariar.
It was translated in Telugu by Vangeepuram SrimanRangaswami Ayengar of Trichanur and published by Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam in 1957.
Its English translation was done by Sri M.R.Rajagopala Ayengar and published by VishishtadvaitPracharin sabha -Nathamuni street T. nagar in 1964

3.Sri SarikaAdhikara ratnamala--
This work is in sanskrit  .This is the fruit of more than 60 yearsof philosophcal study and his constant and deep devotion to Srinivasar
This is based on Ramanujas Sri Bhashya which interprets sutras .
He introduces every sutra with a preliminary objection , comments on it and explains how the sutra meets to objection He states the sutra and gives its meaning Then he writes his sloka in praise of Srinivasar by adding  the quality of Brahman deduced from  that  sutra.This followed by the  author's explanation of the verse The section than ends with purvapaksha and siddhantha ,each in a short paragraph.
Srinivasa Raghavan of Puddukotai who edited this book says the above .There are 156 such adikarans and one or two slokas for each sutra numbering 188 in which 156 qualities are predicted of Lord Srinivasa .

This work establishes the devotional identity of Narayana with Lord Srinivasa .

Note this book was also published recently by Srirangam Srimad Andavan Ashram on the eve of Sri Andavan's 80th birthday on 21.5.2015.

Example of sloka based on sutra from swami's book.

1.Sutram
.Athatho bramha jingyasa

Sloka
           Virichithkarma vicharaomrumu ksubhisth  phaleshu vairagyath|
Yajingyassyam purushusth dramha srinivasam  bhaje||

4.Narayana Anuvaka Bhashyam --Sanskrit. [30 pages ]

In this Swami establishes Narayana mentioned in Taitterya Upanishad as para Brahman bringing to bear his deep scholarship in grammar [vyakarna] logic,[tarka] and metaphysical enquiry[mimosa]and after placing the visishtavdvaita doctrine in unshakeable foundation equates Narayana with his ishta devatha Lord Srinivasa

Kapisthalam Desikachariar Swamy---Awards and Distinctions.

On 1st January 1917,the tittle of "Mahamahopadyaya' was conferred on Sri Desikachariar Swamy by the government for his outstanding contribution to sanskrit ,an honour not easily bestowed in those days.Sri C Doraiswami Ayengar , a leading advocate of Chitoor [Andra Pradesh] but native of Tirupathi ,an admirer of Sri Swamy and a member of the central Legislative Assembly took a lot of interest in it and helped in getting the tittle conferred on Sri Swamy by the government.

In those days of British imperialism ,the visit of Prince of Wales to Madras was unique and in January 1922 it was the first Royal family visit.As such it had a grandeur and significance ,unparalleled .At that time Sri Desikichariar Swami was the First to be introduced to him as the foremost  of the orthodox hierarchy and he was one of the two Sanskrit scholars to be rewarded by the royalty with a Thoda for literary eminence in Sanskrit on 13 th January 1922 at the Senate house.

At a large gathering of distinguished pandits like Sri Navalapakkam Narashimhachariar Swami, Sri Ayya Krishnamachariar Swami of Thathacharya family, Jagadguru Sri Gadi Ananthachariar Swami, Tirukotiyur Swami, Sriman A.V.Gopalachariar,U.V.Srinivasa Ayyengar,and several other eminent scholars of the calibre of Diggajas and distinguished persons from all parts of India  at Kanchipuram, the tittle of Sri Ramanuja Siddhantha Vijaya Dwajam 'was conferred upon Sri Desikachariar Swami , the sanad was kept in a silver casket mounted on two elephants carrying a Vijaya dwajam [flag mast].It is significant that this function was held at ahobila mutt at Kanchipuram.Sriman U.Ve Madurantakam T.E.Veerararaghava cahriar Swamy one of the greatest living exponents of Visisthadvaita , was present at the occasion .
Sri Desika chariar was the recepient of the honorary degree of 'Kala Prapurna'--equivalent to doctrate degree  by the Andra university on 13 th March 1937 at a special convocation where Sri Pingali Lakshmi kantam ,the university orator in Telugu had the honour of reading the citation of Sri Swami .[The English translation is given below]
Sri P.Lakshmi kantam , the University Orator  in Telugu requested the Pro Chancellor in the following speech, to confer the honoraray Doctrate Degree of Kala Prapurna in absentia upon Mahamahopadyaya Kapisthalam Desikachariaryulu:

Respected Pro Chancellor of the university,

I humbly submit that the honorary degree of Kalaprapurna ,earlier resolved by the Senate ,be conferred upon Ramanuja Siddhantha Vijayadwaja , Mahamahopadyaya Sriman Kapisthalam Desikachariar Swami , in recognition of his contribution to Indian thought , on behalf of the University Senate.
Sri Desikachariar , a jewel among scholars is an Andra Gautama in logic[tarka]. another Ramanuja in Vedanta [philosophy] and a flag bearer holding aloft the Visishtadvaita banner , as enunciated by Ramanuja.
Even at a early age  ,he won recognition for his scholarship from many eminent scholars in the court of Maharaja of Travancore .
His deep commitment  to Visishtadvaita has not percluded him from mastering and expounding Dwaita and Advaita  with equal felicity and perspicacity , compelling the esteem and reverence of all schools of Indian philosophical thought by his sheer intellectual brilliance and honesty, unassailable and irrefutable logic, and clarity of vision and exposition .His thorough understanding of all systems of Philosophy is a proof of his unbiased and genuine quest for truth, totally devoid of sectarian aberrations .

Sri Swamy's views were highly valued  and sought by the scholars of all the three systems on many knotty and controversial points if interpretation ,and he has thus become the last word in Indian philosophy.No wonder Pandit Madan mohan Malviayaji  the greatest upholder  of Bharatiya culture regarded Sri Swami as his preceptor.

The award of the tittle , Mahamahopadyaya by the Government of India is a recognition of Sri Swami's erudition .
This university deems it as its duty to honour this human embodiment of the goddess of learning  by awarding the tittle' Kalaprapurna 'and i therefore supplicate that the tittle be conferred on Sri DesikachariarSwamy.

The Pro Chancellor in conferring the Degree said --
" In the name and on behalf of the senate of the Andra pradesh University ,i confer upon MahamahopadyayaDesikacharyulu the Honorary Doctorate Degree of Kalapprapurna in absentia  and in token thereof permit the Registrar to present him with his diploma and i authorise him to wear these Khillats prescribed as academic robes as the insignia of his degree."

Sri Desikachariar Swami was the examiner for Oriental tittle examination of Madras University for three years.Then he was the examiner in Mysore and Benares Hindu Universities.He was also a member of   Board of Studies of Sanskrit of Benares University and later chairman of the board for three years .

He had very close contacts with Pandit Madan Mohan Malavia , who in turn had a high regard and reverence for Sri Swami for his scholarship.


The above Biography was written by Dr K.C.Narsimhan , great grand son of the Swami