thiruvAimozhi – 3.5.10 – karumamum

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Full series >> Third Centum >> Fifth decad

Previous pAsuram

paramapadhanathan

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In tenth pAsuram – AzhwAr says “Giving up the foolishness of being indifferent when hearing bhagavAn’s qualities, all of you meditate upon his qualities, being blissful, giving up shyness and pride, come and glorify him”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently; previously AzhwAr said that the great devotion of upAsakas (bhakthi yOgis) in the matter of bhagavAn who has distinguished forms, even those who had not engaged in such great devotion, should obediently follow the upAsakas; here – he is telling those ananya sAdhana (who pursue emperumAn only as means) and ananya prayOjana (who consider emperumAn only as goal) to be blissfully engaged in great devotion and emotionally charged [vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar differs from other commentators in this pAsuram].

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nampiLLai‘s introduction.

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

Tenth pAsuram. Previously, AzhwAr condemned kEvalar [those who are focussed in kaivalya or self-enjoyment]; here – he says “Being ananya prayOjana, you meditate upon his qualities and be emotionally charged; this is your goal”.

pAsuram

karumamum karuma palanum Agiya kAraNan thannaith
thirumaNi vaNNanaich chengaN mAlinaith thEva pirAnai
orumai manaththinuL vaiththuLLam kuzhaindhezhundhAdi
perumiayu(m) nANum thavirndhu pidhaRRumin pEdhaimai thIrndhE

Listen

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

karumamum – karma (in the form of sAdhana (means))
karuma palanum – the fruits of such karma
Agiya kAraNan thannai – being the cause of all of them which occur according to his will
thiru – beautiful (for those who pursue him as the means and goal)
maNi – like a mANikkam (precious stone)
vaNNanan – having form (which is SubhASrayam (auspicious refuge))

(to bless them fully,)
sem – reddish
kaN – eyes
mAlinai – having vAthsalyam (motherly affection)
dhEvapirAnai – enjoyable for them as enjoyed by nithyasUris
orumai – singular (so there is no difference between means and goal)
manaththinuL – in the heart/mind
vaiththu – placing
uLLam kuzhaindhu – having melted heart (for these two aspects of emperumAn)
ezhundhu – rise
Adi – dance
perumaiyum – pride (which leads to arrogance)
nANum – shyness (which is the cause for such pride, which makes one think “why should I dance in front of other humans?”)
thavirndhu – giving up
pEdhaimai – foolishness (of considering such emotional reaction to be inferior)
pidhaRRumin – chant (his groups of qualities) in a disorderly manner

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

emperumAn is the cause of all the karma (in the form of sAdhana (means)) and the fruits of such karma, which occur according to his will; he is having a beautiful (for those who pursue him as the means and goal) mANikkam (precious stone) like form (which is SubhASrayam (auspicious refuge)); (to bless them fully) he is having reddish eyes and vAthsalyam (motherly affection); he is enjoyable for them as enjoyed by nithyasUris; [all of you should] be placing such emperumAn in the heart/mind in a singular manner, having melted heart (for these two aspects of emperumAn), should rise and dance giving up pride (which leads to arrogance), shyness (which is the cause for such pride, which makes one think “why should I dance in front of other humans?”) and foolishness (of considering such emotional reaction to be inferior) and chant (his groups of qualities) in a disorderly manner.

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

  • karumamum … – being the controller for karma in the form of puNya (virtue) and pApa (sin) and the results of such karma. Though there is karma, there must be someone who performs such karma. Being the one who performs karma. Being the controller through the one who performs work.
  • karuma palanum Agiya – Though one performs karma, unless some one bestows the results, those karma are useless, since the karma themselves are achith (insentient). Being the one who gives the result [karma itself is not knowledgeable to give the result, bhagavAn is the one who gives the result, seeing the performance of karma].
  • kAraNan thannai – A karthA [controller, in this context] is required to engage AthmAs into puNya (virtuous acts), to eliminate the pApa (sins) and to bestow the results; being the controller of all of that.
  • thiru maNi vaNNanai – For an upAsaka (one who engages in meditation/worship), a vigraha (form) is explained as SubhASrayam (auspicious refuge). One who is the having the divine form which is the object of such meditation. thiru – kAnthi (radiance). One who is having an invigorating form which has abundant radiance.
  • sem kaN mAlinai – Having divine eyes which showcase his motherly affection. puNdarikAkshathvam (lotus eyes) is a distinguished identity for the supreme cause (bhagavAn).
  • dhEva pirAnai – He became my saviour, by making me enjoy the beauty of his divine form and divine eyes, as the nithyasUris would enjoy them.
  • orumai manaththinuL vaiththu – Instead of placing bhagavAn in the heart to achieve something else, placing him in the heart simply to have him there as the result. From this, we can understand that AzhwAr condemned prayOjanAntharaparar (one who seeks out other benefits [specifically kaivalya nishtars who meditated upon bhagavAn, yet wanted only self-enjoyment in the end]).
  • uLLam … – Having placed bhagavAn in the heart in this manner as an ananyaprayOjanar (one who is exclusively focussed on bhagavAn), the heart melts, unable to stand still; dance with that melted heart, giving up 1) superiority complex which is a result pride which makes one think “Is it fit for us to show our emotions when we hear about bhagavAn?”, 2) shyness of thinking “How can we show our emotions in public?” and 3) foolishness of thinking “Should we not control our emotions in all situations and not show them in front of others?”, and praise him in a disorderly manner. AzhwAr says “this is the true goal”.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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