SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
In the earlier pAsuram AzhwAr had said that sarvESvaran had glanced at him with his divine eyes and showered his mercy on him. He analysed this saying “Why did he glance at me with his divine eyes instead of at his favourable ones?” He concludes saying “I had recited his divine names superficially and not even wholeheartedly. It could be because of this”
Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:
irukkAr mozhiyAl neRi izhukkAmai ulagaLandha
thiruththALiNai nilaththEvar vaNanguvar yAmum avA
orukkA vinaiyodum emmodum nondhu kaniyinmaiyil
karukkAy kadippavar pOl thirunAmachchol kaRRanamE
Word-by-Word Meanings
irukku – being mentioned in rig vEdham (one of the four parts of sacred texts)
Ar – completely (explaining the true nature of supreme entity)
mozhiyAl – with purusha sUktham
neRi – the supreme path of worshipping supreme entity
izhukkAmai – without mistake
nilaththEvar – SrIvaishNavas, who are referred to as the dhEvathAs (celestial entities) of earth
ulagu – world
aLandha – one which measured
thiruththALiNai – divine feet
vaNanguvar – will worship [and attain]
yAmum – we too
avA – desire
orukkA – not allowing to reach
vinaiyodum – with sins
emmodum – and with us
(looking at these two true natures)
nondhu – grieving
kani inmaiyil – due to absence of fruit
karukkAy – unripened fruit
kadippavar pOl – those who eat
thirunAmachchol – divine names without following the meanings
kaRRanamE – learnt
Simple Translation
brAhmaNas who are referred to as celestial entities on earth, keep worshipping the two divine feet [of sarvESvaran] which measured all the worlds, through purusha sUktham seen in rig vEdham, which explains the true nature of the supreme entity, without transgressing from the path of righteousness. We grieve at our sins and our nature which are a hurdle to realise our desire of worshipping in a similar way. Consequently, we learnt only to recite the divine names of sarvESvaran, just as those who eat only unripened fruit since ripened fruit is not available.
vyAkyAnam
irukkAr mozhiyAl – Due to the distinguished knowledge of those who had carried out prapaththi (SaraNAgathi, or act of surrendering) to SarvESvaran, through the lines mentioned in rig vEdham, the lands where crops grow to a meagre extent as well as arid lands became fully grown lands. The vyAkyAthA says that there is no need to feel bewildered that in vEdhams, terms such as Sambhu et al denote rudhra, brahmA et al as eminent entities. This is because the distinguished divine word of nArAyaNan as mentioned in places describing sarvESvaran’s svarUpam, rUpam, guNam, vibhUthi (true nature, divine form, auspicious qualities and wealth respectively) is superior to everything else. In other words, he says that in nArAyaNa anuvAkam, only sarvESvaran is spoken of. In yajur AraNyakam, the verse sarvE vEdhA yathraikambhavathi refers to the fact that only nArAyaNan is being recited in everything [including the defining names of all entities]. Since all the terms which refer to eminent entities in this nArAyaNa anuvAkam speak only about nArAyaNan, it should be considered that all the terms refer only to him.
neRi izhukkAmai – not deviating from bhagavath ArAdhanam (worshipping of sarvESvaran), which is the path of righteousness,
ulagaLandha thiruththAliNai – his nature is such that he would say “Whether these entities (both sentient and insentient) do or do not know, these are all my property; I will not let go of them”. When all the entities were not even aware of, did he not redeem them all, by measuring everyone and everything?
nilaththEvar vaNanguvar – though the brAhmaNAs are living in this samsAram (materialistic world), just as they have been referred to in thiruviruththam 79 viNNuLArilum sIriyar (they are more eminent than nithyasUris), they are considered as dhEvathAs [celestial entities] on earth.
yAmum – I, who am not having knowledge on SAsthrams just like they have
avA orukkAvinaiyodum emmodum – my sins prevent me from engaging with matters related to sarvESvaran with the same desire which I have towards worldly matters. I am grieving about those sins and about me, who is having those sins. Grieving because of the fact that these are there and I am there, carrying on with these sins.
kani inmaiyil karukkAy kadippavar pOl – even though I do not have the qualification which they have in worshipping, without deviating from the path of righteousness, I recited only the divine names, just as one who does not have access to fruits, eats only the unripened ones.
thirunAmachchol kaRRanamE – even when I recited those divine names, I did so without knowing their meanings. I had not even known their greatness. However, sarvESvaran showered his mercy upon me, without any reason.
Alternative explanation:
avA . . . – there is a sin which enables the desire which is there for worldly matters to be diverted towards matters related to sarvESvaran. It is referred to as bhakthi [devotion]. Could bhakthi be termed as sin? Since it is the cause for suffering when one does not attain bhagavAn, it can be termed as a sin.
kani inmaiyil karukkAy kadippavar pOl – just as those who eat the unripened fruit when ripened ones are not available, AzhwAr had to make do with reciting divine names. He wanted to see sarvESvaran with his eyes and embrace him with his hands. In such a situation, what could he do with only reciting of divine names? There is another interpretation for the word kani inmai. Just as people would eat an unripened fruit before it becomes ripened, before nithyasUris could enjoy him [sarvESvaran], AzhwAr destroyed him by only speaking about him.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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