thiruvAimozhi – 3.1.4 – mAttAdhE Agilum

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

Full series >> Third Centum >> First decad

Previous pAsuram

kallalagar-3

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the fourth pAsuram – AzhwAr, being induced by azhagar emperumAn‘s abundant divine beauty, explains the same thinking “All the jIvAthmAs should not miss out on you (emperumAn) who are distinctly greater than every one and are the confidential subject of upanishaths”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr asks emperumAn “If you become fully engaged in enjoying this [explained in the pAsuram], would this insentient world not become worried?”.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

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

Fourth pAsuram. AzhwAr said “I won’t explain” in the previous pAsuram. emperumAn’s greatly relishable nature is not attainable by some [worldly people]; feeling that these worldly people should not miss out and thereby not suffer in this material realm, being induced by azhagar emperumAn‘s abundant divine beauty, AzhwAr speaks.

pAsuram

mAttAdhE Agilum im malar thalai mA gyAlam – nin
mAttAya malar puraiyum thiru uruvam manam vaikka
mAttAdha pala samaya madhi koduththAy – malarththuzhAy
mAttE nI manam vaiththAy(l) mA gyAlam varundhAdhE?

Listen

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

malar – the lotus flower in the divine navel
thalai – having it as (its) head
i – indha – this
mA – huge
gyAlam – world
nin – (the apt) your
mAttAya – in the true nature
malar puraiyum – tender like a flower
thiru uruvam – divine form
manam – in the heart
vaikka – to keep
mAttAdhE Agilum – though not having done it since time immemorial (forever)
mAttAdha – unqualified for meditating upon the divine form
pala samaya madhi – knowledge about many different philosophies
koduththAy – you bestowed;
nI – you
malar – blossomed
thuzhAy mAttE – in the divine thuLasi
manam – your heart
vaiththAl – enjoying continuously
mA gyAlam – this great world
varundhAdhE – would it not worry?

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

You bestowed knowledge on this world about many different philosophies (other than the one which should be used for reaching you). This world is unqualified for meditating upon your true nature and your tender flower-like divine form. It has as its head, the lotus flower in your divine navel. It has not meditated upon you from time immemorial. If you keep your heart in the divine thuLasi and enjoy it continuously, would this great world not be put to difficulties?  Implies that it will be put to difficulties as bhagavAn is not even looking at it with his mercy. malar thalai also means that the world is on top of the lotus flower.

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

  • mAttAdhE … – [To be read as] nin mAttAya malar puraiyum thiru uruvam manam vaikka immalar thalai mA gyAlam – mAttAdhE Agilum.
  • nin mAttAya – Three explanations – 1) in you. 2) near you. 3) mattai (honey) has become mAttu. As said in vishNu sUktham “madhva uthsa:” (honey is greatly flowing), since it is the source of honey, his divine form is very enjoyable/sweet. “immalar thalai mA gyAlam” is said due to It (the world) being unable to think about bhagavAn, since it is created and bound by karma. mAttai also means mAdu (wealth), nidhi (treasure). This great world, that is having the lotus flower in the divine navel as the base, is unable to meditate upon your treasure like great, flower like tender divine form. Agilum means “while the world is not mediating upon (you)”. This itself is disaster. For chEthanas (souls) who are bound by karma, it is impossible to keep their heart on the divine form, which is enjoyable when karma is eradicated.

More than that disaster,

  • nin thiru uruvam manam vaikka mAttAdha pala samaya madhi koduththAy – Those which don’t engage their hearts in your divine form – there are many philosophies – i.e., other philosophies; you guided their hearts towards such philosophies. “thiru uruvam manam vaikka” is to be read with both the sections before and after that phrase. You have created these various philosophies which are outside vaidhika philosophy, so that these chEthanas can be diverted from you and thus they cannot have you in their hearts.

For those souls who have been in ignorance, you have created many philosophies, but since these souls are like achith (matter without any trace of knowledge) due to such ignorant philosophies, at least if you reside in close proximity to them such that they can approach you…

  • malarth thuzhAy mAttE nI manam vaiththAy – You started enjoying the enjoyable aspects like divine thuLasi etc which will mesmerise even you. With this, AzhwAr implies “Is your sweet nature facilitating some people to approach you [or stopping you from helping others]?” [While AzhwAr was thinking to instruct others about emperumAn‘s joy-filled nature, he sees that the sweet nature of emperumAn which attracts everyone is so mesmerising to emperumAn himself that even emperumAn becomes too immersed in it and forgets his duty of uplifting others. So, he feels sorry for those jIvAthmAs who are missing out on emperumAn’s mercy]. mAdu means place. Here it means “in” [i.e., emperumAn placed his heart in thuLasi].
  • mA gyAlam – This great world cannot suffer like this! Since they (jIvAthmAs) are bound by their karma, they are unable to meditate upon you; on top of that, you have created these various philosophies which detract them from you; and you are enjoying groups of objects which give unsurpassed pleasure; [AzhwAr saying with great grief] if you are not there to help them, they will clearly suffer by engaging in worldly pleasures as said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 2.63 “budhdhinASAth praNaSyathi” (gets destroyed, having lost the intelligence).

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

archived in http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org

pramEyam (goal) – http://koyil.org
pramANam (scriptures) – http://granthams.koyil.org
pramAthA (preceptors) – http://acharyas.koyil.org
SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – http://pillai.koyil.org

Leave a Comment