periya thirumozhi – 1.2.1 – vAli mAvalaththu

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periya thirumozhi >> First centum >> Second decad

pAsuram

vAli mAvalaththu oruvanadhu udalkeda
varisilai vaLaiviththu anRu
Elam nARu thaN thadam pozhil idampeRa
irundha nal imayyaththuL
Ali mAmugil adhirthara aruvarai
agaduRa mugadERi
peeli mAmayil nadanjeyum thadanjunaip
piridhi senRadai nenjE

Word-by-Word meanings

nenjE – Oh heart!
anRu – when sugrIva surrendered
vAli – one with the name vAli
mA – very
valam – powerful
oruvanadhu – the distinguished, his
udal – body
keda – to fall apart
vari – beautiful
silai – bow
vaLaiviththu – bent to shoot the arrows;

(today)
Elam – fragrance
nARu – blowing
thaN – cool
thadam – vast
pozhil – in the gardens
idam peRa – in an expansive manner (sarvESvaran)
irundha – being present and giving audience
nal – distinguished
imayaththuL – in himavAn
Ali – having small droplets
mA mugil – huge clouds
adhir thara – making tumultuous sounds
peeli – having feathers
mA – large
mayil – peacocks
aru – difficult to climb
varai – mountains
agadu – lower stomach
uRa – to rub
mugadu – on their peaks
ERi – climb
nadam seyum – dancing
thadam – vast
sunai – having ponds
piridhi – the dhivyadhESam named thiruppiridhi
senRu adai – try to go and reach.

Simple translation

Oh heart! When sugrIva surrendered to SrI rAma, emperumAn bent his beautiful bow to shoot the arrows to make the body of the very powerful, distinguished one named vAli fall apart; such sarvESvaran is present in an expansive manner and is giving audience in the cool, vast gardens where fragrance is blowing, in the distinguished himavAn (Himalayas mountain range); there, huge clouds having small droplets are making tumultuous sounds; large peacocks having feathers, are climbing and dancing to have their lower stomach rub on the peaks of the mountains which are difficult to climb; try to go and reach the dhivyadhESam named thiruppiridhi which is having vast ponds.

Highlights from vyAkyAnam (Commentary)

  • vAli … – One who is known as vAli, one who is distinguished in having great strength, where second person cannot be counted along with him for his strength; to make his body fall apart, emperumAn bent his beautiful bow. While vAli is there and is being killed, AzhwAr is enjoying the combination of emperumAn’s divine hand and the bow, and their beauty. As said in SrI rAmAyaNam kishkindhA kANdam 3.9 “SakrachApanibE … SathrunASanE” (You who are holding the bow which resembles indhra’s bow and you who are destroyer of enemies) – AzhwAr is enjoying SakrachApanibE aspect ignoring the SathrunASanE aspect. [The SlOkam is explained] SakrachApanibE … – Like the bow of indhra, those who are favourable towards emperumAn, the bow appears very beautiful and one cannot take one’s eyes off. gruhIthvA – Looking at the way he holds the bow, the enemies will become destroyed. emperumAn will destroy the favourable ones with his beauty and the unfavourable ones with the arrows. Here periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.3.8 “eri sidhaRum siraththAl” pAsuram is explained.
    • eri sidhaRum siraththAl – As said in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 16.22 “dhIptha pAvaka sankASai:” (resembling blazing fire), while shooting the arrow, it will be seen as arrow; when it hits the target, it will hit like a ball of fire.
    • ilangaiyinai – The town which is feared even by yama to enter.
    • thannudaiya varisilai vAyil peydhu – Just as a snake will swallow using its tongue, the bow will swallow using the arrow. Arrow is the mouth for bow. He shoots the arrow to let it consume the enemies and their abodes.
    • vAykkOttam thavirththu – kOdudhal in mouth, not speaking straight – emperumAn eliminated that. emperumAn eliminated the attitude explained in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 36-11 “na namEyam” (I will not worship him); kasyachith – One may think, since SrI rAma made himself a human, rAvaNa too considered him as a human and did not worship him. But if ISvara (SrIman nArAyaNa) came in his original form, will he worship? When one realises one’s true nature, one will remain as said in mahAbharatham mausala parvam 166.40 “nama ithyEvavAdhina:” (they constantly say “Our salutations to you”); to think “mama” (mine) is svarUpa virOdhi (contrary to one’s true nature). While it is apt for rAvaNa to have spoken as a favourable person, he was speaking selfishly; such dishonesty was eliminated.
    • ugandha araiyan – Became joyful after eliminating the dual-lordship [after killing rAvaNa, any doubt on rAvaNa also being the lord was eliminated]. emperumAn became joyful thinking “When rAvaNa gives up his claim for ownership, everything becomes mine!” When an AthmA gives up his claim for ownership, subsequently they will be emperumAn’s belongings.
    • araiyan – Since bhagavAn is the owner of everyone, even if a small favourable aspect is present in any AthmA, that is sufficient for him. His relationship with all AthmAs is such that, even their withdrawal from unfavourable aspects brings joy in emperumAn.
  • anRu – Back then, he did that; now he has arrived and is residing here.
  • Elam … – Only when there is danger, will he not care about himself and eliminate it voluntarily; when the danger is gone, his tenderness which resembles that of a royal prince, will manifest; this abode matches such nature of bhagavAn. Alternative explanation – emperumAn thought “instead of attacking the unfavourable ones with the arrow, let me reform them by my presence”, arrived here and remained in this abode; this is similar to kings thinking “instead of attacking the enemies in battle, let us surround them and show our might to make them surrender unto us”, will surround the enemies and remove their pride by their presence.
  • Elam nARu – The abode which will make him forget paramapadham from where he arrived. SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 95.12 “adhikam puravAsAchcha manyE cha thava dharSanAth” (I consider seeing you and residing in this chithrakUtam is greater than residing in ayOdhyA). SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 57.38 “jahau cha dhu:kam puravi pravAsAth” (SrI rAma’s became joyful on seeing the river mAlyavathi and even forgot the sorrow of coming to the forest leaving ayOdhyA). While residing in SrI ayOdhyA, SrI rAma would have to leave sIthAp pirAtti due to official duties and was very sad about that; the stay here eliminated all such sorrow [due to fully remaining with pirAtti]. The fragrant, invigorating, vast garden.
  • idam peRa – Being present there to give audience to everyone. Giving his audience to nithya samsAris (those who are present forever in this world) instead of nithyasUris (permanent residents of paramapadham). This is the abode where he is presenting himself to those who missed to see him during his incarnations.
  • nal imayaththuL – The abode is such that, one would desire to remain there without any reason. Not just that he is remaining there due to his mercy, the stay in this abode itself is desirable.
  • Ali … – This abode is where emperumAn is enjoying his stay listening to the tumultuous sounds of clouds and the dance of the peacocks, which make him forget his loss of the joyful stay in SrIvaikuNtam where musical instruments are played and nithyasUris remain blissful thinking as said in thaiththirIya upanishath “aham annam aham annam” (I am his food (enjoyment), repeatedly). Since he is staying there along with pirAtti without any danger, the sounds of the clouds remain favourable [in separation, the same will be unfavourable].
  • Ali … – The huge clouds with little droplets of water, make huge sound due to the weight of water. As the clouds make sounds, the feathered peacock is dancing; when the music starts, the body of the dancers cannot remain still; just as the dancers would start dancing when apt situation arises, as the clouds make tumultuous sound, the peacocks dance.
  • aruvarai … – On the mountains which are difficult to climb. Only when attempted with love, will it be possible to climb those mountains; the peacock will climb on such mountain peak to have its lower stomach rub on it, will expand its feathers to fill the peak and dance on it.The peacocks are dancing seeing emperumAn’s presence here, similar to the joyful dance of the vAnara (monkey) clan on seeing SrI rAma’s victory.
  • piridhi senRu adai nenjE – AzhwAr is telling his heart “When even the less-intelligent creatures reach that abode and engage in activities which highlight their joy, you who are having no shortcomings in your intelligence, should try to reach that abode”. The nature of bhagavAn and his abode is such that, irrespective of the level of intelligence, one will become an expert in kainkaryam and engage in the same. Even a piece of wood will dance on seeing emperumAn.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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