thiruvAimozhi – 4.1.9 – padi mannu

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

Full series >> Fourth Centum >> First decad

Previous pAsuram

selvapillai-garuda-vairamudi

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In ninth pAsuram – AzhwAr says “Not just earthly kingdom etc, even the wealth of ascending to heaven etc which are acquired through bodily penance, are also temporary”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr says “Since the other-worldly joy in heaven etc are temporary, you take shelter of ISwara who will establish the goal which is ever-lasting”.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nampiLLai‘s introduction.

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

Ninth pAsuram. In the previous eight pAsurams, AzhwAr explained that the earthly joy is temporary; in this, he says “after performing difficult penance by troubling one’s body, when that penance leads to heaven, bhagavAn‘s mercy is required to sanction that; even if such heavenly life is attained by the mercy of bhagavAn, due to its nature, such joy will not last long”.

pAsuram

padi mannu palkalan paRROdaRuththu aimpulan venRu
sedi mannu kAyam seRRArgaLum Angavanai illAr
kudi mannum in suvargam eydhiyum mILvargaL mILvillai
kodi mannu puLLudai aNNal kazhalgaL kuRuguminO

Listen

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

padi – lands/properties
mannu – wearing always (without removing)
pal – many types of
kalan – ornaments
paRROdu – with the attachment
aRuththu – giving up
aim pulan – the five sensory organs (which are attached to worldly pleasures)
venRu – winning over (to have full control over them)
sedi mannu – (due to lengthy penance) bushes formed around them
kAyam – body
seRRArgaLum – troubled (through fasting etc)
mannum – permanent (existing for a long time, as a result of their penance)
kudi – having settlements
in – very enjoyable
suvargam – svarga (heaven)
eydhiyum – even if they attained

(for such stable joy)
avanai – bhagavAn (who is the benefactor)
Angu – staying there
illAr – those who don’t take shelter of him
mILvargaL – will lose such heavenly life;
mILvillai – to acquire ever-lasting result
kodi – in the dhvaja (flag)
mannu – staying eternally
puL – periya thiruvadi (garudAzhwAr)
udai – one who has
aNNal – sarvESvaran’s (supreme lord’s)
kazhalgaL – divine feet
kuRugumin – try to reach

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

Even if they attained the svarga which is having very enjoyable settlements and  is [seemingly] permanent (due to their existence for a long time) by giving up lands/properties and the many types of ornaments which are always worn, by winning over the sensory organs and by troubling the bodies [in penance] and having bushes formed around them, if they don’t take shelter of bhagavAn while staying there, they will lose such heavenly life; to acquire ever-lasting result, you should try to reach out to the divine feet of sarvESvaran who has periya thiruvadi staying eternally in his dhvaja (flag). “padi mannu” also indicates “Those [ornaments] which are well fitting with the body”.

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

  • padi – Talking about what he gives up while engaging in penance. padi – bhUmi (land).
  • mannu palkalan – The ornaments which were acquired properly.

Alternatively,

  • padi mannu palkalan – The ornaments which were passed along in a heriditary manner from the ancestors. Here padi is considered as paramparA.
  • paRROdu aRuththu – Not just living without them, but also giving up the attachment towards them.
  • aim pulan venRu – Winning over the sensory organs such as ears which are the source for such attachment, so that they don’t go behind the sensual pleasures. SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 114.18 “indhriyANi purAjithvA” (maNdOdhari tells rAvaNa “you were able to rule over the worlds, since you had full control over your senses”).
  • sedi mannu kAyam seRRArgaLum – Those who troubled their body by staying in penance in a particular Asana for a long time, so that bushes grow around them. iraNdAm thiruvanthAdhi 53 “neRiyAr kuzhaRkaRRai munninRu pin thAzhndhu aRiyAdhu iLangiri enReNNip piRiyAdhu, pUngodigaL vaigum” (The flowers would remain permanently, after growing in the front portion of the hair and hanging in the back side, of people, thinking that their heads are like a little hillock, without knowing that they are fully focussed on the path to thirumalA).
  • Angu avanai illAr – Without his mercy, it will not materialize. If his mercy is there,
  • kudi mannum in suvarggam eydhiyumbhattar would say “there are people who are pursuing this goal too”. Even if he attains svarga, which is having closely knit communities, having joy, which is different from what is observed in naraka” [it will not last long].
  • mILvargaL – Once their virtues are exhausted, they will be pushed out [of svarga] saying “dhvamsa” (you fall down).
  • mILvillai – Such fall is not present [in this eternal goal]. There is no decrease for bhagavAn‘s virtues. periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.5.2 “puNaikkodukkilum pOga ottArE” (In paramapadham, even if the nithyasUris (eternally free souls) give surety to bring back the mukthas (liberated persons), emperumAn will not allow them to go to the material realm again).
  • kodi mannu puL – garudAzhwAr eternally staying as the flag. emperumAn is so magnanimous that he will have those who take shelter of him [in this case, garudAzhwAr], as his identity or distinguishing factor from others. Why should he have garudAzhwAr as his identity instead of having others? It is because of his beak strength and having wings [both of which will facilitate quick elimination of hurdles of his devotees].
  • puLLudaiya aNNal – Like “Sriya:pathi” (lord of SrI mahAlakshmi), he (garudAzhwar) also uniquely identifies ISwara.
  • aNNal – SEshi – lord.
  • kazhalgaL kuRuguminO – To be freed from worldly bondage, approach bhagavAn‘s divine feet. In the first pAsuram, AzhwAr said “thirunAraNan thAL kAlam peRach chindhiththuymminO” (Quickly meditate upon the divine feet of SrIman narAyaNan) and here he says “puLLudai aNNal kazhalgaL kuRuguminO” (Reach out to the divine feet of the lord who has garudAzhwAr as his vehicle) – this implies that just like SrI mahAlakshmi being his unique identity, garudAzhwAr is also his unique identity.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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