SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
periya thirumozhi >> Second centum >> Second decad
Highlights from avathArikai (Introduction)
Again, AzhwAr is reminiscing SrI rAmAvathAram. Just as parASara bhattar, thirumangai AzhwAr has favouritism towards SrI rAmAvathAram. siRiyAththAn (an AchArya in our guruparamparA) desirous of directly hearing bhattar’s favouritism towards SrI rAmAvathAram asked bhattar “Though perumAL (SrI rAma) has all glories, he does not have the glory of going as a messenger with a message tied his neck, for the sake of his devotees”. bhattar mercifully responded “It is not that he did not want to go; but because of his birth he could not go”. There is no one who would send a descendant of ikshvAku clan, as a messenger with the message on his neck. perumAL, on seeing thiruvadi (hanuman) going here and there as messenger and sharing the messages, observed the greatness in it and thought “We are unable to go as a messenger for our devotees” and longed for it; it is because of this reason that he incarnated as krishNa subsequently and went as messenger. He grew hiding his kshathriya birth thinking that if that was known to others, they will not let him go as messenger. No one will send a crowned king as a messenger.
pAsuram
thaiyalAL mEl kAdhal seydha thAnavan vAL arakkan
poyyilAdha pon mudigaL onbadhOdu onRum anRu
seydha vembOr thannil angOr senjaraththAl uruLa
eydha endhai emperumAn evvuL kidandhAnE
Word-by-Word meanings
thaiyalAL mEl – towards pirAtti who has natural femininity
kAdhal seydha – one who showed desire
thAnavan – demoniac person
vAL – one who had sword as his protection
arakkan – rAvaNa’s
poy ilAdha – true
pon mudigaL – heads with golden crowns
onbadhOdu onRum – ten
anRu – the day when rAvaNa imprisoned pirAtti
seydha – performed
vem – cruel
pOr thannil – honest battle
Or – matchless
sem – reddish (due to spitting flames)
saraththAl – by killer arrow
uruLa – to fall down as pieces
eydha – one who shot
endhai – being my father
emperumAn – my lord
evvuL – in thiruvevvuL
kidandhAn – mercifully reclined.
Simple translation
rAvaNa, the demoniac person, showed desire towards pirAtti who has natural femininity; he had sword as his protection; emperumAn, as SrI rAma, performed honest and cruel battle, , shot with the matchless, reddish, killer arrow to make his real, golden crowned, ten heads fall down as pieces; he, who is my father and lord, mercifully reclined in thiruvevvuL.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
thaiyal … – rAvaNa had inapt desire towards pirAtti who has natural femininity, without realising that she is the mother. The reason for that is his demoniac nature.
vAL arakkan – Without knowing to weigh the strength of perumAL, he had faith on the sword which was given by a dhEvathA (rudhran).
poy ilAdha – He is truly crowned matching his demoniac nature; alternative explanation – one [an emperor] would do victorious journeys, and earn crowns for valour, victory etc; having true greatness to acquire such crowns.
seydha vem pOr thannil – emperumAn engaged in the honest, direct battle, unlike brahmA et al who vowed based on their strength of thapasya (penance) or rAvaNa who engaged in mischievous battle.
Or sem saraththAl – As said in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 16.22 “dhIptha pAvaka sankASai:” (resembling blazing fire), the arrow moving fiercely with blazing fire; alternatively, sem refers to the reddish colour due to blood oozing out from the firm chest on being hit by the arrow. The arrows which were shot to knock down the heads which were pampered with the strength of the boons, like palm fruit falling off the tree.
endhai … – My father; my lord.
evvuL kidandhAnE – He has arrived and reclined; now there is lack of those who will awaken him and get their tasks done.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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