Arththi prabandham – 38

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

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Introduction

In the previous pAsuram, mAmunigaL used a phrase, “inRaLavum illAdha adhikAram”. In this pAsuram, he explores that surgically using a rationale and logic.

pAsuram 38

anjil aRiyAdhAr aimpathilum thAm aRiyAr
ensol enakkO ethirAsA! – nenjam
una thAL ozhindhavaRRaiyE ugakka inRum
anuthApam aRRu irukkaiyAl

Word-by-Word Meanings

ethirAsA! – emperumAnArE!!!
nenjam – the heart, that is deep into inferior things
ugakka – yearns for
ozhindhavaRRaiyE – things that are outside the realms of
una – you, the eternal master who is the ultimate destination for us, and
thAL – your lotus feet, that serves as the source of incessant enjoyment.
inRum – Even now (today)
irukkaiyAl – I exist
aRRu – without  any
anuthApam – sense of guilt that how can I stoop to such low levels including the likes of my heart lusting for the most inferior things in world.
ensol – There is a popular worldly adage that says:
aRiyAdhAr – Those who do not know / understand anything
anjil – at the age of five, the when the intellect begins to develop for a man by which he is able to distinguish things
aimpathilum – even when they are fifty years of age
thAm aRiyAr – will not understand.
enakkO– Was this adage created exclusively for me?

Simple Translation:

In this pAsuram, mAmunigaL quotes a popular adage that says “a person would never learn even at fifty if he is not able to learn things at five”. He continues that his mind is behind all lowly stuff in this world and never repents for doing it. He surrenders at the lotus feet of SrI rAmAnuja to protect him, who is doomed into ignorance and darkness of this world.

Explanation:
mAmunigaL says “Hey the leader of yathis!!! My mind is deeply immersed in inferior things in this world as per the phrase “thImaNam (thiruvAimozhi 2.7.8)”. As nammAzhvAr said “yAdhAnum paRRi nIngum (thiruviruththam 95)”, my mind is constantly behind all these inferior things in the world and is in constant attachment towards it. While the mind should be focused on your lotus feet incessantly, it is just doing the contrary. It just grazes on all other inferior stuff in this world. It deems those things as the final destination and goes behind them. In doing so, the mind does not even have the guilt that it is doing such a low condescending act. It never has that guilt nor feels to rectify it. Instead it yearns and lusts behind the silly things of the world. As per the phrase “thasmAth bAlyE vivEkAthmA”, the age of five is regarded as the right age when a human can apply his intellect to distinguish between things. If at that age of five, one is not able to learn and understand the differences in the world, he will never understand it even if is fifty years old. This is a popular adage that has been in vogue for a long time. I am wondering if this was created exclusively for me, for it applies to me perfectly. I do not know what is good for me. Hence, I request you my master, the omnipotent SrI rAmAnuja, to show me a way.  “nenjamum thAnozhindhavaRRaiyE ugakkum”. This can also be construed as to mAmunigal saying “If a person does not learn / understand at age of five, he will never understand at even fifty. What a pity! Even today, I have no feeling of guilt for my mind going after all materialistic things in this world. It is because of this lack of guilt, my mind continues to yearn and lust for all other things in this universe except the ultimate destination of you and your lotus feet”.

adiyEn santhAnam ramanuja dasan

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