thiruvAimozhi – 5.8.2 – emmAnE

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

Full series >> Fifth Centum >> Eighth 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, AzhwAr informs emperumAn the favours he mercifully did towards AzhwAr himself and the favours he mercifully does to his devotees. and calls him out telling him “You, who are of such nature, are not mercifully fulfilling my desire” with grief.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr says “You who assumed many incarnation for the sake of your devotees, are not mercifully glancing at me; what shall I do?”.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nampiLLai‘s introduction.

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

Second pAsuram. Even after AzhwAr calling out in this manner [as seen in previous pAsuram], emperumAn did not respond to him; seeing that AzhwAr thinks that emperumAn is thinking “You take care of your needs yourself”, and calls him out citing his previous favours.

pAsuram

emmAnE en veLLai mUrththi! ennai ALvAnE!
emmA uruvum vENdum ARRAl AvAy ezhilERE!
semmA kamalam sezhunIr misaik kaN malarum thirukkudandhai
ammA malark kaN vaLarginRAnE! ennAn seygEnE?

Listen

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

emmAnE – being my lord (to have my activities at your disposal)
en – for me to acquire sathva guNam (goodness)
veLLai – very pure
mUrththi – having a form

(showing that form)
ennai – to ensure that I don’t lose my existence
ALvAnE – one who lets me enjoy him
e – in all species (such as dhEva (celestial), manushya (human), thiryak (animal) and sthAvara (plant), for the sake of his devotees)
mA – great
uruvum – incarnations
vENdum ARRAl – out of desire
AvAy – one who assumes
ezhil – with the beauty in those forms, capturing the hearts as said in “pumsAm dhrushti chiththApahAriNAm
ERE – appears majestic
sem – reddish
mA – big
kamalam – lotus flowers
sezhu – abundance
nIrmisai – on the water
kaN – everywhere
malarum – blossoming
thirukkudandhai – in thirukkudandhai
a – that
mA – distinguished
malar – lotus flower like
kaN – divine eyes
vaLargiNrAnE – oh one who is resting [with your closed eyes]!
nAn – I

(for this)
en – what
seygEn – shall I do?

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

emperumAn who is my lord, is having a pure form for me to acquire sathva guNam; he is showing that form to let me enjoy him and to ensure that I don’t lose my existence; he assumes various incarnations in all species out of his own desire; with the beauty in those forms, capturing the hearts as said in “pumsAm dhrushti chiththApahAriNAm” he appears majestic; oh one who is resting with your distinguished lotus flower like divine eyes in thirukkudandhai where there is abundance of reddish big lotus flowers blossoming everywhere on the water! what shall I do? Implies that – while all lotus flowers are blossoming, your two lotus like flowers [eyes] are not blossoming on looking at me.

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

  • emmAnE – Who will conduct the owned – will it be the owner or the owned on its own? To have you say “You manage your own activities”, am I an independent person? emmAnE – my nAtha! [my lord]
  • emmAnE en veLLai mUrththiAzhwAr asks – Did I know that he is my lord through pramANams (authentic quotes from SAsthram) such as in nArAyaNa sUktham “pathim viSvasya” (lord of the universe) and “yasyAsmi” (I am the servant of sarvESvaran)? When asked “So, how did you know?”, he says – since emperumAn is of pure nature, he himself showed all his qualities fully, considering it as his own gain, and I saw (understood) it. Had you left a little bit ignorance in me, while you bestowed unblemished knowledge, I would have remained relaxed.
  • ennai ALvAnE – Bestowing full knowledge initially, will you discard me now by making me work on my own? [No] It was emperumAn who sustained AzhwAr by giving knowledge about his qualities and ridding AzhwAr’s sorrows in thiruvAimozhi 1.4anjiRaiya mada nArAy“, thiruvAimozhi 5.3 “mAsaRu sOdhi” etc.
  • em mA uruvum – Don’t you know all the hardships you take up for me and your devotees? Another explanation – Distinguished form in all aspects. As said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 4.6prakruthim svAm adhishtAya” (accepting distinguished forms (made of spiritual matter)), having divine forms.
  • vENdum ARRAl – Two explanations – 1) as said in thiruvAimozhi 6.4.7 “thanakku vENduruk koNdu” (accepting forms which he likes), out of his own desire 2) as said in mudhal thiruvandhAdhi 44 “thamar ugandhadhevvuruvam avvuruvam thAnE” (he accepts the forms which are desired by his devotees), out of the desire of his devotees.
  • evvurum vENdum ARRAl AvAy – Is there any form which you have not accepted for the sake of your devotees as said in thiruviruththam 1 “enninRa yOniyumAyp piRandhAy” (You have appeared in every species).
  • em mA uruvum – Because these forms are accepted by emperumAn, they are glorious.That is, as said in SrIvishNu purANam 5.3.2 “AvirbhUtham” (appearing), emperumAn super-imposes his divine spiritual form into this worldly species. It is said in SrIvishNu purANam 6.7.70 “rUpam anyaththarEr mahath” (bhagavAn‘s spiritual form is different from worldly matter).
  • vENdum ARRAl AvAy – Just as the AthmA accepts births based on its karma [past deeds], emperumAn appears based on his own mercy. Both (bhagavAn and AthmAs) have births. When AthmA’s karma is exhausted, his birth will stop; AthmA’s karma will be eliminated when it surrenders at the divine feet of emperumAn; but for emperumAn, his births will go on forever. For emperumAn, his anugraham (mercy) is the karma [which triggers his birth], and his mercy is eternal for him [hence he will also be born repeatedly forever]. For the AthmA, his birth is limited to his own scope; but emperumAn is born for [the uplifting of ] everyone. Since the AthmA’s birth is out of karma, it will be for his own sake; but since emperumAn’s birth is out of his mercy, it will be for the sake of others. This is explained in SrI bhagavath gIthA 4.5bahUni mE vyathIthAni janmAni thavacha” (You too have many many births). thavacha (yours too) indicates the similarity in the births of both; emperumAn is saying “just as your births are real, mine too are”. If this is not the case, the AthmA cannot be confident [in emperumAn’s protection].
  • ezhil ERE – When emperumAn assumes births for his devotees would he lose his radiance? [No] He will acquire new radiance which was not present before. Only when one is born out of karma, it leads to a shortcoming. thiruvAimozhi 1.3.2 “pala piRappAy oLi varu muzhu nalam” (by assuming many births, his qualities acquire new radiance). yajur vEdham 3.6.1 “sa u SrEyAn bhavathi jAyamAna:” (He becomes more radiant by accepting new births) – for everyone as they accept new birth their radiance will diminish, but for emperumAn, it increases with every birth. He would externally look radiant, but would he feel sad for having to accept such births? [No] He would feel prideful thinking “Yes, I have accepted this birth”. emperumAn remains restrained like a prince as said in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 3.6.3 “vAniLavarsu” (prince of paramapadham (spiritual realm)) due to protocol there in paramapadham. But here in this samsAram (material realm), as said in nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 14.1″patti mEyndhOr kArERu” (A dark coloured bull like emperumAn who is roaming around everywhere), he would give up all inhibitions and happily roam around. Hence, only after being born here, he acquires beauty [and radiance]. When one who knows emperumAn’s nature tells him as in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 120.13 “bhavAn nArAyaNO dhEva:” (You are that SrIman nArAyaNan), you are so attached to your incarnation that you reply to them as in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 120.11 “AthmAnam mAnusham manyE” (I consider myself as a human being) and as in SrIvishNu purANam 5.13.12 “ahamvO bAndhavO jAtha:” (I am your relative).
  • sem mA … – emperumAn descends to kOyils (dhivyadhESams, divine abodes) and rests there to help those who missed his help during his incarnations.
  • semmA kamalam … – As the fragrance [of the lotus flowers] hits the face, he sleeps in a relaxed manner. As the reddish big lotus flowers come out of the attractive water bodies and blossom, [that light] reveals his ocean-coloured form and his limbs.
  • sem mA kamalam – The lotus flower which withers within a fraction of a moment cannot be a match for emperumAn‘s eyes – so when it is cited as an example, lots of adjectives [such as sem, mA etc] need to be added.
  • am mA malark kaN vaLarginRAnE – I am not seeing the opening [blossoming] of his beautiful lotus flower like divine eyes.
  • am mA malar – These two eyes appear to be the same species as those lotus flowers, and I am not seeing these eyes blossom [while the lotus flowers blossom].
  • en nAn seygEnE – What shall I who cannot sustain without the blossoming of these eyes, do? In thirukkudandhai, the beetles drink the honey from the blossomed lotus flowers and are happy, but I who can drink the honey from his blossomed eyes, remain hungry.
  • en nAn seygEnE – Are you thinking “this calling out will go on forever” ? [No] It is at the finishing stage. AzhwAr is suffering like this because he thinks “I will not drink any other honey [than from emperumAn‘s blossomed eyes]”. Blossoming [opening] of his eyes means, bestowing his special and merciful glance. When he is not opening his eyes, AzhwAr too would not [if emperumAn is not conscious, AzhwAr too would be unconscious].

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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