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periyAzhwAr thirumozhi >> Second Centum >> Sixth decad
avathArikai (Introduction)
There is no specific avathArikai for this pAsuram.
vElikkOl vetti viLaiyAdu villERRith
thAlik kozhundhaith thadam kazuththil pUNdu
peelith thazhaiyaip piNaiththup piRagittuk
kAlippin pOvARkOr kOl koNdu vA kadal niRa vaNNaRkOr kOl koNdu vA
Word-by-Word Meanings
vEli – grown in the fence
kOl – stick
vetti – cutting it
viLaiyAdu vil – making it like a bow, to play with
ERRi – stringing it
thAli – palm tree’s
kozhundhai – white tender leaves
thada kazhuththil – in the huge neck
pUNdu – donning it like an ornament
peeli – peacock’s
thazhaiyai – feathers
piNaiththu – stringing them together
piRagu – on the divine back
ittu – hanging them
kAlip pin – behind calves
pOvARku – bring a stick for the one who goes, grazing
(this calling out of “Or kOl koNdu vA” is also addressed to the crow; this is evident in the seventh and the last pAsurams of this decad. Here, the term kOl refers to a stick which is used to control calves when they go out to graze. This tells the crow to get the stick)
kadal niRam – the complexion similar to an ocean’s
vaNNaRku – to the one who has a form, bring a stick. (if the term is considered as aNNaRku, it would mean ‘lord’)
Simple Translation
krishNa has snapped a stick from the plants growing in the fence. He has made it into a bow, by stringing it, such that he could play with it. He has decorated himself with white tender leaves of palm tree around his neck, as an ornament, and has hung large number of peacock feathers on his divine back. Oh, crow! Get a stick for this krishNa, to enable him to go behind calves for grazing. Get a stick for one who has the complexion of the ocean.
vyAkhyAnam (Commentary)
vElikkOl vetti – cutting the sticks from plants which are growing in the fence. Alternatively, vEli would refer to curved form. Hence, cutting curved sticks.
thiruvAimozhip piLLai, in his svApadhESam, says that the term vEr refers to bamboo. Here, that term has got transformed to vEl and along with the addition of the syllable i, it now has become vEli, referring to a bamboo stick. Curving it in the form of a bow, in order to play with it and stringing it.
viLaiyAdu villERRi – making the stick in the form of a bow, for the purpose of playing, and stringing it.
thAlik kozhundhaith thadam kazhuththil pUNdu – being appropriate for his clan, wearing a distinguished golden ornament, in the form of turtle, on his huge neck. Alternatively, the term thAli would also be read as thALi, referring to tender leaves of palm tree. Being white in colour, it would appear like a silver ornament. Herd-people will wear it on their necks.
peeli … – gathering the feathers of peacock, and hanging them from the divine back.
kAli … – Bring a stick for the one who goes behind calves, in order to graze them.
thiruvAimozhip piLLai says here that AzhwAr tells the crow not to hide the stick [sceptre] meant for krishNa and to bring it. Through this, AzhwAr tells samsAris not to change his order [nithya and naimiththika karmas in following vEdhams] as one of kAmya karma. He tells them [through the crow] to bring the sceptre, which is symbolic of sankalpa svasvAthanthryam [his will, derived out of his total independence] with which he protects paSuprAyars [those who are as good as animals in looking up to him for their protection].
kadal … – Bring a stick for the one who has the form of an ocean, with its colour.
We shall next consider the 2nd pAsuram of this thirumozhi.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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