thiruvAimozhi – 2.8.8 – kANbAr Ar

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

Full series >> Second Centum >> Eighth decad

Previous pAsuram

krishna-on-leaf

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the eighth pAsuram – AzhwAr says “His magnificent activities, even individually, cannot be comprehended by the wisest persons”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr says “his divine aspects which were revealed by him to me, cannot be easily understood/taught for any one”.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

In the eighth pAsuram – AzhwAr says “For those who depend on self-effort to see/understand him, how can they even comprehend one among his many magnificent activities?”.

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

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

pAsuram

kANbAr Ar em Isan kaNNanai en kANumARu
UN pEsil ellA ulagum Or thuRRARRA
sENpAla vIdO uyirO maRRu epporutkum
ENpAlum sOrAn parandhu uLanAam engumE

Listen

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

em – my
Isan – being lord
kaNNanai – krishNa who is easily approachable
kANbAr – one who can know
Ar – who?

if this is his nature,
kANumARu – to know
en – how?

for him,
UN – food
pEsil – if we try to say,

As said in brahma sUthram 1.2.9 “aththA charAchara grahaNAth” (lord consumed all movable/immovable objects during praLayam),
ellA ulagum – all worlds (which are filled with movable/immovable objects)
Or thuRRu – even for a handful
ARRA – not sufficient;
vIdO – his residence (where he lives)
sENpAla – As explained in chAndhOgya upanishadh “viSvatha: prushtEshu sarvatha: prushtEshu” (beyond everything else in this material world), in the paramapadham (spiritual realm) that is much beyond all of the material realm
avanO – him
maRRu – other than him
epporutkum – all objects
uyir – antharAthmA (in-dwelling super soul)
ENpAlum – even a small place
sOrAn – without losing
engum – in all places
parandhu – pervaded
uLanAm – exists

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

Who can know my lord krishNa who is easily approachable? How can they know about him? If we try to speak about his food, even all the worlds (which are filled with movable/immovable objects) would not even be sufficient for his handful as said in brahma sUthram 1.2.9 “aththA charAchara grahaNAth” (lord consumed all movable/immovable objects during praLayam); as explained in chAndhOgya upanishadh “viSvatha: prushtEshu sarvatha: prushtEshu” (beyond everything else in this material world), the paramapadham (spiritual realm) that is much beyond all of the material realm is his residence (where he lives); he is the antharAthmA (in-dwelling super soul) of all objects other than him and he pervades in all places which exist without losing even a small place.

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

  • kANbAr Ar em Isan kaNNanai – Being the supreme lord,  he still appeared as krishNa and became controllable by me. Unlike me who saw him after he himself decided to reveal about him, others who try with their own efforts cannot see him. Is there anyone who can know/see him with his/her own self-efforts? Leaving that aside, is there anyone who has known/seen him?
  • en kANumARu – Which aspects can they know? Even if intelligent persons set out to know him, his aspects are unlimited to know. Why are they difficult to understand? His activities are such that they are difficult to understand. If we try to explain how he eats, all of the worlds will not even be a handful for him. How can anyone comprehend emperumAn who has such activities?

After saying his activities are difficult to understand, AzhwAr further says that his nature too is not easy to understand.

  • sENpAla vIdO – He is owning the paramapadham which is naturally great, mukthAthmAs (liberated souls) and nithyAthmAs (ever-free souls) and all other dhEvathAs (celestial beings) et al [sEN – greatness, pAl – having].
  • ENpAlum sOrAnENpAlum – two explanations – a) all conceivable places, b) eight directions. He is pervading in all these places.
  • parandhu uLanAm engumE – When he is pervading, he pervades everywhere without leaving any space. This being the case, how can any of the objects which are pervaded by bhagavAn,  comprehend emperumAn who is pervaded everywhere?

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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