Sri: Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama: Dear bhAgavatas, This discussion about the chanting of the prabandham reminded me of an anecdote involving adiyEn's great grandfather's brother known as Cunnapakkam Swami, that I had read in a magazine. During Manavala Mamunigal's Utsavam in Deva Perumal Sannidhi in Kanchipuram one year at the turn of the last century, on the ninth day evening, the ninth decad of Thiruvaymozhi was being recited. Present in the grand ghosti were Srimad Paramahamsa Azhagiya Manavala Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami, Srimad Cunnapakkam Swami and others. The last pasuram in the ninth Thiruvaymozhi of the ninth decad is as follows: avanaivittaganRuyirARRakillA aNiyizhaiAycchiyarmAlaippUsal, avanaivittagalvadhaRkEyirangi aNikurukUrcsadakOpanmARan, avaniyuNdumizhndhavanmEluraiththa aayiraththuLLivaipaththumkoNdu, avaniyuLalaRRininRuymminthondeer acchonnamAlainaNNiththozuthE Here the first word in the first two lines are "avanai" and the first word in the second two lines are "avani". While most people in the ghosti were reciting it correctly, some were saying avanai for the second two lines also. Thus the third line became "avanai uNdu umizhnthavan mEl uraiththa". Apparently one of these people was standing right behind Cunnapakkam Swami. After the sarrumurai was completed, Cunnappakkam Swami told Jeeyar Swami that he thought that Sriman Narayana was the one who swallowed and brought out everything, but it looks like there is one who swallows even Him! Since others had not heard the misuse of the word avanai for avani, no one understood Swami. They asked him to explain, but Swami would say no more. The bhAgavata who had made the mistake understood what had happened and came forward, explained his mistake, explained how he had been making the same mistake for a long time and seeked the ghosti's pardon. At that point, Jeeyar Swami said that perhaps Azhvar knew such things would happen and as such had used the phrase "enganE sollilum inbam payakkumE". adiyEn's thoughts on this discussion: it is imperative that we recite Azhvar's works, even if initially one does not know how to say it correctly. Not having someone to teach us or a lack of understanding of Tamil should not be used as excuses to get out of the chance to recite prabandhams (or Sanskrit shlokas). This, however is only the first step. One then has to make attempts to read the text correctly or search for some books that explain the simple meanings or listen to audio cassettes or seek a learned bhAgavata and try to correct our mistakes. Just as not doing the first step is wrong, so too is staying at the first step. Azhvar had said enganE sollilum for sure, but that cannot be used as an excuse to not make attempts to correct ourselves. Perhaps inbam would happen to Him (not surprising considering His nature) and to other bhAgavatas (not surprising considering the nature of a Srivaishnava), but it should make us feel bad. We should definitely get no inbam from making mistakes or knowing that we might be making mistakes but making no efforts to correct them. If whatever I said has hurt anyone's feelings, I seek your pardons. adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan TCA Venkatesan __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia |
ramanuja-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To subscribe to the list |