Study Tours to Srirangam -- II

Our study tour to Srirangam was not only across spaces but also across time. I had to take the troupe to travel towards that past ethos with all that I had learned till then. People who were perched in the present cares had to feel the past responsibilities in all their total bearing to the future. I was not only accessing the past by way of study but also entering the future by way of interpretation and actually, all these happening thru creative imagination in the present. I taught my troupe, learned with them, and knew from them. What I taught to them was philosophical, what I learned with them was cultural and what I knew from them was reactional, in the sense, how the text is received by the current pocket of active listeners, no matter if they are not previously exposed. I feel even now in vivid fibre the pristine occasion of my friend, Mr. T. Ramesh, one day announcing to me that the whole set of Bhagavath Vishayam, the 5- fold commentaries with ancient notes to the greatest of the 5 commentaries, viz., Idu, recorded by Vadakkuththiruveethip Pillai with no loss of even a syllable, whatever he was hearing from his master Nambillai expounding on the 1000 songs of ThiruvAimozhi, by NammAzhvAr --- was available as a free gift to me from his paternal aunt, who is the daughter-in-law of Mr. Ethirajulu Chettiar. I became impatient of the passing half an hour till we reached her house in Saidapet. She was so joyous to meet me, for the reason that she was thankful that I was able to link back Ramesh to the cherished heritage, kept up so fondly by Mr. Ethirajulu Chettiar, who was a disciple of Sri U. Ve. P.B. Annangarachariyar of Kancheepuram. They perhaps saw the Chettiyar alive again in my friend. To see such occasions of homecoming, psychologically and culturally and maybe ideologically gives unique instances of joy, with great flux of currents passing across generation gaps, eventing comradaries across times. Now, what are these?, commentaries, Nammaalvaar, Bhagavath Vishayam, and such peculiar sounding names may be to your ears and a whole culture that has evolved around a text and sustains itself by active hermeneutics of the same even now. I will explain all these in another entry on ensuing occasions. Till then let it suffice that the picture shows the frontispage of the sthalapurana of Alwarthirunagari or Thirukkurukoor, in the Thirunelveli Dt, renowned as the birthplace of Nammaalvaar.

STUDY TOURS TO SRIRANGAM -- 1988 (CONTD)

The first photo is the Thai Car festival in Srirangam. I am giving my Tamil poem on the Temple Car in my Tamil Blog entry. The poem visualizes the Car or ThEr, as it is called in Tamil, as the symbolic form of the social communion of the whole society with its own values. It exhorts all and sundry to participate not only now but always in order to make meaningful and total the topographical filling of one's existence. The second photo is a rare pic of the Shakespearean play Merchant of Venice staged by my father and Prof C.S.Kamalapathi in aid of The Boys High School, Srirangam in 1980s. See the lively action arrested in some ancient architect's work of an elephant being tamed! Last one above is fundamental to the mythology of the Temple Town, Srirangam. Srirangam temple is called in tradition as the Ikshvaaku Kuladhanam. The story dates itself from the times of SriRaamaa, who on his coronation finals gave away important gifts to his friends and associates in the hardtimes and the war. Vibheeshanaa, the brother of Raavanaa of SriLanka, was given a special gift of the family tutelary deity of Ikshvaaku kulaa, viz., SriRanganaathaa. Vibheeshanaa chose this place to consecrate the Deity and built the temple around. The local story is that Vibheeshanaa comes even now in the mid of night, unseen to worship the Lord of the Lords, PERIYA PERUMAAL . In the snap shot of a statue on a pillar of Sesharaayar Mandapam, Vibheeshanaa is portrayed as carrying the Divine Casket, perhaps towards Srirangam.

STUDY TOURS TO SRIRANGAM -- 1988

                                                                                                                                                                   About 1988 or so we went on consecutive study tours to Srirangam and other places. Srirangam the headqrs of theology was our favourite roosting place, where each was unto his own visions and understandings sought. SriRamanuja was becoming our obsession. On the right you see the Math, where Udaiyavar (SriRamanuja) stayed in the 11th centAD. Myself, Mahendran and Ramesh from left to right are seen before the gate. Our official fotographer was Raghuraaman seen in the picture left with the red shirt, myself, Ramesh, Mahendran on the backs of an excavated piece of elephantine architecture, may be symbolic of our reexcavating the understanding of SriVaishnavism to ourselves. In the first large picture myself, Raghu and Ramesh are seen with the committed couple of SriVaishnavism Sri U.Ve.Krishnaswami Iyengaar, Sri Vaishnava Sudharsanam.

What is Vedanta? - 01

Before knowing about Vedanta, we must understand the meaning of the term 'Veda'. What is 'Veda'? We are too much familiar about the usage of the term, so that we have not stopped and thought about the meaning of the term 'Veda'. Of course Vedas are classified into four Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda. But why certain texts are named Vedas? What qualifies a text to be called 'Veda'? 

For this our best source can be the great commentator of all the Vedas, namely, Sayana. In his commentaries on Yajur Veda and Rig Veda he is dealing extensively with this question, namely, what is Veda? what is the meaning? what qualifies a text to be identified as Veda and so on. 

We come to know many things in life. We see many objects. We see many things are happening. And the things do not change in nature. And the happenings do sometimes repeat and thereby we come to know what causes what. And nowadays Science is there which determines by experiments. Basic to all these understanding are two ways of knowing or epistemology. The two ways are perception and inference. Based on these and much more sophisticated by technology and instrumentation is scientific method. What can be known by these methods cannot be termed as Veda. What can be known by perception and inference is not Veda. 

We want to attain something and we want to avoid something in the regular course of our living. And we use perception and inference to attain what we want and avoid what we do not want. By experience and memory of others' experiences our regular course of living goes on. But when we come to a stage, when we resort to means that are beyond perception and inference to attain our goal and avoid the impediments, what texts are going to guide us in that stage and need, those texts are termed as Vedas. This is as per the explanation of Sayana in his introduction to the Taittiriya Samhita commentary. 

This is what he says : 'Ishta prApti anishta parihArayO: alaaukikam upAyam yO grantO vEdayati sa vEda:| alaukika padEna pratyakshAnumAnE vyAvartyEtE |' 

And he quotes a famous sloka of his times which says : 'pratyakshENa anumityAvA yastu upAyO na budhyatE | Enam vidanti vEdEna tasmAt vEdasya vEdatA || ' 

The meaning of the sloka is : 'Either by perception or by inference, which means is not known, that means is known by the Vedas. That explains why it is called Veda' 

So Vedas are the ways of knowing that which is beyond the world and the means of attaining the real purpose of life and avoid that which prevents attaining that. Vedas do not ask you to know the things of the world through them and that which can be known by perception, inference and scientific method. It never asks you to confuse between the world and the beyond. 

Again to refresh our understanding, 'what is beyond the world'? That which is beyond perception and inference is denoted by the phrase 'beyond the world'. It expects you to be fully scientific with regard to the world in which we live and it never gives any counter claim regarding the area or issues in which science has authority. It fully honours the jurisdiction of science in the world. When the human being comes to a stage of introspection when all the world and the regular epistemology do not satisfy the human being's inquiry, then alone and in that transcendental enquiry alone Vedas come as the guide to the struggling soul. 

Whether this understanding is prevalent among us people I do not know. But this is the clarity which the great Master Sayana is giving in his introduction to the Vedic commentaries. Understanding this basic principle will go a long way to solve many of our own doubts in our religious life. And again it is Sayana who like great masters before him, categorically explains that in Vedic mantras, even though it seems various deities are sung, really it is the one Supreme Reality or Parameswara is sung through various forms : 

''yadyapi indrAdaya: tatra tatra hUyantE tathApi paramEswarasya Eva indrAdirUpENa avastAnAt avirOdha:' 

Meaning ; 'even though in many places deities like Indra are prayed to by mantras, in all those places it is ParamEswaraa alone in the forms of Indra and the like is prayed to and so there is no contradiction.' 

So never confuse your life in the world and your spiritual quest. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

What is Vedanta? -- Introduction

Too many books on Vedanta are there in English. Then why again?. Of course I personally feel that the works of Swami Vivekananda, the works of Sri Aurobindo, Swami Chinmayananda and others are sufficient for any serious inquirer and student. But, for the youth, I intend to say something on the subject. Before that, it is better that I openly state my frame of mind. 

Three things I have avoided studiously in my life, even to entertain as an attitude. That means three things I have upheld even from my school days. Because of my father's influence, the effect of Bharathi on me, again due to my father, and my early involvement in Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda, this frame of mind has come about even in my early years. I have changed my perspectives, undergone radical shifts of standpoints and all that. But in spite of all such changes of mind and all through such changes, three things have never changed in my considered conclusion. One, I subscribe to the thought that all human beings are equal and there is no superiority or inferiority based on birth. Second, I subscribe to the thought that human beings, irrespective of being male or female, enjoy equal status and equal claim. That is discrimination based on gender, I never subscribe to. Third, I subscribe to the thought that all religious paths are various ways to one Super Reality, viz., God. Of course, naturally, I am personally devoted to Sri Ramakrishna. So caste-bias, gender-bias, religion-bias are the three things I have resolutely avoided all through my life. And I believe most of the human ills are avoided if these three are avoided. 

But you may ask, if it is so with you, how come you are writing about Vedanta, in which caste is entertained by acharyas of old if not by modern sages like Swami Vivekananda. Not only that, in nearly all the ancient books, you find the problem of caste and caste-prone statements. Many teachers of the tradition have glossed on such statements rather than refuting such statements. Yes. I know that such is the situation, if you go by the traditions obediently. But even here I remain myself. Anything which is against the equality of human beings, I refuse and don't subscribe to, even if it is by great masters and sages. The same way with the problem of discrimination against women. And I believe whatever remains after giving up all these discriminations that is enough, at least, for me. So when I write about Vedanta, I am not too obediently voicing all the old tunes, but select what I think, the strong points of Vedanta. Only such thoughts of strength I intend to communicate to the young generations. If you are adamant in your sympathy of caste, gender discrimination and religious exclusivism, sorry, I am not your author and I do not write having you in my mind. I will earnestly request you to think deeply and reconsider your sympathies. 

And coming to the subject, Vedanta subsumes the idea of what is Veda. And Vedanta has its own three most important canons, called Prastanatrayam. (important three books). Upanishads, Sri Bhagavad Gita, Brahma Sutras are the three important books. My approach will be simple. I intend to introduce some ideas of Vedanta succinctly mainly to the young generations. Especially the ideas which are philosophically thought-provoking and have great implications in the progress of human thought and comparative philosophy of the world. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

The concept of Yajnam, Danam, Tapas

Sri Krishna gives a lot of great thoughts in Bhagavad Gita. But one thought many of us have neglected to see is this one - The concept of  Yajna, Danam, Tapas. Why it is so important is what this small write up is about. Sri Krishna calls these three as great purifiers. Purifying what? What in yajna, what in danam, what in tapas qualify these three as agents of purification? If these three are purifying what are the impurities in us which these address? 

First, Yajna. What is this? Perhaps a large open space, some geometric shapes in the center, perhaps some fire lit, some ghee poured in with chanting. This is the picture that may come to our mind on hearing the word. But no. That was one form of doing it, people chose to do so in some period of time. It was ritualistic. But if we go deep into the concept it is interesting. 

Yajna means that you sacrifice something of yours to get something better or reach something more satisfactory. When you do this openly, stating your intention and readiness to wait and requesting others' cooperation towards achieving that aim, you are more or less entering into a contract with yourself and others. Since you discuss your intentions openly, your wishes and plans become conducive to the common good and definitely selfish exploitations are avoided even at the outset. This is the way of achieving your personal goals, purified of all malicious and vested interests and discussed with others in your immediate contexts. Achieving what one wants, justly and in tune with and never against the common good is the way of yajna. 

Was this understood in the past in the exact terms in which I express, is a question. But the real import and the original motive of whoever found out this concept seem to be nearly like what I say. This we can see if we study deeply the srauta-sutras, mimamsa-sutras and their commentaries. It is not that we need to go back to the old forms. But understanding the essence of the concept and applying that in our contexts will surely enhance our relationship with nature and human beings. Since there is no dark area in our dealings or thoughts, this yajna is purifying. Ordinary actions anybody can do and are doing. Some with malicious intent, some as a waste, some with an exploiting motive neatly hidden. Yea actions do happen all the while with all sorts of psychology behind. That is why Sri Krishna says ordinary actions do bind us and are having a cheapening effect on the soul. But actions done as yajna are always auspicious, in the sense it brings about goodness to you and goodness to others. i.e., Subham. 

Now some of you might have thought when we were saying about yajna, what guarantees a person to behave all truly even in yajna. He may state something in public but he may be having his own plans. Yea here comes the concept of Tapas. Individual betterment in mind and thinking. This tapas is a culture of introspection and openness to oneself, which is inculcated even from small years. This tapas helps improve the human being from inside out. An exercise of blossoming towards light. The person is inducted into a culture of light-loving rather than being addicted to darkness. This tapas is what makes a human being or draws out more and more the real human being out of potentiality. 

Individuals may be made or allowed to blossom forth by Tapas, so that their actions become yajna and never mere raw actions prone to all ills. But the others with whom the human being relates and the society which consists of all types of others for all the members, they form a community or a society. What educates the society towards individuals and what educates the individuals towards the society is what is called Danam. We may think in a too-commonplace manner that danam is charity. May be, it is right in one way. But it is not what danam is really about. Danam is sharing between the individuals and the society, the society learning from individuals, the individuals imbibing culture from the heritage coming down and preserved by the society. It is educating the individual from the biological to the cultural. And more so, the individuals lifting the social from getting mired in dead habits and customs to more creative expressions. It is dynamical both ways. If it is not so, then the danam is not working properly. Properly restoring danam meaningfully brings in purity into the parity of individual vs society. 

If these three are in pure shape, yajna, tapas, danam, then the whole picture is healthy. Positive cycles go on. Negativity is resolved. The goals of individuals and society are complimentary and creative. That is why Sri Krishna is saying in Bhagavad Gita 

Yajna dAna tapa: karma na tyAjyam kAryam Eva tat | 
yajnO dAnam tapas chaiva pAvanAni maneeshiNAm || 

Yajnam, Danam, Tapas are actions that must never be given up. Because these three Yajnam, Danam, Tapas are always purifying for the human beings who use mind. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

On seeing Jai Bhim ...

Jai Bhim, the movie. How I was touched by the film has a story behind and my memories so fond of Indian Bank! I was transferred to Salavakkam Branch in 2008. Of course an old story but which I cherish even now after retirement. In the beginning it was so hard at my age to commute between Salavakkam and Nanaganallur. Nearly five hours spent in travel, up and down every day. I also tried taking a room in Chingleput but practically it didn't work out. But the offset was clean air, different people with different mindsets and the flow of life in rural sides. And if you find yourself in a good team with the manager and other officers you are lucky. I was lucky in that way. One Mr Balu came as the manager after some months of my joining. As days went by I was becoming more and more appreciative of his ways of dealing with people, his talks, his manners. Very ebullient, his sense of judging the people was quick and sharp. At that time the scheme of giving loans to Kuravars, Irulars and others, hapless people suffering and it was a needy gesture of care and attention through banks. The amount was not big but still the documentation and recovery aspects were there to be taken into account as part of banking procedures. But the manager was determined to implement the scheme to the full benefit of the people in dire state. His enthusiasm was firm. And he asked us clerks and substaffs about our timings, in case of additional work and all that. Because it becomes a real problem if you miss that particular bus at that time and things like that. 

Knowing about the state of existence of the people concerned like Kuravars, Irulars and others, there was no second thought in me. I told him not to bother about my conveniences and that I liked his initiative personally. And of course the Manager's enthusiasm was contagious. I even now remember his saying to me: 'My friend! we may not realise what a good thing we are doing just now at this time. But definitely in our later years it will be a blessing on us and in our memory giving solace.' And how many people were benefitted! and seeing smiles on so many hapless faces heavy-laden with worries and problems ! 

Recently when I talked to the Manager we shared the old memories mutually and we were opening at the same moment exclaiming 'Sir! did you see Jai Bhim? I remembered you and our days more than a decade ago in Salavakkam.' Yea seeing the dire state of the people shown in the film with tears, I was so happy that I was given a chance to be of service in the chain of activities all thanks to Indian Bank and the unforgettable Mr Balu. If our Bank had not transferred me at that time to Salavakkam I would not have met Mr Balu and neither would I have had the chance of service by being a part of the activities.
Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Theology of Hinduism

Theology is the study about God and the matters of the Divine. Any other study, about any other subject, will have an object out there, about which the study will say something. But in the study about God, there is no such objective thing out there. When objects are studied by knowledge, there should be a study regarding the principle in us which studies all the objects and matters. It is somewhat, knowledge about the knowing principle or about the knowing being in us. We cannot say it is totally subjective because such a knowing being is operative in each and everyone of us. What is common in all our general experience cannot be just subjective. But again, such knowing being is not becoming or cannot be made external at any point of time. But all our studies, internal and external, depend fully on such a knowing being, operative inside everyone of us. So God, who is said to be more internal than the knowing being in us, how can such a subject like God be treated as if an object external? 

If God cannot be studied like any external thing, how then any study is possible? For this, people who were inspired the world over, down the time have an answer. How can there be any knowledge about God, if at the first instant, such transcendental knowledge was not given by God as revelation through mystics and inspired people. If God has talked to human beings at different periods through living medium, what was his language? The language has to be necessarily human but the meanings are not limited to any time or place. But any meaning one gets out of the human language has to be limited by the time and place of the reader and the reading. 

To understand the meaning of God is to understand it progressively. That is, you have to employ efficient tools of interpretation to arrive at ennobling meanings, not as a one-time measure but progressively in consequent periods and repeated involvements. At the same time you must be aware that any interpretation at any period of time need necessarily be limited by time and place and culture. Hence the saying, humility is always needed in studying about God. Our fullest answers can only be our best attempts to arrive at God's meaning. 

Regarding Hinduism, the best and only book of reference for theology has been the Upanishads. The Upanishads talk about the nature of God, the divine qualities, the cosmology and the relationship between divinity and human being. The Upanishads as revelations are common to all the various denominations of Hinduism. This theological import of Upanishads is given in a poetical form in Bhagavad Gita. The theology of Upanishads is made into a closely reasoned out treatise in the Brahma Sutras. The three put together, Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, form the basic reference books. But again the Upanishads form the single basic canon, which is explained and reasoned out in the other two helping books, Brahma Sutras and Bhagavad Gita. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

On September 11th

I like Bharathi
I like Vivekananda
Today I think of both
Today is linked with both
Today you can remember the poet
Today you can read again the great speech at Chicago
Human kindness
Universal harmony
What else is the ultimate goodness of the planet
The poet
The philosopher
This day is deep.
Srirangam Mohanarangan

Navarathri - what is it?

God is described as The Infinite Existence, Knowledge cum Bliss . Satchidananda. It is in the noumenal and transcendent state. The same God while creating and sustaining this universe is viewed as Divine Mother. Her three aspects of Infinite Existence, Knowledge cum Bliss are worshipped as Sakthi, Lakshmi and Saraswati on the nine nights of Navarathri. Nava - nine rathri - night. Golu is symbolic of the entire universe or creation. From childhood it is taught how to view the whole universe as suffused with Divinity. This Golu is one such ritual to inculcate this awareness. 

Usually it is like this. Typical of various creatures like bipeds, quadrupeds, birds, men, mythical persons, great leaders, wonderful objects like this a wide representation of art and thanks. There is no fixed rule. It is left to the creativity of children esp girls. In the western countries they discovered the kindergarten system only in the 19th ce. But in our country this kindergarten principle is followed from time immemorial. Bharathiar has sung a song signifying all these ideas. You see this is the ancient way of infusing philosophical awareness by child play, ritual, group chanting and so on. In places like Kolkata they chant Divine Mother's glory called Devi Mahatmyam. It is also called Chandi.
Srirangam Mohanarangan
***

George Eliot and Sri Ramakrishna

Texts and writing are really intriguing. Sometimes you tend to think of them as mysterious, not without sufficient reasons. Whenever January comes, the thought of Swami Vivekananda becomes loud (and don't ask me when it was mild) in recurrence. The combination of December coolness, the expectation of the New Year and afterwards the charm of the newly born are all playing ascending notes to the symphony of the great Hindu standing tall over time. And naturally you begin to think of Dakshineswar, the Ganges and the room of Thakur. What would have Naren seen in that village holy man and what would have made this college boy to take bold decisions and bolder steps! But you will not expect similar sentiments expressed in remote writings, which will concur with you to the letter. Yea I am saying about the writings of George Eliot. Who is she in this context! But why her words are so resonating in this mood? When she writes in her 'Scenes of clerical life' - 

"Blessed influence of one true loving human soul on another! Not calculable by algebra, not deducible by logic, but mysterious, effectual, mighty as the hidden process by which the tiny seed is quickened, and bursts forth into tall stem, and broad leaf, and glowing tasselled flower. Ideas are often poor ghosts; our sun-filled eyes cannot discern them; they pass athwart us in thin vapour, and cannot make themselves felt. But sometimes they are made flesh; they breathe upon us with warm breath, they touch us with soft responsive hands, they look at us with sad sincere eyes, and speak to us in appealing tones; they are clothed in a living human soul, with all its conflicts, its faith, and its love. Then their presence is a power, then they shake us like a passion, and we are drawn after them with gentle compulsion, as flame is drawn to flame."
(Scenes from clerical life, George Eliot) 

A drunken man sees twice; a man afraid sees his own fear and what is wrong in a devoted seeing his devotion everywhere?
Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Mosquito and Consciousness

When you are deep into some work, then the mosquitoes start to rub your skin. The rubbing alerts you and you sway a bat. Mosquitoes are creatures which never connect these two actions. On the range of the moment they begin to interact with their immediate situations. When they find a lazy leg they start playing. But it is inviting their own death sweep is a matter they never connect. May be they learn some alternatives like which way to take flight to escape getting caught, but all such things are based on immediate situations. Whereas some other beings which are more endowed react in different ways and evince different levels, which sometimes are simulative enough for us to read as conscious activities. 

Consciousness is in the essence connecting different points in our time, in our actions, in our surroundings. A big and intricate memory is involved, pattern recognition always being bettered continuously. Deduction, speculation and induction are various items in our toolkit. So we read and so the meaning occurs to us as human beings. In most instances of persons this remains a high possibility and never realised to any justifiable level. Connecting things, connecting means and ends, connecting the immediate and the distanced, connecting today and tomorrow, pattern recognizing with the past, all these constitute what it is being a conscious entity as human beings. Are the various levels we see in other beings just approximations to the level of consciousness which we evince in our living or whether our own level just a more complicated and nuanced and sophisticated version of the same kind basically with other beings is a question. Consciousness is entity in itself. It cannot be explained by nature as objectively read by us. This is one view. Consciousness is only an emergent phenomenon in the ongoing complexity of the structure of beings. What looks mechanical or instinct or mere impulse-response in early evolved beings begins to assume meaning as autonomous consciousness in the level of human beings. This is one view. Whatever may be the benefits of understanding in each view, 'to whom it is meaningful' or 'who reads ultimately the report sheets' is something hard to crack. Only very few scientists even like to face this hard problem and say that they are facing it. Mostly the problem is shirked off by saying 'don't ask questions which should not be asked'. After all tactics of ignorance come handy in trying to escape knowing what is real. 

But on the other hand however much we like to stress that we are unique beings of consciousness, if we patiently check how we interpret the very phenomenon of our being conscious or our fact of knowing, we face another issue. What is our understanding of our being conscious? When we try to explain this to our own selves, we find that we are arriving at the picture of our being conscious only recursively, sharing with all the features of foregone beings in evolution and we begin to doubt whether we can ever attain a unique and autonomous explanation for this question. But right from our Rishis upto Sri Ramana Maharishi, they say that there is a non-dependent core of autonomous consciousness. And Sri Ramana Maharishi will say with a pinch of humour, 'you cannot realise that. Because it is always there. Only you have to stop realising unnecessary things heaping over and above.' 

Whether the slipping mosquito ever understands these things or whether the chasing human being will ever become a total being of pure autonomous consciousness, the swaying bat has no such problems. As long as the charge is there, as long as it connects with the flying, so long it cracks its cruel jokes, of course much to the relief of the owner.
Srirangam Mohanarangan
***

Why do you write what you write

Why are you always writing on religious themes? You are only worldly. do you profess any practice on any faith? - some friend was asking me out of concern. Yea that is right. I do not profess anything except that I am devoted to Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, SriAurobindo, Mother and... Of course I am a simple Hindu and I am interested in various thought-systems and modern science is of such an interest to me. But it is true I do not have anybody's book of instructions for my life including that of Sri Ramakrishna. If he comes out and say that I am not in his list, I will not be having any claim to make one. Why I say this is what the friend was asking is true. Not being fixed to anywhere has its own butter side and also its raw side. But why I like writing about what I do write has no reason I think except I do like writing about something which I like. Sorry I do not mean to confuse you but it stands miserably at that. I can write about many other things, all remote and strange to general interest, like Indo-European linguistics, the commentaries of Syriac, Hebraic and Arabic authors on Aristotle, the subject of praxeology in connection with the treatises of Purva MImamsa, the philosophical developments of Eastern Europe, the poetical traditions of nearly very many lands and so on. In addition I feel I have something to say by way of my own philosophy. I have become poor by my rich interests, which will be boredom to others. Even my close friends have developed strategies of escape due to these interests of mine. Of course poetry does not need anybody to share with. But there also I was lucky in having my Professor of collegiate days as the close sharing party to talk to. Even that chance was snatched away of late. So why do I write what I do is a difficult question for me. What to do? Sometimes answers are difficult, sometimes questions. But in reading and understanding and doing your private study, you need not face anybody's questions, except the eternal questions which the universe is not tired of raising and facing such questions are moments of thick vividness. So the question why I am writing... yea.
Srirangam Mohanarangan
***

Questions and Answers

Stop asking questions
when the answers are crowding in
yea usually we do ask questions
and expect answers as per their tokens
but sometimes it becomes the answers' time
and better stop asking questions then
when the answers stop flowing
enough time to begin again
but the answers deposited
do they all match the questions?
you can't say, sometimes match
and sometimes at variance
but anyhow stop asking questions
when the answers are coming in
enough time later to fit one to one
if not, perhaps new questions may be born
out of answers already arrived.
Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Vedanta Kilippaattu

Really if you stop and think about the rich heritage of Vedanta in Tamil, it is very astounding. 'Kilippaattu' is a genre, popular in local gatherings during festivals. Many persons used to have some kilippaattu in memory. Kilippaattu' - parrot song. Nothing connected with parrots. But the refrain occurs again and again addressed to parrot like 'kiliyE' kiliyE. Now what is the connection between kilippaattu and Vedanta? In 1929 Sri S Ayyasamipillai brought out in his Ashtalakshmivilas Press a small book of poetry, Vedantak kilikkanni on Tiruchendur Sri SivasubbiramaniyakkadavuL. It was written by Sri B Subbaraya Achariyar. It was suggested by Sri Mariyappasamigal to the owner of Madurai Meenakshiyamman Koil Book Shop, Sri S Ayyasamipillai. A little book of just 12 pages is so much a mixing of Vedanta with Akapporul. 

'பேசியிருக்கிறார்கள் பித்தமுதல் நோய்களுக்கு
ஆசைக்கொரு மருந்தைக் கிளியே
அங்கெழுதி வைத்தாரில்லை 

சரியாய் எழுதிவந்தும் தங்கவடிவேலரென்னை
பிரியாதெழுத்தெழுதக் கிளியே
பிரமனேமாந்தானடி 

இரண்டு என்றான் அப்பால் இரண்டும் ஒன்றாம் என்றான்
ஒன்றென்றும் இல்லை என்றான் கிளியே
உணர்வு தெரியவில்லை 

தாரணியோர்கள் மெச்சத் தனியரசு செய்து வந்தேன்
சீரலைவாய் வந்ததனால் கிளியே
என் சீரலைவு ஆச்சுதடி...’ 

Like this it goes on. Vedanta in popular genres composed casually by singing enthusiasts. How many books are like this who knows!
Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Work book of a Kavya

Sri Vaikunta Ekadasi was also a writers' festival some decades back. I was lucky to see it in my life upto 60s and 70s. What I mean is in Srirangam, during the Nacchiyar Tirukkolam and Sri Vaikunta Ekadasi, many book releases, poetry forums used to be conducted. And another thing, which has become almost invisible, is various groups from villages used to sing Bhajans, Songs during this time. Now whether any such thing is there I do not know. Yea times are changing, people's preferences do change. Why I am saying this is for a reason. Some ten years back I was writing seriously a Kavyam in Tamil, which has run to more than 5000 lines as I count now. And somehow I scheduled it off, postponed touching it and now after many years suddenly an interest has cropped up to continue that to the finish. That too during Sri Vaikunta Ekadasi is so apt and seems to be blessed. While beginning I was rashly ambitious to put the end only after 25000th line. But I do not know now how far I will be able to do. Sometimes in the West, they give something like 'work in progress', that is some portions they leak out so that readers can get a foretaste of the work. Like that I wrote one introduction along with some lines from the epic. -- 

தமிழனாய்ப் பிறக்கக் கொடுத்து வைத்தேன். நல்ல தந்தை தாய், ஆசிரியர்கள், நண்பர்கள், வளர்ந்த சூழல், உள்ளே படுத்துக் கொண்டிருப்பவன், உரகச் சுற்றாய் அரவணைக்கும் தடமதில்கள், உள்ளத்தைக் கால்கட்டும் உவகைப் பெருக்காய் நான் வளர்ந்த தமிழின் மடி, ஊருண் கேணியாய்த் தொட்டு வைத்த சங்கப் பொய்கை, உலகு புரக்கும் மும்முலையாய்ச் செந்நாப்போது, உன்னித்தெழுந்த தடமுலையாய்த் திருவாய்மொழித்தலைவி, உவட்டாமல் இனிப்பதுவாய் மூவர்மொழி, உலகளந்த திருவடியாய்க் கம்பன் பரிசு, உலா வரும் கலைச் செப்பாய் இளங்கோவின் கைச்சிலம்பு, அங்கிங்கெனாதபடி எங்கும் பிரகாசமாய்ச் சிரபுரத்தான் தந்த சீர்வரிசை, சந்தக் கொழிப்பின் மந்தாகினியாய்ச் சருவி வரும் தமிழின் கிரி, இல்லை இல்லை பெருக்கம் அன்பில் அமிழ்த்தும், பேருலகு காணத் தவிக்கும் மனிதனைப் பேணி வளர்க்கும் தமிழின் மகன் காவியம் பாடுவதில் வியப்பில்லை. 

மேலை நாடுகளில் ஒரு பழக்கம் உண்டு. அட்டும் சுவையுணவின் ஒரு சிப்பத்தை இதழ் பருகக் கொடுத்துக் களிக்கும் பழக்கத்திற்குப் பெயர் work in progress. அதுபோல் இன்னும் கண் திறக்காத காவியத்தின் கலையெழிலை ஒப்பனைக்கு முன்னர் ஒரு சில பிரிகதிராய் உமக்குக் கொடுத்துக் களிக்க நினைத்தோம். உவட்டாமல் இனிப்பதுவோ உறுத்துவதாய் இருப்பதுவோ யாமறியோம் பெரும! உண்டுடுத்து உரையாடி ஒலியடங்க உயிர்ப்படங்கும் வாழ்வில், உன்மத்தம் என்று நீர் நினைத்தாலும், உன்னதமாய்ச் சில கணங்கள் தேக்கி வைத்தேன் தீந்தமிழில். 

திரைத்து வரும் கங்குல். தமிழ் ஏங்கிக் காத்திருக்கும். புலரி வாராமற் போகாது, பொற்கதிராய் என்மகவோர் வந்து தழுவும் நாளும் தொலையாது, ஆயினும் ஆழியென நீளும் தனிமை, அதில் ஓர் அகலெடுத்துச் சென்று அருந்தமிழின் கண் மலரும் நீர் வழித்த இனிமை என் பங்கு. காவியம் எதைப் பற்றி எனப் பலரும் கேட்டதுண்டு. காலத்தின் கரை வீற்ற நித்யங்களைப் பற்றித்தான் காவியம் கதுவியெழும். நித்தப் பொருள் அனைத்தும் ஆலயமாய்ச் சேரும் இடம் மனிதன். அவனைத்தான் காவியப் பெண் அன்றிலிருந்து காதலில் கட்டிவிட நினைக்கிறாள். கைக்கிளையாய் ஆகிவிடுமோ என்று பெருமூச்சு எறிகிறாள். உலகின் பல மூலைக்கும் சென்று இரவுக்குறியும் பகற்குறியும் வைக்கிறாள். வந்தாய் போலே வாராதாய் என்று ஏங்குகிறாள். வாராதாய் போல் வருவானே என்று எதிர்நோக்குகிறாள். பாங்கரும் விறலியரும் பரிந்து சென்ற பெரியோரும் இன்னும் திரும்பிய பாடில்லை. எத்துணையோ சிற்றில் இழைத்துச் சிணுங்குகிறாள். சிதைத்து அந்தச் செல்வன் சிந்தை மகிழ்விப்பான் என்று காலத்தின் அத்துவாக்கள் எங்கும் விழி வைத்து நோக்குகிறாள். உள்ளம் கவர் கள்வனை உருவெழுதிப் பூத்த உவகையில் உடல் நனைகிறாள். என்றும் நெட்டுயிர்ப்பே இவள் பங்காய் அந்தப் பெருந்தகையோன் திரிகின்றான் தனைமறந்து, பாடிவீடெங்கும், தன்னும் உருவும் பெயரும் நினைவயர்ந்து. 

இதை நீங்கள் நன்கு புரிந்துகொண்டால் காவியத்தையும் செவ்வனே புரிந்து கொள்ளலாம். உங்கள் ஆர்வம் கரை இகந்து முந்தும் ஆயினும் இது வெறுமனே முன்னூட்டுச் சுவைக்கதிர் தானே! முனியாது பொறுத்திடுக! முற்றுறும் நாள் முதிராத முத்தி எழிலை முகிழ்த்த நூலாக்கித் தந்திடுவேன்.
நடையைப் பொறுத்த வரையில் மரபின் வழீஇய யாப்பா? உரையா? புதுக்கவிதையா? விடுதலைப் பாசுரமா? குவி நுண்கண்ணியா? என்று எவ்வகை அளவுகோலும் கைக்கொள்ளாது கவிப்புள்ளைச் சுதந்திரமாகக் கூவ விட்டிருக்கிறேன். கூறு தமிழ்ப் பாவலரும், புதுக்கவிதைப் போக்குவரத்தாரும் நகை தள்ள எள்ளுவரேல் அதுவும் நன்றே.


These are the beginning lines of the epic, setting the mood and tone. I have begun to be at this work again. Hope it will go on. Sudden bouts of my own dejection and loss of interest are professional hurdles. Hope to sail along. Just for your eyes. Kindly don't share or make any post out of it. I am not being fussy. But this may be changing a lot along the way, so why fix it as such... 

வாழ்வின் விடிவெள்ளி பிலிற்றும் கதிர்தோய்க்
காலக்கரும்புனல் கருத்தோடிக் காணாவான் கருசுமந்து
பால்நிறப் பைந்தடப் பரத்தின் பள்ளிக்கட்டில்
மாலாகி மகத்தில் ஆயிரமாய்த் தலைவிரிய
மூலத்தூண் உதைத்து முட்டித்த முன்னூக்கம்
காலத்தூள் பரப்பிக் கண்விரித்த சையோகம்
ஒலியில் உருவாகி உருகடந்த மெய்யாகி
மெய்யாக்கும் பொய்யா புலத்தின் வித்தாகிச்
சூழும் கோலத்தின் சுயத்துட் செறிந்து
பாழில் விரிந்த பைங்கமலத் தண்தீயில்
ஏழாய்ப் படிந்து எழுந்த எழில்யோகு
ஊழாய் விடிந்த உன்மத்தக் கணமொன்று.
கல்லுருகிக் காற்றாய்க் கலந்து
காரிருளின் காட்சியற்ற கதிராய்க்
ககன வெளியற்ற உள்ளாய்ப்
பெயருரு பிறங்காப் படைப்பின் முற்கணக் குழம்பாய்
உயிரின் அண்மைக்குள் ஒருபெரும் தொலைவாய்
உற்றறி கருத்தின் அரும்பா முனைவாய்
அறியா பரப்பில் கூறுகள் குலையா
இயலும் தகையாய் இயற்றா தொகையாய்ப்
பயிலும் பரநதி புலமாய் விரிய
படைப்பின் உருக்கோவை பெயர்ப்பனுவல் குவையோடு
பக்குவமாய்ப் புணர்ந்திசைய பூரித்த பொன்வேளை
பொழுதசைய உழுபுலத்தின் கொழுவாய்
அகமாகிப் புறமாகா அண்டமுன் அவத்தையினில்
திறலும் விரிவும் இருப்பின் களிப்பும்
வேக வளையாய் விறலாய்க் கெழுமி
விரவிய தம்முள் வித்திட விளைந்த
விண்ணின் மண்ணாய்ப் பூத்தது வானம். 

வானின் வடிவச் செதில்பரல் குழைந்து
வேகத் தண்ணளி விண்பூப்புறைய விரைவின் நிகழாய்
ஒன்றைக்கடந்த பலவின் வீச்சாய்த்
திரைகொள் முரணாய் மாற்றவளியாய்த்
தடம்படு காற்று திறல்சூல் கவ்வத்
திறல்முற்றித் தீயாகித் தெய்வத் தண்ணளியாய்த்
தருநீர்மை நீராகித் தரைகொண்ட கருவில்
உருவாகி உணவாகி உயிராகி உடல்கொண்ட
உணர்வாகி ஒன்றாக பலவாகும் ஒருஜீவன்

ஒரு முட்டை அணுத்தட்டை
ஒன்றிற்குள் உருவாகும் ஓரிரட்டை
ஒன்றைப்போல் ஒன்றாகி வேறாகி பலவாகி
மாறாகிப் பெருகிவந்த வையம்
கூறாகிக் கோணணுவின் கோப்பாகிக்
கொண்ட வடிவின் கூடிவந்த குணமாகிக்
குணம்தொடுத்த தொடர்பாகித்
தொடர்பாலே பல்திறனாய்த் தோற்றமாய்த்
தொடநின்ற தேற்றமாய்த் திரண்ட
பொருளாய்த் தழைத்த மையம்
பலவான இயல்பாட்டில் பொருத்தமுறக் கூடியவை
பருண்மையாய்ப் பொதுளிய நிலையம்
ஆகாத சாத்தியங்கள் அண்டப் பொதுசத்தாகி
ஆடாத திறல்செறிவு அலையாகி
அலையாத பொதுவில் கோடாத பொருளுக்கு
அரும்பாகி உருவற்ற பொருள்முயக்கம்
கருக்கொண்டு வெளியாக்கி
வடிவோடு தொலைவும் வரும் போகும் நிகழ்வும்
வடிவற்ற நிகழ்கண நடுக்குறு விரைவும்
காணாத காட்சியின் கண்ணற்ற பார்வையில்
கோணாத கோலமாய்க் கொண்டுதிகழ் கருத்தாகிப்
புலப்பட வெளிப்படு படைப்பிடைப் புடைப்பொடு
புரிபட புறப்படு ப்ரபஞ்சமாய் ஆனதும்
நீராகி நிலனாகி நிதானமாய்
நின்றெரியும் கதிராகி நிலவுமாய்
நில்லாத பருவமாகி நீட்சியாய்க் குறுக்கமாய்
நிவந்துடன் ஆழ்ந்துபின் அகன்றலர் இயக்கமாய்
உவந்தபேர் தொடர்ச்சியாய் உருகெழு வாழ்க்கையாய்
உற்றதொரு வைய நாப்பண் ஓரூர்.

அலைமீது ஏறிவந்த ஆற்றல்
பாழின் வாய்புகுந்து பொருளாகித் தோற்றுக்
குலைந்தவலை கொண்டையினில் மின்ன
குலையாத உயிரோடுயர்ந்து
உணர்வாகி உற்றமனமென்ன
ஊரை வளைத்துவரும் ஆற்றில்
உயிர்திகழும் பயிர்ப்பான பசுமை
உணர்வாகித் துயில்கொள்ளும் கருமை
விழிபயிலும் அறியோகு புணர்வில்
செழிக்கின்ற திருவாகிச் செவ்வான்
பழிக்கின்ற தருக்கிளையில் பயிலும்
மொழிக்கிள்ளை மிழற்றுமொரு தீஞ்சொல்
தரங்கம் ரங்க ரங்கா அரங்க மரங்க ளுறங்கும்
உறங்காத சான்றாகி உருளும் காலம்
அறங்கா வலாகி அயரும் வேளை
எண்கோண மூவுருளை எந்திர மாயையொன்று
கண்காணாக் காம்பில் கறங்கும் நின்று
பொய்யாய் வடித்த புத்தமுதம் பொருளில் படிந்து
பையவெழுந்த பல்வடிவாம் பசப்பின் மெய்யில்
தைவந்த நாவின் தீர்க்கம் சுழித்துச்
சுட்டும் நுனியாய் எந்திரச் சுரும்பில் ஆர்க்கும்
இருட்டுக் குளம்பாய் ஒளியின் தடமொத்தும் தமப்பாழ்
சுருளாகி விரிநாக சுரமுழைக்குள் பதுங்கும்
ஒலியென்றும் ஒலியற்ற வெளியென்றும்
திரண்டஒரு கோளம் பொரித்துப்
புறவோடு பொன்சிவப்பாய் வான்தடவ
விரித்து வெளிப்போந்த வியன்புள் விரிசிறகு
முன்னசை ஓசையாய்க் குரலாய் முடுகிய
சிறகின் நீழல் சொல்லும் பொருளுமாய்ச்
சிவணிய சிலிர்ப்பில் சென்றந்த முழையை நோக்கும்.
நோக்கரிய நுண்ணுணர்வின் நுகத்தடி
நுவலா நன்மையின் நறவத் தீஞ்சுவை
நயக்கும் வாக்கில் கால்வைத்து வரைகடந்தெழுந்த பரத்தின்
போக்கரிய பதமாய்ப் புக்கரிய நிலையாய்ப்
பூரித்த புதுவிண் பூரணம் திளைப்ப
பூவா மலரின் மோவா நாற்றம்
பொன்றா விசையாய்ப் புலத்தில் புரிய
ஒன்றிய உணர்வின் குருத்தில் ஓயா
ஒற்றைக் கண்ணும் இமையா முனைப்பும்
இரட்டையைத் தன்னுள் இயற்றிட இயைந்த
ஏகம் ஆங்கண் இயன்றது தூணாய்.
Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Biography of a pot-sun

Biography of a pot-sun
A big earthen pot
was filled with water
in the open space
with the wind blowing
around and into the pot
and on the space
above the water filled
Sun came on top
to peep into the pot
slowly stepped into
by its ray-legs
and lo! fell into the water
immersed in water
the sun was in panic
of course pan ic
no no panic panic
oh why whats hap
The sun fell into the water
filled in the pot
dried by the wind
kept in a spot;
oh it is karma it is karma
the sun got caught
in the pot
into the water
why it was so careless
may be just a slip
nay nay all the old karma
to exhaust to exhaust
due to karma it fell
the sun into the pot
the sun in the pot
was raising hue and cry
scolded the Sun above
you are so cruel
no mercy on me poor soul
you are laughing high above
me in this pot
drowned in this pool
up and down
round about
going to pieces
by a whiff of wind
still you are amused
by me confused
The Sun above was just shining
shunning darkness and cold
shedding light
spanning space
drawing water to the sky
yet it knew not
any of these but to shine
The sun in the pot
in a miserable spot
was panting for liberation
praying for consideration
swaying here swaying there
letting wind out
getting wind in
sometimes still
with no wind to frill
putting a dnd card
the sun in the pot
was in meditation
kindly don't disturb.
Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Cinching confusion

Is it the time-spirit?
Or is it any deviate run
or any demiurge?
spiritual exterior need not
necessarily have spiritual mind
spiritual attire housing materialist mind
banal domestic ordinary appearance
may sometimes contain spiritual thirst
that that exterior
containing that that interior
makes it quite clear
but odd combinations confuse
but that is how it goes
once upon a time things were perhaps clear
but nowadays it is confusing
not that correspondence is compulsory
but still it is confusing
the preference and the professing
not matching
may be cinching in the long run
you may say it is interesting
may be that helps in cinching
but still confusing
going with the time
we go nowhere
going where
we cross over time
but it is confusing
or is it just fusing?
interior and exterior
should they ride together?
if not then why they lie each to other
cinching or not
but still confusing.
Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Nammalwar's Tiruvaimozhi - are these two songs in the I.1 and I.7 intertextual?

Nammalwar's Tiruvaimozhi starts with 'uyarvaRa'. Then the beginnings of next two lines are 'mayarvaRa', 'ayarvaRu'. The 'edugai' pattern is 'uyarvaRa - mayarvaRa - ayarvaRu'. There is another song in the 7th decad in the same First Ten which has these three beginning words in another sequence as 'mayarvaRa - uyarvinai - ayarvil'. This is just a verbal feature but the poem never overlooks any feature whether it be structural or hermeneutical. The song runs as follows: 

'mayarvaRa enmanatthE manninAn tannai
uyarvinaiyE tarum oNsudark kaRRaiyai
ayarvil amararkaL Adik kozhundai en
isaivinai ensolli yAnvidu vEnO' 

(He has come to stay in my mind
removing ignorance and
any chance of it affecting again
He gives me all greatness rising high
and He is a mass of light
becoming more and more bright
He is the root and core
sustaining a world of involved
and relentless devoted immortals
He stands as my own accepting and yielding
Him, how can I give up or leave
telling what pretext!) 

Outwardly the poem has the tone of searching for a pretext to leave or give up. It is not the intention. Any discerning reader should be sensitive enough not to interpret just the letter. The intention is thankfulness and wondering at the divine agency leaving no chance to the human soul to destroy its own chances. The soul is very adept in collapsing at the very moment when it should be all cooperative. Even in worldly affairs the human being behaves quite foolishly and in a self-destructive fit. In transcendental matters how to rely on this poor soul? That is why, Sri Vaishnavism says that only Tirumal can stand as both the path and also the goal. Nammalwar drives home this all absolute and unexpecting agency of the Divine in doing good to the human soul. The Divine forces itself against any possible excuses. He becomes even the mental acceptance of the human soul. So nothing is left to human predilection or human choice. It is this unique aspect of the Divine that Nammalwar communicates very effectively and dramatically. It is to make clear this drama that the Arumpadam commentorial note narrates a story, a social folklore may be. A bridegroom visits his father-in-law's house. The father-in-law is very poor and he has to draw water from the well which was very deep. So he needs an assistance and he finds the chance coming of his bridegroom timely and he wants to make use of the man fully. After assisting in one or two buckets, the bridegroom begins to understand that he is caught in a fix. To escape from the situation he uses some pretext. Suddenly he spits on the face of the host mouthful of water. So that the host will become angry and drive him away and he can be free of this ordeal. But the host is more smart. He says, 'oh how cool is your mouth! It is so chill!'. The bridegroom got vexed and in a fit of anger he converted even that compliment into an occasion of hurt and gave up his work at the well saying, 'if you want a man to spit hot water go and search somewhere' Leave me.' The story may look very domestic and colourless. But is not the human soul's predicament equally banal and colourless? It is the Divine that is all the meaning and worth of human life and that worth has to be brought into human realisation only in spite of the human soul and not in its collateral support. It is not that the human beings cannot take efforts but miserably they are geniuses in self-destructive way. It is this shocking realisation on the part of the human soul that makes it wonder at the superb handling of the Divine leaving nothing to human vagary.
Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

On Sri Vaikunta Ekadasi

The whole festival of Sri Vaikunta Ekadasi is exclusively centering on the celebration of Pramanas, i.e., the reference texts for the faith and path of Sri Vaishnavism. The texts are comprehensive of Ubhaya Vedas. Vedas in Sanskrit and Tamil. The purport and essence of these twin Vedas is what is indicated by the term Ubhaya Vedanta. What is this term Ubhaya Vedanta, what does this mean? Ubhaya is a word meaning a twin, that is a twofold entity each necessitating, dependent and expectant of another. It is not just counting as two. Suppose you have two apples, you cannot use this term ubhaya in that case. It is just two with no interrelationship between the two counted. There should be an intrinsic and mutual dependent relating with each other. A good example is something which can move both in water and land. It is called ubhyachara. A knife has two edges. There again it is ubhaya. That is one thing in two aspects, in two ways. It is not one distinct thing from another. But the twoness should be conjoined by a single substratum. Sakshus or eyes act as ubhaya. That is one eye complimenting another. In Ubhaya Vedanta, there are two fold Vedanta indicated by Upanishads~Brahma Sutras and Tiruvaimozhi and other Divya Prabandams, elaborated by commentaries and treatises on the essence and purport of Divya Prabandams like Rahasya Grantas. 

So in a way the whole festival of Sri Vaikunta Ekadasi lasting for about three weeks, divided by schedule of Day Ten days and Night Ten days, Pagal Patthu and Iraappatthu, is really a celebration of this Ubhaya Vedanta. And especially it is celebrating Divya Prabanda and centering around Tiruvaimozhi of Nammalwar. It is Nammalwar's dreams come true. After Thirumangai Alwar, Nathamunigal was the prime master who took upon himself the responsibility of making Satakopan's dreams a reality. Sri Ramanuja fulfilled the great mission trail-blazed by Nathamunigal. And it is this many-generations long mission that is signified by the glorious term of Ubhaya Vedanta. It is the mission come true starting from Seven Rishis blossoming in Satajit Rishi brought to completion by Lakshmana Muni that was accounted before Sri Ranganatha for one full long year by Periya Jeer called as SriSri Manavala Mamunigal. 

And in this celebration, which was also called Mokshotsavam, the whole spiritual progress and attainment of a Mukta is being demonstratively brought home to the participants and viewers. Sri Stanikam Parthasarathy Iyengar in his book Srirangam Koil Tattvam explains Nacchiyar Tirukkolam as Mohini Alankaram, I do not think it is simply that. Otherwise Parasara Bhattar would not have commented like that comparing the benign looks of Perumal with Pirattiyar. It should be I think Sri Ranganatha is acting the role of Nayaki Bhava, which is an important stage signifying high maturity and a high level of Parama Bhakti in the journey of a Mukta towards Bhagavan. The name Nacchiyar Tirukkolam seems more suitable to the occasion.
Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***