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periya thiruvandhAdhi – 86 – kAr kalandha

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

avathArikai

In the 84^th pAsuram, AzhwAr had said that it is not possible to live without involving with emperumAn with all three faculties [of thought, speech and action]. In the 85^th pAsuram, looking at the normal events in life, he said that he is reminded of the divine beauty of emperumAn’s physical form which has the complexion of rain bearing clouds. In this pAsuram, he says “Leave aside the fact that it is difficult to sustain oneself without involving with that beautiful emperumAn, it is not even possible to spend one’s time without that”.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

kAr kalandha mEniyAn kai kalandha AzhiyAn
pAr kalandha valvayiRRAn pAmbaNaiyAn sIr kalandha
sol ninaindhu pOkkArEl sUzh vinaiyin Azh thuyarai
en ninaindhu pOkkuvar ippOdhu

Word by Word Meanings

kAr kalandha mEniyAn – one who has the divine form congruent with cloud

kai kalandha AzhiyAn – one who has the divine disc fitting well with his divine hand

pAr kalandha – (during the time of deluge) keeping the earth fittingly

val vayiRRAn – having strong divine stomach

pAmbu aNaiyAn – emperumAn who is reclining on the mattress of AdhiSEshan, his

sIr kalandha – being with superior qualities

sol ninaindhu – meditating on divine names

sUzh vinaiyin – due to the cruel sins which surround (us)

Azh thuyarai – deep sorrows

pOkkArEl – if they do not get rid of

ippOdhu – during this time

en ninaindhu – thinking of what (else)

pOkkuvar – will they get rid of

vyAkyAnam

kAr kalandha mEniyAn – as mentioned in the previous pAsuram, emperumAn has his divine form congruent with cloud in all manner. The word kalandha refers to the fact that he is congruent in all ways.

kai kalandha AzhiyAn – one who is having the firm disc in his divine hand. Here again, the word kalandha refers to the disc fitting so well with the hand that it would appear that it has taken roots in the ground called as divine hand or that it is like the flower which has blossomed out of the branch called as divine hand.

pAr kalandha val vayiRRAn – one who is having well fitting earth inside his divine stomach, during the time of deluge. Usage of the term kalandha signifies that the earth has got fully mingled with his stomach such that it cannot be detected by the waters of deluge should they enter. The term val vayiRRAn signifies, just as it did in thiruvAsairiyam 7^th pAsuram “naLir madhich chadaiyanum” that his divine stomach is capable of offering protection to any number of entities which may enter.

pAmbaNaiyAn – on who has thiruvanthAzhwAn (AdhiSEshan) as his mattress

sIr kalandha sol – the sweet words which describe the beauty of his divine form and his divine qualities. Just like a garland made with different types of flowers and just like a dish made with different types of vegetables, this implies the ithihAsa purANas (epics and historic narratives) as well as aruLichcheyal (4000 dhivya prabandham) which are strung with his variegated divine qualities. People who have cultivated taste in arts, literature etc will say that the phrase kAr kalandha mEniyAn sol refers to SrI rAmAyaNam which describes SrI rAma as “mEgaSyAmam mahAbAhum” (one who has a dark complexion similar to cloud and who has lengthy hands); the phrase kai kalandha AzhiyAn sol refers to SrI bhAgavatham, mahAbhAratham and SrI vishNu purANam which refer to krishNa who was born with divine conch and divine disc even at the time of his birth; the phrase pAr kalandha valvayiRRAn siR kalandha sol refers to purANas which refer to emperumAn protecting all the worlds inside his divine stomach and the phrase pAmbaNaiyAn sIr kalandha sol refers to thiruvAimozhi and other works of aruLichcheyal which describe the greatness of divine qualities of emperumAn’s as he reclines on the mattress of AdhiSEshan. The term sol refers to emperumAn’s divine names.

sol ninaindhu sUzh vinaiyin Azh thuyaraip pOkkArEl – it is proper that one should think of and recite the divine names of emperumAn in order to get rid of deep sorrows which result from the sins which have to be necessarily experienced. Let them [samsAris] not get rid of such sins in this way.

en ninanidhu pOkkuvar ippOdhu – even if they do not have the earnestness in getting rid of sins, how will they spend their time?

Since AzhwAr is similar to yudhistra who thinks of others as just like himself, he is mercifully stating this.

We will next move on to the last (87^th) pAsuram in this prabandham.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 85 – thanga muyaRRiyavAy

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

avathArikai

AzhwAr, who had been alternating between satisfaction and dissatisfaction in enjoying emperumAn, looked at the world at large. Looking at the clouds which were roaming in the sky, AzhwAr involves himself with emperumAn’s matter and wonders “By carrying out which penance did these clouds get the divine complexion of emperumAn?”

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

thangA muraRRiyavAyth thAzh visumbin mIdhu pAyndhu
engE pugundhu eththavam seydhittana kol pongOdhath
thaNNambAl vElai vAyk kaN vaLarum ennudaiya
kaNNan pAl nanniRam koL kAr

Word by Word Meanings

pongu Odham – having agitating waves

thaN ambAl vElai vAy – in the cool, beautiful thiruppARkadal (milky ocean)

kaN vaLarum – one who is reclining

ennudaiya – one who is my lord

kaNNan pAl – towards kaNNa (krishNa)

nal niRam koL – having beautiful complexion

kAr – clouds

thangA muyaRRiyavAy – having continuous efforts (to get that complexion)

thAzh visumbin mIdhu – in the expansive sky

pAyndhu – roaming

engE pukku – going to which place

eththavam seydhittana kol – what type of penance did they carry out?

vyAkyAnam

thangA muyaRRIyavAyth thAzh visumbin mIdhu pAyndhu engE pukku eththavam seydhittana kol – without giving up the efforts which they had taken up, roaming all over the skies, which sacred place did the clouds enter and what type of penance did they carry out?

AzhwAr shows the reason for having a doubt like this, in the latter half of the pAsuram . . . . .

pongu Odham thaN ambAl vElai vAyk kaN vaLarum ennudaiya kaNNan pAl nanniRam koL kAr – where did these clouds, which have the dark bluish complexion of my lord kaNNan, who is reclining on the cool, beautiful thiruppARkadal which has agitating waves, enter and what type of penance did they perform [in order to get that complexion]?

engE pukku eththavam – It is pertinent to recall that the same meaning has been conveyed in the 32^nd pAsuram of thiruviruththam [composed by nammAzhwAr] “mEgangaLO uraiyIr thirumAl thirumEni okkum yOgangaL ungaLukku evvARu peRRIr” (Oh clouds, please explain! How did you get the complexion of thirumAl’s [consort of SrI mahAlakshmi] divine form?) and his response in the same pAsuram “uyiraLippAn mAgangaLellAm thirindhu nannIrgaL sumandhu nundham AgangaL nOva varuththum thavamAm aruL peRRadhE ” (is this the result of your action of going all over the world, carrying water notwithstanding the pain in your physical forms, and showering rains, thus protecting all lives, without expecting anything in return?)

We will take up the 86^th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 84 – vAzththi avan adiyai

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

avathArikai

AzhwAr continues to fault his heart, in this pAsuram.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

vAzhththi avan adiyaip pUppunaindhu nin thalaiyaith
thAzhththi iru kai kUppu enRAl kUppAdha pAzhththa vidhi
enguRRAyenRu avanai EththAdha en nenjamE
thangaththAnAmElum thangu

Word by Word Meanings

avan adiyai – the divine feet of that sarvESvara (lord of all)

vAzhththi – praising

pU punaindhu – offering flowers

nin thalaiyai thAzhththu – bow down your head (at his divine feet)

iru kai kUppu enRAl – if asked to fold your hands together [in the gesture of offering anjali]

kUppAdha en nenjamE – Oh my mind which will not fold the hands!

avanai – that sarvESvara

enguRRAy enRu – saying “where have you gone”

EththAdhu – without praying (with affection)

thangaththAnAmElum – if it is possible to sustain

thangu – sustain

pAzhththa vidhi – how terrible is the weight of the sins?

vyAkyAnam

The pAsuram should be rephrased to vAzhththi avan adiyaip pUppunaindhu nin thalaiyaith thAzhththu iru kai kUppu enRAl kUppAdha en nenjamE! enguRRAy enRu avanai EththAdhu thangaththAnAmElum thangu, pAzhththa vidhi in order to get cogent meaning.

en nenjamE – Oh my heart which does not do anything in matters regarding emperumAn! AzhwAr, who had praised his heart in the 1^st pAsuram saying mundhuRRa nenjE (Oh my mind which is preceding me) is saying this now, considering its nature of not involving with matters relating to emperumAn since time immemorial, before he sang the first pAsuram.

vAzhththi avan adiyaip pUppunaindhu nin thalaiyaith thAzhththu, iru kai kUppu enRAl kUppAdha en nenjamE – AzhwAr tells his heart “Oh heart who is not cupping your palms when I ask you to praise emperumAn, offer flowers to his divine feet, bow down your head to his divine feet and cup your palms in anajali posture!” Since his head and hands were under the control of his heart for a very long time, AzhwAr is referring to them as the head and hands of his heart.

avanai enguRRAy enRu EththAdhu thangaththAnAmElum thangu – Just as it is mentioned in thiruvAimozhi 6-8-5 “enguch chenRAgilum kaNdu” (seeking and seeing wherever emperumAn goes), AzhwAr tells his heart, “If you can sustain yourself without seeking emperumAn with fervour and praising him, do remain in one place and sustain yourself”

pAzhththa vidhi – how terrible that such a destiny is befalling us! Through this , we can either take it that AzhwAr is disgusted with himself since he keeps leaving emperumAn’s presence saying “I am unsuitable” or that he is disgusted with his twin deeds (of pApa and puNya) which are a stumbling block for him in attaining emperumAn. Since AzhwAr is saying vAzhththi and EththAdhu, we can consider these to belong to the faculty of speech and since he is saying pUppunaindhu and thalaiyaith thAzhththu we can consider these to belong to the faculty of action and that AzhwAr is instructing his mind that it is impossible not to involve with emperumAn with all the three faculties (of thought, speech and action).

We will move on to the 85^th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 83 – ayarppAy ayarAppAy

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

avathArikai

Since AzhwAr recalled the state in which his heart was lying from time immemorial, he faults his heart to ensure that this state does not recur.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

ayarppAy ayarAppAy nenjamE sonnEn
uyappOm neRi idhuvE kaNdAy seyaRpAla
allavE seygiRudhi nenjamE anjinEn
mallarnAL vavvinanai vAzhththu

Word by Word Meanings

nenjamE – Oh heart!

seyaRpAla alla – whatever has been proscribed

seygiRudhi – you are doing

anjinEn – (I am) scared

mallar nAL – longevity of the wrestlers

vavvinanai – one who removed

vAzhththu – please praise

uyappOm neRi – the way to uplift

idhuvE kaNdAy – is it not this?

nenjamE – Oh my heart!

ayarppAy – seek ways to destroy yourself, forgetting (emperumAn)

ayarAppAy – uplift yourself, by not forgetting (emperumAn)

sonnEn – I have told (you, that which is beneficial for you)

vyAkyAnam

ayarppAy ayarAppAy – destroy yourself by continuing as you had done in the past, forgetting emperumAn or, seek uplifting of yourself by constantly thinking about him.

nenjamE sonnEn – when a person is about to fall into a well, shouldn’t a person who is standing at a distance shout out to him “Do not fall in to the well”? In the same way, I too warned you.

uyappOm neRI idhuvE kaNdAy – what I am going to tell you now is the way to uplift yourself; all other ways are only for your destruction.

When his heart asked him back “What mistake did I do”, AzhwAr tells it . . . . .

seyaRpAla allavE seygiRudhi – “Is there any limit for all the improper deeds which you carried out since time immemorial? Have you not carried out such improper deeds as worshipping other deities and engaging with other matters? Even now, you are often carrying out the improper deed of moving away from emperumAn saying ‘I am not qualified’ ”

nenjamE anjinEn – I have been scared, seeing you move away from emperumAn saying “I am not suitable for you” starting with the 2^nd pAsuram pugazhvOm pazhippOm.

When asked “There are many faults in us which make us become unsuitable. What do we do?” AzhwAr says . . .

mallar nAL vavvinanai vAzhthu – praise him who destroyed the wrestlers mushtika and chANUra. Are our faults stronger than those of the wrestlers? In order to get rid of these faults, praise emperumAn who destroyed the lives of those wrestlers.

We will move on to the 84^th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 82 – therindhu uNarvu

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

avathArikai

AzhwAr mentioned as to how he received the experience of enjoying emperumAn, without any distinction between day and night, in the previous pAsuram. He feels sorrowful in this pAsuram as to how he lost that enjoyment.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

therindhu uNarvu onRinmaiyAl thIvinaiyEn vALA
irundhozhindhEn kIzhnALgaLellAm karandhuruvin
ammAnai agyAnRu pin thodarndhu Azhiyangai
ammAnai EththAdhu ayarththu

Word by Word Meanings

therindhu uNarvu – knowledge which can be qualified as knowing truly

onRu inmaiyAl – lacking in it totally

thIvinaiyEn – I, having cruel sins

agyAnRu – during that time

karandha uruvin – hiding the form (of a demon)

ammAnai – that deceitful deer

pin thodarndha – one who followed

Azhi am kai ammAnai – emperumAn who had in his beautiful hand, the signet ring

EththAdhu – without praising

ayarththu – being ignorant

kIzh nALgaLellAm – in the days gone by

vALA irundhozhindhEn – I had spent purposelessly

vyAkyAnam

therindhu uNarvu onRu inmaiyAl – not having knowledge which can be truly called as knowing. The opinion is that AzhwAr feels that he did not have knowledge about matters relating to emperumAn but only had useless knowledge which enabled him to know “this is eight; this in ten”. SrI vishNu purANam 6-7-87 says “samgyAyathE yEna thathasdhOsham Sudhdham param nirmalamEkarUpam I sandhruSyathE vApyadhigam yathE vA thath gyAnam agyAnamathO’nya dhugtham II” (only that knowledge through which one is able to know, see or attain that entity which is without any fault, pure and shining is called as knowledge; anything other than that is ignorance). SrI vishNu purANam 1-9-41 says “thath karma yanna bandhAya sA vidhyA yA vimukthayE I AyAsAparam karma vidhyAnyA SilpanaipuNam II ” (only that deed which is not a cause for bondage (in this materialistic realm) is called as deed; only that which is the reason for getting liberated is called as knowledge. The rest of the karmas are only for suffering; other knowledge is only apt for sculpting). Thus it was considered that only knowledge about emperumAn is to be considered as knowledge and that the rest of the knowledge is only equivalent to ignorance.

thIvinaiyEn – I, who had committed the sin of spending time purposelessly instead of experiencing enjoyment of emperumAn.

vALA irundhozhindhEn kIzh nALgal ellAm – I spent time purposelessly in earlier times instead of being a little bit favourable to emperumAn and receiving his mercy, just as one could pick up a few grains of paddy in a field which is fully matured with paddy cultivation.

karandhurivin ammAnai EththAdhu ayarththu – I should have praised and carried out service to emperumAn who was wearing the signet ring in his beautiful hand, during that time when he followed mAricha who came in the form of a deer, hiding his demonic form, at a time when iLaiyaperumAL (lakshmaNa) was also not around to help him. Instead of doing that, during the time of emperumAn’s vibhavAvathAra (incarnations) I spent my time purposelessly due to my ignorance. Since the reference is to chakravarththy thirumagan (divine son of emperor dhaSaratha), AzhwAr is mentioning about the signet ring that SrI rAmA was having in his beautiful hand. As per the boon sought by kaikEyi, SrI rAma had to remove all the regal paraphernalia (dress, ornaments etc); however, this signet ring alone escaped that boon and went with SrI rAma to the forest. Did it not get the fortune of being shown as the identification to sIthAp pirAtti through hanumAn! Considering that greatness, AzhwAr is referring to it as Azhiyangai ammAn.

EththAdhu ayarththu – the term Eththudhal here refers to praising emperumAn and as a consequence, carrying out service to him. It is pertinent here to recall that just as AzhwAr had desired to carry out service to emperumAn when he went in exile to forest, emperumAnAr (SrI rAmAnuja) too desired to carry out service to SrI rAma, as could be known from the following incident in his lifetime: A poet was composing poem to describe the action of SrI rAma who, while returning after killing the deceitful deer, kept his feet on tender leaves which he plucked from plants nearly and strew them on the path since his feet were hurting due to the scorching heat of the noon. On hearing this, emperumAnAr mercifully said “I was not fortunate to keep my head repeatedly in his path so that he could have walked over my head”

We will move on to the 83^rd pAsuram.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 81 – pagalirA enbadhuvum

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

avathArikai

In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr said that the time when he forgets emperumAn, even if he is in a state of liberation, is sorrowful. In this pAsuram, he describes the way emperumAn rules over him without making any distinction between day and night.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

pagalirA enbadhuvum pAviyAdhu emmai
igal seydhu irupozhudhum ALvar thagavAth
thozhumbar ivar sIrkkum thuNaiyilar enRu OrAr
sezhum paravai mEyAr therindhu

Word by Word Meanings

therindhu sezhu paravai mEyAr – one who analyses and goes to thiruppARkadal (milky ocean) to recline

ivar – this AzhwAr

thagavA thozhumbar – has lowliness and not qualified (for his mercy)

sIrkkum – to meditate on his (superior) qualities

thuNai ilar – does not have support

enRu OrAr – not analysing

pagal irA enbadhuvum – that it is day time or it is night time (having or not having the qualification for experiencing emperumAn’s auspicious qualities)

pAviyAdhu – not bothered about it

emmai – this servitor

igal seydhu – combating (ruling over)

iru pozhudhum – during both times

ALvar – will engage (in his qualities)

vyAkyAnam

pagal irA enbadhuvum pAviyAdhu emmai igal seydhu iru pozhudhum ALvar – Without thinking that day time is for carrying out deeds and night time is for taking rest, emperumAn, waging a battle with AzhwAr, keeps attracting AzhwAr with his auspicious qualities constantly, during both times [day and night] in such a way that AzhwAr would feel very happy when he gets to experience those qualities and feel distressed when not experiencing them enough. There is cure for a hurt caused by an arrow, but is there a cure for a hurt caused by qualities!

thagavAth thozhumbar ivar sIrkkum thuNaiyilar enRu OrAr – he is remaining without analysing whether AzhwAr is qualified to receive his mercy due to his lowliness or that he does not have anyone with whom he could discuss about emperumAn’s qualities and pass his time purposefully just as it is mentioned in SrI bhagavath gIthA 10-9 “machchiththA madhgathaprANA bOdhayantha: parasparam I kathayanthaScha mAm nithyam thushyanthi cha ramanthi cha II” (having a focussed mind towards me, keeping their lives in me, informing each other (about my qualities) they [emperumAn’s devotees] keep conversing with each other and keep remaining happy).

Who is that entity?

therindhu sezhum paravai mEyAr – one who is reclining in thiruppARkadal after analysing that it is the apt place to get followers and to experience them.

We will take up the 82^nd pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 80 – piRappiRappu

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

avathArikai

AzhwAr had said in the previous pAsuram that even if one were born in a lowly birth in this world, that birth in which a chEthana engages in servitude to emperumAn is the greatest. In this pAsuram he says that he considers even mOksham (liberation) as a suffering if that mOksham makes him forget emperumAn.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

piRappiRappu mUppup piNi thuRandhu pinnum
iRakkavum inbudaiththAmElum maRappellAm
EdhamE enRallAl eNNuvanE maNNaLandha
pAdhamE EththAp pagal

Word by Word Meanings

piRappu iRappu mUppu piNi thuRandhu – getting rid of birth, death, old age and disease

pinnum – beyond that

iRakkavum inbu udaiththAmElum – even if the immeasurable blissful kaivalya mOksham (a state in which AthmA enjoys itself) occurs

maN aLandhAn – sarvESvara (lord of all) who measured the worlds

pAdham – divine feet

EththA – not worshipped

pagal – that which occurs during that time

maRappu ellAm – being forgetful [of emperumAn]

EdhamE enRallAl eNNuvanE – will I think of it as anything other than being the embodiment of sorrow?

vyAkyAnam

piRappu iRappu mUppu piNi thuRandhu pinnum iRakkavum inbu udaiththAmElum– After getting rid of birth, death, old age and disease in samsAram (materialistic realm), even if immeasurable happiness results. The opinion here is that even if kaivalyam, which is the immeasurable experience of AthmA about itself occurs, as mentioned in SrI bhagavath gIthA 7-29 “jara maraNa mOkshAya” (the liberation which follows old age and death), thiruvAimozhi 1-7-1 “piRaviththuyaraRa” (to get rid of the sorrow of repeated birth and death), thiruvAimozhi 8-3-2 “maraNam thORRam vAnpiNi mUppenRivai mAyththOm ” (we have achieved nothing other than getting rid of birth, death, terrible diseases and old age), thiruvAimozhi 6-9-10 “kuRugA neeLA iRudhi kUdA enai uZhi siRugA perugA aLavailinbam sErndhAlum maRugAlinRi mAyOn! unakkEyALAgum siRU kAlaththaiyuRumO? andhO! theriyilE” (Oh amazing entity! Even if we get the pleasure if kaivalyam in which there is no change in the basic nature of AthmA, there is no contraction or expansion etc over very long period of time, if we analyse, will it equal the pleasure of being your servitor even if it is for a very short time? Alas, it will not).

iRakkavum inbudaiththAmElum – even if immeasurable happiness results…..

maNNaLandhAn pAdhamE EththAppagal maRappellAm EdhamE enRallAl eNNuvanE – will I consider that state [of kaivalyam] as one of happiness instead of one of sorrow if I do not praise the divine feet of emperumAn who measured all the worlds and who is the epitome of simplicity, but forget about him during that time of enjoying that happiness [resulting from that kaivalyam]?

We will take up the 81^st pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 79 – uNNAttuth thEsanRE

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

avathArikai

In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr had instructed his heart to stay focussed on experiencing the auspicious qualities of emperumAn. In this pAsuram, he mentions about the glory of those who are focussed like that.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

uNNAttuth thEsanRE Uzhvinaiyai anjumE
viNNAttai onRAga mechchumE maNNAttil
ArAgi evvizhi viRRAnAgilum Azhiyangaip
perAyaRkALAm piRappu

Word by Word Meanings

maNNAttil – on this earth

ArAgi – even if one were in lowly birth

evvizhi viRRAnAgilum – even if (he were) engaged in lowly profession [for a livelihood]

Azhi am kai pEr AyaRku – to kaNNa (krishNa) who holds the beautiful divine disc on his divine hand

AL Am piRappu – birth which is apt to carry out servitude

uL nAttu thEsu anRE – is it not sacred similar to the resplendence of paramapadham which is very intimate (to emperumAn)?

Uzh vinaiyai – thinking of sins carried over since time immemorial

anjumE – will it be fearful?

viNNAttai – svarga (heaven)

onRAga mechchumE – will it consider that as an entity?

vyAkyAnam

Azhiyangaip pErAyaRku ALAm piRappu uL nAttuth thEsanRE – isn’t the birth which stays focussed on carrying out kainkaryam to other human beings considered to have the resplendence of paramapadham (SrIvaikuNtam) even if one were the lord of all, who carries the divine disc in his divine hand? AzhwAr, though remaining in this leelA vibhUthi (materialistic realm), calls paramapadham as uL nAdu in line with emperumAn’s thinking. Since in the vyAkyAnam (commentary) for this prabandham, this meaning has been given as the second interpretation, it is clear that AzhwAr considers leelA vibhUthi as uL nAdu and the birth in this realm to have resplendence. This will be clarified at the end of the commentary. It is pertinent to recall here what SrI maNavALA mAmunigaL wrote in his commentary for the 81^st chUrNika (aphorism) of AchArya hrudhayam for the portion Azhiyangaip pErAyaRkALAm piRappu – uNNattuth thEsanRE “Unlike the outer realm leelA vibhUthi which is full of people who are highly ill disposed towards emperumAn, the physical form taken by AthmA (soul) has resplendence in paramapadham which is very close to emperumAn and which is favourable to him being full of great sweetness. The opinion is that just like taking the physical form which is apt for carrying out kainkaryam (service) to emperumAn in paramapadham, even for AthmA, which is the object of servitude, this will create resplendence”. The term pErAyan denotes the maturity which kaNNa (krishNa) has in the qualities of being a cowherd, when compared to other cowherds who could be thought to be nithyasUris.

Uzhvinaiyai anjumE – will those who have such a birth, be fearful of sins?

viNNAttai onRAga mechchumE – will such people consider the worlds of dhEvas such as brahmA et al, as significant? Has it not been said in SrI guNarathnakOsam 21 that going to heaven is considered lowly by these people “yath dhUrE manasO yadhEvathamasa: pArE yadhyadhathbhutham yath kAlAth apachEnimam surapurI yadhgachchathO dhurggathi I sAyujyasya yadhEva sUdhirathavA yadhdhurgraham madhgirAm thadhvishNO: paramam padham thava kruthE mAtha: samAmnAsishu: II” (Oh mother! vEdhas state that vishNu’s paramapadham (SrIvaikuNtam) which is (a) beyond anyone’s mind, (b) beyond primordial matter, (c) wondrous, (d) unchanged by time, (e) making those who desire to attain it to consider even heaven as being like hell, (f) granting equality with the supreme being in eight specific characteristics and (g) beyond my speech, exists only for you)! Didn’t lakshmaNa say in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 3-5 that going to heaven is similar to going to an inappropriate place “na dhEvalOkAkramaNam nAmarathvamaham vruNE I aiSvaryam vA’pi lOkAnAm kAmayE na thvayA vinA II” (I, separated from you, will not like living in SrIvaikuNtam which is inhabited by nithyasUris, kaivalyam (soul enjoying itself) and the opulence in all the worlds)! SrI parASara maharishi (author of SrI vishNu purANam) also said that for one who is involved with emperumAn, even the position of indhra is a hurdle, as mentioned in SrI vishNu purANam 2-6-41 “vAsudhEvE manO yasya japahOmArchanAdhishu I thasyAntharAyO maithrEya! dhEvEndhrathvAthikam padha(la)m II” (Oh maithrEya! For one whose mind is involved with vAsudhEva through prayer, rituals and worship, benefits such as being the head of celestial entities etc become hindrances).

viNNAttai onRAga mechchumE – when the term uL nAdu is considered to be leelA vibhUthi (materialistic realm) viNNAdu should be considered as referring to paramapadham. These people will not think that attaining paramapadham is greater than carrying out kainkaryam to emperumAn in this world.

maNNAttil ArAgi evvizhi viRRAnAlum . . . . piRappu – this earth, which is materialistic realm, as it is, is very lowly; in this realm, even if one were born in a lowly birth, have lowliness in knowledge and deeds etc, one should desire for enjoying emperumAn and carrying out kainkaryam to him. If these are not there, even if one has greatness in birth [being born in a great clan], carries out great deeds and has knowledge, these will be considered to be without any purpose.

Let us take up the 80^th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 78 – thuNainAL perungiLaiyum

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

avathArikai

In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr said that apart from emperumAn, there is no other relative. In this pAsuram, he tells emperumAn, as if he is instructing his heart, that even if there are relatives who are dear and even if samsAram (life in the materialistic realm) is sweet, there is nothing to enjoy other than emperumAn.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

thuNai nAL perungiLaiyum thol kulamum suRRaththu
iNai nALum inbudaiththAm Elum kaNai nANil
OvAththozhil sArngan thol sIrai nannenjE
OvAdha UNAga uN

Word by Word Meanings

thuNai nAL – companionship (from friends) and longevity

perum kiLaiyum – relatives in large numbers

thol kulamum – birth in an ancient clan

suRRaththu iNai – togetherness of relatives

all of the above

nALum – at all times

inbudaiththAm Elum – even if they are sweet

kaNai nANil ovAththozhil – having arrows constantly on the drawn bow (in order to protect followers), ready for action

sArngan – one who controls the bow called as sArngam

thol sIrai – ancient, auspicious qualities

nal nenjE – Oh my heart, which is favourable to me

OvAdha – without any hurdle

UNAga – as a food to be enjoyed

uN – enjoy

vyAkyAnam

thuNai nAL perungiLaiyum thol kulamum suRRaththu iNai nALum inbudaiththAmElum – even if companionship of friends, longevity, relatives who gather in large numbers, birth in a long standing clan, being together with relatives, remain forever and are sweet

kaNai nANil oVaththozhil sArngan thol sIrai – the auspicious and ancient qualities of the one who has a drawn bow in which arrows are placed, ready for combat, in order to protect his followers

nal nenjE – Oh my good heart which knows to distinguish between genuine and false relatives. Alternatively, we can consider this to mean the heart which is ready to listen to my instruction of attaining emperumAn

OvAdha UNAga uN – enjoy [those auspicious qualities of emperumAn] as sweet food which is taken regularly.

We will take up the 79^th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan