SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
periya thirumozhi >> Fifth centum >> Seventh decad
Highlights from avathArikai (Introduction)
No specific introduction.
pAsuram
mannumAnilanum malaigaLum kadalum vAnamum thAnavar ulagum
thunnu mAyiruLAyth thulangoLi surungith thollai nAnmaRaigaLum maRaiya
pinnum vAnavarkkum munivarkkum nalgip piRangiruL niRam keda oru nAL
annamAy anRangu arumaRai payandhAn arangamA nagar amarndhAnE
Word-by-Word meanings
mannu – firm (hard)
mA – vast
nilanum – earth
malaigaLum – anchoring mountains
kadalum – ocean
vAnamum – sky
thAnavar – demoniac persons’
ulagum – world (abodes) (all of these)
thunnu – dense
mA – huge
iruLAy – being (covered by) darkness
thulangu – shining
oLi – radiance
surungi – become shrunk
thollai – anAdhi (from time immemorial)
nAl maRaigaLum – four vEdhams
maRaiya – as they disappear
(at that time)
pinnum – again
vAnavarkkum – for dhEvathAs [celestial entities]
munivarkkum – for rishis [sages]
nalgi – with friendship
piRangu – abundant
iruL – darkness
niRam keda – to eliminate
anRu oru nAL – at that time
annamAy – being in the form of a swan
angu – for them
aru – difficult to attain
maRai – vEdhams
payandhAn – one who gave
aranga mA nagar amarndhAnE – is mercifully resting in this town of SrIrangam
Simple translation
When the firm, vast earth, anchoring mountains, ocean, sky and the abodes of demoniac persons became covered by darkness and the shining radiance had shrunk, and as the ancient, four vEdhams disappeared, at that time, bhagavAn, in the form of a swan. with friendship towards dhEvathAs and rishis, gave four vEdhams which are difficult to attain, to eliminate the abundant darkness; such bhagavAn is mercifully resting in this town of SrIrangam.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
mannu mA nilanum … – All of the hard earth, anchoring mountains, ocean, sky and the abodes of demoniac persons came under the influence of abundant darkness, lost their radiance and at that time the vEdhams, which can give light, also disappeared
pinnum … – As said in SvEthAsvathara upanishad 6-18 “yO brahmANam vidhadhAthi pUrvam yO vai vEdhAmScha prahiNOthi thasmai l tham ha dhEvam Athmabudhdhi prasAdham mumukshurvai SaraNam aham prapadhyE ll” (I, desiring to attain mOksham (SrI vaikuNtam), surrender to that supreme entity, who initially created brahmA and who instructed him all the vEdhams), instead of backing out thinking “What can I do if they lost the vEdhams which I taught them once?”, showing his friendship towards dhEvathAs and brAhmaNas, to eliminate the darkness (ignorance), bhagavAn performed upadhESam (instructions). That too, he performed upadhESam in the form of a swan which would not seek any service before instructing others [since one has to serve first, before getting good instructions]. He revealed the vEdhams which are more difficult to attain than attaining bhagavAn himself.
aranga mA nagar amarndhAnE – bhagavAn who revealed pramANam (scriptures) back then, is now mercifully resting in this dhivyadhESam, SrIrangam, revealing the pramEyam (bhagavAn, himself).
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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