thiruvAimozhi – 8.8.1 – kaNgaL sivandhu

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Full series >> Eighth Centum >> Eighth decad

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the first pAsuram, AzhwAr enjoys emperumAn showing his fresh appearance with beauty etc after uniting with AzhwAr.

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. After enjoying emperumAn‘s divine form, our AzhwArs will not engage in his svarUpam (true nature) and guNam (qualities); SAsthram says that once a person holds on to emperumAn’s divine form as the auspicious abode, he/she will engage further [in his true nature and qualities] – but it does not instruct him/her to engage further, giving up the divine form of emperumAn; it is saying that to highlight that emperumAn’s true nature and qualities are also to be meditated upon. It does not matter whether it is for himself, his divine consorts or his servitors; his divine form is very dear to everyone.

pAsuram

kaNgaL sivandhu periyavAy vAyum sivandhu kanindhu uLLE
veN pal ilagu sudar ilagu vilagu magara kuNdalaththan
koNdal vaNNan sudar mudiyan nAngu thOLan kuni sArngan
oN sangadhai vAL AzhiyAn oruvan adiyEn uLLAnE

Listen

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

(due to the great joy after uniting)
kaNgaL – divine eyes
sivandhu – becoming reddish
periya Ay – being expansive

(in the same manner)
vAyum – divine lips
sivandhu – becoming reddish
kanindhu – being well ripened
uLLE – inside [the mouth]
veN – whitish
pal – the divine teeth line
ilagu – shining
sudar – radiance
ilagu – greatly splendorous
vilagu – swaying
magara kuNdalaththan – having makara kuNdalam (a fish shaped ear ring)

(as a contrast for these beautiful limbs)
koNdal – dark cloud’s
vaNNan – having a beautiful form with the complexion [of such cloud]

(matching such divine beauty)
sudar – having great radiance
mudiyan – having divine crown
nAngu thOLan – (matching such supremacy) having four divine shoulders

(as said in “dhivyAsthra pushpitha chathurbhujam“, appearing to be naturally grown out of those shoulders)
kuni – bent
sArngam – SrI SArngam (bow)
oN – attractive
sangu – SrI pAnchajanyam (conch)
gadhai – kaumOdhaki (mace)
vAL – nandhakam (sword)
AzhiyAn – having the divine weapon of thiruvAzhi (chakra)
oruvan – one with a distinguished form (due to these beautiful limbs, beautiful ornaments and beautiful weapons)
adiyEn – me, the servitor (who is immersed in such beauty), my
uLLAn – radiantly residing in me

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

emperumAn is having expansive, divine eyes which are becoming reddish; his divine lips are becoming reddish and well ripened; his divine, whitish teeth line, inside the mouth, are shining radiantly; he is having swaying ear rings; he is having a beautiful form with the complexion of a dark cloud; he is having a greatly radiant divine crown; he is having four divine shoulders; he is holding the bent SrI SArngam, attractive SrI pAnchajanyam, kaumOdhaki, nandhakam and the divine weapon, thiruvAzhi; such emperumAn with a distinguished form is radiantly residing in me, who is a servitor.

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

  • kaNgaL sivandhu – As said in chAndhOgya upanishath 1.6 “thasya yathA kapyAsam puNdarIkam Evam akshinI” (The divine eyes of SrIman nArAyaNa, the supreme lord, resemble the lotus flower which has been freshly blossomed by the rays of the sun), emperumAn‘s eyes will be reddish; this being the case, due to the separation experienced in “mAyak kUththA“, they became pale; and due to the union experienced in “iruththum viyandhu“, they got back their original reddish colour. AzhwAr being engrossed in emperumAn’s eyes and not moving away, can be seen in the tone of this pAsuram.
  • periya Ay – They are having expansion and contraction. While it says in SrIvishNu purANam 1.2.1 “sadhaikarUpa rUpAya” (one who is having unchanging divine auspicious form), it implies – there is no change in him due to karma (deeds, puNya/pApa (virtue/vice)), but there is no negation of changes due to uniting with his devotees; if that happens (he remains unchanging), that means he will cease to exist. Even he will change according to his own greatness.
  • vAyum sivandhuAzhwAr is saying – not just the eyes, even the divine lips accquired their natural complexion. AzhwAr is recollecting what he said in thiruvAimozhi 8.6.7sevvAy – veNpal sudarkkuzhai” (reddish lips, whitish teeth, radiant ears).
  • kanindhu – This redness, being fully immersed, appears well ripened.
  • uLLE – The difficulty in leaving the reddish divine lips and entering inside, is observed here.
  • veN pal ilagu sudar – The teeth line having white complexion which is contrasting the reddish lips, and having well surrounded radiance.
  • ilagu vilagu magara kuNdalaththan – One who is having the swaying, divine makara kuNdalam which has contrasting complexion to the darkness in his divine hair. It appears that emperumAn is joyfully nodding his head thinking “we have acquired the union with AzhwAr” [which caused his earrings to sway]. He became very joyful just as an ocean broke its barriers.
  • koNdal vaNNan – His divine form became very dark like a rain cloud. Previously his divine form was pale in complexion [due to separation].
  • sudar mudiyan – One who is having a divine crown which will override the beauty of everything else with its beauty. Only after eliminating AzhwAr‘s suffering in “mAyakkUththA“, emperumAn was crowned. AzhwAr called him in thiruvAimozhi 8.5.3mudi sEr senni ammA” (oh lord with well fitting divine crown).
  • nAngu thOLan – After embracing AzhwAr, emperumAn‘s shoulders swelled [due to the joy].
  • kuni sArngan – Just as it is said in “magara kuNdalaththan“, even these [weapons] appear like ornaments for him. In the hands of valorous persons, the bow will be bent even when there is no battle.
  • oN sangu – The attractive conch which is praised in nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 7.8 “uNbadhu sollil … un selvam sAla azhagiyadhE” (what you eat is [emperumAn‘s nectarean saliva] … you are so wealthy).
  • gadhai vAL AzhiyAn – one who holds the mace, sword and chakra.
  • oruvan – The distinguished one due to being puNdarIkAksha (lotus-eyed), kALa mEga SyAma (having dark cloud like complexion), chathurbhuja (four handed) and one who has divine weapons such as Sanka, chakra etc.
  • adiyEn – Just as his lordship is distinguished, AzhwAr‘s servitude is also distinguished. That is – AzhwAr is saying that he is a servitor not due to having true knowledge about the self, but due to emperumAn‘s beauty.
  • uLLAnE – As the mind which was focussed outward is turned  inward [towards the self], emperumAn whose beauty is generally heard in “yuvAkumAra:” (youth and adolescent), is shiningly visible with his beautiful limbs, beautiful ornaments and beautiful weapons as in a box containing diamonds.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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