Monthly Archives: January 2016

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upadhESa raththina mAlai – 42

January 13, 2016 Published by: raghuram

SrI:
SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:
SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:
SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

<< Previous (theLLArum gyAna)

pAsuram 42

thanjeerai gyAniyargaL thAm pugazhum vEdhAnthi
nanjeeyar thAm bhattar nal aruLAl – enjAdha
Arvamudan mARan maRip poruLai Ayndhu uraiththadhu
Er onbadhinAyiram. 42

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Word by word meanings

gyAniyargaL thAm – Those having knowledge of thathvam (truth of existence)
pugazhum – would praise
tham seerai – his greatness
vEdhanthi – who is the learned one
nanjeeyar thAm – that is nanjeeyar,
nal aruLAl – due to the good grace of
bhattar – SrI parAsara bhattar,
Ayndhu – (nanjeeyar) thought through / researched the
mARan mARaip poruLai – meanings of thiruvAimozhi of mARan (nammAzhvAr)
uraiththadhu – and divined
enjAdha – with never decreasing
Arvamudan – devotion
Er – a beautiful
onbadhinAyiram – onbadhinAyirappadi vyAkyAnam (9,000 padi).

vyAkyAnam

maNvALa mAmunigaL divines that, after that, by the grace of periya bhattar, nanjeeyar divined in a great way a vyAkyAnam that is half time more than ArAyirappadai (of piLLAn) for thiruvAimozhi – as onbadhinAyiram (nine thousand) – starting the pAsuram with ‘nanjeeyar’ and so on.

That is, having knowledge and other qualities that are apt for authoring a vyAkyAnam for thiruvAimozhi, the knowledge that is praised by those having knowledge in vEdham, etc.

Or, having the greatness of qualities that are auspicious for the world, like following the path of AchAryan as said in ‘AchAryavAn [chAndhOkyOpanishath – 6.14.2]’ (One having AchAryan is the one who understands truth of existence (thathvam))’, and such qualities, so having greatness that is celebrated by the knowledgeable ones, and who is identified as vEdhAnthigaL, that is nanjeeyar.

Now due to the greatness of being called ‘vEdhAnthi nanjeeyar’, bhattar divined his visit quite far and corrected him – he having such greatness.

bhattar with nanjIyar at his lotus feet

nanjeeyar thAm – such a highly valued person

bhattar nal aruLAl – Due to bhattar’s own mercy. For him bhattar’s mercy worked out directly and seen – for him to author a vyAkyAnam for thiruvAimozhi.

bhattar nal aruLAl – nallaruL – like saying ‘namperumAL’ (an adjective which highlights the greatness/proximity to heart?). There it was the mercy of Him, he who is mentioned in thiruvAimozhi; here it is the grace of who taught about thiruvAimozhi (bhattar). This grace is being better than His grace – that was reason for one thousand (pAsurams in thiruvAimozhi); this is reason for nine thousand (onbadhinAyirappadi). This is being nine for one {means being more merciful/kind}.

aruLAl enjAdha Arvamudan: Due to his (bhattar’s) grace, auspicious thing happened to him (nanjeeyar). Like said as ‘nalam aruLinan [thiruvAizmohi 1.1.1]’ (divined goodness). By such grace of him only he got unbounded love in this. enjal – contracting; (enjAdha is the opposite of it).

Arvamudan mARan maRaip poruLai Ayndhu uraiththadhu – Qualifying for the prabandham of one having ‘ArAdha kAdhal’’ (never-satiating love), with love as said in ‘Arvam peruga [thiruvAimozhi 3.5.8]’ (overflowing love), and thinking through the meanings of thamizh vEdham thiruvAimozhi that is ‘mARan paNiththa thamizh maRai [upadhESa raththina mAlai – 9]’ (thamizh vEdham divined by nammAzhvAr), and to match its greatness what is the length/number of the vyAkyAnam done by him?

When asked so, He (maNavALa mAmunigaL) says,

EronbadhinAyiram – (beautiful nine thousand) – Qualifying for the beautiful thamizh maRai (thiruvAimozhi). This (vyAkyAnam) having full of beauty is – due to smartness in connection of words, and dignity of meanings, it is being full of beauty.

He being ‘vEdhAnthi nanjeeyar’, he divined this matching the count (9,000) of SrIbAshyam which is vEdhAntha SAsthram.

– – – – – – – – – –

Translation: raghurAm SrInivAsa dhAsan

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upadhESa raththina mAlai – 41

January 12, 2016 Published by: raghuram

SrI:
SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:
SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:
SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

<< Previous (mundhuRavE piLLAn)

pAsuram 41

theLLArum gyAnath thirukkurugaip pirAn
piLLAn ethirAsar pEraruLAl – uLLArum
anbudanE mARan maRaip poruLai anRu uraiththadhu
inbamigum ARAyiram. 41

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Word by word meaning

thirukkurugaip pirAn piLLAn,
theL Arum – (who is having) full clarity in
gyAnam – knowledge,
pEr – (by the) special (periya)
aruLAl – grace of (kataksham)
ethirAsar – SrI bhAshyakArar,
Arum – with full of
anbudanE – devotion
uL – in his divine mind,
anRu – during that earlier time
uraiththadhu – divined
poruLai – grand meanings of
mARan – what nammAzhvAr divined, that is
maRai – dhrAvida (thamizh) vEdham, thiruvAimozhi,
migum – the vyAkyAnam which is full of
inbam – sweetness, is
ARAyiram – ArAyirappadi vyAkyAnam (having 6000 sets of 32 letters).

vyAkyAnam

Earlier, starting with ‘piLLAn nanjIyar … thiruvAimozhiyaik kAththa gunavALar [upadhESa raththina mAlai – 39]’, where he divined the list of each of the five AchAryas separately, out of that,

in this pAsuram, as said in ‘kurugaippirARku anbAm ethirAsar [bhagavath vishayam thaniyan]’ (emperumAnAr who is most dear to thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn),

by the limitless kindness of emperumAnAr who is ‘prapanna jana kUtasthar [AchArya hrudhayam – 36]’ (head of the people who performed SaraNAgathy (surrendered to emperumAn)),

the count of groups of words vyAkyAnam authored by thirukkurugaip pirAn piLLAn is shad sahasram (six thousand),

says maNavALa mAmunigaL.

AzhvAr and emperumAnAr – AzhvAr thirunagari (thirukkurugUr)

theLLArum gyAnath thirukkurugaip pirAn piLLAn – Having suitable complete wisdom in clarity of knowledge for authoring the first vyAkyAnam for thiruvAimozhi, that is thirukkurugaip pirAn piLLAn.

ethirAsar pEr aruLAl – By the limitless kindness of emperumAnAr, as said in ‘un perun karuNai thannai [rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi – 70]’. This is the reason for him doing the vyAkyAnam.

uLLArum anbudanE – That is, not doing it for kyAdhi (fame), lAbham (profit), etc., due to the limitless love for thiruvAimozhi. Due to unlimited compassion towards the sentient.

mARan maRaip poruLai – As said in ‘aruLinAn avvarumARaiyin poruL [kaNNinuN chiruththAmbu – 8]’ (essence of that rare (difficult to acquire/learn) vEdham), it being AzhvAr’s, in the form of vEdham, being hard for others to identify its meanings, such thiruvAimozhi’s meanings was divined as ArAyiram (in six thousand sets of 32 letters).

It was written with love, that suits with ‘avAvil anthAdhi [thiruvAimozhi 10.10.11]’ ().

anRu uraiththadhu – that is, listening from bhAshyakArar and thinking through it, getting clarity of the meanings, is when he had authored the vyAkyAnam.

If asking what its count is –

inbamigum ARAyiram – As said in ‘amar suvai Ayiram [thiruvAimozhi 1.3.11]’ (well-fit sweet and sound meaning), being fully interesting and sweet (rasa ganam), being delightful to the devotees, it is set in the length of delightful six thousand that he divined. That good taste is obtained from the mUlam (original text – thiruvAimozhi), isn’t it?

Since it is done with love, this would also be delightful, isn’t it?

Since he is loved like a son of paurANikar (well versed in puraNams, that is, emperumAnAr), he has written it in the count of SrI vishNu purANam of six thousand, isn’t it?

– – – – – – – – – –

Translation: raghurAm SrInivAsa dhAsan

thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 2nd centum

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thiruvAimozhi – 2.2.2 – EpAvam paramE

January 12, 2016 Published by: Sarathy Thothathri

SrI:
SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:
SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:
SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Full series >> Second Centum >> Second decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr says krishNa is the cause for anishta nivruththi (removal of unwanted aspects) and ishta prApthi (bestowing the desired aspects).

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nampiLLai‘s introduction. periyavAchchAn piLLai nicely coins the question as asked by AzhwAr “Is ‘others being non-controllers (dependents)’ not obvious that it needs to be separately discussed and established?”.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

Second pAsuram – When asked “Why are you saying ‘alladhu illai’ (there is no other controller)? Aren’t brahmA, rudhra et al also explained as controllers in some scriptures?”, AzhwAr says that when their situations are analysed one person gets his head cut off, and another person cut the head off; emperumAn is the one who removed the defects of both of them and so you tell me if they are controllers or he is the controller?

pAsuram

ஏ! பாவம் பரமே ஏழ் உலகும்
ஈ பாவம் செய்து அருளால் அளிப்பார் ஆர்
மா பாவம் விட அரற்குப் பிச்சை பெய்
கோபால கோளரி ஏறு அன்றியே?

E! pAvam paramE Ezh ulagum
ee pAvam seydhu aruLAl aLippAr Ar
mA pAvam vida araRkup pichchai pey
gOpAla kOLari ERu anRiyE

Listen

Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

mA – very big
pAvam – sin (against one’s own preceptor)
vida – to be erased
araRku – for rudhra
pichchai pey – one who offered alms
gOpAla kOL ari ERu – the lion amongst those who are born in cowherd clan
anRiyE – if not
Ezhulagum – all worlds
eepAvam seydhu – to be with eradicated (eliminated) sins
aruLAl – out of his compassion
aLippAr – one who protects (by fulfilling the desires)
Ar – who?
EpAvam – how sad!
paramE – become my responsibility (to establish the supremacy of emperumAn)
E – showing dislike

Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

AzhwAr asks “Who else can protect all the worlds out of compassion other than krishNa who is the lion amongst those are born in cowherd clan and the one who offered alms to rudhra to erase the effects of a very big sin?”. With dislike he says “How sad! It has become my responsibility (to establish the supremacy of emperumAn) [which is already well established]”.

vyAkyAnams (commentaries)

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam

See vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s translation.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

EpAvam – “E!” indicates “O!” (alas!) – abundance of distress.
EpAvam – AzhwAr says “We are forced to explicitly speak about the differences between diamond and dung”. He says “How sad! People have become so foolish that we are forced to try and establish the well-known supremacy of bhagavAn“.
paramE – bharam – responsibility; Instead of enjoying the divine auspicious qualities of bhagavAn, I am forced to explain his supremacy to others [By definition, AzhwAr means one who is immersed in bhagavAn‘s qualities etc and has less inclination towards instructing others – It is only out of compassion to uplift others that they engage in instructing others].
Ezhulagum – While the residents of the seven worlds engage in accumulating more and more sins,
IpAvam seydhu – to eradicate their sins

Without the jIvAthmAs requesting emperumAn to help them,

aruLAl – out of his unconditional unsolicited grace
aLippAr Ar – Who will protect these souls? These sins can be eradicated only by his grace and not by their self-effort or atonement. When they try on their own, they will only end up increasing the sins. Instead of saying “aLippAn ivan” (emperumAn is the protector), AzhwAr is saying “Who will protect?” – this is to convince them when they are situated in sathvam (goodness) so that they would accept saying “Only the one about whom you are speaking about” . This is explained in SrI rAmAyaNam uththara kANdam “pAvanssarvalOkanAm thvamEva” (SrI rAma! You are the one capable of removing the sins and purifying every one) and SrIvishNu purANam 1.22.19 “nahi pAlana sAmarthyam ruthE” (No one has the ability to protect other than vishNu who is the supreme controller of everyone). His helping everyone is well-known.
mA pAvam vida – to eradicate the great sin. “Anaikkum thanakkuth thakka vAdhamiRE” (an elephant would have problem that matches its size – this is to identify the nature of sins committed by great personalities). In comparison with others, rudhra is distinct when it comes to gyAnam (knowledge) and Sakthi (capability); But using such knowledge and ability, he became a sinner by plucking the head of brahmA who is the master of the (material) universe [the universe which is under his control – there are innumerable universes each one having a brahmA as the leader]. To be relieved of the great sin that is identified in mathsya purANam “… vAmAngushtanakAgrENa chinnam thasya SirO mayA” (Siva says – “the head of brahmA was plucked by me using my left hand thumb finger nail”).
araRkup pichchai pey gOpAla kOLari ERu – Though rudhra is the annihilator [appointed by bhagavAn with great authority/responsibility], he committed a sin and still bhagavAn rescued him from that situation during bhagavAn‘s incarnations in this mortal world. gOpAla (krishNa as cow-herd boy) term is used here to indicate that irrespective of the greatness of these dhEvathAs and whatever humble form SrIman nArAyaNan assumes, SrIman nArAyaNan is the only protector.
gOpAla kOL ari ERu – kOL – pride; kOL (extension of koL) – one who overrules the detractors. The pride of being the leader of cow-herds even though he is the leader of nithyasUris (eternally servitors in paramapadham). Should we call those who get trapped in danger as ISwara (controller) or should we call the one who rescues them from such danger as ISwara?

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

gadhya thrayam Other SaraNAgathi gadhyam

SaraNAgathi gadhyam – 11th chUrNai

January 11, 2016 Published by: T N Krishnan

SrI:
SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:
SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama
SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

<< Previous

Omniscient and Omnipotent SrIman nArAyaNan

avathArikai (introduction):

In the previous chUrNai, SrI rAmAnuja had asked for forgiveness for his wrong deeds related to karma. Here he asks for forgiveness for his wrong activities born out of avidhyA or agyAna (ignorance). But did he not already list out all these faults in the previous chUrNai, asks periyavAchchAn piLLai, the preceptor who wrote an elaborate vyAkhyAnam (explanatory note) for gadhya thrayam. periyavAchchAn piLLai explains that while in the previous chUrNai, SrI rAmAnuja had mentioned about his misdeeds based on what SAsthram (religious treatise) had said (doing what the SAsthra had forbidden us to do and not doing what it had ordained us to do), in this chUrNai, SrI rAmAnuja lists out those wrong deeds which he did based on ignorance of vEdhAntham (the part of vEdhas or scripture dealing with knowledge about God). Hence it can not be considered as a repetition of earlier misdeeds.

Let us look at the chUrNai.

anAdhikAla pravruththam viparIthagyAnam Athma vishayam
kruthsna jagath vishyancha viparItha vruththancha aSEsha vishayam
adhyApi varththamAnam varththishyamANam cha sarvam kshamasva II

Word-by-Word meaning

anAdhikAla pravruththa – doing for a very long time
viparItha gyAnam – contrary or inverse or wrong knowledge
Athma vihshayam – ignorance related to AthmA
kruthsna – entire
jagath – world
vishayam – matter or issue
cha – and
viparItha – wrong
vruththam – activity or practice
aSEsha – without leaving anything
vishayam – matter
adhyApi – even today
varthamANam – present time
varthishyamANam – future
sarvam – all
kshamasva – excuse

Explanatory Note:

anAdhikAla pravruththa – doing for a very long time, without any known beginning. Here the time reference is to several hundreds of thousands of janmas (births).

viparItha gyAnam – contrary or inverse or wrong knowledge. This inverse knowledge is not something natural to jIvAthmA. But, since it has been there for a very long time, it may appear to be a part of jIvAthmA. However, since one day it (the inverse knowledge) disappears (on attaining mOksham), we can say that it is not natural to jIvAthmA. Inverse knowledge is mistaking one entity for another. For example, mistaking a rope for snake is such knowledge.

Athma vihshayam – ignorance related to AthmA. In other words, mistaking body for AthmA (what we frequently refer to as dhEhAthmAbhimAnam). The body is destructible while AthmA is indestructible.

kruthsna jagath vishayancha – kruthsna – entire; jagath – world; vishayam – matter or issue; cha – and; i.e. inverse knowledge relating to the entire world. Just as we think of ourselves as our physical forms (as human beings), thinking similarly of other forms of life such as dhEva, manushya, thiryak, sthAvaram (celestial being, human being, animal, plant forms respectively) as their physical forms and not as the inner AthmA inside. This is viparItha Athma gyAnam among kruthsna jagath vishayam (matter relating to the entire world)

viparItha vruththancha – viparItha – wrong; vruththam – activity or practice. Here it refers to reacting to someone else’s action instead of taking it as one’s own karma palam (result of previous deeds). All AthmAs are dependent (parathanthran) on bhagavAn. If another person does harm to me, that action is result of bhagavAn executing an action through that person on account of my karma palam. Instead of thinking this way, if I harm the other person in return, then it is viparItha vruththam. In Athma vishayam this means thinking of oneself as being svathanthran (independent) instead of being parathanthran (dependent) on bhagavAn. Thus if one has true knowledge, if another person harms a person, the harmed person should not get angry and retort.

aSEsha vishayam – aSEsha – without leaving anything; vishayam – matter. Having desire in materialistic needs such as gold, land etc, which are related to vishayAntharam (matter other than bhagavAn). We do need to look after basic needs, but we need to stop at that instead of accumulating more and more of these aiSvaryams (materialistic entities for dhEham’s pleasure). The desire for all unwanted material comforts was there not only in the past, but

adhyApi varththamAnam – adhyApi – even today; varthamANam – present time. These desires continue to be there today, and

varththishyamANancha – varthishyamANam – future. The desire for worldly pleasures will be there in future too.

sarvam kshamasva – sarvam – all; kshamasva – excuse. SrI rAmAnuja says that since he is an agyAni (ignorant person) he doesn’t know what are all the mistakes that he has committed. He implores bhagavAn that since he is sarvagyan (omniscient, all knowing) he would know all his mistakes and should pardon him.

This completes 11th chUrNai.

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Translation by krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan.

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upadhESa raththina mAlai – 40

January 11, 2016 Published by: raghuram

SrI:
SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:
SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:
SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

<< Previous (piLLAn nanjeeyar …)

pAsuram 40

mundhuRavE piLLAn mudhalAnOr seydhu aruLum
andha viyAkkiyaigaL anRAgil – andhO
thiruvAimozhip poruLai thErndhu uraikka valla
guruvAr ikkAlam nenjE kUru. 40

pAsuram 40

Word by word meaning

mundhuRavE – Before itself
piLLAn mudhalAnOr – thirukkurugaip pirAn piLLan and others, the five of them
seydhu aruLum – divined the authoring of
andha viyAkkiyaigaL – those vyAkyAnams (commentaries / explanations);
anRAgil – If these were not there
andhO – O! (aiyyO! – alas!)
guru Ar – who are present as AchAryas
ikkAlam – at this time
valla – who can
thErndhu – clearly know
uraikka – and explain the
thiruvAimozhip poruLai – great meanings of thiruvAimozhi (arththa visEsham)
nenjE – Oh mind
kURu – you shall say!

vyAkyAnam

He (maNavALa mAmunigaL) is divining in a negating way about the greatness of vyAkyAnams that they authored earlier, as ‘mundhuRavE piLLAn mudhalAnOr seydhu aruLum’.

That is, as said in ‘gyAnAnyalpee bhavishyanthi [bhAgavatham]’ (becomes less in knowledge), before the sampradhAyams become less and less, already, at earlier time itself, the five AchAryas from piLLAn to jIyar divined –

andha viyAkkiyaigaL – those distinguished vyAkyAnams.

anRAgil – if they had not authored them; if in those times if they who are visionaries (dhIrgadharSi) had not authored the vyAkyAnams, then today how we would have suffered – saying so he feels sad.

andhO – Same as said in ‘na chEth rAmAnujEth yEshA chathurA chathurAkshari | kAmavasthAm prapadhyanthE janthavO hantha mAdhrusa: [varavaramuni mukthakam – 5 / uththara dhinacharyA – 20]’

(Oh! If there was no ‘rAmAnuja’ the most prudent four lettered manthra, what state would worms like me would have ended up in, isn’t it?).

thiruvAimozhip poruLai thErndhu uraikka valla guru Ar ikkAlam nenjE kURu – When explaining thiruvAimozhi is it not needed to have wisdom that is complete in knowledge? Who is there now with clear knowledge to explain this? Where would they be seen?

Looking at the feeble state of knowledge in this time, (and on the other hand) the profoundness of meanings of thiruvAimozhi as said in ‘dhrAvida vEdhasAgaram [thiruvAimozhi thaniyan]‘ (an ocean of dhrAvida (thamizh) vEdham), and, ‘ALavu iyanRa anthAdhi [thiruvAimozhi 1.4.11]’ (thiruvAimozhi with unlimited glories), he (maNavALa mAmunigAL) is saying who is having the capability to understand this correctly and author a suitable vyAkyAnam for it.

thErndhu uraikka valla guru Ar – When it is rare to find even those who can understand the greatness of those existing vyAkyAnams, as said in ‘aRiyak kaRRu vallAr [thiruvAimozhi – 5.5.11]’ (), and grow it, it is very rare to find anyone now who can follow the divine mind of AzhvAr and author a vyAkyAnam, isn’t it?

Completion of thiruvAimozhi eedu discourse by maNavALa mAmunigaL

uraikka valla – by this, there being rarity in (finding one who can) match the meaning to the letters.

uraikka valla guru Ar ikkAlam – During the time (now) when there are those who steal things (poruL), would it be possible to get those who would enrich the meanings (poruL)

{in thamizh ‘poruL’ is for both ‘thing’ and ‘meaning’. It is a similar case in samskrutham for the word ‘artham’}.

Even then, time is such that they would escape with ‘kaipporuL’ (important things / what is left), isn’t it?

They would steal ‘piRar nan poruL [kaNNinuN chiruth thAmbu – 5]’ (Others’ good things / AthmA which is emperumAn’s property), isn’t it?

As the time is cruel, as said in ‘kadal aLavAya thisai ettinuLLum kali iruLE midai tharu kAlaththu [rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi – 59], would there be one who with their sharp true knowledge analyze the meanings of thiruvAimozhi and say it?

nenjE kURu – Oh mind! which is obedient to the thiruvAimozhi AchAryas starting from the time of bhAshyakArar. Like them who see the same meanings (in thiruvAimozhi), try to show me even one person as so and so, during the current time.

So getting them is being rare isn’t it?

– – – – – – – – – –

Translation: raghurAm SrInivAsa dhAsan

thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 2nd centum

thiruvAimozhi – 2.2.1 – thiNNan vIdu

January 10, 2016 Published by: Sarathy Thothathri

SrI:
SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:
SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:
SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Full series >> Second Centum >> Second decad

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In first pAsuram – AzhwAr says krishNa is the controller of the universe.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

In the first pAsuram – AzhwAr says krishNa is the only controller of everyone.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nampiLLai‘s introduction. AzhwAr says krishNa, who is filled with auspicious qualities and who is the one who protects everyone during annihilation, is the controller.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

First pAsuram – AzhwAr briefly explains bhagavAn‘s supremacy, which is further elaborated in this decad.

pAsuram

திண்ணன் வீடு முதல் முழுதும் ஆய்
எண்ணின் மீதியன் எம் பெருமான்
மண்ணும் விண்ணும் எல்லாம் உடன் உண்ட
நம் கண்ணன் கண் அல்லது இல்லை ஓர் கண்ணே

thiNNan vIdu mudhal muzhudhum Ay
eNNin mIdhiyan em perumAn
maNNum viNNum ellAm udan uNda
nam kaNNan kaNNalladhu illai Or kaNNE

Listen

Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

thiN – having strength
nal – unique
vIdu – mOksham
mudhal – etc
muzhudhumAy – being the controller for all results
eNNin mIdhiyan – having incomprehensible nature that is beyond our thoughts
emperumAn – master who lorded me (by showing such supremacy)
maNNum – earth
viNNum – higher regions
ellAm – without missing anything
udan – in single effort (without discrimination)
uNda – protecting them by keeping them in the stomach
nam kaNNan – the most simple emperumAn in the form of krishNa who gave himself to us
kaN – the controller of the entire creation
alladhu – other than him
Or – one
kaN – controlling entity
illai – does not exist

Simple transalation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

emperumAn who is the controller of all results/goals such as the strong, unique mOksham (liberation) etc., whose incomprehensible nature is beyond our thoughts, my master who lorded me (by showing such supremacy) , who protected all by keeping everyone/everything in his stomach during annihilation, is the same krishNa who appeared and presented himself to us. He is the supreme controller for the universe and there is no other controlling entity that exists. kaN means kaLaigaN – protection. thiNNan is also explained as thiNNam (niSchitham – certainty).

vyAkyAnams (commentaries)

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam

See vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s translation.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

thiNNan vIdu mudhal muzhudhumAy – thiNNan means thiNNam, i.e., dhrudam – firm. Firmness is an adjective to vIdu (mOksham) which is nithya vibhUthi (paramapadham – spiritual realm). Firmness here indicates the absence of birth/death, creation/annihilation cycles which are due to karma – but changes do happen due to bhagavAn‘s desire in paramapadham. Even if there is some destruction it is not to be seen like that – it is only part of bhagavAn‘s sport since there are no defects which are based on karma (puNyam and pApam of individuals) as seen in samsAram (material realm). mudhal – etc. So, emperumAn is the master of nithya vibhUthi and leelA vibhUthi. vIdu mudhal muzhudhumAy – bhagavAn who is having the quality of granting different goals such as aiSwaryam (worldly wealth), kaivalyam (self-realisation and enjoyment) and mOksham (vIdu – liberation) (explaining this one quality is a sample for his multifarious qualities).
eNNin mIdhiyan – one who is having innumerable auspicious qualities. If the previous phrase is explained in the context of vibhUthi (spiritual and material realms), this is explained in the context of auspicious qualities. If the previous phrase is explained in the context of auspicious qualities, this is explained in the context of vibhUthi. If “vIdu mudhal muzhudhumAy” is only explained for that single quality, eNNin mIdhiyan explains the previously unspoken auspicious qualities of emperumAn. “eNNin mIdhiyan” means beyond count.
emperumAn – one who became my master by showing such greatness.
maNNum viNNum ellAm – Since kaNNan (krishNa) is the natural owner, when the great annihilation covers earth, sky etc, he picks them all up and places them carefully in his stomach and protects them all at once.
udan uNda – Since he cannot sustain himself without protecting his subjects, “uNda” (ate) is used. If he was simply protecting (like a king), using the word “kAkkum” (protection) could have been sufficient.
nam kaNNan kaN – Did krishNa consume the universe? Yes – krishNa only. As said in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 1.1.6 “‘angAndhida vaiymEzhum kaNdAL’iRE yaSOdhai” (mother yaSOdhA saw the entire creation when krishNa opened his month). So, krishNa is the protector for the entire creation. This is established in well known source of mahAbhAratham bhIshma parvam “krishNa Eva hi lOkAnAmuthpaththirap chApyaya: | krishNasya hi kruthE …” (It is well known that all creation is done by krikshNa, annihilation is also done by krishNa and the existence of everything is for krishNa).
alladhu illai Or kaNNE – “Or kaN” (one [unique] protection) – if we try to explain this in any other manner (that someone else is protector) it will not make any sense, like the eyes in the peacock feathers (which don’t see). [for example, we see some other controllers like brahmA et al, in this world]. For those who see mAl (SrIman nArAyaNan) as protector, others will be seen as dependents only. This is thiNNam – dhrudam – certain. Like it is said in ithihAsams/purANams “sathyam sathyam punas sathyam …” (I declare the truth again and again). AzhwAr declares emperumAn‘s supremacy positively in “nam kaNNan kaN” and rejects others’ supremacy in “alladhu illai“.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

upadhESa raththina mAlai – 39

January 10, 2016 Published by: raghuram

SrI:
SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:
SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:
SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

<< Previous (emperumAnAr tharisanam)

pAsuram 39

piLLAn nanjIyar periyavAchchAn piLLai
theLLAr vadakkuth thiruveedhip piLLai
maNavALa yOgi thiruvAimozhiyaik kAththa
guNavALar enRu nenjE kURu. 39

pAsuram 39

Word by word meaning

nenjE – Oh mind,
kURu – you shall say, thatn
piLLAn – thirukkurugaip pirAn piLLAn, and
nanjIyar – nanjIyar, and
periyavAchchAn piLLai – periyavAchchAn piLLai, and
theL Ar – one who is having clear mind, that is
vadakkuth thiruveedhip piLLAi – vadakkuth thiruveedhip piLLai, and
maNavALa yOgi – vAdhikEsari azhagiya maNavALach chIyar (jIyar)
are the ones
kuNavALar enRu – having great qualities, who/as they
kAththa – protected
thiruvAimozhiyai – thiruvAimozhi prabandham
(through their vyAkyAnams).

vyAkyAnam

Now, thiruvAimozhi which is the meaning of dhvayam, was given birth by the ‘mother’ satakOpan (nammAzhvAr), and was spread by the affectionate mother rAmAnujan as said in ‘eenRa mudhal thAy satakOpan, moimbAl vaLarththa idhath thAy rAmAnusan [thiruvAimozhi thaniyan]’, and in the same way he (maNavALa mAmunigaL) too was growing it;

due to their grace, matching their opinions of its meanings, through creation of vyAkyAnams for thiruvAimozhi which is the essence of dhivya prabandhams, those who protected it are piLLAn et al, says maNavALa mAmunigaL, starting this pAsuram with ‘piLLAn’.

empeumAnAr overseeing and blessing piLLAn’s marriage

piLLAn – he is: As emperumAnAr was thankful to thirukkOshtiyUr nambi for his great mercy, he gave nambi’s name (kurugEsar / thirukkurugaip pirAn) to his sishya as thirukkurugaip pirAn piLLAn, whom he considered as his son; such is this person who has the greatness of having the name of nambi, and because of that, he was being important than others for him (emperumAnAr), and learned from him (emperumAnAr) all inner meanings of vEdhAntham, and was knowledgeable in all sAsthras, and grew thamizh and samskrutha vEdhanthams as ubhaya vEdhAntha pravarththakar (one who enriches/spreads it).

nanjIyar – he is: loved as ‘nammudaiya jIyar’ (our jIyar) by the divine son of fully knowledgeable kUraththAzhvAn, that is bhattar who knows all the SAsthrams; and (nanjIyar) learned all the meanings in the sannidhi (presence) of bhattar, without any doubt or confusion, and after that explained thiruvAimozhi a hundred times and due to that had the sadhAbhishEkam (honour of completing a hundred).

nanjIyar

periyavAchchAn piLLAi – he is – surrendered to the divine feet of nampiLLai who is like the incarnation of AzhvAr, and for avoiding the hurdles for any kainkaryams to his AchAryan he had left all the other goals/achievements along with any trace, and learned and heard all the meanings clearly in his AchAryan’s sannidhi, and being liked very much by his AchAryan.

periyavAchchAn piLLai

theLLAr vadakkuth thiruveedhip piLLai – Having such great clarity in spreading the meanings of thiruvAimozhi, and due that, earning the phrase of ‘sakrushNa dhvayau [thiruvAimozhi bhagavath vishaya thaniyan]’ (nampiLLai having vadakkuth thiruveedhip piLLai and periyavAchchAn piLLai), and being talked together with periyavAchchAn piLLai for doing personal kainkaryams to nampiLLai, excelling as per precept, and being abhimAna nishtAgragaNyar (one of the leading in loving (the AchAryan)).

vadakkuth thiruveedhip piLLAi

maNavALa yOgi – he is – To be said as ‘abhayapradharAja puthrar’, he fully reached the divine feet of periyavAchchAn piLLai ‘s divine son nayanArAchchAn piLLai, and learned the full and inner meanings of sampradhAyam, rahasyams, and dhivya prabandhams from his teachings, and also learned all the SAsthrams as part of these, and being able to win over other philosophies, and having the talent of speech as can be said as ‘vAdhi kEsari’. That is, vAdhikEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar.

vAdhikEsari azhagiya maNavALA jIyar

Such people as mentioned above –

thiruvAimozhiyaik kAththa – that is, having the great quality of protecting well by doing their individual vyAkyAnams for thiruvAimozhi which is the best in pramANams (references/base) – protecting it from those having less knowledge.

They authored the vyAkyAnams starting from ArAyirappadi (vyAkyAnam having the length of 6,000 groups of words), and ending in panneerAyirappadi (12,000 groups of words), and this is explained by him (maNavALa mAmunigaL) himself clearly in later pAsurams.

kAththa gunavALar enRu nenjE kURu – Oh the mind which is prostrating the qualities of such people who are having the quality of protecting it through the greatness of their vyAkyAnams.

As an outlet of your happiness for their vyAkyAnams, always say about their qualities like said in ‘thadhvAchAvadhathi [thaiththiriyam AraNyakam 1.23] (he is saying that by his mouth). Other parts of us are the pathway for the mind. According to that, he is saying ‘kURu’ (say it).

– – – – – – – – – –

Translation: raghurAm SrInivAsa dhAsan