SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai
As mentioned in the 12th pAsuram “aRivennum thAL koLuvi”, being victorious over sensory perceptions is a very difficult task indeed. Unless [emperumAn is] seen in person, it is not possible to defeat sensory perceptions. But this is not possible [seeing him]. Thus, for those who are asking “don’t we have a way to enjoy emperumAn?”, AzhwAr mentions about a way which can be followed even by people without strength. emperumAn has taken residence in thirumalai to overcome the shortcoming of being difficult to be seen. AzhwAr says that one can attain his divine feet and see him. Has it not been mercifully mentioned by thirumangai AzhwAr in thirukkuRundhANdagam 19 “kaNdiyUr arangam meyyam kachchi pEr mallai enRu maNdinAr uyyalallAl maRRaiyArkku uyyalAme” (one cannot sustain oneself without attaining archAvathAra emperumAn (emperumAn in deity form in various divine abodes)) and in thirukkuRundhANdagam 18 “vidhiyil kANbAr meymmaiyE kANgirpArE” (could those who try to see him on their own efforts really see him?)! AzhwAr says that divine abodes are there to control sensory perceptions and to sever us from various worldly pursuits.
Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:
mARpAl manam suzhippa mangaiyar thOL kai vittu
nURpAl manam vaikka noyvidhAm nARpAla
vEdhaththAn vEngadaththAn viNNOr mudi thOyum
pAdhaththAn pAdham paNindhu
Word by Word Meanings
nARpAla vEdhaththAn – being mentioned by the four vEdhas (rig, yajur, sAma and atharvaNa)
vEngadaththAn – standing in thirumalai as simplicity personified
viNNOr mudi thOyum pAdhaththAn – emperumAn who has divine feet on which nithyasUrs’ crowns would unite
pAdham – divine feet
paNindhu – worshipping
mAl pAl – towards that emperumAn
manam suzhippa – for the heart to be engaged
(due to that)
mangaiyar thOL kaivittu – getting rid of the desire to embrace the shoulders of women
nUl pAl – in SAsthras (such as vEdham etc)
manam vaikka – to engage the mind
noyvidhu Am – is very easy
vyAkyanam
mARpAl manam suzhippa – the reason for getting involved with worldly pursuits is because they are seen. In the same way, since emperumAn manifests himself, being unable to forgo him, one should get involved with him and let go of the involvement in other matters. It is impossible to get involved with emperumAn after leaving desire in the shoulders of women. Hence, once desire develops towards emperumAn, it will be better to let go of the desire in the shoulders of women.
mARpAl manam suzhippa – if the word mAl is taken to mean one who is great, we can consider this as our heart getting engaged with emperumAn. Or, if mAl is taken to mean one who is affectionate, we can consider this as our heart engaging with one who is affectionate towards us.
mARpAl manam suzhippa – if mAl is taken to mean one who is totally infatuated, this will mean that we should be fully infatuated with one who is infatuated with us.
mangaiyar thOL kai vittu – getting rid of the connection with all other matters [worldly pursuits]. Getting rid of the desire with the shoulders of women, which can land one in naragam (hell).
nURpAl manam vaikka noyvidhAm – AzhwAr says that keeping just a tiny bit of interest in emperumAn is sufficient to make it easy to attain emperumAn. It will be easy to keep the mind towards nURpAl (authentic texts). Or, it will be easy to keep the mind towards thirumanthram (reciting the name of nArAyaNa in a specific way) which is the essence of all vEdhas (sacred texts). It can also be considered that one can get engaged with emperumAn after ridding of the desire in worldly pursuits.
nARpAla vEdhaththAn – one who is described vividly by the four vEdhas.
If he is to be known only through vEdhas, will it not be difficult to see him for those who are seeing only worldly pursuits?
vEngadaththAn – he is standing in thiruvEngada malai (the divine hills of thirumalai) so that he can be enjoyed through eyes [for everyone]. In that case, is he also one among the worldly pursuits?
viNNOr mudi thOyum pAdhaththAn – one who is standing like this is desired by nithyasUris too. His divine feet are such that even nithyasUris, who have absolutely no connection with materialistic realm, will desire and attain him here. Even though emperumAn lowers himself for the sake of samsAris and takes residence in thirumalai, his divine feet retain their greatness such that nithyasUris will come here and bow down to him.
pAdham paNindhu – holding on to his divine feet.
We will take up the 15th pAsuram next.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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