thiruvAimozhi – 2.5.5 – ArA amudhamAy

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Full series >> Second Centum >> Fifth decad

Previous pAsuram

lord-maha-vishnu

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the fifth pAsuram, AzhwAr says “There is no comparison for emperumAn‘s beauty which was acquired after uniting with me”.

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

Fifth pAsuram – AzhwAr was explaining emperumAn‘s beauty by citing lotus flower as an example until now; but as he started experiencing emperumAn, he realised that lotus flower is no comparison for emperumAn; so he now skips the examples and directly explains emperumAn.

pAsuram

ஆரா அமுதமாய் அல் ஆவியுள் கலந்த
கார் ஆர் கருமுகில் போல் என் அம்மான் கண்ணனுக்கு
நேரா வாய் செம்பவளம் கண் பாதம் கை கமலம்
பேர் ஆரம் நீள் முடி நாண் பின்னும் இழை பலவே

ArA amudhamAy al Avi uL kalandha
kAr Ar karumugil pOl en ammAn kaNNanukku
nErA vAy sembavaLam kaN pAdham kai kamalam
pEr Aram nIL mudi nAN pinnum izhai palavE

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

ArA amudhamAy – being unsurpassed sweet person
al – having nothing (useless)
Avi uL – in my heart
kalandhu – mingled/united

due to that,
kAr – in rainy season
Ar – full
karu mugil pOl – like a dark cloud
en ammAn – one who is my lord
kaNNanukku – for krishNa
sem – reddish
pavaLam – coral
vAy – lips
nErAdhu – incomparable
kamalam – lotus flowers
kaN pAdham kai – eyes, feet and hands
nErA – incomparable

further,
pEr – huge
Aram – garland
nIL – tall
mudi – crown
nAN – waist string etc.
pinnum – and other
izhai – ornaments
pala – countless

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

emperumAn entered into my heart and mingled with useless me as an unsurpassed sweet person; because of that, my lord krishNa is shining like laden dark cloud in the rainy season; reddish corals are no match for his lips; lotus flowers are no match for his eyes, feet and hands; further, he is wearing countless ornaments such as huge garland, tall crown, waist string and many more.

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

  • ArA amudhamAy – Even if consumed eternally, it will only increase our desire to consume more – emperumAn who is like such sweet nectar.
  • al AviyuL kalandha – If he is so enjoyable, are those, who enjoy him, equally qualified? [No].
  • al Avi – non-existing entity – You united with me who cannot even be considered as an entity! He neither knows himself [his greatness] nor does he know about me [my lowly nature].
  • al AviAzhwAr is considering himself lower than achith (insentient). Since insentient objects don’t have knowledge, they would not know even if they are separated from emperumAn; but being a sentient, which has knowledge, and not achieving the true goal of having that knowledge (true goal being realisation about bhagavAn), AzhwAr considers himself as even lower than insentient.
  • uL kalandha – Did he unite with me like uniting with nithyasUris who are best among people? Another explanation – he considered me to be the sweetest nectar and himself as lowly and hence united with me!
  • uL kalandha – united with me so deep that, both of us have merged in each other and looked like a single entity.

When AzhwAr was asked “How did you know that he united with you like this?” AzhwAr says that he found that out by observing the divine form of emperumAn.

  • kAr Ar karu mugil pOl – He manifested great joy highlighting that uniting with me is his goal. This is explained as “laden dark cloud in rainy season”. kAr – black, it means blackish cloud. emperumAn with such beautiful form came and united with me.
  • en ammAn kaNNanukku – krishNa who acquired me by showing such beautiful form.
  • nErA vAy sem pavaLam – Isn’t pavaLam (pravALam – coral) red in complexion? Yes – but to understand the real reddish complexion of emperumAn‘s lips – emperumAn’s lips are so red that if we compare his lips’ color with pavaLam’s color, pavaLam will look like white. So, no pavaLam can match emperumAn’s lips in complexion.
  • kaN pAdham kai kamalam nErA – eyes which gave cool glance, the lotus feet at which one will fall being defeated by such glance, the hands which would lift up and embrace those who fall at his divine feet – for all these, no lotus flower will be a match.
  • pEr Aram – As said in mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi 55 “periya varai mArvil pErAram” (huge garland in mountain-like big chest), the garland which needs to be folded into two to be placed on his divine neck.
  • nIL mudi – his divine crown which is as said in varadharAja sthavam 25 “AdhirAjya sUchakam” (that which highlights his supremacy).
  • nAN – a type of gadi sUthram (waist string).
  • pinnum izhai palavE – I can only experience these – How can I complete explaining about these?

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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