SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> Fourth Centum >> Ninth decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In tenth pAsuram, out of great love, AzhwAr clearly explains “what was given up and what was pursued”.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, emperumAn asks “How did I eliminate the other benefits for you and bestow you the ultimate benefit?”, AzhwAr replies “I am blessed to give up aiSvarya (worldly pleasures) and kaivalya (eternal self-enjoyment), determined you who are Sriya:pathi (lord of SrI mahAlakshmi) as the goal and attained you too”.
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
kaNdu kEttuRRu mOndhu uNduzhalum aingaruvi
kaNda inbam therivariya aLavillAch chiRRinbam
oNdodiyAL thirumagaLum nIyumE nilA niRpak
kaNda sadhir kaNdozhindhEn adaindhEn un thiruvadiyE
Listen
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
kaNdu – seeing (the quality of form)
kEttu – hearing (the quality of sound)
uRRu – contacting (the quality of touch)
mOndhu – smelling (the quality of fragrance)
uNdu – eating (the quality of taste)
uzhalum – agitate (not being satisfied with what was acquired and will make one long for more of the same kind)
aim karuvi – through the five senses
kaNda – enjoyed by analysing individually
inbam – the joy of worldly pleasure
therivu – to be comprehended by these senses and enjoy
ariya – difficult
aLavillA – incomprehensible (in comparison to worldly pleasures in terms of being eternal etc)
chiRu inbam – the joy of self-enjoyment which is very insignificant when compared to the joy of experiencing bhagavAn
oN thodiyAL – one who is having distinguished curved forearms
thirumagaLum – the best among women, who is known as SrI due to being the collection of all wealth
nIyumE – you only (who is the best among men)
nilA niRpa – remaining together (to manifest the wealth and the true nature)
kaNda – determined
sadhir – the best means
kaNdu – seeing it in front of me
ozhindhEn – gave up (worldly pleasure and self-enjoyment)
un thiruvadi – (to have all entities present in you, being Sriya:pathi and the ultimate goal) your divine feet
adaindhEn – attained (in the form of visual experience)
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
After seeing in front of me [the three different goals namely] a) the joy of worldly pleasure enjoyed by analysing individually through the five senses of seeing, hearing, contacting, smelling and eating and feeling agitated by these b) the joy of self-enjoyment which is incomprehensible, which is difficult to be comprehended by these senses and enjoy and which is very insignificant when compared to joy of experiencing bhagavAn and c) the togetherness of you and the one who is having distinguished forearms with ornaments like bangles, the best among women, who is known as SrI due to being the collection of all wealth, and determined the best means, gave up worldly pleasure and self-enjoyment and attained your divine feet.
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
- kaNdu … – Eye which is a tool to see, ear which is a tool to hear, skin which is a tool to feel touch, nose which is a tool to smell and tongue which is a tool to taste. The senses facilitate one to spend his/her life by just seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling and touching [worldly pleasures].
- aim karuvi kaNda inbam – The worldly pleasure which is enjoyed by senses which are limited in capability like a measuring cup. The gyAnam (knowledge, consciousness) which is an eternal quality of AthmA, is contracted due to being bound by karma [puNya, pApa], comes out through the mind, and absorbs the pleasure/pain through external sense organs.
- therivariya aLavillAch chiRRinbam – While compared to worldly pleasure, the AthmAnubhavam (kaivalyam, self-enjoyment) is difficult to attain, and when compared to bhagavath anubhavam (experiencing bhagavAn) it is worthless; since AthmAnubhavam is enjoyment based on the atomic AthmA, the enjoyment is also comprehensible.
- ozhindhEn – gave up these.
- siRRinbam – It is the opposite of “anthamil pErinbam” (endless great joy).
- oN thodiyAL … – When periya pirAttiyAr and you are together, the whole of nithya vibhUthi became subdued in your affection – I have seen this divine togetherness. thodi – bangle worn in forearm. The greatness for those bangles is, not to ever slip from her hands. Since she is nithyAnapayini (always inseparable [from emperumAn]), there is no reason for those bangles to slip once and be worn again. She is said in thiruchchandha viruththam 57 “sangu thangu munkai nangai” (The perfect lady who has beautiful bangles in her forearm).
- thirumagaLum nIyumE – You who are desired by such pirAtti as said in thiruvAimozhi 6.10.10 “iRaiyum agalagillEn“.
- nIyumE nilA niRpa – In both of your abhimAnam (affection/care), the whole thripAdh vibhUthi (3 parts – spiritual realm – paramapadham) will be present in a subdued manner. While it is said in SrIvishNu purANam 1.8.35 “nAnyOr vidhyathE param” (Except for SrIman nArAyaNan and SrI mahAlakshmI, there is no one else independently existing), everywhere people consider themselves to be the lords in this material realm.
- nilA niRpak kaNda sadhir – The proper situation of being under the shelter of you both, which is arranged by you; as said in Siva [linga] purANam “vaikuNtE thu parE lOkE SriyAsArdham jagath pathE” (In the divine world of vaikuNtam, vishNu is present with SrI mahAkshmi, being served by nithyasUris), the arrangement you have done. Have seen that.
- un thiruvadiyE adaindhEn – I approached those divine feet thinking “I should be present along with those nithyasUris and serve your divine feet”. This is what I am holding on to; whatever I have explained previously, have been given by me.
By saying “ondodiyAL thirumagaLum nIyumE“, does it explain the togetherness in nithya vibhUthi (spiritual realm) [being served with many devotees]? As AzhwAr himself has said in thiruvAimozhi – 2.3.10 “adiyArgaL kuzhAngaLai udan kUduvadhu enRu kolO” (When will I be amidst the nithyasUris?), and there are other pramANams such as in Siva [linga] purANam “vaikuNtE thu … bhakthai: bhAgavathais saha:” (be along with bhakthas and bhAgavathas). Also, as he said in “niRpanavum thirivanavum nIyE maRRoru poruLuminRi” (all immovable and movable objects are your manifestation only) and then said “kodu ulagam kAttEl” (don’t show me this cruel world) [where AzhwAr is saying there are innumerable entities in this material realm but all are pervaded and controlled by bhagavAn]; similarly when it is said “only pirAtti and perumAL”, it would imply the [spiritual] realm which is fully under the full care of that divine couple. But can emperumAn accept such servitude from AzhwAr in this material realm itself? No, it will be in paramapadham with emperumAn’s distinguished form, as lakshmaNa prayed to SrI rAma in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 31.25 “bhavAms thu saha vaidhEhyA” (I want to serve you along with sIthAp pirAtti) and SrI rAma accepted lakshmaNa’s service as requested by him in SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 15.7 “kriyathAmithi mAm vadha” (lakshmaNa to SrI rAma – order me in what should be done) [In case of SrI rAma, sIthA and lakshmaNa, they were all present together and so lakshmaNa could serve there as he desired. Here, AzhwAr specifically prays to be freed from this world and engage in kainkaryam in paramapadham, so emperumAn gives him kainkaryam in paramapadham as AzhwAr desired].
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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