SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> Fourth Centum >> Eighth decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In fourth pAsuram, parAnkuSa nAyaki says “I have no use for my tender sprout like complexion which is not liked by krishNa who enjoys his activities which are performed by him for the sake of his devotees”.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, parAnkuSa nAyaki says “There is no use of my reddish complexion which is not liked by krishNa who killed the seven bulls to enjoy his beloved nappinnai”.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
See nampiLLai‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Fourth pAsuram. parAnkuSa nAyaki says “I don’t need this complexion of mine which is not liked by krishNa who pampered the girls instead of caring for himself”.
pAsuram
niRaivinAl kuRaivillA nedum paNaith thOL madap pinnai
poRaiyinAn mulai aNaivAn poru vidai Ezh adarththugandha
kaRaiyinAr thuvarudukkaik kadaiyAvin kazhikORkaich
chaRaiyinAr kavarAdha thaLir niRaththAl kuRaivilamE
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Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
niRaivinAl – completeness in sthrIthvam (femininity)
kuRaivillA – without any shortcoming
nedum paNaith thOL – having long and well grown shoulder
madam – being modest with respect to her beloved consort
pinnai – nappinnaip pirAtti
mulai – bosom
aNaivAn – to embrace
poRaiyinAl – with pride (along with sorrow)
poru vidai Ezh – the seven bulls which were all set to fight him
adarththu ugandha – killed them (and considering “I have now fulfilled my desire”) and became happy about it
(to engage in activity fitting his birth in the cowherd family)
kaRaiyinAr – his clothes having stains [due to gathering fruits in the forest)
thuvar – tree bark
udukkai – garments
kadaiyAvin – bamboo container (which is used to collect the milk from cow)
kazhikOlum – stick which is carried by cowherd boys
kai – having them in his hands
chaRaiyinAr – one who is wearing the waist string with bells (on his waist)
kavarAdha – not liked
thaLir niRaththAl – sprout like reddish complexion
kuRaivilam – no use (for us)
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
emperumAn pridefully killed the seven bulls which were all set to fight him, to embrace the bosom of nappinnaip pirAtti who has completeness in sthrIthvam without any shortcoming in it, who has long and well grown shoulder and who is modest with respect to her beloved consort, and became happy about it. There is no use of my sprout like reddish complexion if that is not liked by emperumAn whose tree bark garments are having stains, who is having bamboo container and stick which is carried by cowherd boys in his hands, and who is wearing the waist string with bells.
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
- niRaivinAl kuRaivillA – nappinnai who is having no shortcoming in her sthrIthvam (modesty), i.e., being without any reaction even after seeing krishNa taking on the bulls to marry her. When there is reason to show reaction, she remained reactionless [that is real modesty].
- nedum paNaith thOL – Previously her Athma guNam (internal quality – modesty) was explained. Now her physical quality is explained.
- nedum paNai … – Long, well grown shoulder. Long bamboo shoot like shoulder. Her beauty is such that, even by engaging in great tasks, one will desire to get her.
- madap pinnai – very tender natured nappinnai.
- mulai aNaivAn – to embrace her.
- poRaiyinAl – Tolerating patiently. When the bulls banged on him with their horns and hooves, he considered them to be coming in contact with nappinnai’s bosom.
- poru vidai – Not any ordinary bull. They were possessed with demoniac forces and were rearing to fight with krishNa. Not one or two; he held the neck of all the seven bulls and strangled them.
- ugandha – He became joyous thinking that he now got nappinnai.
- kaRaiyinAr thuvarudukkai – He wears tree-barks which had lots of stains. Here it is talking about the garment which is worn by cowherds to avoid getting them torn by thorns when they go to the forest. While it is saying “thuvar” (reddish colour), it is also saying “kaRaiyinAr” (stained), since they collect wild fruits from the forest and the essence which drips from them will lead to lot of stains on their garment; so it is a stained garment. She does not even desire for nice yellow garments as said in nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 13.1 “pIthaka vaNNa Adai“, and she (parAnkuSa nAyaki) wants to embrace krishNa with his garment which he wore while protecting cows.
- kadaiyA – The cowherds will always carry a bamboo container, which they can use at suitable times to milk the cows.
- kazhi kOl kai – kazhi kOl – the stick which is used to throw and mark the distance where the cows can reach up to. Cowherds who carry the bamboo container and stick.
- kadaiyAvin kazhi kOl kai – Also explained as – the cowherds who carry the stick to control wild cows and milk them [Here kadaiyA is explained as wild cow].
- kazhi kOl – When the calves go along with the cow, to stop them from feeding on their mother cows, they will be tied with a stick in front of their face – it is talking about that stick. As sanyAsis do not have a permanent residence, they will carry their plate (container) etc along with them; the cowherds too will carry these along with them and will rest where they find grass and water.
- chaRaiyinAr – Three explanations 1) chaRai means a type of bell; the cowherds usually will tie a bell on their waist string so that when they lead, the cows and calves will follow them obediently based on that sound. 2) Alternative explanation – chaRai means lowly. Those who are born in lowly cowherd families which cannot be compared with other higher varNas. 3) chaRai means lazy. While other cowherds may partially bathe during special occasions such as vishu etc., due to running behind the cows, krishNa would not even do that. nappinnai desires to embrace this form of emperumAn, where he does not bother about himself while protecting those who need to be protected. SrI rAmAyaNanam “dhIkshitham vratha sampannam varAjinatharamSuchim | kurankaSrungapANincha paSyanthIthvA bhajAmyaham“.
- kavarAdha thaLir niRam – What is the use of divine complexion which is not desired by him? What is the use of the complexion/glow of sIthAp pirAtti who arrived after the killing of rAvaNa, the complexion of which was not liked by SrI rAma himself? There is no other consorts of emperumAn who have spoken like parAnkuSa nAyaki with respect to complexion/method. What is the difference between “maNi mAmai kuRaivilam” which was said in first pAsuram and “thaLir niRaththAl kuRaivilam” which is explained here? There, maNi mAmai speaks about her beauty and tenderness. and here it speaks about her complexion; if we consider that complexion was explained in that pAsuram, here it may be said that parAnkuSa nAyaki is explaining about the beautiful complexion. Explains the SrI rAmAyaNa SlOkam here:
- dhIkshitham … – As pirAtti was born in janaka kulam (clan) which is very strict in following customs/practices, she liked SrI rAma’s form; as nappinnai was born in cowherd clan where there is no requirement for strictly following customs/practices, she desired for the divine form of krishNa.
- dhIkshitham – She is saying “I am desiring to see krishNa as the lord, who is having special garment, having butter applied all over his body”.
- vratha sampannam – When rishi (vaSishsta – the sage and mentor) tells him to fast one session, SrI rAma would think “He is caring for our tender body and diluting it” and would continue fasting for four days – that is due to his total obedience in SAsthram.
- varAjinatharam – His special garments are even more attractive than silk garments.
- Suchim – When [sage vaSishta] says “You cannot come in contact with any woman; but when you come in contact with your obedient wife, there is nothing wrong with it; so, you can not come in contact with any other woman”; and he gets unnecessary doubt whether sIthA’s clothes touched his and will bathe fully to purify him [Here, krishNa is opposite to these discipline].
- kurankaSrunga pANincha – Even more than “Eka vasthraradharOdhanvI” (wearing one garment and holding the bow), I prefer seeing him with deer horn.
- paSyanthIthvA bhajAmyaham – As she prays for the ultimate goal, incidentals [like performing mangaLASAsanam] will naturally occur in between. Whatever one prays, that is for what is visible only; so, she prays to see him. Even there [spiritual realm], it is said as “sadhA paSyanthi” (always seeing emperumAn). In between she is performing mangaLASAsanam to avert evil-eyes during the process; as the ultimate goal is prayed for, the incidentals such as mangaLASAsanam will happen naturally. [An example from the life of sAvithri is cited here to establish how one goal is attained while another goal is desired] sAvithri showed her husband and prayed that he begets many children through him [sAvithri desired to marry sathyavAn; nAradha muni appeared there and told her that his life span is short; yet she insisted to marry him. Soon after her marriage, the servitors of yama came and took away sathyavAn and sAvithri followed them. When yama enquired what she wanted saying that he will fulfil her desire, she said “I want to have many children with my husband”. yama did not have any choice other than letting sathyavAn live long].
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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