SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
The leading lady was united with the leading man in total happiness, not knowing anything about separation. A person came and told the leading man about earning wealth in a different place. On hearing this, the leading lady thought “While I was thinking that we could be together like this for a long time, he is thinking of separating from me” and was distressed. Seeing this, the leading man was amazed, thinking “Even when I had not told her anything about leaving her, she is so distressed”
Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings.
ariyana yAm inRu kANginRana kaNNan viNNaNaiyAy
periyana kAdham porutkO pirivena gyAlam eydhaRku
uriyana oN muththum paim ponnum Endhi OrO kudangai
periyana keNdaikkulam ivaiyO vandhu pErginRavE
Word-by-Word Meanings
kaNNan – krishNa’s
viN aNaiyAy – Oh one who is most enjoyable like paramapadham (SrIvaikuNtam)
porutku – for wealth
pirivu – separation
ena – even as this was being mentioned
periyana – being huge
kAdham – being afar
(appears like having been separated)
O – how amazing!
gyAlam – distinguished people with supreme knowledge
eydhaRku – to experience
uriyana – being apt
oN – beautiful
muththum – pearls of tears
pai – fresh (new)
ponnum – gold with distinguished colour
Endhi – holding
OrO kudangai – each one being as much as the palm of the hand
periyana – large
keNdai – of fish
kulam – schools of
ivai – these eyes
vandhu – coming
pErginRana – are flipping
O – how amazing!
yAm – we
inRu – now
kANginRana – what we see
ariyana – are rare
Simple Translation
Oh one who gives happiness similar to krishNa’s paramapadham (SrIvaikuNtam)! I had merely said that it is normal for the head of a family to travel afar for earning wealth, but had not left you. On hearing this, your eyes which are capable of keeping the world under their control, which are as large as the palm of one’s hand, which are like the carp fish, are shedding tears of pearl and fresh gold with distinguished colour. How amazing is this! What I see here is very much a rarity.
vyAkhyAnam
ariyana – even as we (the leading man says of himself and the lady) were together, why is she in such a tearful condition, wonders the leading man. He says that he had not seen this condition when they were together or when they were separated [in earlier times].
yAm inRu – by adding the numeral one to one thousand, will the value of one thousand increase considerably? By adding the quantum of water which is present under the hoof of a cow, will the quantum of water in an ocean increase? In the same way, when I was together with her, while I had lot of wealth, what else is needed? This was my state.
kANginRana – There are four different reasons for separating from a beloved: to increase one’s level of knowledge, to earn more, to take part in a battle and to be with some other girl. None of these is applicable here, says the leading man.
kaNNan viN aNaiyAy – just as chAndhOkya upanishath 8-15-1 says “na cha punarAvarthathE” (one does not return from SrIvaikuNtam), only if someone leaves that place and returns does the question of my leaving you arise. That place (SrIvaikuNtam) does not undergo any change. You, who provide happiness which is much similar to that distinguished place of SrI krishNa’s, should not undergo any change, like that place.
pirivu ena O periyana kAdham – on hearing the word “Separation” she feels as if we have been separated by a very long distance with many oceans and mountains between us, with no one who could act as a messenger between us. She feels very distressed
porutku – the leading lady seems to say “If the purpose of separating from me is to earn lot of wealth, such wealth is available in plenty here itself”
gyAlam eydhaRku uriyana – This wealth (which is available here) is such that those with distinguished knowledge can enjoy well. Its value will equal the wealth of nithyavibhUthi as well as leelAvibhUthi (the spiritual and material realms). The wealth which you are seeking elsewhere is available here itself, she says.
oN muththum – pearls at their place of origin [very pure]
paim ponnum – fresh gold
Endhi – holding them, as if saying “When these are here, why do you have to go elsewhere for wealth? Accept these”
OrO kudangai – the beauty of her eyes was such that those who see them, which are as large as one’s palm, would imbibe them.
periyana – they were so huge that the enjoyer (the leading man) would be totally satiated
kudangai – through her face, isn’t she offering wealth which could not be held in one’s palm!
keNdai – like fish which have an arrogance
kulam – they (her eyes) would match each other; nothing else will come anywhere near them.
ivaiyO vandhu pErginRavE – the eyes suffered similar to the sufferings of those who saw them. Even an inanimate object could flop over someone
vandhu pErginRavE – they are being spoken of as animate objects.
svApadhESam (distinguished meaning): AzhwAr wanted to be together with SrIvaishNavas all the time. He expressed his feelings in this pAsuram as though they would separate from him and go on their own.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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