Devaraja Mangalam

Devaraja  Mangalam

By

Manavala Mamunigal

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(Devaraja  or Varadaraja  is a form of Lord Vishnu  . He has a temple in  the Kanchipuram (Vishnu Kanchi) on a hill called   The Hasthagiri(Meaning  elephant mountain) .There is a story regarding  this temple.It seems after completing  creation, Lord Brahma wanted to thank Lord Vishnu.When he was  not able to it, Lord Vishnu instructed him to go to Kanchipuram and perform an Aswamedha Yaga there, because the effect of performing Yaga there  would give thousand fold results. Lord Brahma rushed there  and got  the alter for the Yaga  constructed by Viswakarma and started  the Yaga without his consort Goddess  Saraswathi, This infuriated   the Goddess  and she  took the form of a river  called  Vegavathi and started  to flow to the Yaga site.Seeing this Lord Vishnu laid down on the  way of the flow of the river and prevented  the water  from Stopping the Yaga, After  the Yaga was completed he rose  from the sacrificial fire along  with his consorts  in a Vimana called  Punyakoti   in the form of Devaraja  .As per  the request of Lord  Brahma  he decided to stay in Vishnu Kanchi so that   the people of the world would  be benefitted.The Goddess of the temple is known as Perum devi.Kanchi became a very great centre of Vaishnavism in later years  with Saint Ramanuja, Saint Vedantha Desika and others   doing service to God there.

Manavalamamunivar  (1370-1443)  visited this temple in Kanchi  and gave  a series of Discourses  on Vaishnavism. It was at that time that  he wrote this great prayer  called DEvaraja Mangalam.Appillai who has written a single verse(Thaniyan)( appreciating Manavala Mamunigal was his disciple.

  The Mangalam in Sanskrit letters is available in http://srimannarayana108.blogspot.in/2013/04/during-adiyens-tripto-india-in-2012-i.html  )

Prayer  addressed to Lord Devaraja

Varadaraja, Devaraja ,

Kanchi vasa  Dhaya Pathraa,

Prasamnna Vadana , Ambuja lochana,

Hastha gireesa, Abhaya  Hastha,

Perumdevi sameths Sri Devaraja,

Pahi Pahi  Prapanna Parijatha

Translation

Protect me, protect me , Oh Varadaraja , Oh Devaraja,

Who  lives in  Kanchipuram. Who is filled with mercy,

Who is the lord of Elephant mountain, who shows symbol of protection by his hand,

Who is Devaraja   who is along with Goddess Perumdevi,

And who is like  the Parijatha flower  to the devotee who has surrendered absoulutely.

Thaniyan praising Manavala Mamunigal

By

Appillai

Yaschakre devarajasya  mangalasasanam mudhaa ,

THam Vandhe  ramya  jamathru munim Visadha Vagvaram

Thaniyan translation

I salute the sage who is the pretty son in law* , who is  the master of detailed words

Who  with happiness   wrote this   divine prayer  on Lord Devaraja.

*Ramya Jamatha was one of  the titles of  Manavala Mamunigal

Devaraja Mangalam Slokas

1.Mangalam  Vedhaso Veda medhini graham medhine ,

Varadaya  Dhaya Dhamne Dheerodharaya  Mangalam.

1.Auspeciousness to him who rose  out of  the sacrificial Altar  of Lord Brahma and who lives there,

Auspiciousness to Varada, the abode of mercy who is valorous and generous.

2.Vajimedhe  vapaahome  dathur  uthara veditha ,

Udhithaya huthadagne udarangaya  Mangalam.

2.Auspeciousness  to him  who rose from the altar of Aswamedha  Yaga  of Lord Brahma,

And after  rising  from the fire  showed  to  his generous  body.

3.Yajamanam vidhim Veekshya smayamana  mukha sriye ,

Dhayamana druse  thasmai  Devarajaya  Mangalam.

3.Brahma  who was conducting the Yagna  after seeing his auspicious smiling face ,

Saw   you  as one  who is kindness and so auspiciousness  to that Devaraja

4.Varidha shyama vapushe, virajath peetha vasase ,

Varananchala vasaya  Varijakshaya  Mangalam,

4.Auspeciousness  to  who has a black body like water  rich cloud, who shines in  yellow dress,

Who lives  on top of  Elephant mountain(Hastha giri) and who has lotus  like eyes.

5.Adhyapi  sarva bhoothaanaam   abheeshta phala dhayine ,

Pranatharthi harayasthu prabhave  mama  mangalam.

5. To the  lord  who  even now   fulfills the desires of all beings  ,

And who removes the sufferings of those  who pray to him, I wish auspiciousness.

6.Divyavayava  soundharya  divyabharana  hethaye  ,

Danthavala  gireesaya  Devarajaya mangalam.

6.Auspeciousness to the Devaraja who is  the Lord of elephant mountain(Hasthagiri) ,

Who has   divinely pretty limbs   decorated  by  divine  ornaments.

7.Purushaya  puranaya   punya koti nivasine  ,

Pushpithodhara kalpadru  kamaneeyaya  mangalam.

7.Auspeciousness  to  the the ancient Purusha  , who lives in the Punyakoti Vimana ,

Who is pretty like the fully  bloomed   wish giving tree.

8.Kanchananchala  srungagra   kala meghanusaarine  ,

Suparnaamsavadamsaya  surarajaya mangalam.

8.Auspeciousness  to the Devaraja   who sits like a golden mountain,

On the  shoulders of Garuda  who looks  like  a dark black cloud.

       (This verse  describes the procession in which God DEvaraja rides on his Vahana  Garuda)

9.Bhogapavargayorekam vanchadbhyo dadadathe dwayam,

Srimad varada rajaya , mahodharaya  mangalam.

9.Auspeciousness  to the Varadaraja  who has a  huge belly(for keeping the world)

 And   who  grants   both  pleasures  as well as  final salvation if desired.

10.Mathangajadri thungagra   srunga srungagra varshmane ,

Maha Krupayaa   madrakshaa deekshithayasthu  mangalam.

10.Auspeciousness to him who decorates the highest peak of the elephant mountain,

Who with great  kindness   has taken the determination to protect  me.

11.Sri Kanchi purna misrena preethyaa   sarvaabhibashine  ,

Atheetharchavyavasthaya  Hasththyadreesaya  mangalam.

11.Auspecious to the Lord of  Hasthagiri   who broke his   self inflicted penance ,

And   talked   with great love    to Sri Kanchipurna (Thirukachi nambigal)

     (This alludes the Lord Telling  him the  Manthra OM  Narayanaya to Thirukachi nambigal)

12.ASthu  sri sthana kasthuri vasanaa  vaasithorase,

Sri Hastha giri nadhaya Devarajaya  mangalam.

12,Auspeciousness   to Devaraja who is the lord of Hasthagiri,

Who gives out the fragrance of musk  applied  to the breasts  of Goddess Lakshmi.

13.Mangalasasana parai  madacharya purogamai  ,

Sarvescha purveracharyai  sathkruthayasthu  mangalam.

13.Auspeciousness to Lord who has been sung about  by  my Acharya ,

And all the Acharyas   who preceded him , who were engaged in divine works.