Thiruvenkatam Kulasekara Azhvaar

'Will let go opportunities to rule a Big Kingdom or be with Celestial Beauties to be born as a Crane or a Fish or be a small piece of stone in the huge Thiru Venkatam Hills'

After three decads of experiencing Lord Rangantha at Srirangam, a temple that is believed to provide Moksham to true devotees, Kulasekara Azhvaar moves to Thiru Venkatam and showers a very different kind of praise, not seen elsewhere in the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham.  He seems to indicate that he can even forego Moksham in this birth if he has the opportunity to be born again in Thiru Venkatam. And not just as a human being!!! He says he would even be born as a tiny little insect or a small piece of stone if an opportunity to have everlasting darshan of the handsome Lord at Thiru Venkatam were offered to him.

Kulasekara Azhvaar says that he is ready to forego the best of opportunities in this world to be next to the Lord in Thiru Venkatam.  Even the temptation of being alongside celestial beauties nor ruling the entire world will equal an offer to being near the Lord of Thiru Venkatam.  

Kulasekara Azhvaar says that he is ready to forego the possibility of a birth with all the fortunes possible in a life if he were to be blessed to be born even as a crane in Thiru Venkatam hills.

ஊனேறு செல்வத்து உடற்பிறவி யான் வேண்டேன்

ஆனேறேழ் வென்றான் அடிமைத் திறமல்லால்

கூனேறு சங்கமிடத்தான் தன் வேங்கடத்து

கோனேரி வாழும் குருகாய்ப் பிறப்பேனே

He has no desire to rule even if offered the entire heavens or the best of kingdom where he could be surrounded by celestial beauties such as Ramba. Instead if ever he is to be granted another life, he would prefer to be born in Thiru Venkatam hills even as a fish.

ஆனாத செல்வத்து அரம்பையர்கள் தற்சூழ

வானாளும் செல்வமும் மண்ணரசும் யான் வேண்டேன்

தேனார் பூஞ்சோலைத் திருவேங்கடச் சுனையில்

மீனாய்ப் பிறக்கும் விதியுடை யெனாவேனே

While Shiva, Brahmma, Indra and all the celestial beings are seeking an entry into Thiru Venkatam, Kulasekara Azhvaar hopes that he will be the blessed one to secure that opportunity to hold in a golden cup the spit from the Lord’s mouth. He says he is offering his sincere prayers to be allowed an entry into the Lord’s sanctum to offer service to him.

பின்னிட்ட சடையானும் பிரமனும் இந்திரனும்

துன்னிட்டுப் புகலரிய வைகுந்த நீள்வாசல்

மின்வட்டச் சுடராழி வேங்கடக்கோன் தானுமிழும்

பொன்வட்டில் பிடித்து உடனே புகபெறு வெனாவேனே

There are many beautiful things that one can aspire to be in this life and next. And one is normally lured towards only desirous opportunities. But Kulasekara Azhvaar says that he would feel blessed if he would be present again in Thiru Venkatam, where bees seem to be singing praise of the Lord, even as a Shenbagam tree. 

பண்பகரும் வண்டினங்கள் பண்பாடும் வேங்கடத்து

செண்பகமாய் நிற்கும் திருவுடை  யெனாவேனே

I will be a Pillar at Thiru Venkatam

There are those who will seek a vast kingdom and to sit in a majestic posture atop the huge elephant. That kind of a stature would be everyone’s envy. But Kulasekara Azhvaar says he has no such desires. Instead he says that he would be delighted to be born just as a pillar inside the Thiru Venkatam temple that will allow him to be able to see the Lord every day.

கம்ப மத யானைக் கழுத்தகத்தின் மேலிருந்து

 இன்பமரும் செல்வமும் இவ்வரசும் யான் வேண்டேன்

எம்பெருமான் ஈசன் எழில் வேங்கட மலை மேல்

தம்பகமாய் நிற்கும் தவமுடை யெனாவேனே

No Menaka or Urvasi for me, I want to be a small stone at Thiru Venkatam
Would anyone ever refuse an opportunity to be alongside beautiful dancers such as Urvasi and Menaka, who have the best of lean and slim waists, but he says he has no such desires to be around them. He does not want to be in their company. His only prayer is to be a very small piece in the huge Thiru Venkatam hills and to listen to the bees humming special tunes on the Lord.

மின்னனைய நுண்ணிடையார்  உருப்பசியும் மேனகையும்

அன்னவர் தம் பாடலொடும் ஆடலவை ஆதரியேன்

தென்னலென  வண்டினங்கள் பண்பாடும் வேங்கடத்துள்

அன்னனைய பொற்குவடாம் அருந்தவத் தெனாவேனே

If one were to be given an opportunity to sit majestically on a throne with all the luxuries of life as huge as the full moon, how delighted would he be!! But Kulasekara Azhvaar says that the does not seek such princely powers.  He says that he would consider truly blessed if he were to be born as a stream in the jungle of  Thiru Venkatam flowing through the huge groves down the hill.

வானாளும் மாமதி போல் வெண்குடைக்கீழ் மன்னவர்தம்

கோனாகி வீற்றிருந்து கொண்டாடும் செல்வறியேன்

தேனார் பூஞ்சோலைத் திருவேங்கடமலைமேல்

கானாறாய்ப் பாயும் கருத்துடை யெனாவேனே

Kulasekara Azhvaar says he wants to just be a staircase that devotees would use to have darshan of the Lord at Thiru Venkatam.

நெறியாய்க் கிடக்கும் நிலையுடை யெனாவேனே

And then he goes a step further. Devotees throng the temple to offer their service to the Lord. Celestials like Rambha too are standing by the side. Kulasekara Azhvaar says he is only seeking to be a door step from where he can look at his sweet lips every day.

அடியாரும் வானவரும் அரம்பையரும் கிடந்தியங்கும்

 படியாய்க் கிடந்து உன் பவள வாய் காண்பேனே

Kulasekara Azhvaar says he would refuse the opportunities even if he was offered the entire celestial world and the beautiful Uravasi for company for what he is seeking is a place in Thiru Venkatam hills even as a non living object. Nothing else would satisfy  him.