Monthly Archives: May 2018

thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 6th centum

thiruvAimozhi – 6.9.2 – maNNum viNNum

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Full series >> Sixth Centum >> Ninth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In second pAsuram, emperumAn says “I will do as you say in paramapadham (spiritual realm) only” and AzhwAr replies “Aren’t you the one who manifested your beauty to be enjoyed by everyone, by mercifully taking birth in this samsAram (material realm) as SrI vAmana? So, you should mercifully fulfil my desire right here”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr says “You who are having amazing power of reinstating undisputed ownership of the entire universe by manifesting your beauty to mahAbali, should arrive here to my delight”.

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

maNNum viNNum magizhak kuRaLAy valangAtti
maNNum viNNum koNda mAya ammAnE!
naNNi unai nAn kaNdugandhu kUththAda
naNNi oru nAL gyAlaththUdE nadavAyE

Listen

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

maNNum – earth
viNNum – the higher worlds
magizha – to the delight
kuRaLAy – as vAmana (who shrunk his huge form)

(who grew as soon as he prayed and the water fell on his hands)
valam – the omnipotency
kAtti – manifesting
maNNum – earth
viNNum – the higher worlds
koNda – measured
mAyam – having amazing activity
ammAnE – Oh lord!
unai – you (who are having beauty which was manifested to those with ulterior motives)
nAn – I (who am having the extreme desire )
naNNi – reaching (with that beauty)
kaNdu – (not just through internal vision but ) physically seeing
ugandhu – being pleased
kUththAda – to dance
naNNi – arrive here (just as you arrived at the sacrificial arena

(for me too)
oru nAL – one day
gyAlaththUdE – in the earth
nadavAy – should walk

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

Oh lord who manifested as vAmana to the delight of earth and the higher worlds and who manifested amazing omnipotency by measuring the earth and higher planets! You should arrive one day on the earth and walk here, so that I can reach you and physically see you to my delight and to make me dance.

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

  • maNNum viNNum magizhak kuRaLAy – To the extent that both the realms would have been finished had you not appeared as SrI vAmana, you appeared to the delight of even the unfavourable ones just as all the entities will freshen up with a heavy rainfall.
  • valam kAtti – Since mahAbali had a little bit of audhArya (magnanimity), he could not be killed by arrows like emperumAn did to rAvaNa et al; so emperumAn stunned him with the strength of his beauty. Even while SukrAchArya et al were trying to stop, mahAbali was won over by the beauty and was offering [what vAmana asked].
  • kuRaLAy – He had become very small to be easily enjoyed, just like huge measurement was shrunk into a small measurement [without losing the essence].
  • maNNum viNNum koNda – One who placed earth and the sky under his feet. Instead of saying it was given to indhra, here it is said that he took it because – since mahAbali is demoniac in nature, emperumAn took it himself (instead of accepting from mahAbali) and since his devotee indhra and emperumAn are inseparable.
  • mAya ammAnE – Here, the following amazing aspects are implied – emperumAn being the divine consort of SrI mahAlakshmi [wealth personified] and still prayed to mahAbali; stunning mahAbali with his beauty, speaking incoherently like a child as said in “koLvan nAn mAvali” (mahAbali! I will accept), showing little feet first and while accepting the offering enlarging the feet etc.
  • ammAnE – Wasn’t it his normal lordship as explained in jithanthE sthOthram 2 “dhEvAnAm dhAnavAm cha sAmAnyamadhidhaivatham” (emperumAn is equal toward dhEvas [celestial persons] and demons) that made him do that?
  • naNNi unai nAn kaNdu ugandhu kUththAda – Unlike indhra et al, I have no desire for kingdom! I won’t become satisfied with the worldly favours you have done. You have to arrive to make me dance on seeing you. It is his responsibility to come here; AzhwAr‘s only responsibility is to become joyful on his arrival.
  • nAn kaNu ugandhu kUththAda – I am unlike mahAbali who had something to give; and I am unlike indhra who was waiting to accept something from you; would you only interact and give/accept things with those who claim “mine” and “for me”? Could you not manifest yourself to those who become joyful only on seeing you? AzhwAr is only interested in what is explained in mahAbhAratham udhyOga parvam “sambramais thushya gOvindha Ethanna: paramam dhanam” (vidhura says – Oh krishNa! You become joyful seeing our nervousness [on seeing you]; this is our biggest wealth).
  • naNNi – You must arrive where I am located.
  • oru nAL – Should you not do this again once more? Would you only walk to the delight of earth and sky, in front of an asura (demon)? Could you not do that in front of an ananya:prayOjana (one who has no desire other than seeing you)?
  • gyAlaththUdE nadavAyE – Should you walk in front of mahAbali who manifested his magnanimity instead of enjoying your beautiful walk? Could you not walk in front of me who sustains only by your internal and external beauty of your walk?

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

archived in http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org

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iyaRpA mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi

mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi – 88 – adhu nanRu

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avathArikai

AzhwAr says that instead of analysing the lower limit and upper limit of worldly matters, attain the divine feet of emperumAn who is like this. All your sorrows will disappear.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

adhu nanRu idhu thIdhenRu aiyappadAdhE
madhu ninRa thaN thuzhAy mArvan podhu ninRa
ponnangazhalE thozhumin muzhuvinaigaL
munnangazhalum mudindhu

Word by Word Meanings

adhu nanRu idhu thIdhu enRu aiyappadAdhE – instead of having doubts as to whether that is good or this is bad
madhu ninRa thaN thuzhAy mArvan – emperumAn who has on his divine chest, the cool thuLasi garland full of nectar; such emperumAn’s
podhu ninRa – common to all (which is attaining his divine feet)
pon am kazhalE – the desirable divine feet
thozumin – worship

(If you worship like that)
munnam – ahead of doing that
muzhu vinaigal – all the sins
mudindhu – losing their strength
kazhalum – will leave you

vyAkyanam

adhu nanRu idhu thIdhu enRu aiyappadAdhE – Do not have doubts such as “being involved with emperumAn’s matter is very good; getting involved with worldly matters is very bad” Just as matters other than emperumAn make one to doubt the bad things, they will make one to doubt the good things too. If one were to analyse the good and bad among those things, only doubt will remain at the end [without deciding one way or the other]. In other words, even though the other matters are indeed bad, it would appear that they are good. It would even end with remaining that way.

madhu ninRa thaN thuzhAy mArvan – emperumAn is the only entity about whom there can be no doubt. He remains with the thuLasi garland, full of honey, announcing to the world that he is the leader.

podhu ninRa ponnangazhalE thozhumin – he has such divine feet that everyone, without any distinction, will worship them. Hasn’t it been said in jithanthE SlOkam 1-2 “dhEvAnAm dhAnavAnAm cha sAmAnyam adhidhaivatham” (emperumAn is common to both celestial entities and to demons)! Did not vibhIshaNa say as in SrI rAmAyaNa yudhdha kANdam 17-15 “sarvalOka SaraNyAya rAghavAya” (to SrI rAma who is he refuge for the entire world)! Did not visbhIshNa tell the monkey warriors “SrI rAma’s nature is such that even rAvaNa, the reason for which you people are not accepting me, could come and surrender to him!”? In the same way, did not SrI rAma, when he told sugrIva to bring vibhIshaNa to him, tell him “Anayainam ….. yadhi vA rAvaNam svayam” (even if he is rAvaNa, bring him)! Thus AzhwAr says, try and worship the divine feet which have a common connection with everyone and which are beautiful.

muzhu vinagaL munnam kazhalum mudindhu – the sins, which are the hurdle for worshipping emperumAn and which have been accumulated from time immemorial, would disappear even before you think of worshipping him.

munnam kazhalum – even before worshipping. They will disappear because of the firm thought in the mind that you should worship emperumAn.

mudindhu – instead of going to another place the sins will get destroyed there itself.

An alternative meaning for adhu nanRu idhu thIdhu enRy aiyappadAdhE has been given at the end – instead of analysing whether the matter that has been experienced is good and the matter that is being experienced now is bad; instead of analysing the upper limit and lower limit of other matters.

We will take up the 89th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

archived in http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org

pramEyam (goal) – http://koyil.org
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SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – http://pillai.koyil.org

iyaRpA mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi

mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi – 87 – kalandhu maNi

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avathArikai

AzhwAr once again gets down to experiencing the beauty of emperumAn through a simile. The natural beauty of emperumAn will be shown by a gemstone and the beauty which came about through decking up will be shown by the cloud in evening time sky.

Let us go through the  pAsuram and its meanings:

kalandhu maNiyimaikkum kaNNA ninmEni
malarndhu maradhagamE kAttum nalandhigazhum
kondhin vAy vaNdaRaiyum thaNduyAyk kOmAnai
andhivAn kAttum adhu

Word by Word Meanings

kaNNA – Oh kaNNapirAn! (krishNa)
maNi kalandhu – being with kausthuba gemstone [a type of gem worn by emperumAn being representative of all AthmAs]
imaikkum – displaying
ninmEni – your divine form
maradhagam – emerald gemstone
malarndhu – having widespread radiance
kAttum – it shows
nalam thigazhum – appearing beautiful
kondhin vAy – in bunches
vaNdu aRaiyum – with beetles humming
thaN thuzhAy – donning thuLasi garland
kOmAnai – the supreme being, your divine form
andhi vAn adhu kAttum – sky, in evening time, shows.

vyAkyanam

kalandhu maNi imaikkum kaNNA nin mEni malarndhu maradhagamE kAttum – Oh kaNNA! The radiance from the SrIkausthubamaNi which is on your divine chest and the black light from SrIvathsam, a mole on your chest, combine and once they spread on your divine form, the emerald light from SrIkausthubam clearly shows your dark form (the radiance from the emerald gemstone will show the radiance from your divine form.

nalam thigazhum kondhin vAy vaNdu aRaiyum thaN thuzhAyk kOmAnai – emperumAn, who is donning the thuLasi garland, in bunches of which honey is dripping, which is drunk by beetles and in the resultant happiness, the beetles will be humming.

andhi vAnam kAttum adhu – the sky which has the reddish colour of evening time, will show the complexion of emperumAn (evening sky, which has reddish colour, will show the colour of emperumAn who is donning thuLasi garland). We can construe the meaning as – Emerald stone will show the divine form of emperumAn and the evening sky will show emperumAn. Alternatively, we can say that both the emerald gemstone and evening sky will be seen similar to emperumAn’s divine form.

We will move on to the 88th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

archived in http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org

pramEyam (goal) – http://koyil.org
pramANam (scriptures) – http://granthams.koyil.org
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SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – http://pillai.koyil.org

thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 6th centum

thiruvAimozhi – 6.9.1 – nIrAy nilanAy

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Full series >> Sixth Centum >> Ninth decad

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the first pAsuram,  emperumAn says “I have shown my universal form”  and AzhwAr replies “that is not sufficient, I want to see your distinguished form”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

In the first pAsuram, AzhwAr says “You who are having the entire cosmos as your body, should appear with your distinguished symbols”.

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

nIrAy nilanAyth thIyAyk kAlAy nedu vAnAy
sIrAr sudargaL iraNdAy sivanAy ayan AnAy
kUrAr Azhi veN sangEndhik kodiyEnpAl
vArAy! oru nAL maNNum viNNum magizhavE

Listen

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

nIr – having importance as said in manu smruthi “apa Eva sasarjAthau” (He first created water)
Ay – having as body
nilan – earth (which is an effect of water)
Ay – having as body
thI – fire (which is the cause for both water and earth, which is given great importance in chAndhOgya upanishath)
Ay – having as body
kAl – air (which is the cause for fire)
Ay – having as body
nedu – very expansive
vAn – ether; with all these, the samashti (initial creation)
Ay – create, enter inside and be the antharyAmi for them
sIrAr – being the primary person for vyashti srushti (variegated creation) (as said in “sUryA chandhramasau dhAthA yathApUrvamakalpayath” (Sun, moon etc get created as before by the lord)
iraNdu sudargaL – moon and sun (benefactors due to providing heat and coolness)
Ay – having as body

(for such srushti (creation) and samhAram (annihilation))
sivan – rudhra
Ay – having as body
ayan – brahmA
AnAy – Oh one who is having them as body by being their antharAthmA (indwelling soul)!

(apart from this normal form)
kUr – sharpness (in eliminating the enemies)
Ar – having
Azhi – divine chakra (disc)
veN – having pure white complexion (which is enjoyable for the devotees)
sangu – SrI pAnchajanyam (the divine conch)
Endhi – holding

(saying “how amazing emperumAn’s help for others is!”)
maNNum – leelA vibhUthi (material realm) which is highlighted by the earth
viNNum – nithya vibhUthi which is highlighted by the term “parama vyOma” (supreme sky)
magizha – to be delighted
kodiyEnpAl – for I who am having cruelty (of forcing you to show your distinguished form)
oru nAL – at least on one day
vArAy – should arrive

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

Oh emperumAn who is having water which is having importance as said in manu smruthi “apa Eva sasarjAthau“, earth, fire, air and the very expansive ether as his body as part of the samashti srushti, creating them, entering inside them and being the antharyAmi for them! Oh one who is the primary person for vyashti srushti, having moon and sun as his body! Oh one who is having rudhra and brahmA as body by being their antharAthmA! You should arrive at least on one day for me who am having cruelty and to the delight of leelA vibhUthi and nithya vibhUthi, holding the divine chakra which is having sharpness and SrI pAnchajanyam which is having pure white complexion.

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

  • nIray nilanAy … – AzhwAr is praying to emperumAn with what he knows already, so that emperumAn does not think that AzhwAr is desiring for him without knowing the truth.
  • nIrAy – He says that he already knew that emperumAn is nArAyaNa (one who resides in water). He previously said in thiruvAimozhi 1.1.10 “nIrthoRum parandhuLan” (he is pervading every water droplet).
  • nIrAy – As said in manu smruthi “apa Eva sasarjAthau” (He first created water), he first created water and subsequently created land etc; while using them (five great elements) [in panchIkaraNam, for further creation of the oval shaped universes], more of the yet to be created ones are required than the already created ones. Creation is done as said in SrIvishNu purANam 1.2.54 “samEthya anyOnya samyOgam paraspara samASraya:” (five great elements with each other; they are related to each other); they are not a single element; while they are being several individual elements they should be combined into a single element and used further; while doing that, just as a potter would mix soil, water and mud, beat them well, and would create pots etc, emperumAn would first create water, and since it is fluid, would mix land which is firm, with it, and as it is still not tight, would create fire to harden it, and since it starts burning, would create air to dry it, and would finally create ether to provide space for air to move around. Up until this point, he created the oval shaped universe, with his prathama sankalpam (first vow); now after creating a huge mansion, it cannot be left in darkness; so he created moon and sun as two lamps. Both sun and moon were created to deal with removing wetness and keeping cool respectively.
  • sivanAy ayanAnAy – Created brahmA and rudhra to remain inside the universe and manage creation and annihilation. Why is rudhra highlighted first? That is because annihilation precedes creation always. As “nIrAy nilanAy” and “sIrAr sudargaL iraNdAy” are read along the same lines, it is clear that both chEthana (sentient beings) and achEthana (insentient objects) are subservient to bhagavAn just like body is to soul as said in bruhadhAraNyaka upanishath “yasya AthmA SarIram, yasya pruthivI SarIram” (for the one who has Souls as his body, for the one who has earth etc as his body). As “sIrAr sudargaL iraNdAy” and “sivanAy ayanAnAy” are read along the same lines, it is explained that both the controlled entities and those who consider themselves as controllers are both subservient to bhagavAn; [AzhwAr thinks] Didn’t emperumAn perform jagath srushti (creation) for my purpose? Only if you did some favour me, your action is purposeful! The purpose of srushti is to place the eternally sorrowful AthmA in the abode of unlimited bliss. While that is the case, should you not attain the purpose of your creation? By saying “nIrAy nilanAyth thIyAyk kAlAy neduvAnAych chIrAr sudargaL iraNdAy sivanAy ayanAnAy“, it is clear that he recollects ISvara’s wealth similar to someone counting to the digit.
  • kUrAr Azhi veN sangEndhi – SrI chakra’s sharpness is as desirable as the whiteness of the SrI pAnchajanyam for AzhwAr.
  • kUrAr Azhi – SrI chakra’s sharpness increases as it destroys the enemies. The identification of his beautiful form is the combination of his divine hand and divine chakra.
  • kodiyEn – I am forced to such situation! What I am doing is contrary to my true nature! I have not got the nature of SrI bharathAzhwAn who stayed back in ayOdhyA when SrI rAma told him to do so; I have got the nature of iLaiya perumAL (lakshmaNa) who forced SrI rAma saying “kurushva” (you should accept me as your servitor and order), when SrI rAma told him to stay put in ayOdhyA!
  • vArAy – Even if desired only those who are able, can walk along;

When you say “vArAy”, should he keep coming!

  • oru nAL – (to sustain me.) As a very thirsty person would say “just quench my thirst once”.
  • maNNum viNNum magizhavE – Even if you don’t come for me, you come to ensure that your wealth does not get finished. If you remain thinking “why should I do anything if this material realm gets finished, like the decorations during navarAthri uthsavam get recreated every year?”, your spiritual realm will also be finished; when this realm gets finished, that too will be considered as finished; even while the spiritual realm was there, during the annihilation phase of this material realm, it was said as in “sa EkAkI na ramEtha” (that supreme lord was unhappy feeling loneliness). When it says that the spiritual realm will not be finished during praLayam (in material realm), it does not mean that the spiritual realm will not be finished for my sorrow.
  • magizhavE – to avert the destruction and survive.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

archived in http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org

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iyaRpA mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi

mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi – 86 – ezhil koNda

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avathArikai

AzhwAr says that it is not possible to estimate emperumAn’s characteristics, his divine form, his qualities etc. With the help of similes, we can compare to an extent. Even though his divine beauty cannot be experienced, it would be such that it cannot be given up. For someone who wishes to see the divine form of emperumAn, clouds will show his form. There is a benefit of living too, in this world. AzhwAr says that one can look at the clouds which are a simile to emperumAn’s divine form.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

Ezhil koNda minnuk kodiyeduththu vEgath
thozhil koNdu thAn muzhangith thOnRum ezhil koNda
nIr megamanna nedumAl niRam pOlak
kAr vAnam kAttum adhu

Word by Word Meanings

ezhil koNda min kodi eduththu – holding the beautiful lightning as flag
vEgam thozhil koNdu – keeping as its job, the act of moving fast
muzhangith thOnRum – appearing as roaring
kAr vAnam – the sky during monsoon
ezhil koNda – having beauty
nIrmEgam anna – appearing like the rainy cloud
nedumAl niRam pOla kalandhu kAttum – it will aptly display the divine complexion of emperumAn

vyAkyanam

ezhil koNdu minnuk kodi eduththu – having as his flag, the beautiful lightning.

vEgath thozhil koNdu thAn muzhangith thOnRum – one which has its job the action of moving rapidly and which makes a loud noise

ezhil koNda nIr mEgamanna nedumAl niRam pOla – having as complexion the colour of emperumAn who appears to have drunk the monsoon clouds up to his neck [such dark]. Just as it is mentioned in nArAyaNa sUktham “neelathOyadha madhyasthA vidhyullEkEva bhAsvarA” (shining like lightning which has drunk the blue coloured clouds).

kArvAnam kAttum kalandhu – the cloud, during monsoon time, will manifest the complexion of emperumAn. Sky, which has the cloud which moves rapidly and which makes a roaring noise, will display emperumAn’s complexion.

kalandhu kAttum – both the sky and cloud will show together. It is not that only the sky showed or that only the cloud showed. Both sky and cloud, which are blended together, will show the divine complexion of emperumAn. AzhwAr says that if the sky has clouds which appear to have been released from a bow and which roar loudly, it will appear like the divine complexion of emperumAn.  In that the case, the term ezhil koNda would be an adjective for lightning. If the text is ezhil koNdu minnuk kodi eduththu the meaning will change as – the monsoon clouds which are beautiful will have lightning as flag. Then, ezhil koNdu will be an adjective for monsoon clouds.

We will take up the 87th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

archived in http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org

pramEyam (goal) – http://koyil.org
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iyaRpA mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi

mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi – 85 – kaviyinAr kai punaindhu

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avathArikai

If emperumAn cannot be known by anyone, just as mentioned by nammAzhwAr in his thiruvAimozhi 3-1-7 “vAzhththuvAr palarAga”, if all the people in the world join together, is it possible to know him? AzhwAr responds, saying, even if all the people in the world join together, and with the help of their senses and power, if they praise him, he will be beyond the level in which they are. Isn’t that how his matter is!

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

kaviyinAr kai punaindhu kaNNAr kazhal pOy
seviyinAr kELviyarAych chErndhAr puviyinAr
pORRiyuraikkap poliyumE pinnaikkA
ERRuyirai attan ezhil

Word by Word Meanings

kaviyinAr – those who worship with hymns in praise
kai punaindhu – joining the plams together in anjali pose
kaN – their eyes
Ar kazhal pOy – getting to (his) fulsome divine feet
seviyinAr kElviyarAy – being as people with lot of knowledge through listening [to gyAnis, wise people]
sErndhAr – those who join together
puviyinAr – people of this world
pORRi uraikka – even if they sing in praise (together)
pinnaikkAy ERu uyirai attAn ezhil poliyumE – will it mean that the beauty of emperumAn, who killed seven bulls for winning the hand of nappinnaip pirAtti, has been greatly described? (no, it will not)

vyAkyanam

kaviyinAr kai punaindhu – reciting great hymns through mouth and praising, with folded hands. Being without ego, worshipping emperumAn through singing hymns with their mouths and carrying out anjali (folding palms together).

kaN Ar kazhal pOy – eyes reaching the divine beautiful feet of emperumAn. Approaching the divine feet which have unlimited sweetness.

seviyinAr kELviyarAych chErndhAr puviyinAr – All the people of the world, listening to his auspicious qualities which are sweet to hear.

pORRi uraikkap poliyumE – Even if all the people join together and with auspicious verses praise him, is it possible to see emperumAn? Even if every person in the world, using the knowledge and strength that each person has been given by emperumAn, praises him in a single voice, wouldn’t emperumAn’s greatness go beyond that!

poliyumE – we can construe the meaning for this as – will it create a greatness which wasn’t there in front of emperumAn! mahAbhAratham karNa parvam Slokam says “vashAyudhair yasya guNA na SakyA vakthum samEthairapi sarvalOkai:” (whose auspicious qualities cannot be spoken of even if all the people of the world join together for ten thousand years). Is it that all of his qualities cannot be spoken of this way [by all the people speaking together for long periods]? AzhwAr says that it is not that way; even one of his qualities cannot be spoken of, in this way.

pinnaikkA ERRuyirai attAn ezhil – the fulsome beauty of one who killed seven bulls which were a hurdle for him in uniting with nappinnaip pirAtti.

puviyinAr pORRi uraikkap poliyumE – is it possible to speak of the beautiful marriage that he had with nappinnai and of his single activity of killing the bulls for her sake?

We will move on to the 86th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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iyaRpA mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi

mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi – 84 – uLanAya nAnmaRaiyin

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avathArikai

AzhwAr says that emperumAn, who can be known only through vEdhas (sacred texts), cannot be seen by anyone. Even those who have said that they have seen him, have only composed poems on him and have not seen him.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

uLanAya nAnmaRaiyin utporuLai uLLaththu
uLanAgath thErndhuNarvarElum uLanAya
vaNdAmarai nedungaN mAyavanai yAvarE
kaNdAr ugappar kavi

Word by Word Meanings

nAnmaRaiyin – the four vEdhas’ (sacred texts’)
uL poruL – the dwelling meanings
uLanAyavanai – emperumAn who remains
uLLaththu uLanAga – staying inside the heart
thErndhu – knowing
uNarvar Elum – if (a few wise people) desire to know
vaN thAmarai – like beautiful lotus flower
nedum kaN – having wide eyes
mAyavan – as an amazing entity
uLanAyavanai – that emperumAn who remains
kaNdAr yAvarE – who has seen fully (none)
kavi ugappar – they will merely praise him through hymns and feel happy.

vyAkyanam

uLanAya nAnmaRaiyin utporuLai – emperumAn, who remains as the inner meanings of vEdhAntham (upanishaths, the end portions of vEdhas, the sacred texts). Isn’t emperumAn remaining as the inner meanings of the four vEdhas! He has been established by the vEdhas which have not been written by any one person and hence are faultless.

uLLaththu uLanAgath thErndhu uNarvarElum – Even if people say that such emperumAn, who can be heard only through authentic texts, is residing in their hearts. Even if they carry out karmayOgam (through the means of carrying out deeds as ordained) fully and as a result of that, attaining gyAnayOgam (through the means of knowledge) and through that gyAnayOgam if they attain emperumAn…..

uLanAya vaNdAmarai nedungaN mAyavanai – one who has a beautiful form fit to be enjoyed by followers. One who has amazing powers. One who has famed beauty of the eyes as mentioned by vedhas. chAndhOgya upanishath 1-6-7 says “yathA kapyAsam puNdarIkamEvamakshiNI”(his eyes are like the lotus blossomed by sun). AzhwAr talks about the beauty of the form revealed to him by emperumAn.

yAvarE kaNdAr – who is fortunate to see him? Didn’t those who said that they had seen him, see him really?

ugappar kavi – even such people who claimed to have seen him said so in order to realise their svarUpam (basic nature),sang hymns on him and became happy; but did they really see him? They merely praised him and felt happy. In order to carry out something in matters relating to emperumAn, they expressed their desire through their compositions. AzhwAr says that they too were not able to see him.

We will take up the 85th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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iyaRpA mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi

mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi – 83 – iniyavan mAyan

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avathArikai

AzhwAr says that even though emperumAn is one who cannot be seen or thought of by anyone, now he has entered my heart first and is dwelling there.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

iniyavan mAyan ena uraipparElum
iniyavan kANbariyanElum iniyavan
kaLLaththAl maN koNdu viN kadandha paingazhalAn
uLLaththinuLLE uLan

Word by Word Meanings

ini – now
avan – that supreme being
mAyan – amazing entity who is difficult to be known
ena – like this
uraippar Elum – even if they (people) say
ini – now
avan – that emperumAn
kANbu ariyan Elum – difficult to see and enjoy
kaLLaththAl – with deceit

(going to mahAbali)
maN koNdu – obtaining earth as a gift
viN kadandha pai kazhalAn avan – that emperumAn who has expansive divine feet with which he occupied sky and all the outer worlds
ini – now
uLLaththin uLLE uLan – is dwelling firmly inside my heart (not knowing other places) (this great benefit is enough for me)

vyAkyanam

ini avan mAyan ena uraipparElum – emperumAn is easy to attain, say authentic texts. Even if the worldly people say that he is difficult to attain… Even if they say that he is an amazing entity…. Just as he has mentioned in SrI bhagavath gIthA 7-13 “mama mAyA dhurathyayA” (it is difficult to crossover my primordial matter), even if he is difficult to be seen….

iniyavan kANbariyanElum – even if he, who has unlimited sweetness, is difficult to be approached and seen… If we break the first word as ini avan, the meaning will change to – now if he is difficult to be seen or if he is difficult to be seen at the end of the birth…

iniyavan kaLLaththAl maNkoNdu – coming to earth in the form of vAmana (dwarf), hiding his original form so that none will know that he is the supreme being, and seizing the earth. One who obtained the worlds which are his possessions, from mahAbali, with a sweet form and measured them….

viN kadandha paingazhalAn – one who has expansive divine feet with which he brought all the worlds even beyond the sky, under him (alternatively, for the term paingazhalAn we can construe the meaning as one who has beautiful divine feet).

ini uLLaththin uLLe uLan – he has now taken residence in my heart. This body will remain until the ordained life span for the birth taken already remains. After that, let him (emperumAn) do whatever he wants. Can whatever I have got now (his staying inside my heart) be negated? Even though he came on his own, that he cannot be estimated has become established.

Let us take up the 84th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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iyaRpA mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi

mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi – 82 – uNaril uNarvariyan

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avathArikai

AzhwAr asks if there is any advantage by getting angry with the heart. He asks if there is any way by which we can approach and know about emperumAn who cannot be known by anyone and who has unlimited sweetness.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

uNaril uNarvariyan uLLam pugundhu
puNarilum kANbariyan uNmai iNaraNaiyak
kongaNaindhu vaNdaRaiyum thaNduzhAykkOmAnai
engaNaindhu kANdum ini

Word by Word Meanings

uNaril – if we try to know (about emperumAn, on our own)
uNarvariyan – he cannot be known

(If he on his own)
uLLam pugundhu puNarilum – comes into the heart and embraces
uNmai kAnbu ariyan – difficult to know ’as he is’
ini – when things are like this
iNan aNaiya – such that bunches of flowers to be lowered
kongu – in honey
vaNdu – beetles
aNaindhu – approaching and entering (and drinking honey)
aRaiyum – humming
thaN – cool
thuzhAy – one who is donning the thuLasi garland
kOmAnai – that supreme being
ini – in this state
engu – in which place
aNaindhu – approaching
kANdum – will be able to see?

vyAkyanam

uNaril uNarvariyan – in the first place it is better not to enter in matters related to emperumAn. In other words, instead of getting in to know about him and then stepping aside realising that he cannot be known, it is better not to attempt to know about him. emperumAn will remain very difficult to know for those who attempt to know about him on their own. He cannot know about himself. nammAzhwAr too has mercifully stated in thiruvAimozhi 8-4-6 “thanakkum than thanmai aRivariyAnai ” (he cannot know about his qualities himself)! How can we know about such emperumAn?

uLLam pugundhu puNarilum kANbariyan uNmai – in order to put an end to this eminence, if he mingles with our heart on his own so that there will be no shortcoming in knowing about him, even then he cannot be known “as he is” and cannot be estimated. His true qualities cannot be known.

kANbariyan uNmai – one can wonder at his eminence, but he cannot be estimated.

iNar …. – this says that even if he cannot be known, he cannot be left out. The chEthana, even if he wants to know, cannot know about emperumAn. Even if emperumAn comes on his own and shows himself up, he cannot be known. In that case should one lose him and forget everything? His sweetness and his being the lord of all will not allow that (losing him) to happen.

iNar aNaiyak kongaNaindhu vaNdaRaiyum thaN thuzhAyk kOmAnai – emperumAn who dons thuLasi garland which will get lowered when beetles approach the flowers and drink in honey, humming with the resultant happiness ……

engaNaindhu kANdum ini – where will I approach him and see him? He cannot be seen by trying to know about him in the method of the worldly people by making attempts on their own; he cannot be seen by following the method of those who believe in SAsthras in which he comes on his own and shows himself up. In such a case, is there anything called seeing him? It is not possible not to approach him and it is not possible to approach him either.

Let us take up the 83rd pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 6th centum

mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi – 81 – nenjAl ninaippariyanElum

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avathArikai

In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr celebrated his heart which, unlike those of the worldly people, was involved in matters relating to emperumAn. But, looking at the greatness of emperumAn, it did not appear to AzhwAr that he had even taken the first step. While emperumAn remains unknown, having told his heart to meditate on him, he is wondering as to what is the reason for his heart not meditating on emperumAn. As a result, he says that based on his involvement with emperumAn, the efforts put in by his heart are not adequate. When we look at emperumAn it would appear that we do not have any knowledge while when we look at worldly matters it would appear that we have lot of knowledge.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

nenjAl ninaippariyanElum nilaippeRRen
nenjamE pEsAy ninaikkungAl nenjaththup
pErAdhu niRkum perumAnai enkolO
OrAdhu niRpadhuNarvu

Word by Word Meanings

en nenjame – Oh my heart who is under my control!
nenjAl ninaippu ariyan Elum – even though (emperumAn) has greatness beyond the thinking ability of heart

(thinking only of his simplicity instead of his greatness)
nilaip peRRu – standing firmly
pEsAy – try to talk about him
ninaikkungAl – if we think of him even once
nenjaththu – in the heart
pErAdhu niRkum – standing firmly without leaving it
perumAnai – about  emperumAn
uNarvu – our heart
OrAdhu niRpadhu en kolO – why is keeping quiet without thinking?

vyAkyanam

nenjAl ninaippariyanElum – Oh heart! Even though you are not able to think, is it possible to measure the ocean with the help of a small vessel! In the same way, is it not impossible to think of the boundless emperumAn with the lowly mind! Even though emperumAn is difficult to think of …

nilaippeRRu en nenjamE pEsAy – Oh my heart! Instead of stepping back on looking at emperumAn’s greatness, try to enjoy. Instead of thinking that it is a flood and stepping back, try to stand firmly and talk about him. Despite AzhwAr saying this, his heart was a bit hesitant. Immediately, AzhwAr thinks within himself “Despite my telling this, instead of falling head over heels and attaining him, what is the reason for you to hesitate?”

ninaikkungAl nenjaththup pErAdhu niRkum perumAnai – isn’t emperumAn one who would remain without leaving if he (the chEthana) thinks of him once! varAha charama SlOkam is quoted here: “sthithE manasi susvasthE SarIrE sathi yO nara: dhAthu sAmyE sthithE smarthA viSvarUpam cha mAmajam thathas tham mriyamANanthu kAshtApAshANa sannibham aham smarAmi mathbhaktham nayAmai paramAmgathim ” (when the mind is not agitated, when the body is not affected by any disease, when the dhAthus (constituents) – kapa, piththa and vAdha (phlegm, bile and wind respectively) are in balance, whoever thinks of me who has the world as his body and who is without birth, in later years, I think of him, my devotee, when he is like a log of wood or a stone and is on the throes of death, and I take him to exalted state). In the same way, if we think of emperumAn once, emperumAn stays in the heart for ever. Even though he may doubt if the chEthana has a tongue or despite having a tongue, if he is unable to speak, emperumAn does not know how to leave the heart. nammAzhwAr too has mercifully stated in thiruvAimozhi 1-10-2 “kaNNuLLE niRkum kAdhanmaiyAl thozhil eNNilum varum” (if one were to count 1,2,3 etc and say 26, emperumAn, thinking that the chEthana is thinking of emperumAn who is the 26th thathvam (entity) and enter his mind). Just as emperumAn himself had mentioned in mahAbhAratham uththara parvam 47-22 “gOvindhEthi yadhAgrandhath krishNA mAm dhUravAsinam ruNam pravrudhdhamiva mE hrudhayAnnapasarppathi” (the crying out of dhraupadhi when I was very far from her is still remaining in my heart, like interest on interest taken on a loan), even if we call him once he will never forget it.

enkolO OrAdhu niRpadhu uNarvu – whenever we think of, should we think of other deities who do not think of us?

uNarvu OrAdhiruppadhu enkolO – even when we can think, what is the reason that we are not thinking of him? Should we attain other deities who are difficult to worship, instead of emperumAn? Instead of thinking of emperumAn should we get immersed in sand? How is it that one can remain without thinking of emperumAn? poygai AzhwAr too has mercifully mentioned in mudhal thiruvandhAdhi 67 “oNdAmaraiyAL kELvan oruvanaiyE nOkkum uNarvu” (knowledge will be devoted only to the consort of SrI mahAlakshmi ). Leaving aside emperumAn can our thoughts go to lowly matters such as Sabdham etc (the five senses)?

We will move on to the 82nd pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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