ATHIMAANUSHA STHAVAM OF SRI KOORATHAAZHWAN Part 1
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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In this Sthavam, Koorthaazhwaan brings out the various acts of Emperumaan
that reveal His Paratvam. In the first 10 SlOkams, he introduces the subject
by making references to several aspects that go to establish Emperumaan?s
Paratvam. From SlOkam 11 onwards, he cites various episodes from Vibhava
Avataaras to prove this.

This might look like ?Nindaa Sthuti? wherein the apparent meaning looks like
accusing but the inner meaning would mean the opposite. This is a clever
ploy that Korathaazhwan employs to bring out the glory of the Lord and in
the process makes it enjoyable for us.

SLOKAM 1: INCOMPARABLE & NONPAREIL

Atimaanusha seela vritta vEshai:
Ativritta amara vikrama prataapai:/
Ati langita sarva lOka saamyam
varayE VaishNava vaibhavaavataaram//
By His very nature and conduct, the Lord makes it known that He is one
different from the rest. There is none to match His valor, brilliance and
other qualities even among the celestials, not to speak of excelling.
COMMENTS:
That is why seers have praised Him like:
? ?na sama cha api adhikas cha vidyatE? ?None equal, none superior
? ?oppaar ilayaaya maamaayan?-Incomparable mystic
? thannoppaaril appan? etc.?same-
? Lord KrishNa himself has declared this when he said:
?janma karam cha mE divyam?- My birth and activities are divine
? Bheeshma Stava RaajaslOkam also asserts this:
?ativaayvindra karmaaNam ati soorya ati tEjasam? ? Actions beyond the
celestials, brilliance excelling that of Sun
? BhaTTar explains this as ?ateeindra:? based on the Veda mantram
?aviditavibhavaaya? ? Glory beyond comprehension
? ?trailOkhyE taadrusa: kaschid na jaatO na janishyatE? ? None like him
in
all the three worlds was ever born so far or will ever be born hereafter.

SLOKAM 2: LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

srEya; kirantu kiranaas charaNaaravinda
nishyandamaana makaranda soughadEsyaa:/
tajjaa: srutEr madhuna utsa iti prateetaa:
mangalya ranga nilayasya parasya dhaamna://
There is a brilliant light beaming from the Lord?s lotus feet praised
incessantly by the Vedas. This beam of light looks like the swirling flow of
nectar issuing forth from the lotus feet of the most compassionate Lord
Ranganatha. May this light and flow bless us with beatitude.
COMMENTS:
? In the 4 slokams starting with this, Azhwan enjoys the glory of Lord
Ranganatha as a prelude to the enjoyment of Vibhava Avataaras to follow.
What is ?srEya:?
? There are two things one could wish for. One is ?prEyas? (praise-Glory
here) and the other is ?srEyas? (eternal bliss of liberation-Glory beyond).
KaTOpanishad equates both with mOksham.

SLOKAM 3: RANGANATHA?S FEET ARE RED - TRUE OR FALSE?

Srimat paraankusa muneendra manO nivaasaat
Tajja anuraaga rasa majjanam anjasa apya /
Adhyaapi anaarata tad utttaraaga yogam
Sreeranga raaja charaNaambujam unnayaama: //
True. Lord?s feet are already soft and pink as lotus. This hue is further
deepened into red because they are constantly immersed in the waters of love
springing in the heart of the great Maharishi Nammaazhwar.
COMMENTS:
? It is said that the massaging by the lotus-like palms of Periya
PiraaTTi.
?malarmagaL kai varuDa malar pOdir sivantana?
? But, Azhwan holds that the redness is because of the Lord being
immersed
in the love of Nammazhwar. It is customary for poets to describe love as
being red in color.
? The question arises that when Nammazhwar has sung only one Padikam on
Lord
Ranganatha in ?kangulum pagalum?, how can it be said that Lord Ranganatha
was always in the heart of the Azhwar.
? The answer is that our elders hold that the entire 1000 odd Pasurams in
Tiruvoimozhi are about Lord Ranganatha only:
?vaan thigazhum sOlai madiLarangar
vaNN pugazh mEl Aayiram
eenra mudal thaai sadagOpan?
? Swami Desika also concurs when he said:
?aNi kurugai nagar munivar naavukku amaindanavE?

SLOKAM 4: ?THE LORD IS SUPREME. HERE IS THE PROOF!?

Vajra dvajaankusa sudha kalasa aata patra
pankhEruhaanka parikrama pareetam anta: /
aapaada pankaja visrunkala deepra mouLaih
sree rangiNas CharaNayOr yugam aasrayaamah //
What are the proofs? They are: Vajra (Diamond shaped mark), Sangu (Divine
Conch) Dvaja (GaruDa on the flag), Ankusa (goad), Sudhaa kalasa (the pot of
nectar), Aatapatra (the white parasol), PankEruha (the red lotus).
COMMENTS:
? This is borne out by ?Naaradeeyam? that cites them as the insignia of
the
Paratvam of the Lord.
? BrihadaaraNyakam defines these in one word ?SaamraaT?- One different
from
the rest. ?yEsha Brahma lOka: SaamraaT ityOvaacha?
? Swami Desika in his StOtra Baashyam and in Devanayaka Panchaasat echoes
these.
? Sukhar concurs:
?sanchintayEd bhagavatas charaNaaravindadam vajraankusa dvaja sarOruha
laanchanaadyam?
? Sounaka also reiterates this fact:
?Sanka chakraaa gadaa padmair angitam paada pankajam?

SLOKAM 5: THE REAL COLOSSUS:

Sree Ranganaatha charaNou praNumO yayO: khalu
Ekas trivikrama vidhou vasudaam asEshaam /
Vykramsta saachala kulaam api viprakeerNa
Sthoolaavalagna sikataamiva nirnadOcham //
When the Lord lifted one of his feet for measuring the heavens, huge
mountains clung to his feet like particles of dust. Did he not place his
feet on all without differentiating the good and the bad? We salute his
glorious feet.
COMMENTS:
? The mountains identified in the PuraaNas as clinging to the Lord?s feet
are: Himavaan, Vindyam, Paariyaatram, Nishadam, Sahyam, Malayam, MahEndram,
Darduram etc.
? When the Lord took Varaaha Avataara, he took the form of a gigantic
boar
and lifted BhoodEvi on his single horn on his forehead as if she were a
small root of a tuber plant. (Ekasringah Varaahah). Swami Desika called him
?MahaapOtrin? to indicate his mammoth form. The mountains and oceans looked
like small particles and poodles respectively at his feet. ?silambiniDai
siru paral pOl periya mEru tirukkuLambil kaNakaNappa? says Tirumangai Mannan
? ?Eka:? Several scriptures and Divya Prabandhams describe that Lord?s
left
foot went up to the skies to measure the Heavens. In some Divya dEsams, the
Lord is seen lifting his right foot.
? Though each foot has its own glory, the foot that measured the earth
has
greater value because it made no discrimination between the deserving and
the undeserving but was totally impartial in blessing one and all.
? AaLavandaar?s statement ?trivikrama tvat charaNaambuja dvayam madeeya
moordnam alankarishyati?, however, mentions that left or right, the Lord?s
feet blessed his crown.