SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> Second Centum >> Seventh decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
(mAdhavan) AzhwAr wonders to himself “What is the aspect in me which caused emperumAn to transform me to become a vaishNava and pursue those who are related with me too?” and explains that in this pAsuram.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In the third pAsuram – AzhwAr says “emperumAn eliminated all my defects and accepted me just for saying the name mAdhava”.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, AzhwAr mercifully explains the favours done by emperumAn being partial towards him merely for his (AzhwAr’s) word [of saying mAdhava].
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
See nanjIyar‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Third pAsuram. Previously AzhwAr said “mA sadhir idhu peRRu” (acquired this great glory); when asked the reason for this, AzhwAr says “unknowingly I had spoken the words the residents of antha:puram (private quarters of the queens)”. bhattar said in SrI guNarathna kOSam 52 “… jAmAthA dhayithasthavEthi bhavathIsambandhadhrushtyA harim paSyEma …” (Oh mother lakshmi! Like the residents of mithilA who loved SrI rAma due to your relationship with him, in the same manner, we who are engaged in your beautiful service too, approach sarvESvaran (lord of all) namperumAL who is called as jAmAthA (azhagiya maNavALan) and who is your lord, look at him, serve him etc. On seeing his joy during those times, we too would feel blissful [This SlOkam is quoted to establish that the residents of antha:puram (those who serve thAyAr) would glorify perumAL].
pAsuram
மாதவன் என்றதே கொண்டு என்னை இனி இப்பால் பட்டது
யாது அவங்களும் சேர் கொடேன் என்று என்னுள் புகுந்து இருந்து
தீது அவம் கெடுக்கும் அமுதம் செந்தாமரைக் கண் குன்றம்
கோது அவம் இல் என் கன்னல் கட்டி எம்மான் என் கோவிந்தனே
mAdhavan enRadhE koNdu ennai ini ippAl pattadhu
yAdhu avangaLum sEr kodEn enRu ennuL pugundhu irundhu
thIdhu avam kedukkum amudham sendhAmaraik kaN kunRam
kOdhu avam il en kannal katti emmAn en gOvindhanE
Listen
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
en – for me
gOvindhan – one who appeared as krishNa
emmAn – one who is my swAmi (lord)
mAdhavan – SrImAn (mAdhava – the lord of lakshmi)
enRadhE – considering that word (which was uttered without heart’s intent) alone
koNdu – having that as the reason
ennai – me (who does not know the difference between different utterings)
ini – after uttering
ippAl pattadhu – for the subsequent times
avangaL – (avam – sin/defect) defects such as avidhyA (ignorance)
yAdhum – completely
sErkodEn – will not let them approach/affect
enRu – vowing that
for that,
en uL – in my heart
pugundhu – entered
irundhu – stayed there without any other thought
thIdhu – vices (which were committed knowingly)
avam – (incidental) vices
kedukkum – destroying
amudham – eternally sweet
due to this union,
sem – reddish
thAmarai – lotus like
kaN – divine eyes
kunRam – letting me experience his well established divine form
kOdhu – the type of defect that arises due to mixing with other objects
avam – the type of defect that arises due to being cooked
il – not having
en kannal katti – sweet like a block of sugar
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
emperumAn who appeared as krishNa for me, who is my lord, considered my uttering (which was uttered without heart’s intent) of “SrImAn” (mAdhava – the lord of SrI mahAlakshmi) alone as the reason and saved me from being approached by defects such as avidhyA (ignorance) after uttering that word; vowing this, he entered into my heart, stayed there without any other thought, being eternally sweet, eliminated all my defects (which were committed knowingly or unknowingly); due to this union, he allowed me to experience his divine reddish lotus-like eyes and well-established divine form like a block of sugar without having any defects (that arise due to mixing with other objects or being cooked).
For bhagavAn, there is no kOdhu (i.e., looking for some effort to do a favour) and avam (doing a favour with selfish motive).
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
- mAdhavan enRadhE koNdu – For me, merely uttering the word “mAdhava“; he considered this itself as a great act of commitment. Considering that “AzhwAr knows the difference between the other names and this name” and treats that as a great thing.
- ennai – me who does not know the difference between other names of emperumAn and this name.
- ini – whatever time that is gone cannot be retrieved; the remaining times looked like a short duration for emperumAn. Like a chEthana (jIvAthmA – soul) feels towards bhagavAn after taking refuge of bhagavAn as said in mudhal thiruvandhAdhi 16 “pazhudhE pala pagalum pOyina” (I have wasted all these times), bhagavAn is having that same feeling towards me (AzhwAr) now. This is like how SrI rAma felt in SrI rAmAyaNam kishkinthA kANdam 30.3 “… budhdhvA kAlamathIthancha mumOha …” (SrI rAma fell unconscious thinking about how sugrIva is attached to his sense of enjoyment and the time lost in rescuing sIthA pirAtti).
- ippAl pattadhu – Lost time is like water that crossed the dam, at least the water that is still there should be preserved.
- yAdhu avangaLum sEr kodEn enRu – emperumAn vowing “I will not let you go through any difficult penance and suffer [to attain me]”. Holding on to upAyAntharams (other means such as karma yOga, gyAna yOga, bhakthi yOga etc) instead of emperumAn himself, is like entering into a river with a heavy rock tied on to oneself [it will only drown the individual]. avam – avidhyA (ignorance) etc., that lead to narakam (hell). emperumAn is vowing that he will not let AzhwAr leave him by (a) making him pursue other goals, (b) making him shy away considering himself to be unworthy and (c) letting him pursue other means.
- enRu – vowing as done in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 29.10 “…Ethath vratham mama” (this is my vow).
- pugundhu – After vowing, instead of staying away from me, he entered into my heart.
- irundhu – After entering too, since there may be option to leave, like “sugrIva mahAraja mischievously closed the entrance of the cave in which vAli entered”, emperumAn stood there firmly closing all options to leave.
- pugundhu irundhu – instead of having AzhwAr try to reach him, emperumAn himself entered AzhwAr’s heart and stayed there firmly.
What did he do after entering?
- thIdhu avam kedukkum – two explanations:
- thIdhu – all vices which were knowingly committed before thiruviruththam 1 “poy ninRa gyAnam“, i.e., all vices which were committed before being blessed by emperumAn with true knowledge. avam – all mistakes which were unknowingly committed after acquiring knowledge. By these two, the hurdles which stop one from attaining bhagavAn are explained.
- As explained in SrI rAmAyaNam kishkinthA kANdam 33.12 “gOgnE chaiva surApE cha chOrE bhagnavrathE thathA | nishkruthirvihithA sadhbhi: kruthagnE nAsthi nishkruthi: ||” (Atonement is explained by elders for killing cows, consuming liquor, stealing and those who slip in their vows; but there is no atonement explained for those who are ungrateful), thIdhu and avam could indicate those sins/vices which can be atoned and those which cannot be atoned [need to be experienced without fail].
Would he give a bitter medicine to eliminate these?
- amudham – he eliminated those vices by making me experience his sweetness.
- sem thAmaraik kaN kunRam – Not sweet just for the tongue, he is sweet/delightful to the eyes as well.
- kunRam – Having tall/radiant form which shines as if he has eliminated his own defects instead of eliminating AzhwAr‘s defects. As said in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 2.42 “vyasanEshu manushyANAm bhruSam bhavathi dhukkitha:” (He feels the pain of the suffering of lowest of humans) [similarly, any joy acquired for his devotees, he would consider that joy for himself as well].
- kOdhu avam il en kannal katti – kOdhu – an object getting spoiled after mixing with another object [like if sugar is on its own, it will stay fresh, but when it comes in contact with water, it will start deteriorating]. avam – an object getting spoiled when it is cooked [sugar, when it gets cooked, will start deteriorating]. In the case of bhagavAn [who is explained through this example of sugar], kOdhu – favouring AzhwAr to manifest (show off) his own mercy [it should instead be done to fulfil the natural relationship]; avam – doing it as a help to the jIvAthmA [it should instead be done purely for emperumAn‘s pleasure]. He would be so sweet that one cannot imagine any other sweet object.
- emmAn – my lord, who won over me fully and made me think that “there is nothing sweeter than him”.
- en gOvindhanE – AzhwAr thinks that krishNAvathAram was done for AzhwAr only. periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 1.7.11 “AtkoLLath thOnRiya Ayar tham kO” (emperumAn who appeared to win over others as the leader of cowherd clan).
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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