SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> Fourth Centum >> Ninth decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In second pAsuram, AzhwAr becomes sorrowful speaking about sufferings such as death etc of chEthanas [sentient beings] and says “if you are not removing their sufferings, at least you should accept me quickly at your divine feet, so that I need not think about that”.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, AzhwAr says “I don’t know when the worldly suffering will end. So you, my natural lord, should rush to accept me”.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
See nampiLLai‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Second pAsuram. In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr collectively said “eNNArAth thuyar” (boundless sufferings); becoming sorrowful on highlighting a few of them, he says “if you are not removing their sorrows, you should at least accept me at your divine feet”.
pAsuram
sAmARum kedumARum thamar uRRAr thalaith thalaip peydhu
EmARik kidandhalaRRum ivai enna ulagiyaRkai?
AmARonRaRiyEn nAn aravaNaiyAy ammAnE!
kUmARE virai kaNdAy adiyEnaik kuRik koNdE
Listen
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
sAmARum – to die (while setting out to live long)
kedumARum – to lose (the wealth, while setting out to increase it)
(as a result)
thamar – the paternal relatives
uRRAr – other relatives
thalaith thalaip peydhu – all of them showing their attachment
EmARi – without any break
kidandhu – staying
alaRRum – crying
ivai enna ulagiyaRkai – what is the nature of these worldly activities?
nAn – I
Am ARu – to finish these [sufferings] within my ability
onRu – any means
aRiyEn – I don’t know
aravaNaiyAy – one who engages anantha, your servitor, in your service
ammAnE – Oh lord who has similar relationship with everyone!
adiyEnai – me, who is a servitor
kuRikkoNdu – considering me (to be not deserving to go through sufferings)
kUmARu – call me
virai kaNdAy – rush to do so.
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
What is the nature of these worldly activities where seeing the death and loss of wealth of one, his paternal relatives and other relatives showing their attachment, staying without any break and crying? I don’t know any means to finish these [sufferings] within my ability. Oh one who engages anantha, your servitor, in your service! Oh lord who has similar relationship with everyone! considering me, who is a servitor, rush to call me [towards you].
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
- sAmARum kedumARum – to die and face loss of wealth; [focussing on the “ARu”, the process/method] are there any more details in these? while one is considering oneself to live long happily, and planning to destroy those who co-exist with him [for his own joy], he will be consumed by death without even realising; while acquiring a little bit of wealth, he will start thinking “I have no more worries”, he will lose that and cry out with sorrow. There are other reasons for their [AzhwArs’] anguish; AzhwAr thinks that not attaining bhagavAn is death as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.3.7 “ninnalAl ilEn kAN” (I have no existence without you), thiruvAimozhi 6.9.9 “pala nI kAttip paduppAyO” (will you push me showing various other pleasures) and thiruvAimozhi 6.9.8 “innam keduppAyO” (will you push me down further?), and he considers seeing other worldly pleasures as disastrous. What else did AzhwArs consider as death and loss? They are of such nature that they say as in mudhal thiruvanthAdhi 95 “ennoruvar thIkkadhikkaN sellum thiRam” (How can one follow evil paths when serving emperumAn is so easy?). They consider death and disaster as seen in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 31.22 “kurushva” (lakhsmaNa to SrI rAma – You should make me follow you [otherwise I will not be able to live]) and SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 30.18 “yasthvayA sahasa svarga:” (sIthA to SrI rAma – Being together with you is heaven, and getting separated from you is hell).
- kedumARum – when wealth is lost; since one considers wealth as the refuge. [in comparison to loss of wealth, even death will look better – an example is explained here] When some soldiers were set out to cut off the hands and legs of a traitor, some others see that and question the soldiers. The soldiers said to those on-lookers if anyone of you pays the fine, we will leave him and some one in the crowd said “you are kind enough not to kill him, you are quite compassionate” and left the place [not wanting to pay any money].
- thamar uRRAr – For AzhwAr, the relatives are as said in thiruvAimozhi 8.10.9 “thamargaL thamargaL thamargaL” (devotees of devotees of devotees of emperumAn). Instead of considering such devotees [as relatives], worldly people will consider bodily relatives and other relatives acquired through marriage etc and be free from worries.
- thalaith thalaip peydhu – showing too much attachment.
- EmARik kidandhu alaRRum – “E” means longing, “mARugai” – not having; that is, calling out without any longing; alternatively – EmARRam can be explained as a single word – that is sorrow, implying “calling out with sorrow”. piLLai amudhanAr explains this as – “E” means clarity, “EmARugai” means losing clarity. It is said in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 2.7.8 “EmARRam ennaith thavirththAy” (You eliminated my lack of clarity).
- ivai enna ulagiyaRkai – How sad is this worldly existence? AzhwAr says “Oh my lord! nature of this worldly existence is such that – dying while longing to live; losing the wealth while acquiring it and happily thinking to live with that; while considering bodily relatives as everything, when something happens to self, crying out”.
emperumAn asks “Why do you care about others? I have made you call out for me only! your calling out has already been seen in ‘seelamillAch chiRiyan‘ “.
- AmARu onRu aRiyEn nAn – Are they calling out because of not having relationship with you? Isn’t it because of their existence in this material realm and have you freed me from this material realm? Is it due to me having a body in this realm, I do not know what I am calling out for? Alternative explanation – I don’t know the means to eliminate the sufferings of these samsAris (materialistic people). Third explanation – i don’t know the means to give what you have given to me [i.e., blessing of pristine knowledge/devotion].
- aravaNaiyAy ammAnE – Oh emperumAn who has motherly relationship with all these samsAris, who has reclined on thiruvananthAzhwAn in milky ocean, for their protection and who considers their well-being as your benefit! He has true/motherly relationship with all of them. His protection of all of these beings will occur irrespective of his truthfulness [in SrI rAmAvathAram] or deception [in krishNAvathAram].
- kUmARE virai – You, who are easily approachable in being present in thiruppARkadal (milky ocean) to hear their complaints, should quickly call me and accept me at your divine feet.
emperumAn asks “Why should I rush to do so?”,
- kaNdAy – After seeing me [my state], can you still remain relaxed? He shows his form [which was weakened/consumed by separation from emperumAn] to emperumAn for his seeing as said in SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 6.16 “Ehi paSya SarIrANi” (rishis of dhaNdakAraNya to SrI rAma – See our bodies which were tortured by the demons).
emperumAn says “But would you not feel anguished when separated from your body and relatives who have followed you since time immemorial?”.
- adiyEnaik kuRikkoNdE – You should consider my nature [of being blessed by you with pristine knowledge/devotion] which cannot cope with the activities of this material realm. Also explained as – after having realised my relationship with your divine feet, like yourself, I too am concerned about the sufferings of others – you should mercifully consider that. When AzhwAr says “kUmARE virai kaNdAy” (Please accept me quickly at your divine feet), how does that highlight the fact that AzhwAr cannot tolerate suffering of others? From his saying “ivai enna ulagiyaRkai” (How sad is the situation here) and requesting emperumAn to accept him in paramapadham, it is understood that he cannot tolerate seeing others suffering.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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