SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavara munayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction) – ANdAL tells the cuckoo in this pAsuram – emperumAn is one who keeps the stronger entities in check so that they do not harass the weaker entities, and protects the weaker entities. If such emperumAn does not protect me, is it not your responsibility to unite me with him and to protect me?” In svApadhESam (distinguished meaning), birds such as cuckoo refer to AchAryas (teachers) who unite us with emperumAn.
mannu perum pugazh mAdhavan mAmaNi vaNNan maNi mudi maindhan
thannai ugandhadhu kAraNamAga en sangu izhakkum vazhakkuNdE
punnai kurukkaththi nAzhal serundhip podhumbinil vAzhum kuyilE
panni eppOdhum irundhu viraindhu en pavaLavAyan varak kUvAy
Word-by-Word Meanings
punnai – a type of flowering tree, mast-wood tree
kurukkaththi – a kind of tree, white fig
nAzhal – cinnamon tree
serundhi – a kind of pear tree
(in an orchard, having trees of these types)
podhumbinil – in the holes [of these trees]
vAzhum – living
kuyilE – Oh, cuckoo!
mannu perum pugazh – having auspicious qualities, which are permanent and without limits
mAdhavan – as the consort of SrI mahAlakshmi
mA maNi vaNNan – one who has the complexion of bluish gemstone
maNi mudi – having a divine crown embedded with rare gems
maindhan thannai – emperumAn, who has strength
ugandhadhu kAraNam Aga – with my desire as the reason
en sangu izhakkum vazhakku – the event of my bangles slipping and disappearing
uNdE – is it there (in the world)? (this is very improper)
(Are you asking me “What shall I do for this”?)
en pavaLa vAyAn – my beloved, who has mouth like fully matured coral
vara – to come (to me)
eppOdhum – throughout the night and day
panni irundhu – reciting loudly (his divine names)
viraindhu kUvAy – you should call out, quickly
Simple Translation
Oh, cuckoo bird which lives inside the holes in the trees of mast-wood, white fig, cinnamon, pear etc inside an orchard! Just because I desired the consort of SrI mahAlakshmi who has permanent, unlimited divine qualities, who has the complexion of a blue gemstone, who has a crown embellished with nine gemstones, and who has strength, my bangles have slipped out and disappeared. Is this fair? When the cuckoo bird asks her back as to what it should do, she tells it “Keep reciting his divine names throughout, in a loud voice, such that my beloved, who has his lips which are like matured coral, comes to me”
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
mannu perum pugazh mAdhavan ….. vazhakkuNdE – The meaning of the first half of the pAsuram is this: emperumAn manifests himself as one with permanently great eminence, as the consort of SrI mahAlakshmi, with the complexion of bluish gem stone, with a crown which indicates that he is the emperor of all the worlds and who has the strength to protect all the worlds. There is no deficiency in my desire to attain him. When such is the case, why should I separate from emperumAn, become emaciated and lose my bangles?
mannu – one who has firm, auspicious qualities. If there were a time when his auspicious qualities are not manifested in his basic nature, there would be a reason for my losing out on him. The implication is that there is no reason for me to lose out.
perum pugazh – one who has unlimited, countless, most distinguished qualities. If there had been a limit to the eminence of his qualities or if there had been a limit to the number of qualities, there could a reason that I would have lost him because he does not have certain qualities or because some of the qualities have not reached me. But neither is the case.
pugazh – He is full of auspicious qualities only. Had there been a mixture of lowly qualities too in him, there could be a reason for my loss. Since they are all the most eminent of auspicious qualities, there is no place for my loss.
mannu perum pugazh – Following this verse and thiruvAimozhi pAsuram 1-1-1 “uyarvaRa uyarnalam udaiyavan”(One who has the most auspicious qualities which are the most eminent), emperumAnAr had composed in his SaraNAgathi gadhyam “svAbhAvika anavadhikAdhiSaya asankhyEya kalyANa guNagaNa” (Oh one who has auspicious qualities which are natural to you, which are without boundary for their eminence and which are countless!).
mAdhavan – Due to his uncontrolled independence, even if these qualities are not present in him at the moment. I could lose him if there had been none who could change his independence and ill-will. Just as sIthAp pirAtti had told hanuman in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 116-44 “pApAnAm vA SubhAnAm vA vadhArhANAm plavangama l kAryam karuNamAryENa na kaSchith nAparAdhyathi ll” (Oh monkey! Irrespective of whether they are sinners or virtuous people, fit to be killed, if they have good qualities, they should be shown mercy. There is not even one, who has not committed an offence), when periya pirAttiyAr, who is there to unite me with him, is near him, could I lose out on him? Following this word mAdhava only, rAmAnujar had mercifully composed the word SrI vallabha (one who is appropriate for the youthfulness of SrI mahAlakshmi) in SaraNAgathi gadhyam.
mAdhavan maNivaNNan – one who has the divine form which is like gemstones, enjoyed by periya pirAttiyAr. If he had taken such a form for his own sake, I could lose out on him. Or, if his divine form were not great, I could lose out. Since he has an eminent, gemstone like divine form, and just as it has been said in jithanthE sthOthram 1-5 “na thE rUpam na cha AkArO na AyudhAni na chAspatham l thathA’pi purushAkArO bhakthAnAm thvam prakASasE ll” ((your) divine basic nature is not for you; the divine auspicious form is also not for you; the divine weapons also are not for you; the abode of SrI vaikuNtam is also not for you. All these are for the sake of your followers only. You belong to your followers. Though you have svarUpam, rUpam, guNam and vibhUthi (basic nature, divine form, auspicious qualities and wealth) which are for your followers, you shine as the supreme entity) since he has a divine form which is only for the sake of his followers, could I lose out?
maNi mudi maindhan – one who is strong, with a divine crown which is embellished with nine gems, manifesting that he is the emperor of all the worlds. Even if he had all the eminence which had been mentioned in the previous verses, if he were dependent, like me, on someone else, looking up to that entity, then I could lose. But, not being dependent on anyone, being totally independent, having taken a vow to protect everyone, there is no scope for my loss.
maindhan – one who has strength. Even if he had taken a vow to protect everyone, if he were without the required strength, he would have been unable to protect. However, since he has strength, there is no scope for my loss.
thannai ugandhadhu kAraNamAga – I could lose, had I desired inappropriately. When I had desired the most attainable emperumAn, could I lose out? When it is he who enjoys after taking me under his refuge, is there any scope for my loss? If someone falls at his divine feet without any other means, do they have to experience the results of previous deeds? Should he not destroy them just as he had said in bhagavath gIthA 18-66 “savapApEbhyO mOkshayishyAmi” (I will liberate you from all your sins)? In mahAbhAratham dhrONa parvam 29-18 it has been said “visrushtam bhagadhaththEna thadhasthram sarvaghAdhukam l urasA dhArayAmAsa pArtham sanjAdhya mAdhava: ll” (mAdhavan, protecting arjuna, took that arrow, which was shot by bhagadhaththan and which destroys everything, on his chest). Just as he had protected arjuna by taking the arrow, which was shot at arjuna, on his chest, should he not experience those [sins of his followers]?
en sangizhakkum vazhakkuNdE – when all [the favourable indicators] are there like these, is there any justification for me to lose my conch bangles? I am not asking him to be partial towards me looking at my pitiable condition. I am only asking him to be neutral, analyse the situation and act in a proper manner.
SrI vishnu sahasranAm adhyAyam says “na vAsudhEva bhakthAnAm aSubham vidhyathE kvachith” (for the followers of vAsudhEvan [krishNan] there is nothing inauspicious). bhagavath gIthA 9-3 says “kshipram bhavathi dharmAthmA SaSvachchAnthim nigachchathi l kaunthEya! prathijAnIhi na mE bhaktha: praNaSyathi ll” ((one who attained me) becomes a great entity soon. He attains mOksham which is in a permanent state of peace. Oh arjuna! Take a vow that my devotee will not get ruined), has it not been affirmed that for the followers of emperumAn, there is no harm!
punnai kurukkaththi ….. kuyilE – oh cuckoo which lives inside the holes of trees such as mast-wood, white fig, cinnamon, pear etc which are in an orchard! It is hinted here that the bird lives on different trees at various points of time [based on the season] and that just as emperumAn’s mannu pugazh auspicious qualities, which are permanent and eminent, are the reason for my sorrow, the well spread-out mattress [in the trees] is the reason for your happiness. While I, in separation from emperumAn, am quivering on the ground, you are enjoying by fitting on appropriate mattresses! Just as it has been said in thiruvAimozhi 9-9-4 “menmalarppaLLi vempaLLiyAlO” (How sad! The soft bed of flowers appears to be extremely hot), while a bed of flowers is unbearably hot for me, you are happily reclining inside the holes in various trees. Considering that the cuckoo is telling her “Leave aside the comparison between your status and mine. Now, tell me as to what I should do?”, she tells further …
panni ….. kUvAy – It is not enough when you, going as my messenger to him, tell him once. You must tell him, many times, in his presence, and tell him words which will make him to come to me immediately.
viraindhu varak kUvAy – Just as he came helter-skelter to the pond in order to protect gajEndhrAzhwAn, you should tell him to come immediately to me.
en pavaLavAyan varak kUvAy – After uniting with me, when he was about to separate from me, he had embraced me and told me to sustain myself thinking of this, smiled at me, just like people who water their fields. At that time [when he smiled], his divine lips had a new shade of reddishness. Along with the earlier, natural reddishness, his lips looked like the reddish coral. She tells the cuckoo to call out to such emperumAn to come and embrace her.
Next, we will consider the 2nd pAsuram of this decad.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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