thiruvAimozhi – 3.5.4 – vambavazhiL kOdhai

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

Full series >> Third Centum >> Fifth decad

Previous pAsuram

krishna-7-bulls

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In fourth pAsuram – AzhwAr says “If after meditating upon emperumAn‘s quality of love which caused him to kill the seven bulls and marry [his divine consort] nappinnaip pirAtti, one remains still, for what purpose were they born in vaishNava family?”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

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

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

pAsuram

vambavizh kOthai poruttA mAl vidai Ezhum adarththa
sem pavaLath thiraL vAyan sirIdharan thol pugazh pAdik
kumbidu nattam ittAdik kOgukattuNduzhalAdhAr
tham piRappAl payanennE sAdhu sanangaL idaiyE

Listen

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

vambu – having freshness
avizh – blossomed
kOdhai poruttA – considering attaining of nappinnaip pirAtti who is wearing a garland as the only goal
mAl – huge
vidai – bull
Ezhum – seven
adarththa – due to killing them
sem – reddish
pavaLam – like a coral
thiraL – large
vAyan – having gentle smile in the lips
sirIdharan – krishNa who stood having vIraSrI (wealth of valour)
thol – natural
pugazh – qualities
pAdi – sing
kumbidu nattam ittAdi – dancing upside down
kOgu – in chaotic manner
ugattu – noise
uNdu – make
uzhalArthAm – those who do not
piRappAl – having born
sAdhu sanangaL – in sAthvika sangam (assembly of devotees)
idaiyE – amidst
en – what
payan – use?

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

Considering attaining of nappinnaip pirAtti who is wearing a fresh blossomed garland as the only goal, emperumAn killed the seven huge bulls; due to killing them krishNa who stood having vIraSrI (wealth of valour) and having gentle smile in the large, coral like reddish lips; what is the use of being born amidst sAthvika sangam (assembly of devotees) for those who do not sing the natural qualities of such krishNa, dance upside down and make noise in chaotic 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

  • vambavizh kOdhai poruttA – vambu – fragrance. avizhgai – spreading everywhere. kOdhai – garland, it is used to indicate the hair [which has the garland]. It means – one who is wearing [in her hair] a garland, the fragrance of which is spreading everywhere. Presenting the well decorated nappinnaip pirAtti and declared “she will be married to the one who wins over the seven bulls”; looking at her well decorated beauty and beautiful hair, ignoring his own safety, krishNa presented [risked] himself for her as said in “thavAsmi” (I am for you).
  • mAl vidai – huge bulls. Seeing the hugeness, one will naturally take a step back out of fear.
  • Ezhum – seven. As said in “SrEyAmsi bahuvignAni” (even for great persons, when doing noble tasks, there will be many hurdles), not one or two, but seven bulls that are hurdles.
  • adarththa – Since the result of winning them over is nappinnaip pirAtti’s embrace, he crushed the necks of the bulls at once instead of handling them one at a time.
  • sem pavaLath thiraL vAyan – Since the hurdles are eliminated, he smiled. It can also be explained as krishNa smiling, since the seven bulls are no match for his strong shoulders.
  • sirIdharan – He stood with vIra lakshmi (wealth of valour) after killing the bulls. Another explanation – Stood there ready for nappinnaip pirAtti’s embrace as said in SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 30.39 and 30.40  “bharththAram parishasvajE“. [nampiLLai explains this SlOkam beautifully.]
    • tham dhrushtvA – Previously she (sIthA pirAtti) only observed romantic exchanges. Now only she observed “he is capable of those who cause hurdles for such enjoyable exchanges”. Before, when he goes for hunting, she hears from his companions “he killed this beast, that rAkshasa etc”; now she is personally witnessing him taking on the enemies.
    • Sathru hanthAram – one who completely destroyed the enemies instead of just sending them back with cuts and bruises. He did this without himself sweating much.
    • maharshINAm sukhAvaham – Like a man will bring his child along to engage with his wife, SrI rAma killed the rAkshasas who were the enemies of the rishis (sages), and presented himself in front of pirAtti to accept her embrace.
    • babhUva – She was worried seeing the cruelty of the rAkshasas and tenderness of SrI rAma and considered herself to have ceased to exist. Now, after seeing him victorious, she regained her existence.
    • hrushtA – If dharmi (entity) exists, dharmams (attributes and those which are supported by the entity), will also exist.
    • vaidhEhi – sIthA is one who is born in a family which is well aware of bravery [vaidhEhi – daughter of vidhEha (janaka’s ancestor) clan]. Another explanation – My father who gave you in marriage for launching and breaking one bow; what will he do if he saw your valour of killing 14000 rAkshasa single-handed?
    • bharththAram – As said in SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 77.26 “dhArA: pithrukruthA:” (given in marriage to you by her father), she loved SrI rAma, since it was her father who arranged the marriage; but, only now, she embraced him considering him to be a “real man”; previously it was sIthA who said in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 30.3 “sthriyam purushavigraham” (you are a woman in the disguise of a man) [when SrI rAma suggests sIthA to not accompany her to the forest].
    • parishasvajE – She comforted SrI rAma, by pressing her divine breasts on the wounds caused in the battle. In the same way, krishNa stood there waiting for nappinnai’s embrace.
  • thol pugazh – Like those who are serving in the private quarters, singing about his qualities of loving affection which is part of his nature; they will sing as in thiruppallANdu 2mangaiyum pallANdu“.
  • kumbidu … – will do praNAmams (worship) and dance. Also explained as – dancing with anjali (folded palms).
  • kOgu kattu – dancing in a chaotic/disorderly manner
  • uNdu – having that as their daily routine
  • uzhalAdhAr – those who don’t conduct this on a daily basis
  • tham piRappAl – having been born amidst those who dance in a disorderly manner, what is the purpose of such birth? What is the purpose of them accepting a body amidst vaishNavas? piLLaip piLLai AzhwAn (a disciple of kUraththAzhwAn) explained “[The presence of such uninterested persons among vaishNavas would be like – when it is raining] When many SrIvaishNavas stand squeezed under a thiruppunnai (a divine tree), if strong village leaders with hairy shoulders and head covered with clothes [like turban] squeeze them further [it will be very uncomfortable]”.

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