thiruvAimozhi – 5.8.8 – kaLaivAy thunbam

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 eighth pAsuram, AzhwAr became so perplexed that he could not think about emperumAn since emperumAn did not appear even after AzhwAr saying “thariyEn” (I cannot sustain); he says “it does not matter whether you protect me or not; let that be so; but you should mercifully see that I am able to meditate upon your divine feet; this is what I need now”.

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

kaLaivAy thunbam kaLaiyAdhozhivAy kaLaikaN maRRilEn
vaLai vAy nEmip padaiyAy kudandhaik kidandha mA mAyA
thaLarA udalam enadhAvi sarindhu pOm pOdhu
iLaiyAdhuna thAL orungappidiththup pOdha isai nIyE

Listen

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

thunbam – sorrow (of not enjoying you)
kaLaivAy – eliminate
kaLiyAdhozhivAy – not eliminate
kaLaikaN – eliminator of sorrows
maRRu – any other
ilEn – not having;

(tool for eliminating the sorrows)
vaLai – round
vAy – having mouth
nEmi – divine chakra
padaiyAy – one who is having as weapon

(for the sake of his devotees)
kudandhai – in thirukkudandhai
kidandha – mercifully resting
mAmAyA – oh one who is very amazingly beautiful!

(due to the grief of not enjoying you)
udalam – body
thaLarA – weakened
enadhu – my
Avi – prANa (life)
sarindhu – becomes shaken
pOm pOdhu – the final stage of leaving the body arrives

(at this juncture)
iLaiyAdhu – without losing the mental strength
una – your
thAL – divine feet
orunga – in a singular manner (as upAyam (means) and upEyam (goal))
pidiththu – holding on
pOdha – to conduct
nIyE – you only
isai – allow.

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

I am not having any other protector, whether you eliminate my sorrow or not; oh one who is very amazingly beautiful, who is mercifully resting in thirukkudandhai and is having the divine chakra with rounded mouth as weapon; when my body becomes weakened, prANa becomes shaken and the final stage of leaving the body arrives, you only have to allow me to conduct myself holding on to your divine feet in a singular manner without losing the mental strength.

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

  • kaLaivAy thunbam kaLaiyAdhu ozhivAy kaLaikaN maRRilEn – Whether you do your duty or not; I am not worried; I have no doubt in the principle of “thvamEva upAya bhUthOmE bhava”  (Let you be my only means);  whether you do or do not do your duty as said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 18.66 “sarva pApEbhyO mOkshayishyAmi” (I will free you from all sins).

Since emperumAn is not confirming that he will do so, AzhwAr highlights that emperumAn’s presence is for AzhwAr’s protection only.

  • vaLai vAy nEmip padaiyAy – Having the divine chakra which has mouth everywhere it is seen, as the weapon. Is there any limitation in your not eliminating my sorrows? Is there any part of the weapon in your hand, where there is no mouth? Don’t you need to have the purpose of having those mouths fulfilled? Can you say that you don’t have the tool [to protect me]? Is there the limitation of “I have nothing in my hands; I need to gather my weapons/army”?
  • nEmip padaiyAy kaLaikaN maRRilEn – Is there a weapon like that in my hand or in others’ hands or don’t you have any weapon?
  • kudandhaik kidandha mAmAyA – You see this greatness [of archAvathAra emperumAn] for yourself after saying in SrI bhagavath gIthA 18.66 “mAm” [krishNa pointing to himself, saying “me” and revealing his ultimate simplicity]. With this, AzhwAr is establishing that emperumAn‘s archAvathAram (deity form) is even more easily accessible than his vibhavAvathArams (such as SrI rAma, krishNa). Isn’t his merciful resting with amazing beauty in thirukkudandhai is for the sake of his devotees? He cannot be said to be lacking in abilities. He cannot be said as “not easily accessible”. He cannot be said as “not the one who triggers our ruchi (taste towards him)”.
  • thaLarA udalam – when the body weakens.
  • enadhu Avi sarindhu pOm pOdhu – I have reached the stage where my life is going to end.
  • pOm pOdhu – The time of departure has arrived. Is this anthima smruthi [thoughts [about emperumAn] during the final moments is indicated as a means to attain the desired goal]? It is not that AzhwAr does not know [i.e., AzhwAr knows] varAha emperumAn‘s vow “kAshta pAshANa sannibam” (one who is unconscious like wood or stone) and “aham smarAmi” (during the last moments of such AthmAs who had previously surrendered unto me, I will think about them and deliver them); he is also unlike such persons [who use other means to attain emperumAn]. It is just due to the sorrow of separation from emperumAn, now AzhwAr’s body has become weakened and the AthmA has reached the stage of departing from the body.
  • iLaiyAdhu … – Even if I don’t have my desire fulfilled, you should mercifully ensure that my faith in your holding on to your divine feet to have my desire fulfilled, remains intact. Since he did not acquire the experience, he became fearful thinking “is my firm faith in the means which will fulfil the desire, diminishing?”, he asks emperumAn to mercifully ensure that such faith remains intact.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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