பச்சைமா மலை போல் மேனி
பவளவாய் கமலச் செங்கண்
அச்சுதா அமரரேறே
ஆயர்தம் கொழுந்தே என்னும்
இச்சுவை தவிர யான் போய்
இந்திரலோகம் ஆளும் அச்சுவை பெறினும் வேண்டேன்
அரங்கமா நகருளானே
O Achyuta! With a body like a great green mountain, a mouth like coral, with eyes shaped like a red lotus—O Lord of the celestials! O tender sprig of the cowherds! Apart from the pleasure of uttering these words, I desire nothing else—not even the experience of ruling Indraloka (the world of the celestials)!”
The above Tamil “paasuram” appears as the second verse in Sri Tondaradipodi Azhwar’s most celebrated 45-stanza hymn “TIRUMAALAI” in praise of the great Deity in the ancient temple of Sri Rangam.
The Azhwar proclaims that the joy of singing the Lord’s names is superior to even the highest heavenly bliss.
The Azhwar’s sentiment expressed ages ago, is what was in much more recent time in history, came to echoed in equally soul-stirring verse in a Sanskrit shloka (#43) of Swami Vedanta Desikan’s Sri Varadaraja Panchasat!
In the verse below, he exults over his experience of worshipping Sri Varadaraja Perumal at Kanchipuram and counts it as surpassing even any imagined heavenly bliss to be experienced in Sri Vaikuntam, the celestial Abode of Almighty Sriman Narayana! :
(— Sadagopan.org)
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All the above verses of the Azhwar and Swami Vedanta Desikan and the thought underlying them were what I found were swirling about inside my own mind last evening (September 30, 2025), when my wife and I had the divine privilege of going as pilgrims to offer worship to the Deity, Sri Varadaraja Swamy of the Temple at Kanchipuram on the occasion of Navarathri Mahotsavam as well as at the “Avatara Sthala” of Sri Desikan at Sri Villakkoli Perumal Kovil at the nearby town of Thoopul.
Watching the magnificent , bedazzling splendour of the “purappadu” (procession) of Swami Desikan as we followed it from Thoopul to Kanchipuram … and then the overwhelming breath-taking sight we had of the marvellous “serthi sevai darsanam” of Sri Perundevi Thaayaar and Sri Varadaraja Athigiri Perarula Perumal felt almost exactly like what I could possibly imagine then, in that moment, might have been paroxysmal Bhakthi outpourings in the “Pacchaimaamalai pol meni…” paasuram of the Azhwar and the “mukthaanubhavam” moment that had been felt by Swamy Desikan … “samsaara esha bhagavannapavarga eva”…
As the procession of Perumal and Thaayaar slowly, in all its glory and majesty, wended its way from the temple sanctum to the outer main mantapam , Swami Desikan’s own glorious procession on a horse-palanquin — “ashwa vaahanam” — that had begun, in fact, an hour and half earlier, previously from Thoopul, arrived at the great portal gates (mahaadwaara) under the towering mahagopuram of the Kanchipuram temple .
My wife and I wondered what good or charitable deeds we had done in life to have earned the twice-blest grace (“Bhagavath anugrham”) of being able to witness and worship both Acharyan and “Divya Dampathi Tiruvadi” at the same time and together in each other’s presence!
As the procession of Perumal and Thaayaar moved slowly forward, I was able at last look over the heads of the thronging crowds to glimpse, at very close quarters, the beatific pose, posture and the compassionate, smiling visage of the Sri Perundevi Thaayaar utsava archa murthy. The dhyaana shloka from the Sri Stuthi composed by Sri Desikan in Her praise crept at once into my mind in that moment:
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The processional Deities then ascended the flight of stone steps to climb into the great “aayiramkaal mantapam” with vaulting roof and granite stone pillars all bearing exquisite, intricately sculpted carvings, all in the ancient Pallava and Chola-times style of temple architecture.
The surging crowd of pilgrims, amongst whom my wife and I too mingled, then witnessed a heart-warming festive, ritual enactment of Divya Dampathi “serthi sevai darsanam”. What made the sight so vivid, picturesque and ineffably beatific for us was the accompanying lilting sound of “naadaaswaram” music … The melodies of the pipers’ tunes in different classical raagam wafted through the evening air and echoed beyond the temple ambience. The crowds of pilgrims stood still as if mass mesmerised by what was most certainly a sight for the gods, not merely for mortals!
Perumal and Thaayaar were then seen ceremonially seated upon a massive and high stone pedestal inside the mantapam … Dharmaadi peetam! The divine royal couple then granted, majestic and gracious audience to the pilgrim crowds that in the hundreds stood below with folded hands and minds awe-struck in ecstasy.
It was interesting to observe then that the “Kodai” or Sacred Umbrella held over Thaayaar has been made of glowing gold while that which swayed gently over the shoulders of Perumal was made of brilliant Silver! It clearly was meant to convey the truth that for all Worshippers gathered there that evening, the real show-stealer and cynosure was Sri Perundevi Thaayaar indeed! But that of course was not to say that Sri Varadaraja Perumal, standing by with a bemused smile curling his lips, seemed to have any objection to letting His Consort overshadow Him!
A quick but solemnly conducted consummative ritual ceremony of Bhagavath Tiruvaaradanam was conducted by the priests and after which we all received the holy sacrament of Theertham and Sattaari and then we dispersed slowly out of the temple gates.
For my wife and I, it was truly an evening to remember forever …
“Sri Peru Devi Naayaki sametha Sri Varadaraja Perumal ParaBrahmane Namah !”
Sudarshan Madabushi
Sudarshan Madabushi