SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> Third Centum >> First decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In the eighth pAsuram – AzhwAr considers brahmA who has ubhaya bhAvanA [both karma bhAvanA – engaging in worldly activities and brahma bhAvanA – engaging in meditation etc upon bhagavAn] as good as vanaspathi (plant) and says “if there were a greatly wise brahmA who has ultimate intelligence and even if he praises you, that will only conceal your greatness”.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, AzhwAr says “even if brahmA becomes reformed to have ultimate knowledge and starts praising you, would your radiance not be concealed [by that]?”.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
See nanjIyar‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Eighth pAsuram. Some explain this as – In previous pAsuram, AzhwAr said that “those dhEvathAs starting with rudhra cannot praise emperumAn” and in this pAsuram, he says “even if brahmA who is the father of rudhra praised you, that will only cause you disgrace”. bhattar mercifully explains this as – Even brahmA was included in previous pAsuram. Here, AzhwAr is saying “instead of this brahmA who has ubhaya bhAvanA, if there is a brahmA who is fully engaged with brahma bhAvanA alone, even his praising will lead to blemish for your highness”.
pAsuram
mAsUNAch chudar udambAy malarAdhu kuviyAdhu
mAsUNA gyAnamAy muzhudhumAy muzhudhiyanRAy
mAsUNA vAn kOlaththu amarar kOn vazhippattAl
mAsUNA una pAdha malarch chOdhi mazhungAdhE
Listen
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
mAsUNA – without a trace of blemish
sudar – in the form of radiant light
udambAy – having divine form
malarAdhu kuviyAdhu – without expansion and contraction
mAsUNA – devoid of blemishes such as doubt, error etc
gyAnamAy – having such knowledge as a natural quality
muzhudhumAy – having all qualities and wealth/realms as attributes
muzhudhu – all of those
iyanRAy – oh one who is the abode for all of them to exist on you!
mAsUNA – devoid of blemishes
vAn kOlaththu – being decorated with great knowledge etc
amarar kOn – brahmA who is served by the dhEvathAs
vazhip pattAl – if he engages in serving you in the form of praising your greatness
mAsUNA – being the opposite of all defects
un – your
pAdha malar – divine lotus feet’s
sOdhi – radiance
mazhungAdhE – will it not be reduced?
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
Oh one who has a divine form which is devoid of any blemishes and that is in the form of a radiant light, who has knowledge that does not expand/contract and has no blemishes such as doubt, error etc., as a natural quality, who has all qualities and wealth/realms as attributes and being the abode for all of them to exist on you! [Considering that there is a] brahmA who is decorated with great knowledge etc which is devoid of any blemishes and who is being served by dhEvathAs, if he engages in serving you in the form of praising your greatness, will that not reduce the radiance of your divine lotus feet that is the opposite of all defects? It is implied that brahmA who is a created being (with acquired good qualities) approaching naturally radiant divine feet, is not of great value [for the divine feet].
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
- mAsUNAch chudar udambAy – Since you are being the opposite of defects, being in the mode of sudhdha sathva (pure goodness), you are having infinitely radiant divine form.
- malarAdhu kuviyAdhu – He is as said in periya thirumozhi 7.10.1 “arumbinai alarai” (sprouting flower); As said in “yuvAkumAra:” (youth and adolescent), he would manifest both states at the same time. Also explained as said in SrIvishNu purANam 1.2.1 “sadhaikarUparUpAya” (having a divine form which matches his divine nature), he would neither have growth or decay.
- mAsUNA gyAnamAy – You who is having knowledge which cannot become blemished due to a particular reason [karma]. malarAdhu kuviyAdhu (expansion/contraction) is applicable to both his divine form (before the phrase) and his knowledge (after the phrase). His divine form does not acquire expansion/contraction as in the case of the changes that manifest in the bodies of samsAris (bound souls) which are acquired by their karma [bodies -> achith – matter – goes through changes to its nature itself]; nor his knowledge goes through changes like in the case of samsAris whose knowledge expands/contracts [chith – souls – does not change itself, but its knowledge expands/contracts] [Thus, it is established that bhagavAn is changeless both in his nature and qualities and hence he is different from both chith and achith].
- muzhudhumAy – having all other qualities which are not explicitly highlighted here.
- muzhudhumAy – his state of being the soul of the entire creation.
- muzhudhu iyanRAy – This is re-establishing the same concept that was highlighted in thiruvAimozhi 3.1.5 “varambinRi muzhudhiyanRAy“, one who controls everything [by being the antharyAmi (in-dwelling super soul].
- mAsUNA … – As said in varAha purANam “chathurmukAyu: …” (If there is some one who has the life span of brahmA with crores of faces and very pure mind, we are not sure if he can explain 1/10000th of your qualities. Oh supreme among Gods! kindly show your mercy”, even if there is such a brahmA who is the leader of dhEvathAs, his praises would also cause blemish only to you. Only AzhwArs perform mangaLASAsanam knowing his greatness. A brahmA who has no blemishes should be created. This is what is implied by “uthprEkshithanAna brahmA” (an invented brahmA). Here, for the brahmA, at the end of his life, his knowledge will end too; for this [invented] brahmA, there should be no such defect. Since “kOla” (decoration) is seen as an adjective for “vazhippadugai” (praising/worshipping), it relates to the knowledge [that is used to praise]. If such brahmA praises you, the radiance of your divine feet that does not get reduced by the touch of anything else, will that not become minimized when considered “are his divine feet only as great as explained by brahmA [instead of knowing their unlimited greatness]?”. Due to his nature of servitude, AzhwAr is saying “una pAdham” (your feet) instead of “un thirumEni” (your divine form).
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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