SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
ponnavilum Agam puNarndhilaLE pUm gangai
munnam punal parakkum nannAdan minnAdum 55
Word by word meaning
pon navilum Agam – in the chest (of her beloved) which is like gold
puNarndhilaLE – did she not get embraced?
pU gangai punal munnam parakkum nal nAdan – the head of the great country where the beautiful waters of the river gangA had earlier increased its flow abundantly
min Adum – having radiance
vyAkyAnam
pon navailum Agam puNarndhilaLE – just as sIthAppirAtti had embraced SrI rAma as mentioned in SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 30-39 “bharthAram parishasvajE” (tightly embraced her husband) after the annihilation of the demon kara, and healed the injuries caused by thousands of arrows with her bosom, (vEgavadhi) gave fomentation to the injuries on the chest of her beloved, which looked like reddish gold, who had drawn his bow in the battle for her sake, by falling over his chest and embracing him.
(pUm gangai . . . . kEttaRivadhillaiyE) thirumangai AzhwAr now recapitulates the story mentioned in the two hundred and thirty fourth chapter of Adhiparvam in mahAbhAratham which narrates how a nagakanni (a girl born in the clan of snakes) by name ulUpi saw arjuna when he was having a bath in the river gangA, during his pilgrimage, desired him lustfully, compelled him, pulled him to her place, expressed her desire for him without any shame and enjoyed him.
pUm gangai – did she (ulUpi) engage in madal for someone who was infamous? Was it not for the most famous arjuna who was born in a great, regal lineage!
pUm gangai – river gangA with orchards full of blossomed flowers on both banks. Did not periyAzhwAr divinely mention in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4-7-10 “kAn thadam pozhil sUzh gangai” (gangA surrounded by orchards with sweetly fragrant flowers) and in 4-7-9 “karai maram sAdik kaduththizhi gangai” (gangA striking against the trees on the banks with torrential force)! Alternatively, as mentioned in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4-7-2 “nalandhigazh sadaiyAn mudikkonRai malarum nAraNan pAdhaththuzhAyum kalandhizhi punalAl pugar padu gangai” (the radiant gangA river which flows down with the reddish konRai (cassia) flower), which is worn by Siva who has matted hair purified by the SrIpAdha thIrtham (divine water from the divine feet) of SrIman nArAyaNa and the greenish thuLasi which decorates the divine feet of SrIman nArAyana), this could refer to gangA which comes down with the flowers from the head of Sankara (Siva) and the divine feet of chadhuppuyan (four divine shouldered SrIman nArAyaNa). Another interpretation – gangA which is flowing with the kaRpaga flowers (kaRpaga is a celestial, wish-fulfilling tree) as mentioned in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4-7-7 “kaRpagamalarum kalandhizhi gangai”.
munnam punal parakkum – even if a small amount of water is formed in himAlayA mountains, the water flows first in his country (the country of nAgas). Being the head-sluice (gate from which water flows first). This refers to the abundance (wealth) of water in his country.
nannAdan – this refers to the wealth of land.
Next the pAsuram refers to the wealth of the head of the country.
In the next article, we will discuss the next part of this prabandham.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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