Aham and Puram

The Vaishnava philosophy speaks of the Supreme Lord as the only Purusha. All the others the jeevatma's irrespective of their sex are considered to possess the attributes of a female. This facilitates the smooth flow of madhura bhakti. the nayaka nayaki bhava of the Alvars was the first attempt to approach the Divine in a novel manner. Fraught with uncertainties, it is yet boldly attempted and triumphantly executed. The style of the alvars originated from the ancient aham poetry of the Tamils.
Tolkappiyam talks of two major divisions Aham and Puram. Aham refers to the inner or interior life of man. while Puram comprehends the outer life. there is allowance for tinai-mayakkam i.e. admix of both quiet frequently which can be seen in Tamil Sangham anthologies like Ahananooru, Purananooru, Kalithogai and Einkurunooru.
Nammalvar followed by Tirumangai alvar ushered in a new era in the cultural and spiritual life of the people of Tamil Nadu by making use of the existing Tamil aesthetics to sing of God. Lord Narayana took the place of the war hero and King described in Puram poetry. the love between mortals found in Aham poetry was subsumed into a love of the human for the Divine.
Tiruviruttam is a excellent example of nammalvar's use of Tamil Aham poetics. Aham has seven major categories: Kaikkilai, Kurinchi, Mullai, Palai, Marudam, Neytal and Peruntinal. In Tiruviruttamin Mullai has as its presiding deity Tirumal or Vishnu. the landscape is forest and pasture, the rainy season marks the interior progression, konrai blooms the flowing rivers give a keener outline to the poets meditative moods. The cowherds grazing cattle beneath the dark clouds envision Krishna. Nammalvar calls upon us to become the flame of aspiration symbolized by the heroine of Tiruviruttam the jivatma per say struggling to reach the Lord Paramathma.

mindfulness.

Living in the moment.
A complete surrender to the present can heal you empower you and bring forth happiness. this is called mindfulness, living in the moment. It is not a system, it is not even a doctrine nor a series of aphorisms but a series of long and short leaps of enquiry into the preparedness of knowing the being.

whats in a name.

A New Zealand village is called:
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanataha.


tongue twisters try telling each one three times very fast

The seething sea ceaseth and thus sufficeth us.

Fanny Finch fries five floundering fish for Francis"s father.

Six slim slick slender saplings.

A bloke"s back brake block broke.

The sixth sheikh"s sixth sheep's sick.

Are you copperbottoming "em my man?
No m I"m aluminiuming "em, mum.

Amidst the mist and coldest frosts,
With barest wrists and stoutest boasts,
He thrusts his fists against the posts
And still insists he sees the ghosts.

Tie twine to three tree twigs.

Double bubble gum bubbles double.

Truly rural

Strange strategic statistics.

Lemon liniment.

favourite kili

cinnan siru kiLiyE
raagam: raagamaalika
taaLam: roopakam
Composer: Subrahmanya Bhaaratiyaar
Language: Tamil
1 raagam: kaapi
22 kharaharapriya janya
Aa: S R2 M1 P N3 S
Av: S N2 D2 N2 P M1 G2 R2 S
cinnam shirukkiLiyE kaNNammA shelvak-kaLanjiyamE
ennaik-kali tIrttE ulagil Etram puriya vandAi
2
piLLaik-kaniyamudE kaNNammA pEshum por-chittiramE
aLLi aNaittiDavE en munnE Adi varum tEnE
3 raagam: maanD
29 shankaraabharaNam janya
Aa: S G3 M1 P D2 S
Av: S N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S
Odi varugaiyilE kaNNammA uLLam kuLirudaDi
Adit-tiridal kaNDAl unnaip-pOi Avi tazhuvudaDIaaDi tiridal kaNDaal unnai poi aavi tazhuvudaDi
4 raagam: vasantaa
17 sooryakaantam janya
Aa: S M1 G3 M1 D2 N3 S
Av: S N3 D2 M1 G3 R1 S
ucci tanai mughandAl garuvam Ongi vaLarudaDi
mecci unnai yAr pugazhndAl mEni shilirkkudaDI
5 raagam: tilang
28 harikaambhOji, 30 naaganandini janya
Aa: S G3 M1 P N3 S
Av: S N2 P M1 G3 S
kannattil muttamiTTAn uLLam tAn kaL veri koLLudaDi
unnait-tazhuviDivO kaNnammA un mattamArudaDI
6 raagam: hindOLam
20 naTabhairavi janya
Aa: S G2 M1 D1 N2 S
Av: S N2 D1 M1 G2 S
shaTru mukham shivandAl manadu sancalamAgudaDi
neTri shurungak-kaNDAl enakku nenjam padaikkudaDI
7 raagam: neelamaNi
27 sarasaangi janya
Aa: S R2 M1 P D1 N3 S
Av: S N3 D1 P M1 R2 S
un kaNNil nIr vazhindAl ennenjil udiram koTTudaDi
en kaNNin pAvaiyenrO kaNNammA ennuyir ninradanrO
8 raagam: neelaambari
29 dheera shankaraabharaNam janya
Aa: S R2 G3 M1 P D2 P N3 S
Av: S N3 P M1 G3 R2 G3 S
shollum mazhalaiyilE kaNNammA tunbangaL tIrttiDuvAi
mullai shirippAlE enadu mUrkham tavirttiDuvAi
9 raagam: valaci
16 cakravaakam janya
Aa: S G3 P D2 N2 S
Av: S N2 D2 P G3 S
inbak-kadaigaLellAm unnaip-pOl EdugaL sholvaduNDO
anbu taruvadilE unainEr AghumOr deivamuNDO
10 raagam: madyamaavati
22 kharaharapriya janya
Aa: S R2 M1 P N2 S
Av: S N2 P M1 R2 S
mArbilaNivadarkkE unnaippOl vaira maNigaLuNDO
shIr peTru vAzhvadarkkE unnaippOl shelvam peridumuNDO
(cinnanjiru)

---

Meaning:
cinnam shirukkiLiyE kaNNammA shelvak-kaLanjiyamE
Cinnam shiru = Small / very Little / Petite
kiLiyE = Parrot
KaNNammA = dear, or a common South Indian female name (Bharthi alluded to this name quite a lot)
shelvak-kaLanjiyamE - A bountiful Treasure
My Petite Parrot, My Bountiful Treasure
ennaik-kali tIrttE ulagil Etram puriya vandAi
Ennaik - For me
kali - Happiness
tIrttE - make whole, fulfill
ulagil - In the World
Etram - Progress / forward
puriya - do / doing
vandai - came
My Wholesome Happiness, You came to create progress in this world
2 piLLaik-kaniyamudE kaNNammA pEshum por-chittiramE
piLLai - Child
kaniyamudE - Fruit dipped in Nectar
kaNNammA - a common South Indian female name
pEshum - to speak / speaking
por - Golden
chittiramE - painting
My Child-like, fruit dipped nectar, my speaking golden portrait
aLLi aNaittiDavE en munnE Adi varum tEnE
aLLi - to grab with passion
aNaittiDaVE - to hug with passion, enthusiasm
en - My / Mine
munnE - in front
Adi - Dancing / moving with grace
varum - come / came
tEnE - Honey
You come before me so gracefully that I feel like hugging you with passion
3 Odi varugaiyilE kaNNammA uLLam kuLirudaDi
Odi - Running
varugaiyilE - coming / came
kaNNammA - dear, a common South Indian female name
uLLam - Heart
kuLirudaDi - Cooled / Cooling
When you come running towards me, my heart chills
Adit-tiridal kaNDAl unnaip-pOi Avi tazhuvudaDI
Adit-tiridal - Dance around with merriness
kaNDAl - To See
unnaip-pOi - Come near you
Avi tazhuvudaDI - My soul hugs you
When I see you dancing with merriness, my soul hugs you
4 ucci tanai mughandAl garuvam Ongi vaLarudaDi
Ucci - Top of forehead
Tanai - That part (as in that part of the forehead)
mughandal - Kiss lightly, smell
garuvam - Proud
Ongi - Strong
ValarudaDi - Grows
When I smell the top of your head, I feel strongly proud
mecci unnai yAr pugazhndAl mEni shilirkkudaDI
mecci - To praise with sincerely
Unnai - you
Yar - whomever
pugazhndal - praise
mEni - skin
shilirkkudaDI - tingles (goose bumps)
If I hear someone praise you with sincerety, my skin tingles with excitement
5 kannattil muttamiTTAn uLLam tAn kaL veri koLLudaDi
kannattil - Cheeks
muttamiTTan - Kissed
uLLam tAn - Heart
kAL - liquor
veri - berserk
koLLudaDi - state of
if I kiss you on your cheeks, my heart goes beserk as if it is drunk with liquor
unnait-tazhuviDivO kaNnammA un mattamArudaDI
unnai - you
unnait-tazhuviDivO - Hug with passion
kaNnammA - dear, or a common South Indian female name
un mattamArudaDI - blissful happiness
If I hug you with passion, I feel a blissful happiness
6 shaTru mukham shivandAl manadu sancalamAgudaDi
ShaTru - momentarily
mukham - face
shivandAl - redness (as in became red with embarassment, discomfort, worry)
manadu - heart
sancalamagudaDi - disturbed (as in I'm disturbed)
If your face turns to discomfort, even momentarily, my heart is disturbed
neTri shurungak-kaNDAl enakku nenjam padaikkudaDI
neTri - Forehead
Shurungak - shrunk (as in wrinkled forehead)
kanDal - See
enakku - me / mine
nenjam - Heart
padaikkudadi - flutter with fear
When I see your forehead wrinkle, my heart flutters with fear...
7 un kaNNil nIr vazhindAl ennenjil udiram koTTudaDi
un - Your
Kannil - Eyes
Nir - Water (as in cry)
ennenjil - My Heart
udiram - Blood
KoTTudaDi - pours
If I even see small droplets of tears in your eyes, a whole river of blood flows in my heart
en kaNNin pAvaiyenrO kaNNammA ennuyir ninradanrO
en - me / mine
KaNNin - eyes
Pavaiyenro - girl / light
KannAmma - dear, a common South Indian female name
ennuyir - It is actually En Uyir - My Soul / My Life
ninradanro - is yours
(because) You're the light of my eyes, my life is yours
8 shollum mazhalaiyilE kaNNammA tunbangaL tIrttiDuvAi
shollum - Speaking (as in words)
mazhalaiyile - child like mumblings
kannamma - dear, or a common South Indian female name
tunbangal - misery / sorrow / worries
tIrttiDuvAi - cure (as in you will cure)
In your child-like speaking, you'll cure all my worries/misery
mullai shirippAlE enadu mUrkham tavirttiDuvAi
mullai - Jasmine flower, small, guileless
Shirippale - Smile
Enadu - Mine / my
murkham - ignorance (as in stupidity)
tavirttiduvai - avoid / avoidance
In your innocent smile, you'll cure me of my ignorance
9 inbak-kadaigaLellAm unnaip-pOl EdugaL sholvaduNDO
inbak-kadaigaLellAm - Happy stories
unnaip-pOl - Like you
EdugaL - Pages (as in pages of a book)
sholvaduNDO - Tell
Can you even be described in pages and pages of Happy stories?
anbu taruvadilE unainEr AghumOr deivamuNDO
anbu - Love
taruvadile - Giving
unainEr AghumOr - Wonderful, combination / play on words -- means, nigar - (as in equal to you)
deivamundo - God (as in is there a God equal to you)
In sharing Love, can even a God equal you?
10 mArbilaNivadarkkE unnaippOl vaira maNigaLuNDO
mArbil - Chest (as in over the chest)
AniVadarKke - wear ( as in wear over the chest)
unnaipol - like you
vaira - Diamonds / precious stones
manigal - Precious stones
Undo - Is there?
To wear on the chest, are there even diamonds/pearls like you?
shIr peTru vAzhvadarkkE unnaippOl shelvam piridumuNDO (cinnanjiru)
ShIr - Prosperity
Petru - Got (as in get prosperous)
vazhvadarkke - live
unnaipol - like you
shelvam - Treasure (large sum of bounty)
Peridu - Large
Undo - Is there?
Is there even a larger treasure than you in my life? i.e. You're the most prosperous treasure in my life.
Though this song is said to describe Bharathi's feelings for a child, he has employed double-meanings which may indicate his wife, Chellamma.

Ikshavaku dynasty.

Sibi Chakravarthy his grand son is Sagara whose grand son is Bagirathan whose grand son is Dileepan whose son is Raghu whose son is Ajan and his son is Dasaratha who has four sons Ram the eldest who has two sons Lava and Kusa.

Sibi Chakravarthy was ruling Ayodya he had herd of Ravana the king of Lanka and his atrocities. He decided to punish this demon by waging a war with him. He assembled his army and proceeded towards Lanka. He reached Neelikavanam near Svetagiri. He decided to rest there for a while along with his army. there an unusual event provoked his curiosity. A white boar an unusual colour for a boar was running errands with great fevour he followed the boar which disappeared into a bush the King got the bush cleared and there he discovered Markandeya Rishi and Bhoomidevi lost in penance. He also herd a voice which addressed him saying Sibi Raja I will be born in course of time as son of Dasaratha and destroy Ravana then. The king was takenaback and wondered where the voice was coming from he had his doubts after bringing a large army all the way from ayodya was he to obey what the voice told him or should he continue towards Lanka. He therefore expressed his thoughts aloud and wondered what course of action he must now take. The voice told him to build a temple at Svethagiri and that Perumal would be soon visiting that place. He would be fulfilling a promise given to Thayar at that place. the story goes that Thayar had expressed a desire to rule the world created by the Lord. The Lord had assured her that she would be given an opportunity to do Sengol paripalanam at Thiruvellarai. Thus even today the idol of goddess goes before that of the Perumal in this kshetram. There is also a story of the thayar taking the perumal to task when he returned a little late from his rounds in the village. the particular door in that temple is known as Nazhi Keta vasal. where the Lord was questioned by Thayar as to why he was late in returning home. The Lord too is not spared from answering the important question????? ha ha ha but he gets away.

strictly followed it must be.

Paraphrasing Sri Ramanuja, Sri Desikan says that while performing any of these kainkaryams, one has to stay within the parameters prescribed by the shastras, and anything beyond or in contravention of the shastras can’t be classified as kainkaryam. This is borne out by the Gita slOka, which lays down that anybody contravening the edicts of the Vedas and smritis is a betrayer of the Lord, and ceases to be a Sri
Vaishnava. –

“Shruti: Smriti: mamaiva AgyA 
YastAm ullanghya varttatE 
AgyAchhEdi mama drOhi
Mama bhaktOpi na Vaishnava : «

Devas and Rishis as bees.

Thirukkannamangai.
A striking sight at this temple is a huge hive of honey bees near the shrine of the Goddesses Abisheka valli. This hive is said to be in existence for many ages. it is believed by a legend floting here that the Maharishis and Devas in large numbers came to attend the Panigrahanam wedding ceremony of the Lord with the Goddess. Those who came wanted to stay on to continually enjoy the divine sight of the Kalyana Thirukolam God granted their wish and so they converted themselves  as bees and continue to reside in front of the Thayar sannidhi. In spite of so many bees humming over not a single devotee has been stung by a bee here. daily prayers are offered to the bee hive as well even today by the temple and devotees throng to witness this lovely sight.