The Vennai thazhi Thirukolam is always a sweet one, Perumal as Krishna with his butter pot, and usually with some special attention to his pin-alankaram as well. But we miss this morning at Chetty Koyil. The evening is on a Kuthirai Vahana, so the alankaram is Thirumangai alvar as usual, but Perumal is accompanied this evening by a far more simply dressed saint, who is also Thirumangai alvar but now in utsavar form. He is presented a sack full of things from the Perumal utsavar (see the story below). Then the two proceed in a ethir sevai, with the alvar facing Perumal as He proceeds to travel his madaveethi processional route.
The story: Kaliyan (Thirumangai Alvar) performed thadiyaradhanam (offering prasadam to devotees) during his lifetime. At one point, he ran out of wealth and began robbing wealthy merchants and other travellers passing through the forest. Since he was already devoted to serving Sri Vaishnavas, Emperuman, wishing to enlighten Kaliyan fully, assumed the form of a wealthy, newly married Brahmana and travelled through the forest where Kaliyan routinely carried out his robberies.
Kaliyan, wishing to make the most of this opportunity, surrounded Emperuman with his soldiers and began robbing him. Emperuman offered all his ornaments and jewels to Kaliyan. In the end, one small ring on Emperuman's toe proved difficult to remove. Kaliyan bent down, bit it off with his teeth, and forcibly removed it.
Astonished by Kaliyan's bravery, Emperuman exclaimed, “Nam Kaliyano?” (“Are you Kaliyan?”). Kaliyan generally means a great warrior and is synonymous with Kalan, the master of death and controller of time—one who is feared by everyone. Even Emperuman was struck by Kaliyan's valour. After all the ornaments had been removed and packed into a bundle, Kaliyan tried to lift it but found that he could not. He asked Emperuman, who was still dressed as a Brahmana, whether he had performed some mantra or magic that made the bundle impossible to lift. Emperuman acknowledged that he indeed knew a mantra, drew Kaliyan closer, and secretly explained the Thirumanthram (Ashtaksharam) in his ear.
Upon receiving instruction in this divine mantra, Kaliyan was immediately enlightened through the grace of Emperuman. Emperuman then assumed his original form, accompanied by his Nachiyars on Garudalvar, and blessed the Alvar with a divine vision.
The Alvar immediately sang the pasuram “VadinEn vAdi varundhinEn ... Narayana ennum nAmam” (“I suffered and languished in sorrow ... until [I heard] the name Narayana”), which is the first pasuram of Periya Thirumozhi, and went on to sing the other Divya Prabandhams, one after another.
This entire episode is usually enacted at Divya Desams on the day of the Horse Vahanam, which forms part of Brahmotsavam.
The day’s schedule:
8AM Vennai Thaazhi thirukolam, 10AM Thirumanjanam
7PM Kuthirai vahana vedu pari utsavam Veethi purappadu