Monthly Archives: January 2019

thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 8th centum

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thiruvAimozhi – 8.1.2 – kANumARaruLAy

January 24, 2019 Published by: Sarathy Thothathri

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

Full series >> Eighth Centum >> First 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 says “Did you mercifully wait to see me saying ‘when will I see you?’ in suffering? Alas! Instead of making me suffer like that, you should mercifully let me see you”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr thinks about the enjoyability of emperumAn‘s forms in “vENduvENduruvam ninnuruvam” and requests emperumAn to show mercy upon him to stop his suffering.

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

kANumARaruLAy enRenRE kalangik kaNNa nIr alamara vinaiyEn
pENumARellAm pENi nin peyarE pidhaRRumaRaruLenakkandhO!
kANumARaruLAy kAguththA! kaNNA! thoNdanEn kaRpagak kaniyE!
pENuvAramudhE! periya thadam punal sUzh perunilam eduththa pErALA!

Listen

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

kANumARu – to be able to see you
aruLAy – show your mercy
enRu enRu – saying this repeatedly
kalangi – (being unable to see him) becoming bewildered
kaNNa nIr – tears
alamara – as it spreads
vinaiyEn – me who is sinful to not see you

(even after you not supporting me while I desired for you)
pENum – engaging in (even after losing self and belongings of self, by surrendering many times, becoming bewildered etc)
ARu – methods
ellAm – all
pENi – engaged

(since, having not acquired)
nin – your
peyarE – divine names only
pidhaRRumARu – to recite incohesively and call out
enakku – (doing this) for me
aruL – mercy;
andhO – alas!

(even those who have very little desire for you are enjoying you always! But I am suffering like this! This being the case)
kAguththA – Being born as a descendant of kakthstha (raghu vamSam, and presented yourself to those who were in forest and city)
kaNNA – being born as krishNa (and made yourself easily approachable and enjoyable to the cowherd girls)

(instead)
thoNdanEn – for me who is desirous
kaRpagam – you are generous (to manifest yourself to me)
kaniyE – being a ripened fruit (which is to be consumed immediately)
pENuvAr – for those who are desirous
amudhE – the eternally enjoyable nectar which helps one sustain the self
periya – boundless
thaN – cool
punal – water of the deluge
sUzh – drowned
perunilam – the huge earth
eduththa – dug out
pErALA – oh great personality!

(you need not jump into the water and rescue me)
kANumARu – to be seen and enjoyed (by me)
aruLAy – shower your mercy

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

Alas! You have shown your mercy upon me to recite your divine names incohesively and call out for you after repeatedly saying “show your mercy upon me to be able to see you”, having tears spread in my eyes and engaging in all methods which are to be engaged; oh great personality who dug out the huge earth which was drowned in the cool, boundless water of the deluge! You are generous; you are a ripened fruit; you are the eternally enjoyable nectar which helps one sustain the self, for those who are desirous; you shower your mercy upon me to see you and enjoy you;

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

kANumARu aruLAy – AzhwAr is not of the type to say “let me try on my own to attain him” when he asks emperumAn to appear infront of him and emperumAn does not do so. Like the chAthaka bird which sustains itself only with direct rain water, AzhwAr looks for emperumAn’s mercy only. Hence, he again says “kANumARu aruLAy“.
enRu enRE – These are his words always. Only if there is another refuge, he can take shelter of that.
kalangi – bewilderment only increases; SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 100.1 “jatilam chIravasanam prAnjalim pathitham bhuvi| dhadharSa rAmO dhurdharSam yugAnthE bhAskaram yathA ||” (Having matted hair, wearing tree-bark-robes, having joint palms, lying flat on the earth. SrI rAma unable to bear that vision that is like the radiant sun during dissolution).
kaNNa nIr alamara – Just as a filled lake will overflow, the internal torment comes overflowing as tears.
vinaiyEn – Until now, there has been no one who has desired for emperumAn but ended with tears! I am so sinful that I have desired to see him who wipes the tears of even those who have a little desire to see him, and ended up with tearful eyes.
pENumARu ellAm pENi – pENugai – desiring. First considered self to be unqualified to be with him and left him; then said that there is no use of self and belongings of self, when not desired by him; then with great sorrow, performed madal; surrendered in many ways; showed romantic anger and so on.
nin peyarE pidhaRRumARu aruL enakku – as you tried to shower your mercy upon me, I have ended up incohesively reciting your names; is this what your mercy is – to make me call out your divine names in sorrow of not attaining you? Are you remaining silent thinking “as I have made AzhwAr to call out for me instead of hankering for worldly pleasures”? Am I desiring to just be different from samsAris (worldly people)? Should I not have my goal attained?
vinaiyEn pENumARu ellAm pENi – pENudhal – desiring. Desiring in all manner. Are there many ways to desire? Yes; [two types of desires] desiring for apt aspect and desiring for aspect which we like. For AzhwAr, both apt aspect and desirable aspect are the same. In case of apt aspect, the desire will be in proper order, and in desirable aspect, the desire will be without any boundary. For the apt aspect, one needs to surrender unto emperumAn to get it; he did that too in thiruvAimozhi 5.7 “nORRa nOnbu“, thiruvAimozhi 5.8 “ArAvamudhu“, thiruvAimozhi 5.9 “mAnEnOkku“, thiruvAimozhi 5.10 “piRandhavARu” and thiruvAimozhi 6.10 “ulagamuNda peruvAyan“. For the desire in desirable aspect, one needs to do starting with sending a messenger and ending with performing madal (public display of dejection); he did that too starting with thiruvAimozhi 1.4 “anjiRaiya mada nArAy” up to thiruvAimozhi 5.3 “mAsaRu sOdhi“, thiruvAimozhi 6.1 “vaigal pUngazhivAy“, thiruvAimozhi 6.8 “ponnalagALIr“. AzhwAr is saying “in this manner, after pursuing all types of desires towards you, your mercy has only landed me into reciting your name incohesively”.
andhO – You have not tasted separation from yourself, and you have not seen those who are separated from you. nithyasUris never separate from you, and samsAris don’t realize that they are separated from you; hence I am the only one who is having such sorrow.
kANumARu aruLAy – Either you bring thiruvARanviLai near me or give me the strength to go there.

emperumAn asks “Why are you forcing me like this? Where did you see me show my mercy?”, AzhwAr says

kAguththA – SrI vishNu purANam 4.2.77 “kakuthstha vamSE vimukA:prayAnthi” (Are you not born in kakuthstha vamSam?) SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 1.13 is explained here – rUpa samhananam – your physical beauty, lakshmIm – your collective beauty, saukumAryam – even favourable persons cannot stare at you [your body cannot tolerate that]. suvEshathAm – this ascetic appearance, dhadhruSUr vismithAkArA: – the internal senses of those who saw you, became astonished. Who are they? vanavAsina: – The forest-dwellers who survived by eating dry leaves saw this amazing form of yours, which was not even seen by the residents of ayOdhyA, the capital city.

emperumAn says “That was long back. Just because I did it back then, are you forcing me now?” AzhwAr says,

kaNNA – Not just for rishis (sages), but did you not manifest yourself even for cowherd girls and boys as said in SrI bhAgavatham 10.32.2 “… thAsAmAvirabUth …” (He appeared amidst the cowherd girls like the cupid for cupids).

Further, Why should you search outside?

thoNdanEn kaRpagak kaniyE – Oh one who fully gave yourself to me who was engaged in worldly matters and was only searching for them, by eliminating those desires from me!
pENuvAr amudhE – Oh one who is perfectly enjoyable for those who don’t push you aside when you come and help them!
periya … – Who prayed to you to make you rescue the universe from the deluge and protect it? Oh great personality who uplifted the great earth which was surrounded by the water during the deluge! Did you not protect the universe which neither desired you nor requested you to do so? Would you not protect as soon as you come to know about the danger?
pErALA – emperumAn‘s desire to protect is much greater than that which is to be protected.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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periya thiruvandhAdhi – 73 – pUvaiyum kAyAvum

January 24, 2019 Published by: T N Krishnan

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

avathArikai

In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr established that only emperumAn is the apt entity to be attained. Having established this, he enjoys that emperumAn, who is the ordained lord, in this pAsuram.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

pUvaiyum kAyAvum neelamum pUkkinRa
kAvi malarenRum kANdORum pAviyEn
mellAvi meymigavE pUrikkum avvavai
ellAm pirAn uruvE enRu

Word by Word Meanings

pUvaiyum – the flower of pUvai tree (bilberry)

kAyAvum – the purple coloured flower of kAyA (a kind of shrub)

neelamum – blue lily

pUkkinRa – just then blossoming

kAvi malar – blue lotus

enRum – at all times

kAN dhORum – whenever seen

avvavaiyellAm – all those flowers

pirAn uruvE enRu – thinking that they are all only the form of emperumAn (my lord)

pAviyEn – one who has the sins (of not being able to enjoy emperumAn directly), my

mel Avi – soft mind

mey – physical body

migavE pUrikkum – will greatly puff up [due to pride]

vyAkyAnam

pUvaiyum kAyAvum neelamum pUkkinRa kAvi malar enRum kAN dhORum – Whenever I look at the dark coloured flowers of pUvaippU (bilberry flower), kAyAmbU (purple coloured flower), neelam pU (blue water-lily) and just then blossomed kAvippU (blue lotus), during all those times

pAviyEn mellAvi mey migavE pUrikkum avvavai ellAm pirAn uruvE enRu – my soft mind and my body will puff up with pride, thinking that all these flowers are [indicative of] emperumAn’s divine form only. The word pAviyEn would refer to AzhwAr thinking that he has lot of sins in him due to which he is unable to see directly the divine form of emperumAn. Alternatively in an ironical way, the word pAviyEn could mean one who is fortunate. The pAsuram would then mean that AzhwAr feels that he is fortunate that looking at the dark coloured flowers which are similes for emperumAn, his mind and body would puff up due to pride [as if they had seen emperumAn himself]. The word Avi refers to mind. Since the pAsuram says enRum kANdORum mellAvi pUrikkum it shows that his mind will lose consciousness out of being puffed up to a very high extent and that once consciousness is regained, it will again puff up and lose consciousness, thus repeating this process, indicating the softness of his mind. AzhwAr is amazed that not only his mind, which is the gateway for knowledge, gets puffed up but his body, which is without any knowledge, also puffs up.

We will take up the 74^th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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periya thiruvandhAdhi – 72 – mudhalAm thiruvuruvam

January 23, 2019 Published by: T N Krishnan

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

avathArikai

In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr mentioned that it is only emperumAn who is apt to be attained by everyone including brahmA, rudhra et al. When the question arose as to why AzhwAr is saying that emperumAn is the only supreme entity to be attained when some people say that brahmA and rudhra are also fit to be attained, AzhwAr negates the philosophy of those who speak against the supreme nature of emperumAn by saying that the concept of equality among the thrimUrthis (brahmA, vishNu and rudhra) is ill-fitting and that it is only emperumAn who is the supreme being, thus establishing his philosophy in this pAsuram.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

mudhalAm thiruvuruvam mUnRenbar onRE
mudhalAgum mUnRukkum enbar mudhalvA
nigarilagu kAruruvA ninnagaththadhanRE
pugarilagu thAmaraiyin pU

Word by Word Meanings

thiru uruvam mUnRu – the three entities (brahmA, vishNu andn rudhra) who have beautiful forms

mudhalAm enbar – are the causative factors for the origin of earth, (some people) will say.

mUnRukkum – for these three entities

onRE mudhalAgum enbar – an entity (superior) is the primary entity, (some other people) will say

mudhalvA – Oh one who is the causative factor for the universe!

kAr nigar ilagu uruvA – Oh one who has a divine form matching the dark clouds!

pugar ilagu – shining brightly (being the cause for universe)

thAmaraiyin pU – lotus flower

nin agaththadhu anRE – is it not forming from your divine form?

vyAkyAnam

mudhalAm thiruvuruvam mUnRenbar – Some people will say that brahmA, vishNu and rudhra are all responsible for the creation of this world. These people, who say that all the three mUrththys are equal, are called as thrimUrthi sAmyavAdhis.

onRE mudhalAgum mUnRukkum enbar – Some others will say that the reason for the creation of these three mUrthis is another entity, superior to these three. Those who say that there is a fourth entity which is superior to the thrimUrththys are called as thrimUrthi uththIrNavAdhis. Since AzhwAr refers to these people as “enbar” (will say like this), he affirms that his philosophy is different from that of these two types of people. Taking these two examples here is representative of similar arguments which talk about the oneness of thrimUrthis.

AzhwAr further explains that these arguments are not proper. . . .

mudhalvA – Oh one who is the causative factor for all the worlds, including brahmA, rudhra et al!

nigar ilagu kAr uruvA – the words should be rearranged as kAr nigar ilagu uruvA to get the correct meaning – one who has a divine form which matches rain bearing cloud. AzhwAr hints that since emperumAn has bluish form which removes the ennui of those who see him and has the complexion of cloud which gives rain without expecting anything in return, only emperumAn is the supreme entity. Hasn’t thirumangai AzhwAr also established the supreme nature of emperumAn in his thirunedunthANdagam pAsuram 2 “Oruruvam ponnurugam onRu sendhI onRu mAkadal uruvam oththuninRa mUvuruvum kaNdapOdhu onRu AnjOdhi mugiluruvam emmadigaluruvandhAnE ” (one form has a golden hue (brahmA), one has reddish fire like hue (rudhra) and one has the hue of huge ocean; when the three forms are analysed together, the form of one with radiant, rain bearing cloud is that of my emperumAn)!.

AzhwAr clearly establishes next that it is emperumAn who is causative factor for the other two. . . .

ninagaththadhanRE pugar ilagu thAmaraiyin pU – Isn’t the lotus flower, which has the distinction of being the place of birth for brahmA, located in your divine navel? This clearly establishes that brahmA who was created on the lotus emanating from his divine navel and rudhra who was created by that brahmA, cannot be emperumAn’s equal ; it is only emperumAn, being the leader of the other two, who is the reason for creation of the worlds; since there is no mention about a fourth entity, different from these three, who has created brahmA on a lotus, it is not possible for a fourth entity, different from these three, who can be the cause for the creation of all the worlds. This also proves that brahmA, who was created on a lotus and rudhra, who was created by brahmA, cannot be equal to emperumAn who created brahmA in his divine navel, thus negating the thrimUrthyaikya vAdham (oneness of thrimUrthis). Has it not been shown in Sri vishNu purANam 1-2-66 that it is janArdhana (emperumAn) who remains as the indwelling soul of brahmA and rudhra and carries out the functions of creation and annihilation? “srushtisthithyanthakaraNIm brahmA vishNu SivAthmikAm I sa samgyAnAm yAthi bhagavAnEna Eva janArdhana: II” (it is janArdhana, that bhagavAn, who attains the names of brahmA, vishNu and Siva who carry out the functions of creation, sustenance and annihilation respectively). One could show the atharvaSika SlOkam 1-2-15 “brahmA vishNu rudhrEndhrAs thE sarvE samprasUyanthE” (brahmA, vishNu, rudhra, indhra are all born) and say that the thrimUrthis are born [in other words they are created]. But since this only reflects the famous vEdha vAkhyams (lines from sacred texts) it is clear that the births of brahmA and Siva are due to their karmas (past deeds) and birth of vishNu is due to his necessity to incarnate. parASara bhattar (son of kUraththAzhwAn) also showed the same meaning in SrI rangarAja sthavam 2-51 “vidhyE virinchagiriSam prathamAvathAra: thath sAmyatha: sthagayithum thava chEth svarUpam I kim thE parathva piSunairiha rangadhAman sathva pravarthana krupAparipAlanAdhyai: II” (Oh SrI ranganAtha! If the purpose of your first incarnation is to hide your basic nature, between brahmA and rudhra, then what is the benefit for you by exhibiting your superior qualities of being the controller of sathva guNam (purely good qualities) and protecting (brahmA, rudhra et al) through your mercy?) It is pertinent to recall here the 116^th SlOkam of SrI rangarAjasthavam pUrvaSathakam by parAsara bhattar “thrayO dhEvasthulyA: thrithayamidhamadhvaitham adhikam thrikAdhasmAth thathvam paramithi vitharkAn vikatayan I vibOrnAbhIpadhmO vidhiSiva nidhAnam bhagavatha: thadhanyath brUbhangIparavadhithi sidhdhAnthayathi n:II” (emperumAn’s divine navel which negates hypotheses such as (1) All the three mUrthis are equal; (2) All the three mUrthis are one; (3) there is another entity which is superior to the three mUrthis and which is the root for brahmA and Siva, establishes for us clearly that the entire world is under the control of emperumAn’s knitting of the eyebrows).

Let us move on to the 73^rd pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

Audio thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 8th centum

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thiruvAimozhi – 8.1 – Audio

January 23, 2019 Published by: Sarathy Thothathri

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

thiruvAimozhi –> thiruvAimozhi 8th centum

Meanings

Full rendering

pAsuram 1

pAsuram 2

pAsuram 3

pAsuram 4

pAsuram 5

pAsuram 6

pAsuram 7

pAsuram 8

pAsuram 9

pAsuram 10

pAsuram 11

Other

thiruvAimozhi – 8th centum – audio

January 23, 2019 Published by: Sarathy Thothathri

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

thiruvAimozhi

Previous Centum

Meanings

Focus of this centum – sathyakAmathvam – bhagavAn, the one with all his desires fulfilled

Other thiruvAimozhi nURRandhAdhi

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

thiruvAimozhi nURRandhAdhi – 32 – bAlaraip pOl

January 22, 2019 Published by: Sarathy Thothathri

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

Essence of thiruvAimozhi 4.2

Introduction

In this pAsuram, mAmunigaL is following AzhwAr’s pAsurams of desiring to enjoy emperumAn’s different forms of various places and times, in those places and times and is mercifully explaining it.

How is that done? As crops will grow well into hundreds of branches after removing three types of weeds, AzhwAr’s bhakthi grew well into hundreds of branches after his instructions towards samsAris in three decads viz thiruvAimozhi 1.2 “vIdu min muRRavum“, thiruvAimozhi 3.9 “sonnAl virOdham” and thiruvAimozhi 4.1 “oru nAyagamAy” [highlighting three different aspects of defects in worldly pleasures] failed to reform the samsAris (worldly people), but helped increase his own craving to enjoy emperumAn, which was subdued due to interest in other aspects; due to this great craving, he acquires desire to immediately enjoy emperumAn’s forms from various places and times; but as he could not enjoy them immediately, he becomes anguished and speaks in a feminine mood in thiruvAimozhi 4.2 “bAlanAy Ezhulagu“; mAmunigaL mercifully explains this starting with “bAlaraip pOl“.

pAsuram

bAlaraip pOl sIzhgi paran aLavil vEtkaiyAl
kAlaththAl dhEsaththAl kai kazhindha – sAla
aridhAna bOgaththil AsaiyuRRu naindhAn
kurugUril vandhudhiththa kO

Listen

word-by-word meanings

kurugUril – in AzhwArthirunagari
vandhu udhiththa – incarnated
kO – AzhwAr, who is the leader
bAlaraip pOl – like a child (who cries for the desired object)
sIzhgi – being cranky
paran aLavil vEtkaiyAl – due to love towards emperumAn
kAlaththAl dhEsaththAl kai kazhindha – distant by time and place
sAla aridhAn – very difficult
bOgaththil – in the joy of doing kainkaryam
Asai uRRu – with increased desire
naindhAn – became anguished.

Simple Translation

AzhwAr, the leader, who incarnated in AzhwArthirunagari, being cranky like a child, due to love towards emperumAn who is difficult to attain due to being distant by time and place, had an increased desire to acquire the joy of doing kainkarayam and became anguished.

Highlights from vyAkyAnam

bAlaraip pOl sIzhgi – Just as young children who cannot distinguish between what can be attained and not, will desire through crying for moon etc which are distant by space and fruits etc which are beyond their expiry date saying “I need them immediately”, as said in “bAlasya rudhi thambalam“, AzhwAr too desires through crying for emperumAn’s para (his form in parampadham) etc states which are distant by place and time as said in thiruvAimozhi 7.2.7 “azhuvan thozhuvan” (cry, pray). Those who are affectionate consider future times to be in present as said in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 24.37 “apIdhAnImsa kAlassyAth vanAth prathyak Agatham puna:” (kausalya to SrI rAma – How good it will be, if today itself is the day of your returning from the forest); similarly, AzhwAr is desiring to experience past times now.
paran aLavil vEtkaiyAl – due to parabhakthi towards supreme lord.
paran – mAmunigaL is thinking about AzhwAr’s words in “pAdhangaL mElaNi paim pon thuzhAy enRE OdhumAl eydhinaL” (reciting only the greenish attractive “thiruththuzhAy” which was decorated by sages such as sanaka et al at the divine feet of such varAha bhagavAn and she acquired bewilderment) [6th pAsuram]. Distant by place are para (paramapadham) and vyUha (kshIrAbdhi) and distant by time are vibhava (incarnations). While AzhwAr started with attachment towards para form as said in “Alilai anna vasam seyyum aNNalAr thAL iNai mElaNi thaNNanthuzhAy enRE mAlumAl” (sarvESvaran, having a very infant-like form, is resting on a tender banyan leaf after consuming all the worlds; his two divine feet are decorated with cool fresh thuLasi; my daughter desires to get that thuLasi only, remains bewildered) [1st pAsuram] but mercifully explained about the increasing attachment towards vibhava forms as said in “kaNNan kazhal thuzhAy pon sey pUN men mulaikkenRu meliyumE” (She desires thuLasi from the divine feet of krishNa, to decorate her withered bosom which has pale complexion; since her desire is not fulfilled, she has become weak.) [10th pAsuram]. That is, AzhwAr consistently manifested his attachment to the divine feet of vibhava forms as in “kuravai piNaindhavar nalladi” (the divine feet of the one who engaged in rAsa krIda) [2nd pAsuram], “dhEvargaL mAmunivar iRainja ninRa sEvadi” (The reddish feet which were prayed by celestial beings and sages) [3rd pAsuram], “kudak kUththanAr thALiNai” (the divine feet of the one who performs kudak kUththu (dance with pots)) [5th pAsuram], “agalidam kINdavar pAdhangaL” (the divine feet of the one who dug out the earth) [6th pAsuram], “thirumAdhinaith thadam koL thAr mArbinil vaiththavar thAL” (the divine foot of the one who placed SrI mahAlakshmi in his broad chest) [7th pAsuram], “ilangai nagar amberi uyththavar thAL iNai” (the divine feet of the one who burnt down lankA with his arrows) (8th pAsuram) and “kaNNan kazhal” (divine foot of krishNa) [10th pAsuram]. bhagavAn’s forms of nyagrOdhaSayI (resting on pipal leaf) and pIyushahAri (churning of milk ocean) are generally read along with his incarnations. Here too, AzhwAr has said “thirumAdhinaith thadam koL thAr mArbinil vaiththavar thAL” (the divine foot of the one who placed SrI mahAlakshmi in his broad chest) [7th pAsuram], how emperumAn accepted the divine nectar SrI mahAlakshmi while the dhEvas were consuming the ordinary nectar.
sAla aridhAna bOgaththil AsaiyuRRu naindhAn – In this manner without realising that “the forms which are distant by place and time, are only accessible to those who lived there and then”, as a result of the overwhelming desire, AzhwAr became immersed in that emotion, and having not attained the result, became anguished.

The reason for this is because,

kurugUril vandhu udhiththa kO – he was the leader who was born in AzhwArthirunagari. Just as birth in SrI ayOdhyA will cause bhakthi towards SrI rAma, birth in AzhwArthiunagari will cause great desire towards emperumAn.
kO – King. He is the king for all SrIvaishNavas. To ensure that this realm is not left without a king, AzhwAr descended from paramapadham and appeared here.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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periya thiruvandhAdhi – 71 – ini ninRu nin perumai

January 22, 2019 Published by: T N Krishnan

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

avathArikai

AzhwAr talks about the supreme nature of emperumAn since he, who is the mother and father for AzhwAr, is the causative factor for all the worlds, including brahmA, rudhra et al. Alternatively, we can say that this pAsuram talks about such simplicity of emperumAn that he gave place, in his divine form, for even brahmA, rudhra et al.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

ini ninRu nin perumai yAn uraippadhu ennE
thani ninRa sArvilA mUrththi pani nIr
agaththulavu senjadaiyAn ninnAgaththAn nAngu
mugaththAn ninnundhi mudhal

Word by Word Meanings

thani ninRa – standing as a unique, causative factor, during the time of mahApraLayam (great deluge)

sArvu ilA – not having anyone as a refuge for him

mUrththi – Oh my lord!

pani nIr agaththulavu – having the cool gangA (river Ganges) which is flowing inside

sem sadaiyAn – siva who has reddish matted hair

AgaththAn – resides in a corner of your divine form

nAngu mugaththAn – brahmA, who has four faces

nin undhi mudhal – has your divine navel as the cause for his existence

ini – when things are like these

yAn ninRu – I, taking efforts

nin perumai – your greatness

uraippadhu ennE – how to talk about?

vyAkyAnam

ini ninRu nin perumAi yAn uraippadhu ennE – we can consider this to mean either “Is there any need for me to talk about your greatness?” or “Is there any need for me to talk about your simplicity?”

thani ninRa sArvilA mUrththi – Oh emperumAn! During the time of great deluge, you stood with all the resultant entities (which are created by causative entities) as part of yourself without any name or form, having integrated themselves into their causative entities; you did not have anyone in whom you could take refuge [unlike these resultant entities who took refuge in you, along with their causative entities, all of them without any name or any form]. The term sArvu refers to being related to something or leaning against something; thus in this context it refers to emperumAn being without anyone on whom he could lean against. Did not vEdha (sacred text) also glorify emperumAn, as mentioned in thaiththirIya upanishath nArAyaNavalli “pathim viSvasyAthmESvaram SASvatham Sivamachyutham” (being the lord of all the worlds, being ISvaran himself (one who controls everything), being intransient, being auspicious and being one who will never let down his followers), saying that he is the lord for all the worlds and that he does not have one who will control him! Alternatively the term sArvu would also mean “comparable” and hence sArvilA mUrththi could be said that emperumAn is incomparable. Just as krishNa says in mahAbhAratham AshramavASika parvam 118-37 “rudhram samASrithA dhEvA rudhrO brahmANamASritha: I brahmA mamASrithO rAjan nAham kinchidhupASritha: II” (Oh king! The celestial entities are taking refuge of rudhra; rudhra is taking (his father) brahmA’s refuge; brahmA has taken refuge under me; I have not taken refuge under anyone), since emperumAn is the head for all, there is none who could be said to be his equal.

AzhwAr further says that the two entities who are thought to be equal to emperumAn are under his control. . .

pani nIr agaththulavu senjadaiyAn – rudhra, who has reddish matted hair and has gangA inside that hair, is residing in a corner on your divine form, as mentioned in thiruvAimozhi 1-3-9 “valaththanan thirupruam eriththavan” (the one who burnt down the three towns has taken residence on your right side).

nAngu mugaththAn nin undhi mudhal – brahmA, who has four faces, has your divine navel as his root.

How can I talk about your greatness or your simplicity?

We will take up the 72^nd pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 8th centum

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thiruvAimozhi – 8.1.1 – dhEvimAr AvAr

January 21, 2019 Published by: Sarathy Thothathri

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

Full series >> Eighth Centum >> First decad

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the first pAsuram, AzhwAr says “you who are the most enjoyable such that one cannot bear your separation, should shower your mercy so that I can see you”.

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

dhEvimAr AvAr thirumagaL bhUmi Eva maRRamarar AtcheyvAr
mEviya ulavam mUnRavai Atchi vEnduvENduruvam nin uruvam
pAviyEn unnai aduginRa kamalakkaNNadhu Or pavaLa vAy maNiyE!
AviyE! amudhE! alai kadal kadaindha appanE! kANumARaruLAy

Listen

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

dhEvimAr – your consorts (who match your beauty and greatness)
thirumagaL – lakshmi (who is your great wealth)
bhUmi – bhUmi dhEvi (who is the presiding deity of all wealth)
maRRu – others (further)

(you who are with all of them)
Eva – as you order (as said in “kriyathAm ithi mAm vadha“)
AtcheyvAr – will perform kainkaryam (service)
amarar – nithyasUris (eternal residents of paramapadham);
mEviya – fitting well (to be inseparable from you)
mUnRavai – having the three folded (i.e. matter, souls and time)
ulagam – worlds
Atchi – follow your orders;
vENdu – as per the situations (for their protection)
vENdu – as per his own desire
uruvam – forms
nin – for you
uruvam – (distinguished) forms;

(not only you manifested this ruling over of ubhaya vibhUthi (two realms))
pAviyEn thannai – sinful me (who could not enjoy this form)
aduginRa – torturing (like those who kill)
kamalam – (most enjoyable) lotus like
kaNNadhu – eye
Or – unique
pavaLam – coral like
vAy – having beautiful lips
maNiyE – attractive like a blue gem
AviyE – being the life (without which one cannot survive)

(not only that)
amudhE – being the (most enjoyable) nectar (which brings back life)

(even for those who desire for superficial nectar)
alai kadal kadaindha appanE – oh great benefactor who performed difficult tasks and helped!

(to not work hard like that)
kANumARu – to see and enjoy
aruLAy – show your mercy

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

nithyasUris will perform kainkaryam as you and your divine consorts SrI dhEvi, bhUmi dhEvi and others order; the three-folded worlds which are fitting well with you, follow your orders; you have distinguished forms as per the situation and your desire; oh great benefactor who performed difficult tasks and helped others! You are torturing me who is sinful, with your lotus like eyes, unique coral like lips and attractive blue gem like form; you are my life; you are the most enjoyable nectar; show your mercy to me, to see and enjoy you.

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

dhEvimAr … – What is the reason for me to suffer while those [consorts] who would say as in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 116-45 “nakaSchin nAparAdhyathi” (there is none who has not committed a wrongful deed) are near you? SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-19 “mithramaupayikam karthum rAma: sthAnam parIpsathA, vadham cha anichchathA ghOram thvayA asau purusharshabha: ” (SrI rAma who is the best among all purushas (souls) is the apt person to make friends for you who would like to remain in this world and who would not like to die a horrible death) is explained here in detail.
- mithram aupayikam – As rAvaNa stood in front of sIthAp pirAtti and started uttering some foolish words, the mother would not become angry when the child torments her! Being the mother, seeing his downfall, she gives good advise to him. If she told him to surrender unto SrI rAma’s divine feet, he may consider that as an insult and will not agree to it; hence, she says “become friendly with SrI rAma”; SrI rAma said in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 18.3 “mithra bhAvEna” (even if you (rAvaNa) approach me as a friend); pirAtti is saying “mithram aupayikam“. Even while reaching paramapadham, emperumAn grants parama sAmyApaththi (supreme equivalence in eight qualities) to AthmAs. rAvaNa asks “Why would I have friendly relationship with my enemies?”
- sthAnam parIpsathA – Too bad. Even for those who engage in robbery, they should be able to stay on some place and do it; so, if you would like to preserve your place, you have to do this. Thinking that rAvaNa is saying “I don’t need the land, I can even fly”, she continues,
- vadham chAnichchathA – Will SrI rAma’s arrows not reach the sky?
- gOram – Even if you desire to be killed in a merciful way instead of a very horrible way, you have to reach out to him.
- thvayA – What is the use of explaining so much? You need his help.
- asau – Are you not seeing him in front of you? Due to visualisation, she sees SrI rAma in front of her; and due to fear, rAvaNa sees SrI rAma in front of him. rAvaNa asks “Will he accept me who has committed so many offences?”
- purusharshabha: – He is purushOththama (best among men) – he will not consider your offences.
dhEvimAr AvAr thirumagaL bhUmi – periya pirAtti and ANdAL who are so dear to him that he will act upon the direction of their eyebrows; SrI mahAlakshmi is the teacher who teaches compassion to him as said in “nakaSchin nAparAdhyathi” and bhUmi dhEvi is the fertile field where that compassion grows, as she asks “what do you have to tolerate? did he even commit an offence?” While they are present, what is there for me to lose?
Eva – It is explained that just as kainkaryam is the goal, their ordering us to engage in kainkaryam is also part of the goal; SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 15.7 “kriyathAmithi mAm vadha” (lakshmaNa to SrI rAma – order me in what should be done); his voice would be as deep as the sound of a thunderous cloud, pouring rain.
maRRu amarar AtcheyvAr – nithyasUris are the ones who remain close and serve emperumAn and his divine consorts. maRRu indicates thulyavikalpa (exact variation); that is whatever pleasure derived by his divine consorts when he embraces them, will be derived by the nithyasUris who serve the togetherness; as said in SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 1.31 “ramamANA vanE thraya:” (all 3 – SrI rAma, sIthA and lakshmaNa enjoyed together in the forest), the pleasures match the individual’s true nature; the pleasure derived by perumAL (SrI rAma) and (sIthA) pirAtti in their union, will be derived by iLaiya perumAL (lakshamaNa) by seeing their togetherness.
amarar AtcheyvAr – As said in thiruvAimozhi 4.6.8 “vEdham vallArgaLaik koNdu” (with the help of those who are well versed in vEdham), nithyasUris also remain as purushakArabhUthar [those who present our case to emperumAn, like pirAtti].

Even if his consorts are present, and the nithyasUris who are comparable to his consorts are also present, we can say that he will not fulfil our desire, if he has some limitation in his wealth/control,

mEviya … – Indicating the three layers of worlds; or indicating the three types of chEthanas [nithyasUris (eternal residents of paramapadham), mukthAthmAs (liberated souls), badhdhAthmAs (bound souls)].
mEviya – Indicating that if we said he is the protector for the worlds, it will be apt; or saying his reign fits well for him. SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 2.13 “thrailOkyamapi nAthEna yEna syAnnAthavaththaram” (In SrI rAma, all the three worlds have an apt leader) – even if the three worlds are taken together, that which is to be protected will be small and his desire to protect them will be great.
vENdu vENduruvam nin uruvam – As necessary for the protection; or as said in SrI vishNu purANam 6.5.84 “ichchA gruhIthAbhimathOru dhEha:” (many forms assumed by bhagavAn out of his own desire); or it is saying that emperumAn will accept the forms which are desired by his devotees for him.
pAviyEn thannai – Me who has committed such sins to lose you even after having purushakAram, wealth, and divine forms which are under the control of his devotees; I became outside his family!
aduginRa – perishing. Oh one who is having cool eyes which give motherly protection to everyone!
pavaLa vAy – Oh one who has beautiful smile as said in SrIvishNu purANam 5.17.21 “savilAsasmithAdhAram bibhrANam mukapankajam” (one who has the lotus like face which has smiling, beautiful lotus-like mouth/lips)!
maNiyE – Just as one would let out cool water towards the face of a tired person, oh one who has an invigorating form! These features of yours sustain me.
AviyE – AzhwAr‘s life is not just a type of air [prANa (vital air)]; his life is emperumAn with his divine consorts, nithyasUris and his beautiful form with beautiful eyes and lips.
amudhE – Being the vital air which makes him sustain himself, AzhwAr also has emperumAn as the most enjoyable nectar not having to search for enjoyment elsewhere. As he is the enjoyment, emperumAn remains the upAyam (means) as well, so that AzhwAr need not put any effort to attain him.
alai kadal kadaindha appanE – Oh one who performs great task even for those who are with worldly desires!

emperumAn asks “What shall I do for you?” AzhwAr says,

kANumARu aruLAy – You don’t need to churn the ocean for me, but it is sufficient if you show me that divine form. (kANumARu) Seeing his divine form is the prApyam (goal); (aruL) his mercy is the prApakam (means). Would you not fulfil the desire of those who feel “you are the goal and the means”?

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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periya thiruvandhAdhi – 70 – adarpon mudiyAnai

January 21, 2019 Published by: T N Krishnan

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

avathArikai

In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr spoke about how he was able to defeat his sins. In this pAsuram, he says that once emperumAn became his mother and father, what can happen even if he were to suffer the effects of those sins.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

adar pon mudiyAnai Ayiram pErAnai
sudar koL sudar AzhiyAnai idar kadiyum
mAthA pithuvAga vaiththEn enadhuLLE
yAdhAgil yAdhE ini

Word by Word Meanings

adar pon mudiyAnai – having a divine crown which can destroy (enemies on merely sighting them)

Ayiram pErAnai – one who has thousands of divine names

sudar koL sudar AzhiyAnai – sarvESvara (lord of all) who has the divine chakra (disc) which has within it, all the objects which emit radiance

idar kadiyum – removing (my) hurdles

mAthA pithuvAga – as mother and father

enadhu uLLE vaiththEn – established in my mind

ini – from now onwards

yAdhu Agil yAdhu – what does it matter, whatever happens?

vyAkyAnam

adar pon mudiyAnai – one who has a divine crown, which is beautiful, which will destroy enemies the moment it sees them and which displays the fact that emperumAn is the emperor for all the worlds,

Ayiram pErAnai – having many divine names which reveal such beauty, greatness etc.

sudar koL sudar AzhiyAnai – sarvESvara who has divine disc which contains within it, all the objects which are radiant. Alternatively, the term sudar koL sudar Azhi could be taken to mean that the radiant divine disc is capable of defeating all the other radiant objects. Due to this distinction, it is implied here that the divine disc, apart from destroying enemies, is also an ornament to be worn for emperumAn.

idar kadiyum mAthA pithAvAga vaiththEn enadhuLLE – I retained inside my mind emperumAn as mother and father who will remove all my hurdles. The parents whom we see in the world are those who will observe fasts and other rituals in order to beget offspring and will nurture the offspring, thus creating sorrows for him. In order to highlight that emperumAn removes those sorrows, AzhwAr qualifies emperumAn with the words idar kadiyum.

yAdhAgil yAdhE ini – what does it matter whether I suffer due to the sins or not? The implied meaning is that just as prahlAdha did not mind the hurdles put in his path by hiraNya kashyap, AzhwAr also will not mind if he were to suffer the effects of sins.

We will take up the 71^st pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan