Monthly Archives: June 2017

thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 5th centum

thiruvAimozhi – 5.4.5 – Ar ennai

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

Full series >> Fifth Centum >> Fourth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the fifth pAsuram, parAnguSa nAyaki says “The friends and mothers who help in difficult times, are not concerned about me and krishNa who helps even when they give up, has not come. Now, I exist only for name sake”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, parAnguSa nAyaki says “krishNa who has a form which manifests his helping tendency has not come; I exist only for name sake, who will protect me?”.

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

Ar ennai ArAyvAr annaiyarum thOzhiyarum
nIr ennE ennAdhE nILiravum thunjuvarAl
kAr anna mEni nam kaNNanum vArAnAl
pEr ennai mAyAdhAl val vinaiyEn pin ninRE

Listen

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

annaiyarum – mothers (who protect with affection)
thOzhiyarum – friends (who protect due to well-wishing heart)
nIr – her condition
ennE – how is it
ennAdhE – instead of determining
nIL – lengthy
iravum – the whole night
thunjuvar – are sleeping;

(one who protects even when those mothers and friends don’t protect)
kAr anna – like a dark cloud (which is having the quality to greatly help others)
mEni – having a divine form
nam – one who is obedient towards us
kaNNanum – krishNa too
vArAn – has not come to protect;
val vinaiyEn – for me who is having very strong sins (which stops even those who protect, not to protect)
pin – behind
ninRu – standing
pEr – for name sake
ennai – me
mAyAdhu – not allowing to die;

(this being the case)
ennai – me
ArAyvAr – one who protects
Ar – who?

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

the mothers and friends are sleeping through the whole lengthy night instead of determining her (my) condition; krishNa too, who is having a dark cloud like divine form and who is obedient towards us, has not come to protect; standing behind me, the very strong sins are not allowing me to die and making me exist only for name sake; this being the case, who will protect me? Implies – no one. Implies that – her state of just being present for name sake even in dire situations reveals just her eternal nature.

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

  • Ar ennai ArAyvAr – SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 116.40 “dhAsInAm rAvaNasyAham marshayAmIhadhurbalA” (I, the fearless, forgive the mistakes of rAvaNa’s servants) – when thiruvadi (hanuman) set out to harm the rAkshasis (demoniac maid-servants of rAvaNa), sIthAp pirAtti asked him “1) since these rAkshasis were fully dependent on rAvaNa and harmed me based on his orders, or 2) even if they harmed me out of their own will, but since I have said ‘I have forgiven you all’ and given them refuge, how can you harm them?”; hanuman asked “as rAvaNa is killed now [we need not fear anymore], why should these evil women who harmed you for so long, be forgiven now?”; [and sIthA said] dhurbalA – just because some one harmed us before, if we harm them back, what will those who see their pathetic state do? After rAvaNa’s death and perumAL (SrI rAma) becoming victorious , they have already become weakened (both physically and mentally). sIthAp pirAtti who gave refuge to even those who harmed her, as stated in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 58.90 “bavEyam SaraNam hiva:” (I will protect you all), is looking for a saviour and saying “who will protect me?” [Here, parAnguSa nAyaki is compared to sIthAp pirAtti – there pirAtti gave protection to others, here pirAtti is seeking protection from others].
  • annaiyarum thOzhiyarum – Both those who lost their sleep on seeing my state (friends) and those who condemn me saying “you cannot lose sleep over this” (mothers). Both of those who follow my thoughts (friends) and those who have their own ideas and hence ordering me (mothers) are not helping me.
  • annaiyarum thOzhiyarum nIr ennai ennAdhE nIL iravum thunjuvarAl -There are some who say that “thunjuvarAl” (sleeping) implies “thunjudhirAl” (sleeping, in a slightly different tone). [nIr is explained as “you”] They are not asking [with care] “ennE” (how is this?) or “en pattAy” (what happened to you?). Alternative explanation – [nIr is explained as nIrmai – svabhAvam – nature] Mothers and friends are not asking me “why are you like this?” [They should have asked]. Even after his leaving her and engaging in other activities and forgetting her, you are not engaging in anything other than him! How amazing! [When asked “Does nIr imply nIrmai?”, nampiLLai quotes kuRaL 782] “niRai nIra nIravar kENmai piRaimadhip pinnIra pEdhaiyAr natpu” (The friendship of the wise waxes like the full moon; (but) that of fools wanes like the new moon).
  • nIL iravum thunjuvarAl – Just as sleeplessness is my nature, sleeping the whole lengthy night is their nature.
  • kAr anna mEni – One who is having a cool form like a heavy rainfall on a drought-hit land, and one who has helped previously as said in SrI bhAgavatham “thAsAmAvirabhUth …” (he appeared amidst the gOpikAs), has not come. thAsAm (for those girls) is said based on their previous state [of longing for him].
  • nam kaNNanum vArAnAl – Even the one who always helped girls, has not come.
  • pEr ennai mAyAdhAl – My name does not match bhagavAn’s. He is not coming and my name is not going. Though I am finished, my name is making me still exist. Just as AzhwAr‘s divine name is that which sustains the SrIvaishNavas, he too is sustained by his name. Since the name has “adi” (bhagavAn’s divine feet, bhagavAn’s blessing), it will sustain everyone. Everyone accepts this [SatAri] on his head due to this reason.
  • pEr ennai mAyAdhAl – just living for name sake.
  • val vinaiyEn – I have committed great sins to have a name which does not let me die even after physically having died.
  • pin ninRu – Even while I die, this name remains after me and does not let me die fully. As they (name and form) come along during birth, should they not be finished at the time of death? They are recited together as in chAndhOgya upanishath 6.3 “nAma rUpE vyAkaravANi” (Let me create names and forms), SrIvishNu purANam 1.5.63 “nAma rUpam cha bhUthAnAm” (paramAthmA gave names and forms to the many creatures). Those who came first, should go first too, but why are they not going even later?

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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iyaRpA mudhal thiruvandhAdhi

mudhal thiruvandhAdhi – 21 – ninRu nilamangai

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avathArikai

AzhwAr tells his heart “do not retreat, looking at emperumAn’s greatness. Mingling with followers is his nature”. Alternatively, it can be said that AzhwAr tells his heart “even though emperumAn is great, ignoring that, he will carry out tasks for his followers even if he has to change himself”.

Let us enjoy the pAsuram and its meanings.

ninRu nilam angai nIrERRu mUvadiyAl
senRu thisai aLandha sengaNmARku enRum
padai Azhi puLLUrdhi pAmbaNaiyAn pAdham
adaiyAzhi nenjE aRi

Word by Word Meanings

ninRu – standing (near mahAbali)
nilam – earth
am kai – with beautiful hand
nIr ERRu – taking alms
mU adiyAl – with three steps
senRu thisai aLandha – measuring, while walking in all directions
sem kaN mARku – the supreme entity with reddish eyes
enRum – at all times
padai – weapon
Azhi – chakkaram (divine disc, sudharSan)
puL – garudAzhwAn
Urdhi – vehicle
Azhi nenjE – Oh profound heart!
aRi – listen (to this)
pAmbu aNaiyAn – emperumAn who has thivananthAzhwAn (AdhiSEsha) as his mattress
pAdham – divine feet
adai – attain

vyAkyAnam

senRu ninRu – emperumAn walked up to the yAgasAlai (the place where religious rites are conducted) of mahAbali and stood in front of the King, displaying clearly his intent of taking alms. His reaching mahAbali’s place and standing in front of mahAbali are attracting AzhwAr.

ninRu – it appears as if emperumAn is telling mahAbali that  he will not leave until he obtained what he set out for

nilam am kai nIrERRu – taking the earth, after wetting his hands with water [given by mahAbali as a traditional system of keeping one’s oath]. emperumAn’s hands know only to give to others; as a result they have grown, by giving constantly. For perhaps the first time, he is taking something. While sIthAppirAtti was always his (mahAlakshmi), emperumAn (as SrI rAma) took her when janaka maharAjan offered him her hand, after king janaka referred to her as “my sIthA”. In the same way, emperumAn took the worlds, which were always his, when offered by King mahAbali.

mUvadiyAl thisai aLandha – he measured all the directions with his three steps. Alternatively, we can consider this as “in every direction, he measured”.

sengaN mARku – emperumAn’s eyes became reddish after receiving the gift [from mahAbali], out of happiness. He was happy that he obtained what could not be obtained at all! Is it required of him to display his happiness after obtaining what was always his, from mahAbali? Since in the earlier pAsuram (20) AzhwAr had referred to emperumAn measuring the worlds, his thoughts follow him from that pAsuram and he speaks mercifully of the same matter.

enRum padai Azhi – wasn’t it the person who has everything with him, who went to mahAbali and asked for alms! nammAzhwAr says in periya thiruvandhAdhi 87 “eppOdhum kai kazhaLa nEmiyAn” (one who always has chakrAyudham (disc as weapon) in his hand). He always has garudan as his vehicle. He always has AdhiSEsha as his mattress. (The opinion here is that since he holds one devotee on his hand, one as his vehicle and one as his bed, it is natural that mingling with his followers is his nature). Only the one who is capable of holding the disc on his hand without slipping, one who is capable of riding periya thiruvadi (garudan) astride and who is capable of lying on the lap of AdhiSEsha can be the supreme entity!

pAdham adai  Azhi nenjE – to get the divine feet of such a supreme entity, give yourself unto him; do not be like mahAbali who gave a little bit of earth and moved aside.

Azhi nenjE – Oh profound heart! Aren’t you capable of teaching me too! Do I need to teach you this? Do not think that I am saying these words to impress the gallery, but think that I am seeing these words as the whole truth!

We shall take up the 22nd pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa ramanuja dhAsan

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iraNdAm Ayiram thirunedunthANdakam

thirunedunthANdakam – 5

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Introduction

In previous pAsuram AzhvAr enjoyed how emperumAn is being the root of creation of world (jagathkAraNabhUthan), and having the world as His divine body, i.e., he is the antharyAmi (jagachchareeree). Next, instead of just enjoying in the writings of vEdham (OlaippuRaththE) in nArayanANuvAkam about nArAyaNan, AzhvAr is enjoying how He could be seen by eyes and enjoyed, as He incarnated as vAmanan and spanned the worlds. The word nArAyaNan is about the relationship of lord and subservient, isn’t it?

By His being the reason for creation of world, it also talks about the relationship of AthmA to that emperumAn, isn’t it? Saying ‘kANmingaL ulageer enRu kaN mugappE nimirndha [thiruvAimozhi – 6.3.11]’ (thrivikraman growing and as if saying – Oh world! see this wonder), – He spanned all the worlds, for all in the world to see this meaning of relationship. So AzhvAr is enjoying the meaning of word nArAyaNan through the word of thrivikraman.

(In vAmana avathAram it shows His Seelam only (mingling with simpletons), why say that it is about the relationship?) AzhvAr is Not saying about how vAmanan went to the yAgasAlai (place of sacred rites) asking for land, etc., but saying about the part of how He kept his divine foot on everyone’s head – this is how we see that AzhvAr is enjoying about Lord-servant relationship (as a lord, He kept his divine foot on servants’ heads).

oNmidhiyil punaluruvi orukAl niRpa
  orukAlum kAmaruseer avuNan uLLath(thu)
eNmadhiyum kadandhu aNdameedhu pOgi
  iruvisumbin Udu pOy ezhundhu mElaith
thaNmadhiyum kathiravanum thavira Odith
  thArakaiyin puRam thadavi appAl mikku
maNmuzhudhum agappaduththu ninRa endhai
  malar puraiyum thiruvadi en thalai mElavE              5

Word by word meaning

oN midhiyil – after making the soft step
oru kAl – with one divine foot,
punal uruvi niRpa – it went all the way to AvaraNa jalam (water surrounding the aNdam (oval shaped world)),
oru kAlum – another divine foot also
kAmaru seer avuNan uLLaththu eNmadhiyum kadandhu – crossing even the extent of thought of mahAbali who is having greatness that is liked,
ezhundhu – it started
aNdam meedhu pOgi – to go even above the aNdam,
iru visumbin Udu pOy – permeating the big space (AkASam)
thavira Odi – going further by crossing
thaN madhiyum – the cool zone of moon
mElai – that is above, and
kadhiravanum – the zone of sun (that is below),
thArakaiyin puRam thadavi – permeating the zone of stars (above)
appAl mikku – permeating even beyond (that),
agappaduththu ninRa –  and stood spanning
maN muzhudhum – all the places;
vaNanginEnE – I got to experience/enjoy
malar puraiyum thiruvadiyE – the lotus flower like divine foot only
enthai – of my lord (of such glory).

vyAkyAnam

oNmidhiyil … – With one divine foot He spanned all the earth, lower worlds; and with one divine foot , He spanned all the worlds above, says AzhvAr .

oNmidhiyil – If He who is the support for everything keeps His divine foot on the heads of sentient, would the world be able to bear it? Did kamsan not get squashed when His divine foot touched him? – He keeping His divine foot, that itself, is the reason for their being able to live.  Even if He / His divine foot that is the supporting/saving becomes one supported, His quality of supporting/saving them would not be lost.

(Where have we seen this?) – Like how for His thiruvadis (His divine feet / divine body), His paramAthma svarUpam (entity) is the support (even though He stands on His divine feet; in the same way), for the people’s heads also He is the support.

{Translator’s note: Another meaning: Taking thiruvadis as garudAzhAr and hanuman, as they are called so,  as, Like how even though He sets His feet on their palms/head (during garuda/hanumantha vAhanam), He still is the support for them}.

Supporter cannot be one supported; One supported cannot be supporter (jeevAthmA cannot become paramAthmA and vice versa). Like how even though AthmA is having a place inside the body, the body is not the supporter and AthmA is not the one supported. That the AthmA is the supporter and body is the one supported, is explained when talking about the identity of body and AthmA (SareerAthma lakShaNam in SrIbAshyam) (This is said in ‘yasya chEthanasya yadhdhravyam sarvAthmanA svArthE niyanthum dhArayithum cha Sakyam thachchEshadhaika svarUpancha thath thasya Sareeram’ (One that is object for the sentient AthmA, in all the ways be commanded by AthmA, be supported by AthmA, be only for that AthmA – then that is Sareeram.)).

(If AthmA leaves the body, the body falls off. So it shows that it is AthmA that is supporting the body).

midhiyil – (in step/trampling) (why say in this way instead of saying that His divine feet is kept as a jewel on their heads?) – Saying ‘madheeyamUrdhnAnam alankarishyathi [sthOthra rathnam – 31]’ (~oh thrivikrama! .. when is your divine feet going to decorate my head (again)?), and ‘padikkaLavAga nimirththa nin pAdha pangayamE thalaikku aNiyAy [thiruvAimozhi – 9.2.2] (your divine feet only would be the decoration for my head), that is, saying divine feet as decoration for head is only when one understands its glory and also having interest;  since the people are dhEhAthmAbhimAni (giving importance to body and not AthmA), they would only think that some feet had pushed their head. So, AzhvAr is saying this way (midhiyil) from their point of view.

oN midhiyil – Like the breeze under moonlight He kept the divine feet amicably;  if that is not the case, they would have commanded as ‘thiruvANai [thiruvAimozhi – 10.10.2]’ (by the name of thAyAr), ((do not) keep your feet on me);

Or, the stepping on them is such that if in future one becomes desirous of emperumAn, they don’t have to back out thinking about their previous state and greatness of emperumAn, so it is ‘oN midhi’ (such a great stepping on his head);  One could say “What is there to not surrender to your divine feet now when we got the desire, while the divine feet which were present in my head when I was not caring for you?”.  When one could argue,  ‘lOkavikrAntha charaNau [vihagESvara samhithai, padalam (part) 22’ ((please keep on my head) your divine feet which spanned the worlds), emperumAn would not have any opposing reply (but have to keep His feet on the head), you see!

punal aruvi – His divine feet grew downwards and extended not just till the earth, or seven seas, or the seven continents (dhveepams), or the mountain of chakravALa (mountain that surrounds the previous layers), or the great water (mahA jalam), or the covering wall of the aNdam (aNda kadAkam), but till the water covering the aNdams (AvaraNa jalam);

Why go till that extent, when the ones to be protected are within the aNdam? The protector’s eagerness is not just till the extent of the ones to be protected; As said in ‘adhanil periya en avA [thiruvAimozhi – 10.10.10]’ (my desire which is bigger than that) – His desire is like AzhvAr ’s desire, you see!

What this one’s love (prEmam) did, would His affection (vAthsalyam) not do that?

If asked – if the divine feet intruded the covering wall of the aNdam and go till the water covering aNdams, would the aNda kadAkam (covering wall) not be destructed? It does not have to be so, when the subtle one (sUkshmam) permeates the tangible/gross ones (sthUlam). Space (AkASam) (already) permeates that aNda kadAkam; the mUla prakruthi (source of material realm) is subtler than that AkASam; the divine auspicious body of emperumAn is subtler (sUkshmam) than that mUla prakruthi.

oru kAl niRpa – one divine feet standing;

later in this pAsuram he says ‘thiruvadiyE vaNanginEnE’  (worshipped only the divine feet); earlier – ‘thiruvadi en thalai mElavE [thirunedunthANdakam – 1]’ (divine feet on my head); given that, instead of saying thiruvadigaL (divine feet), his saying kAl (foot) here is from the point of view of samsAris (worldly people); other than thinking – someone’s leg is in my head – they don’t know the way of considering it as one to be attained and which is enjoyed by the nithyasUris, such lord’s divine feet.

niRpa – as He took up to use the divine feet to span (just) the earth, it showed the beauty of breaking (as it went up to the water layer of aNdam (AvaraNa jalam) and stopped (niRpa) as if by pulling the reins. His greatness is like supporting like the reins to stop the divine feet!

oru kAlum – earlier, AzhvAr enjoyed the divine feet that spanned the earth; by this phrase AzhvAr is enjoying the divine feet that spanned the upper worlds;

oru kAlum – also the other divine foot; saying ‘oru kAlum (one leg also)’ instead of ‘maRRa kAlum’ (other leg also) is – “Oh how wonderful this one is”. When AzhvAr was enjoying that divine foot, ‘There cannot be anything more enjoyable than this!’ was his state; as he saw this other divine foot, he is saying ‘There is nothing more enjoyable than this one!’ (oru -> unique/wonder)

kAmaruseer, etc. –  going beyond (the knowledge that is extent of mind of mahAbali).

kAmaruseer avuNan – mahAbali having attractive nature;  instead of censuring him as ‘one having haughtiness’, ‘thief of emperumAn’s places’, AzhvAr is saying ‘greatly fortunate’ about him. What is the reason for this? Unlike us who are here at a later time, he got to see the beauty of the form and simplicity (Seelam) of SrI vAmanan. Are there any fortunate people like him? – is the thought of AzhvAr . Oh! instead of being as ‘adiyEn’ (servant), I too should have stolen the places of emperumAn, and should have artificially taken up generosity and do yagyam (worship by sacred rites).   kAmaru -> liking.

eN madhiyum kadandhu – (crossing the limit of mahAbali’s thought in mind (eN -> eNNam -> thought)) – As He said ‘mUvadi [thiruvAimozhi – 3.8.9]’, mahAbali was like ‘rest of the places are mine only’.  After He spanned everything including the earth, he was like – there are those other worlds above for me’. As He spanned the space above, he realized he lost even the worlds above and became loser. So, AzhvAr is saying ‘kadandhu’ (going beyond the limit of thoughts of mahAbali).

aNda meedhu pOgi – One divine foot itself going beyond the wall like limit of the aNdam (aNda bhiththi). Instead of saying in the order in which He spanned, why first say about aNda meedhu pOgi? Due to his great love of the victory of SrI vAmanan, AzhvAr is setting a marker (koNdaik kOl) at the limit of emperumAn’s extent of spanning.

Like how SrI jAmbavAn mahArAjar said due to his great love for His victory, ‘jitham bhagavathA jagath [harivamSam – prathamapari – 42]’ (jAmbavAn saying to dhEvas: all the worlds have been won by emperumAn (by incarnating as thrivikraman), (so please come back to your places)) – by going around the chakravALagiri and announcing by drum, about His victory to everyone.

Saying meedhu pOgi – shall be considered as pOga (to go), to mean, to go to it. This is similar to ‘thiruvudai adigaL tham nalam kazhal vaNangi [thiruvAimozhi – 1.3.8] (worshipping the good feet of emperumAn who is having thAyAr in His divine chest), where it is taken as ‘vaNanga’ (if you worship); There also nammAzhvAr saying that first is to set the marker (koNdaik kOl) of the full extent.

It is to be read as ‘ezhundhu – iru visumbin Udu pOy’ (started and went through the space).

ezhundhu – The moment water drops fell on his palm (water poured into the palm of vAmanan by mahAbali, to complete the pledge to give three steps of land), Him raising from the place of yagyam of mahAbali;

iru visumbu – the big space; since it is big when considering earth, and due to the great love in emperumAn’s growth, AzhvAr is referring to space as iru visumbu. (BIG space);

Udu pOy – (went through) He raised his divine foot such that the space that is above the earth and below heaven that is of hundred thousand kAdham (kAdham is approximately a mile or two and a half) got fully filled plump by His divine foot; creation of space became fruitful; when the divine feet had not permeated there, it was like a waste, you see.

mElai … – Sun’s place is the upper border of space, and lower border of heaven; above that, for one hundred thousand kAdham is the place of moon. But why not AzhvAr say about the place of the Sun and then about that of the Moon (mElaith thaN madhiyum (moon) kadhiravanum (sun) …)? Since He kept His divine and completely delicate feet on people having self-interest and not interested in emperumAn, AzhvAr is attending to service for that divine feet by trying to make it cool down (through moon’s place); to show that, AzhvAr is saying ‘thaN madhi’ (cool moon);  (Since it is already known that moon is cool, he still specified that attribute thaN, for this purpose only. He did not specify any attribute of Sun in this pAsuram, so he does not want to think about its heat)  He did not say ‘vem kadhirOn’ , but just kadhiravan only.  mElaith (above) thaN madhiyum, implies ‘keezhai’ (below) kadhiravanum.

thavira Odi – going above that. By Odi – (running)  – having to stop it with difficulty as the divine foot is running due to haste (looking for devotees); As said in ‘thAy nAdu kanRE pOl [mudhal thiruvanthAdhi – 30]’ (like the calf seeking its mother), like how a devotee would show haste in reaching the lord, the lord would have the haste to get His devotee. For everyone, there would be haste for getting what they love, isn’t it?

thArakaiyin puRam thadavi – permeating the place of stars, and going above that; above the place of moon, there is the place of stars for one hundred thousand kAdham. Above the upper limit of the place of stars, is the place of SimSumAra prajApathi. Like the planets, he is one of the stars; he is of twelve hundred thousand kAdham.

thadavi – lord (caressing) trying to see if any devotee would be found, like how one would caress around in the floor (in the dark) searching for something that fell from self.  When going and trying to find someone and not finding anyone, AzhvAr says, kadandhu (crossed that).

As said in ‘pudaith thAn peridhE puvi [periya thiruvanthAdhi – 75]’ (Is earth like an elevated place that emperumAn‘s flood of kindness not flow through it?), what a loss this is to be not having the divine feet of thrivikraman on our head, says AzhvAr .

thadavi – (softly caressing) – since He would keep the divine feet in positive ways, that touch would be of delight.

appAl mikku – going up till the brahma lOkam (abode of brahmA); since mahAbali stole only the three worlds, why go above beyond that?  Like how the three worlds were ruined due to anyaSEshathvam (subservience to others such as indhra), the other worlds were also ruined due to feeling themselves as independent (svasvAthanthriyam); because their mind is having the state of ‘eeSvarOham’ (I am the lord); disaster of nature of AthmA due to anyaSEshathvam is not (that worse) compared to disaster due to svasvAthanthriyam. The former has (at least) accepted subservience.

{Translator’s note: This is also succinctly put by piLLai lOkAchAryar in mumukshuppadi as ‘piRarkkuriyan Ana anRu than vailakShaNyaththaik kAtti meetkalAm; thanakku ennum anRu yOgyathaiyum kUda azhiyum [mumukshuppadi – 81]’ (~When one agrees to be subservient to others, they can be retrieved back by Him showing them His greatness compared to those of others; but if being self-independent, even eligibility to retrieve would be lost)}

(The goodness for Him is based on the goodness He does for His devotees).

maN muzhudhum agappaduththu – Spanning the fourteen worlds; saying about earth by the word ‘maN’ , he says ‘muzhudhum’, thinking about the worlds above it as well;

Or, by ‘maN’ to mean place, it is talking about the places above.

Instead of saying ‘aLandhu’ (spanning), AzhvAr is saying ‘agappaduththu’  (capturing), which shows His falling on them with love (mEl vizhum), and their sliding away.

ninRa – stopping satisfied having done His wishes (of capturing His devotees); like how a devotee would stand satisfied, here the lord is satisfied after getting (reforming) the devotees.

enthai (my svAmi -> my lord / father) – when seeing SrI vAmanan’s beauty and simplicity, proper thing to do would be to ignore the kingdom and pierce into the chest and writing that he is subservient to Him – instead indhra got his kingdom and went away; mahAbali kept him (his generosity) for himself (to consider himself great), and gave (only) his kingdom to emperumAn; (But) I gave myself to Him, says AzhvAr .

malar puraiyum, etc.  (divine feet that is like lotus flower) – I got to enjoy the boundless enjoyment that is His divine feet.  Earlier, AzhvAr said ‘thaLir puraiyum thiruvadi [thirunedunthANdakam – 1]’ (divine feet that is like a flower bud blooming); here he says ‘malar puraiyum thiruvadi’.  Reason for this, is – there, it was about emperumAn withering due to separation from this AzhvAr , and then as He kept His divine feet on AzhvAr ’s head, it started becoming fresh and blooming; here – as the ones who enjoy, as they started to enjoy, it is talking about the enjoyableness of the divine feet (like a lotus flower).

malar puraiyum – due to presence of devotees the divine feet is blossoming. (the other lotus would blossom in the present of Sun).

thiruvadi – the divine feet is the place the devotees go to for enjoyment (compared to other parts of emperumAn).

by saying ‘E’ (avadhAraNam) in thiruvadiyE, (only the divine feet), it shows the specialty/difference from/compared to other parts of emperumAn.

This divine feet is the one not having any dearth of greatness (mEnmai), kindness (neermai), and beauty of shape (vadivazhagu).  There is no dearth of greatness to the divine feet as He kept His divine feet on the heads of those who were like ‘eeSvarOham’ (I am the lord); for getting His property (devotees), He rushed eagerly, which shows there is no dearth of His kindness (neermai); attracting even the bad one like mahAbali, there is no dearth of his beauty of form. So there is no need (for devotees) to go to any part other than His divine feet, isn’t it?

vaNanginEn – I got to enjoy; this meaning is as said too in ‘nama ithyEva vAdhina: [mahAbhAratham – SAnthi parvam – 344-45]’ (identity of those who got liberated into SrIvaikuNtam would be to be doing salutation (anjali)) (so) they would be happy; they would be of nature of saying ‘nama:’ in their mouth), (saluting is) about enjoying Him by the liberated (mukthas);

for AzhvAr , the divine feet are the ones to surrender to (upAyam); and also ones to enjoy (upEyam);  during the time of surrendering it was said as ‘ulagam aLandha pon adiyE adaindhu uyndhEn [periya thirumozhi – 5.8.9]’ (reached and survived by the divine feet that spanned the worlds);

Is there anyone to surrender to other than the beautiful One who creates interest even in mahAbali who was disinterested?

Is there anyone to surrender to other than the one who is eager to go and get His own property (AthmAs, by pleading for it)?

Is there anyone to surrender to other than this simple One who made His divine body which cannot be seen by any senses, to be seen even by the asuras?

Is there anyone to surrender to other than the lord who spanned the fourteen worlds?

(even other incarnations of emperumAn are shunned here)

Being lord of everyone, simple, easy, and being one who creates desire in Him, is the one who is also the One we could surrender to and experience the enjoyableness in Him.

ALavandhAr said, ‘thrivikrama thvachcharaNAmbuja dhvayam madheeyamUrdhAnam alankarishyathi [sthOthra rathnam – 31]’ (Oh emperumAn who performed incarnation as thrivikraman! When would your divine lotus feet decorate my head?).

udaiyavar said, “lOkavikrAntha charaNau SaraNam thE’vrajam vibhO [SaraNAgathi gadhyam 6th chUrNai – gadhya thrayam (quoting from vihagESvara samhithai – part 22)]’ (I surrender only to the divine feet of yours that spanned the worlds).

– – – – – –

Translation by raghuram SrInivAsa dAsan

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thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 5th centum

thiruvAimozhi – 5.4.4 – peN piRandhAr

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Full series >> Fifth Centum >> Fourth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the fourth pAsuram, parAnguSa nAyaki says “While I am suffering so much that it cannot be tolerated by anyone who sees that, emperumAn who divinely measured the worlds to remove the dangers of everyone, has not arrived. Who will eliminate my endless mental suffering?”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, parAnguSa nAyaki says “thrivikraman emperumAn looks prideful with beautiful features due to the joy of having measured the earth which he desired to; who will remove my endless mental suffering now?”.

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

peN piRandhAr eydhum perum thuyar kANgilEn enRu
oNsudarOn vArAdhoLiththAn im maNNaLandha
kaN periya sevvAy em kArERu vArAnAl
eN periya sindhai nOy thIrppArAr ennaiyE?

Listen

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

(being dependent, and having a tender nature)
peN – as a female
piRandhAr – born
eydhum – gets
perum thuyar – unbearable great sorrow
kANgilEn – unable to witness
enRu – saying so
oN – attractive during the time of dawn
sudarOn – radiant sun

(even during the time of following the orders of ISvara as said in thaiththirIya upanishath “bhIshOdhEthi sUrya:“)
vArAdhu – not coming
oLiththAn – hid himself (so that he is not found, even if searched for);
i – this
maN – earth
aLandha – as a result of joy due to measuring it to keep it for himself
periya – vast
kaN – divine eyes
sem – reddish
vAy – having divine lips
em – (like that earth, with his beautiful features) making us exist exclusively for him

(with that)
kAr – having cloud like blackish form
ERu – thrivikrama who appears like a prideful bull (having accomplished his desired task)
vArAn – has not come;
eN -for the thoughts
periya – great (to be out of reach, not conceivable through speech and mind)
sindhai nOy – mental anguish
ennai – me
thIrppAr – will eliminate
Ar – who?

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

The radiant sun which is attractive during the time of dawn is not coming and hid himself saying that he cannot witness the unbearable great sorrow one gets being born as female; thrivikrama who appears like a prideful bull, who is having vast divine eyes and reddish divine lips as a result of the joy of measuring the earth to keep it for himself, who is having cloud like blackish form, has not come; who will eliminate the great mental anguish of mine which is beyond the conception of thoughts?

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

  • peN piRandhAr … – Saying that I cannot witness the great sorrow experienced by women who are naturally dependent and hence unable to kill themselves, and being tender natured and hence unable to bear the separation.
  • oN sudarOn vArAdhu oLiththAn – While sarvarakshaka (protector of all) can witness [tolerate] such sufferings, can one (sun) who is engaged in a small act of protection, witness that? While purushOththaman (supreme lord) can witness that, can a purusha (sun, a mortal being) witness that? Even the sun who can dispel sorrows just by his arrival, hid himself and did not show up. Instead of saying “vandhilan” (has not come), it is said “oLiththAn” (hid himself) – this is because, as said in thaiththirIya upanishath “bhIshAsmAth vAtha:pavathE” (fearing bhagavAn‘s orders, wind is blowing), due to bhagavAn’s orders, he should be circling every day [present every day]; such sun too thinks “If I violate bhagavAn’s orders, they may cut my head, which is even alright in comparison to seeing this suffering of the women in separation” and hides himself from the servitors of bhagvAn when they come searching for him. periya thirumozhi 8.5.2 “oLiyavan visumbiyangum thErum pOyiRRu”  (the chariot of the sun which travels in the sky, disappeared). It disappeared in such a manner that it’s arrival is not to be guessed; as said in SrIvishNu purANam 5.18.31 “sObhirENur na lakshyathE” (even the dust (of the chariot) is not visible) and in periya thirumozhi 9.4.6 “suzhanRilangu vem kathirOn thErodum pOy maRaindhAn” (the revolving hot sun disappeared with his chariot).
  • im maN aLandha – What suffering engulfed the earth, which made him measure it and accept it? Is the suffering caused by mahAbali to the earth a match for the suffering caused by the night to me? emperumAn who protects without discriminating any one.
  • kaN periya sevvAy … – Out of his mercy, assuming a huge form and measuring the earth, mercifully showering his cool glance to eliminate the anguish of the dwellers of the earth, and smiling out of joy due to such acts – and thus manifesting his reddish lips.
  • em – One who is having as his nature, the protection given for all.
  • kAr – Having his natural complexion, due to protecting them.
  • ERu – emperumAn who pridefully thinks that “doing all of this, is a benefit for me”, has not come. She is saying “em” (our) to indicate that she is also part of the protected persons by the sarvarakshaka (protector of all). When it is recited as “en” (my), it implies – one who has acquired his natural complexion as a resulting of being united with me previously.
  • vArAnAl – He need not beg from me; he need not measure the world, he just needs to manifest his form in front of me.
  • eN periya sindhai nOy – Until now, AzhwAr spoke about bhagavath vishayam (matters about bhagavAn) which is given up to be impossible to speak about by vEdhAntham as said in kEnOpanishath “yasyAmatham thasya matham” (one who thinks he knows does not know); but his own mental anguish (suffering in separation) is difficult to conceive even with the unblemished knowledge acquired by the blessings of bhagavAn. It can only be said as “eN periyadhu” (difficult to conceive in the mind) and cannot be said “how much”. The mental anguish will match the entity [bhagavAn] from whom she is separated. Since bhagavAn has no boundary, the anguish acquired in separation from him also has no boundary. SrIvishNu purANam 5.13.21 and 5.13.22 “thathaprApthi mahAdhu:kha” (Having acquired great sorrow due to not attaining krishNa, chithayanthI was relieved of all her sins).
  • sindhai nOy thIrppAr Ar – All I need is to have this mental anguish eliminated, even if it means forgetting emperumAn, it is fine. These [AzhwArs] are of the nature to say as in periya thirumozhi 9.3.3 “Edhu seydhAl maRakkEn” (What can I do to forget him?); it does no matter we remember him or forget him, we need to get the anguish eliminated. Here, saying “forget him” is not done with desire, but only to highlight the great anguish. In separation, the remembrance of emperumAn will increase the suffering as seen in thiruvAimozhi 9.5.8 “kaNNan nAmamE kuzhaRik konRIr” (you recited krishNa’s name and killed me) and in thiruvAimozhi 9.5.7 “kAttEnmin num uru em uyirkkadhu kAlan” (Do not show your form, as that is death to my life).
  • ennaiyE – This anguish is unique to this AthmA (me) alone. People (bhakthi yOga followers) can meditate upon him and eliminate their anguish; it is possible for those who engage in bhakthi considering it as the means [to attain him], since such smruthi (remembrance) is ordained in SAsthram as in bruhadhAraNyaka upanishath “nidhidhyAsithavya:” (to be constantly meditated upon); but for those who are fully immersed in his nature/form, this situation [suffering in separation] is present.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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iyaRpA mudhal thiruvandhAdhi

mudhal thiruvandhAdhi – 20 – peRRAr thaLaikazhala

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avathArikai

In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr spoke about the happiness that the ocean had in attaining emperumAn. In this pAsuram, he says that when emperumAn left that ocean and incarnated himself, some persons had the fortune of enjoying him. When he gave happiness to the egoistic celestial people, should we wonder about his grace on the ocean?

Let us look at the pAsuram and its meanings.

peRRAr thaLai kazhalap pErndhu Or kuRaL uruvAych
cheRRAr padi kadandha sem kaN mAl naRRA
marai  malarch chEvadiyai vAnavar kai kUppi
nirai malar koNdu EththuvarAl ninRu

Word by Word Meanings

peRRAr – dhEvaki and vasudhEvar, krishNa’s parents’
thaLai kazhala – chain to snap open
pErndhu – coming out of thiruppARkadal (milky ocean)
Or – incomparable
kuRal uruvAy – in the form of a vAmana (dwarf)
seRRAr padi – the world of his enemy mahAbali (who thought that it was his)
kadandha – one who measured it
sem kaN mAl – emperumAn who has reddish eyes and lot of affection [towards his followers]
nal thAmarai adi sE adiyai – the divine reddish feet that resembled beautiful lotus
vAnavar – dhEvas (celestial persons)
kai kUppi ninRu – standing and folding their palms together (like in anjali posture)
nirai malar koNdu – with strung flowers
Eththuvar – will praise [emperumAn]
Al – alas! I did not get this fortune

vyAkyAnam

peRRAr thaLai kazhalap pErndhu – nanjIyar mercifully said that this line alone [in this pAsuram] speaks about krishNAvathAram. There are several interpretations for this line: (1) emperumAn came from SrIvaikuNtam so that the chains tied to the legs of dhEvaki and vasudhEvar, his parents, would snap; (2) since their chains snapped, they were able to move out of the prison cell; (3) emperumAn uprooted himself and incarnated. Once he was born to them as their child, their problems disappeared. Another interpretation – peRRaAr also means those who got or attained. Thus, those who attain emperumAn have their chains (to samsAram, the materialistic realm) removed. In this case, along with the word pErndhu, the words Or kuRal uruvAy should be added and the following meaning should be added “emperumAn did more than that”. peRRAr – just as someone gets a treasure, AzhwAr says, “didn’t these people get the benefit!”. When the chains of those who deemed emperumAn as their son snapped, should one speak of the snapping of chains of samsAram of his followers? Thus it is amply clarified here that all the hurdles of those who connect with emperumAn will be removed. He removes whatever his followers deem as a prison [hurdle]. The same meaning was conveyed by nammAzhwAr in thiruvAimozhi 2-8-2 “pUNthanduzhAy en thani nAyagan puNarppu – vIdu mudhalAm” (the connection with emperumAn will grant us SrIvaikuNtam).

Or kuRal uruvAy – In the earlier sequence, AzhwAr mentioned about the snapping of chains by emperumAn by his action of coming [from SrivaikuNtam]. In this sequence, he mentions about how the chains of celestial persons got snapped by a single act of emperumAn. He talks about how his dwarfish figure, which he took by even destroying his great form, became a feast for the eyes. He took such a dwarfish figure that the dwarfs of the world would like his magnificent thrivikrama form. It is this incomparable form that AzhwAr describes by the word Or (unique).

seRRar – refers to enemies. Does emperumAn have enemies? The enemy of his follower (indhra, the lord of celestial persons) is his enemy. In mahAbhAratham udhyOga parvam 91-27, krishNa says “dhvishadhannam nabhOkthavyam dhvishadhantham naiva bhOjayEth, pANdavAn dhvishasE rAjan mama prANA hi pANdavA: ” (one should not take food from enemies; one should not offer food to enemies. Oh King! You are inimical to pANdavas. Aren’t pANdavas my life!) while speaking to dhuryOdhana. In vishNu dharmam 37-2 krishNa tells arjuna “yasthvAm dhvEshti sa mAm dhvEshti yasthvAmanu sa mAmanu, abhEdhEnAthmanO vEdhmi thvAmaham pANdunandhana” (Son of pAndu! Whoever treats you as an enemy treats me too as an enemy. Whoever follows you, follows me too. I do not think of you as anyone different from me). Thus, enemies of emperumAn’s  followers will be his enemies too. jithanthE sthOthram 2 says “dhEvAnAm dhAnavAm cha sAmAnyamadhidhaivatham” (emperumAn is equal toward dhEvas [celestial persons] and demons). Thus he does not have any enemies of his own! Those who are enemies of his followers, possessing demonical qualities, will become his enemies. In SrI bhagavath gIthA 9-29, krishNa says “samOham sarvabhUthEshu na mE dhvEshyOsthi na priya:, yE bhajanthi thu mAm bhakthyA mayi thEshu chApyaham” (I am equanimous towards all species; I have neither enemies nor friends. Those who hold on to me with love are with me; so am I with them). Thus he does not see any difference among his followers. nammAzhwAr says in thiruvAimozhi 1-6-3 “Idum eduppum il Isan” and in thiruvAimozhi 1-6-5 “koLgai koLAmai ilAdhAn eLgal irAgamilAdhAn” conveying the same meanings. Among his followers, he does not distinguish between those whom he considers as being dear to him and those whom he considers are not dear to him; he does not think that he will get some jobs done through certain people and will avoid certain other people; he does not show affection towards some and enmity towards others. It is said that he treats sage vaSishta and hunter tribal person Sabari equally.

seRRAr padi kadandha – he measured the worlds that enemies [of indhra, the lord of celestial persons] such as mahAbali thought were theirs.

padi kadandha – he felt ecstatic as if he got what he could never get, after measuring all the forests and hillocks.

sem kaN – his eyes became reddish in colour due to the happiness that he felt after getting the worlds, as if they were not his in the first place.

mAl – this word indicates the great stature that he got after getting all the worlds under his divine feet.

naRRAmarai malar sEvadiyai – his divine feet which became reddish in colour, similar to the fresh lotus flower.

vAnavar – the celestial people who consider themselves to be in the attic where the simplicity of his incarnation will not be felt on them.

kai kUppi – even when he had incarnated on the earth, they stayed where they were and saluted and worshipped him.

nirai malar koNdu – with illustrious followers, which have been strung in an orderly way.

EththuvarAl – will worship! They have attained him with flowers, while a sinner such as I have lost him.

ninRu nirai malar koNdu EththuvarAl – similar to people who are able to withstand floods and stand firmly, they will worship him, after having his dharSan (vision). The word nirai could be compounded with vAnavar as nirai vAnavar which will mean lot of dhEvas; thus lot of celestial persons will worship him with flowers. The meaning for the word EththuvarAl is as said before – when he incarnated here, those who were in other worlds [celestial people] worshipped him from there, while, I, remaining very much here, lost out.

We shall take up the 21st pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa ramanuja dhAsan

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iyaRpA thiruvAsiriyam

thiruvAsiriyam

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SrIman nArAyaNan in paramapadham

nammAzhwAr

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Audio

All the AzhwArs are ‘mayarvaRa madhinalam aruLappeRRavar’, i.e. they  are  bestowed with
unblemished knowledge and devotion by bhagavAn himself, through  his nirhEthuka  katAksha
(unconditional graceful glance). Of  them nammAzhwAr is called prapanna jana kUtastha
(leader of surrendered devotees). He  has  written  four  prabandhams namely,

  • thiruviruththam
  • thiruvAsiriyam
  • periya thiruvandhAdhi and
  • thiruvAimozhi

These  four prabandhams are considered to be equivalent to four vEdhams in thamizh
language. Of  them thiruvAsiriyam is the yajur vEdham equiavalent. This is the 6th prabandham
in the iyaRpA.

In the first prabandham, AzhwAr requested emperumAn to cut his dhEha sambandham (bodily
connection) which is an obstacle to bhagavath anubhavam (enjoying bhagavAn). But
emperumAn’s wish  was  different. He wanted AzhwAr to stay in this world for some more time
to  correct  the  people and show them the right path to mOksha (liberation). Therefore when
AzhwAr prayed ‘poynninRa gyAnamum pollA ozhukkum azhukkudambum inninRa neermai
iniyAmuRAmai’ (I cannot tolerate the existence in this inferior world with this false knowledge, bad conduct and dirty body). He thought  ‘ivvAzhwAr indha samsAraththai vittu vilagi oru
nalamandhamilladhOr   nAttilE   pOychchEravENumenRu pArippadhu nammudaiya  guNangaLai anubhavippadharkAgavE anRi vEronRukkAhavanrE; andha guNAnubhavaththai ivarkku nAm ivvidaththilEyE vAykkachcheyvOm; ingE  thAnE  ivar  guNAnubhavam paNNik kaLiththArAy, avvanubhavam uLLadangAmal puRa veLLamittu prabhandhangaLAgap perugi lOkOpakAramum seydhAnAgattum’ (This AzhwAr wants to come to paramapadham since he desires to enjoy my qualities. He can experience them in this world itself which serves  two  purposes – 1) the enjoyment  of my qualities and 2) to correct the samsAris (worldly people). The  second  one  is  achieved through  his  prabandhams which are the outpourings of his experiences which will benefit the entire world). Hence, emperumAn revealed his rUpa, guNa, vibhUthi etc. to AzhwAr. AzhwAr’s such experiences and expressions are these prabandhams.

This prabandham thiruvAsiriyam is in the prosody called AsiriyappA. Hence it is called
thiruvAsiriyam. The AsiriyappA is of 4 types—nErisai AsiriyappA, nilamaNdila AsiriyappA etc.
pASurams 1, 2, 3, 6 are in nErisai AsirappA and the rest (4, 5, 7) are in nilamaNdila AsiriyappA.
The style is andhAdhi (where ending of one pAsuram is connected to the beginning of the next pAsuram).

AzhwAr enjoys emperumAn‘s kalyANa guNams in these 7 pAsurams.

The brief translation proceeds with:

  • In the First pAsuram, he enjoys emperumAn’s thirumEni (dhivya mangaLa vigraham, divine form).
  • In the second, one should desire to be adorn with the bhAgavath vishayam which is the
    swaroopam like the one (vivEki, wise) who wear and adorn this empermAn’s divine lotus feet. AzhwAr desires to have nithya sambandham (eternal relationship) with bhAgavathas.
  • In the third, he wants to be “adiyArku adiyAn” (servant to the bhAgavathas who are the servant of you, emperumAn).
  • In the fourth he approaches the bhAgavathas who always sing mangaLAsAsanam, as in ‘pallANDu pallANDu pallAyiraththANdu“ (long live, long live, for many thousands of years) and to follow their footsteps and desire to engage in kainkaryam only.
  • In the fifth, he experiences emperumAn’s saulabhyam (easy approachability, being very simple) and sauSeelya athiSayam (the abundance of his quality of mixing freely with others ignoring his greatness and the lowliness of others) of thrivikrama avathAram.
  • In the sixth, He cries out loud to the people that they were worshipping  kshudhra dhEvathAs (inferior gods) for inferior benefits.
  • In the seventh, he feels happy that bhagavAn has made his mind to worship emperumAn unlike others who run behind and worship other dhEvathAs.

periyavAchchAn piLLai has written a beautiful commentary for this prabandham. We will enjoy
the English translation of the same here. This commentary is further elaborately explained
by kAnchIpuram prathivAdhi bhayankaram aNNangarAcharyar swamy (in his dhivyArtha dhIpikai) and by puththur krishNamAchAryar swamy. We are grateful to these commentaries as well, which we will be using in our translation.

periyavAchchAn piLLai

With this introduction, we will proceed with the detailed translation for tiruvASiriyam.

adiyen booma ramanuja dasi

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iraNdAm Ayiram periya thirumozhi thirunedunthANdakam

mudhal thiruvandhAdhi – 19 – mAlum karum kadalE

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avathArikai

AzhwAr says “When he himself came one day [as thrivikrama] and approached all, I lost him; this earth, because he came one day and measured it, was touched by him on that day. What fortune do you [referring to thiruppARkadal] have, that you are always with emperumAn!”

Let us look at the pAsuram and its meanings.

mAlum karum kadalE  ennORRAy vaiyagam uNdu
Alin ilaith thuyinRa AzhiyAn kOlak
karumEnich chengaN mAl kaN padiyuL enRum
thirumEni nI thINdap peRRu

Word by Word Meanings

vaiyagam uNdu – after swallowing the world [after deluge]
Alin ilai – on the banyan leaf
thuyinRa – sleeping
AzhiyAn – one who reclines on the ocean [thiruppARkadal]
kOla karumEni –having  beautiful, black form
sem kaN – having reddish eyes
mAl – one who had affection [towards his devotees]
kaN padaiyuL – when he is reclining in a sleeping posture
enRum – at all times
thirumEni – his divine form
thINdappeRRu – feeling it
mAlum – overwhelmed (due to that happiness)
karum kadalE – Oh, black coloured ocean!
ennORRAy – what penance did you perform! [to get this fortune]

vyAkyAnam

mAlum – this word means stupefied or overwhelmed or bewildered. Just as people who get intoxicated after consuming certain types of drinks, the ocean is also feeling intoxicated due to the touch of emperumAn constantly. The ocean has the same happiness that mukthars (those who are liberated from samsAram (materialistic realm) and have reached SrIvaikuNtam) have on enjoying emperumAn.

karum kadalE – wouldn’t the ocean have become pale otherwise? But, emperumAn is lying on milky ocean, which is white in colour. How is AzhwAr then referring to it as the dark coloured ocean? It is said that emperumAn lies in all oceans and hence it is called as dark coloured ocean. Alternatively, the qualities of an ocean are referred to, in all places. Hence it is called as dark coloured ocean. Another explanation is that since dark coloured emperumAn is lying on it, the ocean too has become dark and hence AzhwAr is referring to it as dark coloured ocean. Ocean and emperumAn are having the complexion of bharatha (white) and rAma (dark) respectively.

en nORRAy – what penance did you carry out to be inseparable from emperumAn? AzhwAr wants to rid his attachment toward emperumAn and carry out the same penance for a similar result.

vaiyagam uNdu Alin ilaith thuyinRa – keeping all the worlds within his divine stomach and lying on a banyan leaf which appeared at the same time.

AzhiyAn – lying atop the banyan tree with all the weapons required for protecting. Holding the sudharSana (disc) weapon on his hand, emperumAn says that he will release the disc and tear apart the deluge if it comes to swallow the earth. Alternatively, Azhi could be construed as referring to ocean and in this case it would refer to his reclining on oceans.

kOlak karumEni sem kaN mAl – eyes which are beautiful, remove the tedium of beholders and shower affection on them. His divine eyes are like those referred to in chAndhOgya upanishath 1-6-7  “yathA kapyAsam puNdarIkamEva akshiNI” (eyes like lotus flower just blossomed by sun).

mAl – if the meaning is considered as pride, this word will refer to Isvaran (one who controls). If the meaning is considered as infatuation, it will refer to one who has lot of love.

kaN padaiyuL – where he is sleeping

enRum – at all times. Even if pirAtti (mahAlakshmi) out of a rare discord with emperumAn were to leave him, the ocean has no separation from emperumAn. AzhwAr is praising the good fortune of ocean which, unlike him, has no separation from emperumAn.  For upAsakas (those who attain emperumAn through upAsana or bhakthi (devotion)), attaining emperumAn is the end result; kainkaryam is like a by-product. In the same way, for the ocean, feeling emperumAn is the end-result. Just as sweat comes out when one is pounding paddy, kainkaryam, like sweat, comes automatically when emperumAn is attained [through devotion]. If the underlying knowledge about emperumAn, who is the means for attaining him, is obtained, strong belief in him comes on its own.

thirumEni nI thINdap peRRu mAlum karum kadalE – Oh ocean! You are in a stage of stupor after attaining him. I am bewildered because I have not.

karum kadalE – He showers qualities which he himself has, on those who he wants to grace. That is why you are also dark, like him. It appears that you have carried out some penance to get this. At the same time, it appears that this has come about because he has graced you especially.

Let us go on to the 20th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa ramanuja dhAsan

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thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 5th centum

thiruvAimozhi – 5.4.3 – nIyum pAngallai

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Full series >> Fifth Centum >> Fourth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the third pAsuram, parAnguSa nAyaki becomes sad thinking “kAkuthstha (SrI rAma) who is of the nature of eliminating all sorrows and uplifting, has not come; and I, being a dependent, do not know the means to finish myself”.

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

nIyum pAngallai kAN nenjamE! nILiravum
Oyum pozhidhilllai UzhiyAy nINdadhAl
kAyum kadunjilai en kAguththan vArAnAl
mAyum vagai aRiyEn val vinaiyEn peN piRandhE

Listen

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

nenjamE – Oh heart!
niyum – you who are the main cause for all actions
pAngu allai – are not obedient;
nIL – already extending
iravum – night
Oyum pozhudhu – ending time
inRi – not having
UzhiyAy – like a kalpa (a day of brahmA)
nINdadhu – stretched;
kAyum – roasting the enemies of his devotees
kadu – cruel
silai – having SrI SArnga [divine bow]
en kAguththan – [kAkuthstha] SrI rAma, chakravarthi thirumangan (divine son of emperor dhaSaratha), who is born in the family heritage which gives great importance to helping others
vArAn – has not helped me like he helped sIthA, the divine daughter of king SrI janaka
val vinaiyEn – I who am having great sins (which stop even emperumAn from helping)
peN – woman (who does not even have the independence to kill herself)
piRandhu – having been born
mAyum vagai – ways to finish myself
aRiyEn – I don’t know

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

Oh heart! you, the main cause for all actions, are not obedient; the already extending night is not having the ending time and is appearing to be stretched like a kalpa; SrI rAma, chakravarthi thirumangan who is having the cruel SrI SArnga [bow] which roasts the enemies of his devotees and who is born in the family heritage which gives great importance to helping others, has not helped me like he helped sIthA, the divine daughter of king SrI janaka; I who am having great sins, having been born as a woman, don’t know the ways to finish myself.

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

  • nIyum pAngallai kAN nenjamE – SrI rAma, after reaching the other side of gangA, saw iLaiya perumAL (lakshmaNa) and told him “Son! you too go back to our capital (ayOdhyA)”, being bewildered that he can complete his vanavAsam (exile from the kingdom to the forest) without him; similarly, AzhwAr is saying to his divine heart “nIyum pAngallai kAN” (you too are not obedient towards me). As said in “mana Eva …” (mind (heart) is the cause for one’s bondage and liberation), he can attain everything only with the help of his heart. Still, out of sadness, AzhwAr is saying this.
  • nIL iravu … – Initially, it was just lengthy night; subsequently, it became endless. It appeared to be both without a beginning and endless. There are some cases where there would have been a beginning which ceased to exist (like creating a product from a raw material – the raw material existed before but is gone now), but yet is endless – this night is not like that [there was no beginning to start with].
  • UzhiyAy – Ordinary persons such as “sAththan, kUththan” (common names), when they acquire wealth, they will leave aside their common names and will live with special titles such as “chOzhak kOnAr, thoNdamAnAr” (respectable names); in the same way, the night acquired the name “kalpam”  (a day of brahmA).
  • nINdadhAl – Even for the kalpa, there is an end, but there is no end for this [night].
  • kAyum kadum silai … – Even the one who has the strength of the bow which eliminated the lengthy night of a woman (sIthAp pirAtti), has not come. One who is having the bow which roasts the enemies, which would show no mercy towards the enemies even if perumAL (SrI rAma) wants to show mercy. I have not seen his SAngam (bow, favouritism) towards me.
  • en kAguththan – parAnguSa nAyaki considers his help to sIthAp pirAtti as help to her own self. Even the one she considered as refuge as said in thiruvAimozhi 3.6.8 “thayarathaRku magan thannai anRi maRRilEn thanjam” (I will not have anyone other than the divine son of dhaSaratha as my refuge), has not come. thiruppAvai 12 “sinaththinAl …” (out of anger) – while eliminating the hurdles/enemies of pirAtti, instead of thinking that he is doing a favour to her, he considers him having his own anger subdued [by killing the demons].
  • kAguththan – Previously, she said “kaNNanum vArAnAl” (krishNa has not come); that son of king who was not crowned, did not come [krishNa coming in the clan of yayAthi, where yayAthi refused to crown his son [who is the ancestor of krishNa] for not helping him]; but I was not helped by even those who are born in the family of crowned kings who have protected others. Even the descendant of kakuthsthaa has not come [kakuthstha is well known to have helped others].
  • vArAnAl – The one who does not wait for enemies to come to him and rather would go to his enemies, has not come. SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 1.29 is explained here. abhiyAthA – He considers it his duty to go to the enemies’ place [to defeat them] instead of waiting for them to come. praharthA cha – While standing in the front row of the battle field, when asked “who will hit first?”, that will be his (SrI rAma’s). sEnAnaya viSAradha: – Even while he is not physically present, he is able to arrange the army perfectly, and win the battle easily.
  • mAyum vagai aRiyEn – After knowing that he has not come, the only way to attain joy is by finishing myself, but I do not know how to do it.
  • val vinaiyEn – I have committed such sin that, I cannot even attain death, if such death is considered joyful. How strange that, my sin is making me live instead of making me die! It is only my sin which is causing this unfavourable state for me that makes both living and dying difficult to attain.
  • peN piRandhE – Is it possible to dies as and when they desire, having been born in a dependent birth? I have committed great sin to be born in this female birth, where one is to live for others. It is said in mahAbhAratham “pApAnAmAkarassthriya:” (this female form is considered as embodiment of sins). SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 36.30 is explained here. nachAsya mAthA – After sIthAp pirAtti saw thiruvadi (hanuman), out of praNaya rOsham (romantic anger) towards perumAL (SrI rAma), considering hanuman to be sent by him, she spoke to hanuman angrily;  hanuman pacified her saying “only due to not knowing the location of your highness, SrI rAma did not come for your rescue. It is not due to lack of attachment towards you; you can only blame him if he delays coming to you even after knowing your location”; further hanuman said “it has been ten months since you separated from him, you too have survived until now, without finishing yourself”.  sIthA said “Oh! is that what you think? Now listen to me. For people, their attachment would be split among many entities such as mother, father, brother, relatives; but perumAL has all those attachment towards me; so he will do whatever it takes like building a bridge across the ocean etc and will come to me seeking for me like a thirsty person crying ‘water! water!’; when a thirsty person arrives in a water shelter with great difficulty and finds the water pots broken he will not survive; similarly, if he arrives here only to find me dead, he will not live either; so, I sustained myself for him. You can make this statement, only if you see me alive after meeting him”. dhUtha – previously, she addressed hanuman as “vAnara” (monkey) etc, and now her anger is turned towards hanuman [dhUtha – SrI rAma‘s messenger] and said “you are sent by SrI rAma [so you too would have the same attitude]”.
  • val vinaiyEn peN piRandhE – mAyum vagai aRiyEn – One can as and when they desire, if they are men like dhaSaratha, bhIshma et al; either gyAnavAn (very wise) [like bhIshma] or svathanthra (one who considers themselves to be independent) [like dhaSaratha] to die as and when they desire; would it be possible for ignorant persons who are born as women?

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 5th centum

thiruvAimozhi – 5.4.2 – Avi kAppAr

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Full series >> Fifth Centum >> Fourth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the second pAsuram, parAnguSa nAyaki says “In such state of mine, even krishNa is not coming, and due to being related to I who am a great sinner, oh heart! you too are not obedient towards me”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, parAnguSa nAyaki says to her heart “krishNa who revealed his beautiful form and became obedient, is not coming; oh heart! you too are not obedient towards me, now who will save my life?”.

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

Avi kAppAr iniyAr? Azh kadal maN viN mUdi
mAvikAramAy Or val iravAy nINdadhAl
kAvi sEr vaNNan en kaNNanum vArAnAl
pAviyEn nenjamE! nIyum pAngallaiyE

Listen

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

Azh – deep
kadal – ocean
maN – earth
viN – sky
mUdi – covering

(not stopping with that, to cover the whole world)
mA – huge
vikAramAy – having a well developed state
val – dense (even many suns cannot break the darkness)
Or iravAy – lengthy night filled with darkness
nINdadhu – extended without an end;
kAvi – with neydhal (blue nelumbo) flower
sEr – matching
vaNNan – having complexion
en – obedient to have such complexion as my wealth
kaNNanum – krishNa
vArAn – have not come so far;
pAviyEn – one who is having sins (which makes the obedient krishNa to disobey me), my
nenjamE – oh heart!

(like him)
nIyum – you too
pAngallai – are not favourable;
ini – when krishNa, the protector is not helping and you, the companion are not helping,
Avi – my life
kAppAr – protector
Ar – who?

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

The lengthy night filled with darkness which is covering the deep ocean, the earth, the sky and which is having a well developed state and is very dense, extended without an end; krishNa who is having a complexion which matches neydhal flower and who is obedient to have such complexion as my wealth, have not come so far; oh heart of a sinner (me)! you are not favourable; when krishNa, the protector is not helping and you, the companion are not helping, who is the protector for my life?

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

  • Avi kAppAr iniyAr – One who is supposed to help, has not helped; the heart too became unfavourable; now who is the protector/saviour? krishNa has not come, and oh heart! you too are not favourable – who will save my life?
  • Azh kadal … – The objects which are pervading (i.e., the five great elements) are covered by one of those objects which is pervaded (thamas – darkness). The immeasurable ocean, the earth which supports all objects, the ether which gives space to earth – covering all of these.
  • mA vikAramAy – (the darkness) Subsequently, not stopping with that, having great growth, appeared to be aiming to cover even the nithya vibhUthi (spiritual realm). It is attempting do what is done by the omnipotent emperumAn while manifesting the viSvarUpam (universal form).
  • Or val iravAy – Since she is unable to have the intelligence to distinguish between the night and darkness, she is highlighting darkness as night.
  • Or val iravAy – It is so densely dark that, even emperumAn sends his divine sudharSana chakra to cut the darkness, it cannot be broken.
  • nINdadhAl – unable to see the end.
  • kAvi sEr vaNNan – Having the complexion as explained in SrIvishNu purANam 5.3.8 “pullEndhIvarapathrApam” (one who is having the complexion of blossomed blue nelumbo flower). He is said to be having a divine form with dark complexion as in periya thiruvanthAdhi 26 “iruL anna mA mEni“. He can come like those who wear dark clothes to conceal their identity and comes.
  • en kaNNan – One who came in the dark and helped, where kamsa had his evil assistants [waiting for him]. periya thirumozhi 7.5.1 “naL irutkaN vandha endhai perumAnAr” (my father and great lord who arrived in the midnight darkness).
  • vArAnAl – Would it not be good if emperumAn who comes to destroy thAmasa prakruthi (demoniac persons), come and destroy thamas (darkness) itself? If he arrives, that will lead to her dawn at once. It is said in iraNdAm thiruvanthAdhi 81 “pagal kaNdEn nAraNanaik kaNdEn” (I saw the day (brightness) which implies seeing SrIman nArAyaNa).
  • pAviyEn nenjamE – You too are similar to him. He did not help me not because of lacking the ability to help, but due to being related to me and being embraced by me – you too have both the qualifications [so you are also not going to help me].
  • nIyum pAngallaiyE – Though you both have some similarity, would it not be nice if you there were some differences [i.e., even if he did not help, at least you could help]? Should you who are naturally dependent behave like emperumAn who is independent but assume dependency [due to romantic mood]? If he gives up his romantic mood, he will be left with fully independent attitude only, but that is not the case for you [because you are naturally dependent]. When there are two obedient entities [emperumAn and the heart], if one [emperumAn] becomes disobedient, should the other entity [my heart] too become disobedient? Here, emperumAn and her heart are mentioned [and to be recited] in the same tone in “en kaNNanum vArAnAl” and “en nenjamE“.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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iyaRpA mudhal thiruvandhAdhi

mudhal thiruvandhAdhi – 18 – nAnRa mulaiththalai

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avathArikai

AzhwAr says that it is not that he had lost his opportunity of having dharSan of emperumAn because he could  not go to thiruppARkadal or because he was not present when emperumAn measured the worlds. When he came in an even simpler form as krishNa , he lost, he says. AzhwAr mercifully speaks about both vAmanAvathAram and krishNAvathAram in the same breath because in both these incarnations, emperumAn (1) embraced all without distinguishing between the great and the lowly people, (2) had beauty, (3) wealth, (4) affection towards followers etc.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings.

nAnRa mulaiththalai nanjuNdu uRi veNNey
thOnRa uNdAn venRi sUzh kaliRRai UnRip
porudhudaivu uNdAnum puLLin vAy kINdAnum
marudhidai pOy maNNaLandha mAl

Word by Word Meanings

nAnRa mulai thalai – from the sagging bosom
nanju uNdu – drinking poison
uRi – kept in the hoop (network of rope for placing pots)
veNNey – butter
thOnRa uNdAn – ate in such a way that everyone knew
venRi sUzh kaliRRai – elephant kuvalayApIdam which was both winning and scheming
UnRi porudhu – fighting, standing firmly
udaivu kaNdAnum – and killed
puLLin vAy – (the form that bakAsura took) crane’s mouth
kINdAnum – tore
marudhu idai pOy – crawling between the two arjuna trees
maNNaLandha – measuring all the worlds
mAl – the supreme emperumAn only

vyAkyAnam

nAnRa mulaith thalai nanju uNdu – pUthanA, the demon friend of kamsa, came in the form of yaSOdhA, in order to kill krishNa. Since she wanted to feed him, she had excess milk in her bosom, due to which her bosom was hanging. Once krishNa drank the milk that she offered, she turned into her old (demoniacal) form and fell down. The true self of anyone who comes near him [emperumAn] would be exposed. Thus pUthanA lost the form that she had assumed (of yaSOdhA) and attained her demoniacal form.

uRi veNNey thOnRa uNdAn – he caught hold of hoops (a network of ropes to place pots from ceiling) which had butter kept in pots and ate it. Alternatively, not knowing how to hide his stealing, he stole butter such that everyone know that he had stolen and called him a thief. It went to such an extent that even SisupAlan (his cousin and a staunch enemy) knew of this and called him names. It is hinted through this that he cannot remain without taking hold of articles that belong to those who are friendly towards him. Since both”nanju uNdu” (eating poison) and ”veNNey uNdu” (eating butter) are mentioned in the same breath, it is brought out clearly that the belongings of those who are friendly towards him and those who are inimical towards him are treated equally by him – he desires both.

venRi sUzh kaliRRai – the elephant which is always victorious. Instead of being defeated, the elephant, kuvalayApIdam, had the ability to defeat its enemies. Alternatively, it can be construed as the elephant which was very victorious.

UnRip porudhu udaivu kaNdAnum – he fought at close quarters with kuvalayApIdam, as if he is an expert in fighting elephants, and converted its body into an implement for keeping weapons. There is another form for this sequence – porudhu idaivu kaNdAnum – here, he fought with the elephant, made it wizened and killed it.

puLLin vAy kINdAnum – the one who killed bakAsura, who came in the form of a crane, by tearing open its mouth is also the one who killed the two demons, yamaLa and arjuna, who took the form of twin trees by crawling between them and tearing them apart (marudhidai pOy).

maN aLandha mAl – the one who went between the arjuna trees and killed the two demons is also the one who measured the worlds with his divine feet. Once AzhwAr thought of krishNa, the form of thrivikrama came to his mind since both were simplicity personified.

We shall move on to the 19th pAsuram.

adiyEn krishNa ramanuja dhAsan

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