Kulasekara Azhvaar Thiru Chitrakoodam

Narrating each phase from the entire Ramayana in a Single Decad
Kulasekara Azhvaar refers to his favourite Lord as being 'Peerless'

Kulasekara Azhvaar ends the Perumal Thirumozhi of over a 100 verses with a decad dedicated to the Lord of Thillai Chitrakoodam (Chidambaram). On reaching there, he was so moved on seeing the handsome features of Lord that instantly he was reminded of the glorious tale of Lord Rama and goes on to praise the major achievements of his favourite Lord in a sequence right from his teenage days through to the time when he reaches his abode at Vaikuntam.

Kulasekara Azhvaar begins by praising Lord Rama as one being peerless and as a Lord with Lotus eyes.

 விண்முழுதும் உயக்கொண்ட  வீரன்தன்னைச்

Following this, he goes on to narrate the achievements in a sequence.

As a youngster, he was sent out to guard the fire sacrifice of Sage Vishwamitra ( King Dasaratha reluctantly agreed as he believed that his son was too young to fight the mighty asuras). It was there that he provided the first glimpse of his astonishing powers by destroying several rakshashas with effortless ease.

மந்திரம்கொள் மறை முனிவன் வேள்வி காத்து
வல்லரக்கர் உயிர் உண்ட மைந்தன் காண்மின்  

3000 Seers in Chitrakoodam

During his time, there seemed to be Vedic Seers in several thousands as Kulasekara Azhvaar specifies that 3000 seers constantly chanted praise of the Lord of Chitrakoodam on a daily basis.  He describes Chitrakoodam as a place surrounded by groves that is full of flowers. The walls of Chitrakoodam, he says, were so huge that enemies feared entering. 

செந்தளிர்வாய் மலர் நகை சேர் செழுந்தண்  சோலைத் 

தில்லை நகர் திரு சித்திரகூடந் தன்னுள்
அந்தணர்கள் ஒரு மூவாயிரவர் ஏத்த
அணிமணி ஆசனத்து இருந்த அம்மான் தானே 

For his beloved Sita's sake

Moving into the next phase of Rama’s life, Kulasekara Azhvaar says that to attain Sita, he once again showed his physical strength as he broke the bow of Siva, that all others had failed to even lift and later drove away Parasurama, the sworn enemy of the kings.

செல்வரிதற் கருநெடுங்கண் சீதைக்கு ஆகிச்
சினவிடையோன் சிலையிருத்து மழுவாள் ஏந்தி
வெவ்வரிநற்  சிலை வாங்கி வென்றி கொண்டு
வேல்வேந்தர் பகை தடிந்த வீரன் தன்னைத்  

Follows Dharmic Path

When he was about to be coronated, Rama provided his first indication of following the dharmic path by obeying his mother’s words (though his father was hesitant to let him go) and heading to the forest. He crossed the Ganges assisted by his long time friend the boatman Guha. While in the forest he gave away his sandals and the kingdom to Bharata and lived here in Chitrakootam.

தொத்து அலர் பூஞ் சரிசுழல் கைகேசி சொல்லால்
தொல் நகரம் துறந்து துறைக் கங்கைதன்னைப்
பத்தி உடைக்க குகன் கடத்த வானம் போய்ப் புக்கு

Life in the Forest

He killed the demon Viratha thus protecting the rishis and recognising his contribution was gifted a bow by the great sage Agasthya. Later he cut off the nose of Soorpanaka and killed Khara and Dhooshana and the golden deer.

வலி வணக்கு வரை நெடுத்தேன் விரதைக் கொன்று
வன் தமிழ் மா முனி கொடுத்த வரிவில் வாங்கி

கலை வணக்கு நோக்கு அரக்கி மூக்கை நீக்கி 

கரனோடு தூடணன்தன் உயிரை வாங்கி 

He was separated from his wife Sita and lost consciousness for a while in a moment of shock. It was during his search for Sita that he gave moksham to Bird Jatayu by performing his final rites.

Gives Ravana an early warning

As he proceeded further, he made friends with Sugreeva , the monkey king and killed his elder brother Vali. He enraged Ravana when his messenger Hanuman burnt the beautiful city of Lanka with his tail.

வாலியைக் கொன்று இலங்கை நகர் அரக்கர் கோமான்
சினம் அடங்க மாருதியாற் கடுவித்தானைத்

Having found the location of Sita, he split the sea with his arrow and enabled the causeway to be built crossing the sea. He killed many rakshashas and finally their King Ravana. Handing over the kingdom to Vibheeshana, he reunited with Sita and returned to Ayodhya, a city that Kulasekara Azhvaar describes as one full of tall mansions.

Kulasekara Azhvaar presents the happiness of Rama when he heard his own story from the lips of his twin sons Lava and Kusa.

Towards the end, Kulasekara Azhvaar presents the story of the Lord killing Jambuka giving the life to the dead Vedic seer. He sent Shatrugna to kill asura Lavana. Through the curse of Durvasa, Rama had to separate from his beloved brother Lakshmana.

செறி தவச் சம்பூகன் தன்னைச் சென்று கொன்று
செழு மறையோன் உயிர் மீட்டு தவத்தோன் ஈந்த

நிறை மணிப் பூண் அணியும் கொண்டு
இலவணன் தன்னைத்

தம்பியால் வான் ஏற்றி  முனிவன் வேண்டத்
திரள் விளங்கும் இலக்குமனைப் பிரிந்தான் தன்னைத்

In the final verse, Kulasekara Azhvaar praises Rama as one who gave life to moving and even non moving creatures by taking them to Vaikunta where he entered his abode in a grand form with his four glorious arms.