Swamy Ramanuja and Thirupavai Pasuram 24
PASURAM 24 (Andru ivvulagam alandhaai adi potri, vendru pagai kedukum nin kayil vel potri)
The phrase “Vendru pagai kedukum nin kayil vel potri” is the lifeline of this pasuram. There is a popular phrase “kolvadhu kol, velvadhu vel”. Vel is spear. Andal says that the “Vel” that Krishna holds in HIS hands is the “chakram” (thiruvaazhiaazhwaan). However, the “vel” that Swami Ramanuja holds in his hands is his “Thrithandam”. In Yathiraja Saptathi, Swami Vedantha Desikan says
“Naanabhoodhairjagadhi samayairnarma leelaam vidithosoho
Anthyam varnam prathayathi vibhoraadhithama vyooha bedhe
Viswam thraathum vishaya niyatham vyajithaanugraha san
Vishwakseno yathpathirabooth vedhrasaarasthrithandaha”
-Yathiraja Saptathi 32
The last line above means that Swami is a reincarnation of Vishwaksena, the chieftain of Sriman Narayanan. He has a staff in his hand always since he is the commander of the army. This same staff became the “Thrithandam” that Swami holds. The entire power that the staff had was transformed into Swami’s thrithandam. They say “Paashandashanda kirikandana vajra thandaaha”, “ramanujasaya vilasandhimunes thrithandaaha” and “dathe ramaanujaarya prathigathaga chiro vajra thandam thrithandam”. This “thrithandam” gets victory for Swami and annihilates the kudrishtigal and miscreants (vendru pagai kedukum). Andal does managalaasaasanam to that “Vel”, which is equivalent to doing mangalaasaasanam to Swami himself.
Also, the phrase “Andu ivvulagalandhaan adi potri” is a tribute to the glorious Swami, who travelled the length and breadth of India. He travelled with foot all the way. Andal does managaalaasanam to that very foot which graced this earth and established and propogated the Vishtadwaitam philosophy. We can recollect the story where Swami travelled all the way with his foot to Delhi and successfully got back his “Chellapillai”.
The path from Srirangam to Melkote
With Chellapillai!