thiruvAimozhi – 10.2 – kedumidar

nanjIyar asked bhattar “What is the reason for thirumangai AzhwAr mercifully singing many thiruppathis [dhivyadhESams] in periya thirumozhi 10.1 ‘oru nal suRRam‘ decad?” bhattar mercifully replied “When newly married girls leave their parents’ house and go to their husbands’ houses, they will go and enquire all their relatives. Similarly, as ultimate destination gets closer, thirumangai AzhwAr is reaching out to every [possible] dhivyadhESam”. nammAzhwAr too, is enjoying thiruppuLingudi, thirukkAtkarai, thirumUzhikkaLam, thirunAvAy, thirukkaNNapuram, thirumOgUr and thiruvananthapuram. In the previous decad – AzhwAr considered kALmEgam emperumAn as the companion for the [final] journey, to have the hurdles enroute eliminated; here AzhwAr is firmly considering thirvananthapuram as the destination thinking “do I have to go all the way to paramapadham, when thiruvananthapuram is available as the destination?” This dhivyadhESam is having a very fragrant garden and fertile field as decoration; it is most enjoyable that even emperuAn is desirously residing here; there is no worldly suffering here due to his presence; it is the abode where the service which can be performed to emperumAn after shedding this body and reaching paramapadham, can be done here when one acquires the taste for it; further as said in 6th pAsuram in this decad “amarar kOn archchikkinRu angagap paNi seyvar viNNOr“, even nithyasUris come and serve him here, and as AzhwAr desired in thiruvAimozhi 2.3.10 “adiyAr kuzhAngaL udan kUduvadhu enRukolO” (when will I unite with the groups of devotees in paramapadham?) he can unite with them here, and even while going to paramapadham, he can go along with them since it is said in periya thirumozhi 7.4.4 “periyOrai oru kAlum pirigilEn” (I cannot separate from the great devotees).

emperumAn’s states in dhivyadhESams which are dear to him are:

• first, he will create the ruchi (taste) in bhagavath vishayam (matters relating to bhagavAn),
• subsequently, he will be complete in being the means as once such taste is acquired since his ultimate saulabhyam (easy approachability) is manifested there as said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 4.11 “yE yathA mAm prapadhyanthE thAms thathaiva bhajAmyaham” (I reach those who surrender unto me, In whichever way they desire me, in the same way in which they desired) and
• finally, while carrying the AthmA to the ultimate destination of paramapadham, he who is the chief of the AdhivAhika [an entity who leads an AthmA in final journey to paramapadham] group, will himself lead the AthmA, eliminating the hurdles enroute as said in uththara mImAmsA 4.2 “hArdhAnugruhItha:” (blessed by the indwelling paramAthmA).
• Furthermore, even while being in this samsAram, where hurdles exist, at some point, one can perform the same service that is performed in paramapadham.

Hence, AzhwAr firmly determines “As thiruvananthapuram is the one which causes the taste to appear, being the means for those who have acquired the taste, being that which increases the knowledge and devotion, and to accept the service even while hurdles remain, this thiruvananthapuram is the ultimate destination”, instructs all those who are related to him to go and gather together. Would this not be applicable for the other dhivyadhESams? Isn’t it said in thiruvAimozhi 7.10.9 “yAvarum vandhu vaNangum pozhil thiruvARanviLai adhanai mEvi valanjeydhu kai thozhak kUdungol? ennum en sindhanaiyE” (will it occur for me to reach the abode of thiruvARanviLai which is reached and worshipped by residents of all places and which is having garden, and to worship with joined palms by engaging in favourable acts?) Yes – every aspect is applicable in every dhivyadhESam, yet based on the experience in each dhivyadhESam, AzhwAr will recite the pAsurams matching those experiences.

Each pAsuram is discussed subsequently.