அரங்கனின் மேனி நிறம்

It is interesting to find from our scriptures that the Creator of all colors is Himself extremely colorful. He is said to sport on various occasions. To start our colorful journey with the Vedas, the Purusha SUkta describes the Lord as being the color of the Sun-

Aditya varNam tamasa: parastAt.

The reference to Sun-color is significant. Just as the Sun is the antithesis of all darkness or evil, so too the Paramatma is verily the abode of all good qualities, and the antithesis of all that is inauspicious

akhila hEya pratyanIka, kalyAnaikatAna.

Describing the TirumEni of the ParamaPurusha, the ChAndOgya Upanishad has the following to say-

Ya EshOntar AdityE hiraNmaya:Purusha:drisyatE
HiraNmaya:smashru:hiranya kEsa:AprNakhAt sarva Eva suvarNa:

The Lord is seen in golden splendour amidst the Solar System, adorned by golden hair with a golden moustache and facial hair to match. From head to toe, he is all glitter like the Yellow metal.

It is perhaps this wonderful tirumEni that Sri PeyAzhwar was able to witness at TirukkOilUr on that stormy night, which is evident from his exclamation,

திரு கண்டேன், பொன்மேனி கண்டேன், திகழும் அருக்கன் அணிநிரமும் கண்டேன்.

Though Sri Nammazhwar too endows the Lord with the color of red gold,

"செம்பொன்னே திகழும் திருமூர்த்தியை"

He himself turns around later and takes objection to the Lord’s color being compared to that of a mere metal, and says that the purest gold cannot match the glitter of the Lord’s tirumEni-

சுட்டுரைத்த நன் பொன் உன் திருமேனி ஒளி ஒவ்வாது.

At the other end of the spectrum, Emperuman sports a jet-black color too, as opposed to the sparkling golden hue indicated in the Vedas. Especially in Sri KrishnAvatAra, He is a blackie, as almost all the
Azhwars testify-

கண்ணன் எனும் கரும் தெய்வம்
கரிய மேனி மிசை வெளிய நீரு சிறிதே இடும் பெரிய கோல தடம் கண்ணன்
கரு மாமுகில் போல் வண்ணன் கண்ணன்
கானகம் எல்லாம் திரிந்து உன் கரிய திருமேனி வாட
கார் திறள் அனய மேனி கண்ணனே உன்னை

Thus the Lord is credited with the color of clouds and the black sea-

காரார் கடல் வண்ணன் பின் போன நெஞ்ஞமும்(Siriya Tirumadal)

It is significant to note that the very name Krishna denotes one who is black. Perhaps He was christened with this name, looking to His color at birth. He is indeed a Black Diamond, says Sri Nammazhwar-

கையார் சக்கரத்து என் கரு மாணிக்கமே.

Sri Andal goes a step further and, in a damaging expose, reveals that Sri Krishna’s heart is as black as His body-

புறம் போல் உள்ளம் கரியானை.

That the Lord sports the color of blue-black clouds is evident from Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam too, the prelude to which says,

MEgha shyAmam peetha kousEya vAsam.
On this black body, the attire of yellow silk sits well.

Not only Sri Krishna, but Sri Rama too sported the color of black clouds-RAmam indIvara syAmam.
Another color that the Lord sports, is green- a green that is restful to the eyes, says Sri Tondaradippodi Azhwar. He sings of Ranganathar in Srirangam:

பச்சை மா மலை போல் மேனி
பவள வாய் கமல செங்கண்
அச்சுதா! அமரர் ஏரே!
ஆயர்தம் கொழுந்தே என்னும்.
இச்சுவை தவிர யான்போய்
இந்திர லோகமாளும்
அச்சுவை பெறினும் வேண்டேன்
அரங்ஙமா நகருளானே!.

Thanks: www.ramanuja.org