thiruvAimozhi – 2.3.1 – Unil vAzh

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

Full series >> Second Centum >> Third decad

paramapadhanathan-2

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the first pAsuram – AzhwAr praises his heart saying “emperumAn and I united and as a result we enjoyed continuous bliss; this abundance of bliss is because of you”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

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

In the first pAsuram – When a prince lost his kingdom and someone helps him regain it, the prince will praise that person who helped saying “I got this because of you”; Similarly, AzhwAr praises his divine heart thinking “AthmA (Self) who is rightfully qualified for kainkarya sAmrAjyam (the kingdom of servitude) had lost it for so long, it was this heart which got it now”.

pAsuram

ஊனில் வாழ் உயிரே நல்லை போ உன்னைப் பெற்று
வான் உளார் பெருமான் மதுசூதன் என் அம்மான்
தானும் யானும் எல்லாம் தன்னுள்ளே கலந்தொழிந்தோம்
தேனும் பாலும் நெய்யும் கன்னலும் அமுதும் ஒத்தே

Unil vAzh uyirE! nallai pO unnaip peRRu
vAn uLAr perumAn madhusUdhan en ammAn
thAnum yAnum ellAm thanuLLE kalandhozhindhOm
thEnum palum neyyum kannalum amudhum oththE

Listen

Listen

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

Unil – body which is made of flesh
vAzh – living (gloriously with bhagavath anubhvam in this body which is rare like a lotus blooming on a stove)
uyirE – Oh mind/heart!
nallai pO – this is good!

How so?
unnai – you
peRRu – getting (as subservient to me)
vAnuLAr – more than the nithyasUris who are residents of paramapadham
perumAn – having greater glory
madhusUdhan – one who finished my hurdles (since I have the desire to enjoy him) like he finished the demon madhu
en ammAn thAnum – he who has the quality of being my master, accepting my services
yAnum – I (who desired to enjoy him and surrendered to him for that)
than uLLE – within himself
ellAm – being all sweet
thEnum – like honey and honey
pAlum – like milk and milk
neyyum – like ghee and ghee
kannalum – like sugar and sugar
amudhum oththu – like nectar and nectar
kalandhu ozhindhOm – we have mixed

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

Oh mind/heart which lives in this body! This is good! Due to having you (as subservient to me),  emperumAn who is greater than nithyasUris, finished my hurdles in enjoying him like he finished the demon madhu. Such emperumAn who is my master and I, who am desirous of serving him, mixed like honey and honey, milk and milk, ghee and ghee, sugar and sugar and nectar and nectar.

With this, it is explained that perumAL and AzhwAr mixed like same species (seamlessly). Reason for having many examples (honey, milk etc)  is to show that emperumAn is the source of all tastes/flavours. uyir (vital air) is indicative of heart which is the abode of prANa (vital air).

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

  • Unil vAzh uyirE – Un – SarIram (body); vAzh – living/residing; uyir (AthmA) that resides in body; Also explained as, living in the body without knowing anything else. vAzh – explained as living gloriously now; living gloriously in this body itself which is made of flesh. You have favoured me to reach paramapadham and enjoy variegated experiences. In this body which is made of flesh, blood, bones, stool, urine etc., you have helped me achieve great bliss. From this, vAzh is explained as living gloriously – since time immemorial you enjoyed material/worldly pleasures, you have now favoured me to acquire divine bliss. manas (mind) is indicated with the term “uyir” (vital air – life) since even though AthmA’s dharmabhUtha gyAnam (knowledge) is eternal, the importance of mind is explained in SrIvishNu purANam 6.7.28 “mana Eva manushyANAm kAraNam bandha mOkshayO” (mind is the main cause for bondage to and liberation from [samsAram] for people). He is calling out for his own mind as “uyirE!“.
  • nallaipO – pO generally indicates go. Here AzhwAr is addressing his mind, saying “come, good mind!” (pO (go) is to be treated as vA (come) – viparItha lakshaNai – Opposite meaning). bO! is also sambOdhana (addressing). nallaipO can also be treated as a single world indicating “nallai nallai” (good good).

Why are you praising me in between (while enjoying divine union with emperumAn)?

  • unnaip perRRu – You, who are generally the cause for bondage, are now the cause for liberation. bhagavAn is eternal (always existing); relationship with him is also anAdhi (without a beginning). Even though he tried to help you in many ways, you did not turn towards him until now and lost the great opportunity to serve him. Since you have turned towards him today, you have got this great result.

AzhwAr explaining further, the great result he got.

  • vAnuLAr perumAn madhusUdhan ennammAn thAnum yAnum – multiple explanations:
    • Though being the leader of nithyasUris, just like he incarnated and finished the demon named madhu, he finished the hurdles which were stopping my divine union with him, overwhelmed me and engaged me in his service; thAnum – I who am the performer of kainkaryam.
    • I who suffered in seeing all visible entities to be suffering in pain of separation in “vAyum thiruayugaL (thiruvAimozhi 2.1)” and emperumAn who removed my suffering through his many efforts.
    • emperumAn who put in efforts (to get me); me who became the target of his efforts.
  • ellAm than uLLE kalandhu ozhindhOm – Just like one [the numeral] is contained in thousand and a puddle of water is contained in sea, we had divine union in which all different tastes/flavours manifested.
  • ozhindhOm – to the maximum – eternal experience. Even when I enter nithya vibhUthi (paramapadham – spiritual realm), I will be ruminating this experience. There is nothing separate (for AzhwAr) in paramapadham; it is the continuation of his blissful experience from here (here it happens with break, there it happens without any break). So, even after having such divine union, the reasons for AzhwAr to seek out to reach paramapadham are – to have proper companionship (with like-minded persons) and to have this experience without any break.

How did they mix?

  • thEnum pAlum kannalum … – For this, thirumAlai ANdAn explains it saying he heard it this way from ALavandhAr – Like two objects of the same species mixed (seamlessly); that is, honey and honey mixing, milk and milk mixing, ghee and ghee mixing, sugar and sugar mixing, necatar and nectar mixing”. But emperumAnAr gives a different explanation – AzhwAr takes these sweet objects as samples for all different flavours and says “we enjoyed all such flavours in our union”. As explained in chAndhOgya upanishath “sarvagndhas sarvarasa:”  (bhagavAn is the source of all fragrances and flavours), AzhwAr mixed with such (tasteful) emperumAn. When two entities (paramAthmA and jIvAthmA) who have gyAnam (knowledge), Anandham (bliss) unite, they unite in such a way that all flavours are manifested. Even in ALavandhAr‘s explanation, when two objects of the same species mix, the quantity increases – so , here AzhwAr is not talking about merging (eliminating of individual identity of jIvAthmA/paramAthmA as explained in adhvaitha philosophy) – he is only highlighting the seamless union.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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