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periyAzhwAr thirumozhi >> Fourth Centum >> Fourth decad
avathArikai
thiruvAimozhip piLLai, in his svApadhESam, says that AzhwAr expresses his inability to measure the eminence of those who recite the divine names of emperumAn.
kAsinvAyk karam viRkilum karavAdhu mARRili sORittuth
thEsavArththai padaikkum vaNkaiyinArgaL vAzh thirukkOttiyUr
kEsavA! purudOththamA! kiLar sOdhiyAy! kuRaLA! enRu
pEsuvAr adiyArgaL endhammai viRkavum peRuvArgaLE
Word-by-Word Meanings
kAsinvAy – a small quantity of gold [equivalent to a little under 5 grams in modern times]
karam – one fistful of paddy
viRkilum – even during the time when it is sold [such a famine affected time]
karavAdhu – without hiding the materials, searched for and kept
mARu ili – without any expectation
sORu ittu – giving food (to those who come as guests)
(Due to that)
dhEsam vArththai – fame
padaikkum – those, who have attained
vaN kaiyinArgaL – those who are magnanimous
vAzh – in thirukkOttiyUr, where they live
kEsavA – oh, kESavA!
purudOththamA – oh, purushOththamA!
kiLar sOdhiyAy – oh, one who has effulgence!
kuRaLA – oh, one who took the guise of a dwarf!
enRu – like this
pEsuvAr – those, who speak
adiyArgaL – those who are servitors
endhammai – us
viRkavum peRuvArgaL – they have the authority to even sell us, as they like
Simple Translation
During times of famine when one has to offer a small quantity of gold in order to get a fistful of paddy, without hiding the materials which they have searched for and kept, without expecting anything in return, there are people in thirukkOttiyUr, who will offer food to those who come to their houses as guests. They have widespread fame, across countries and are magnanimous. They will recite the divine names of emperumAn, calling out to him as “Oh, kESavA! Oh, purushOththamA! Oh, one who has effulgence! Oh, one who took the guise of a dwarf!” Those, who are servitors to such people [who recite the divine names of emperumAn] have the authority to even sell us, as they like.
vyAkhyAnam
kAsin vAyk karam viRkilum – Even during the time when a small quantity of gold is exchanged for a fistful of paddy. During good times, welcoming and rendering hospitality to a guest is not that eminently spoken of. However, even during times of famine, proffering that, which is with self, to a guest, is an eminent quality. There is no terrible time, which is worse than exchanging a quantity of gold for a fistful of paddy. To emphasise that, AzhwAr is mercifully mentioning this.
karavAdhu – Instead of hiding one’s possession of wealth and grains, for one’s own use, at a later point of time, thinking “For this time, for this purpose, only to offer to others, are we having this”, carrying out this [noble activity].
thiruvAimozhip piLLai says here that such people [who have the tendency to share their belongings with others], will bring out their belongings [of grains and foodstuff] such that those in poverty will be able to see their action.
mARRili sORittu – Offering food, without expecting anything from the person who is accepting it. This is being done for the reason of (1) being ordained [in SAsthrams] for honouring a guest; (2) the knowledge that the person [who is in need and is unable to procure food] is an inhabitant of emperumAn’s vibhUthi [realm; here, materialistic realm] and (3) the compassion arising out of the miserable state of the person who is coming as a guest. For one whose tendency is to help others, it is not possible to distinguish between the person who is to be helped and one, who is not to be helped. Hence, for those who are greedy, those who are in abject poverty and those who are hungry, everything should be done. It is not being carried out, expecting any return of favour from these people. Hence, the verse says “mARRili sORittu”. Could this be treated on a par with the situation mentioned in the verse, in the first pAsuram of this decad, periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.4.1 “nAdoRum virundhOmbuvAr” (They will welcome and proffer food, every day, to SrIvaishNavas, as if they were coming for the first time)? Since words such as sORu and ittu have been mentioned here, this is related to ordinary people [and not to SrIvaishNavas, as in the first pAsuram]. Since this is readily accepted in SAsthrams, to mention the rich customs of the place is AzhwAr’s desire.
thiruvAimozhip piLLai says additionally here that these people will even build resting place for such persons who have impoverished minds.
dhEsavArththai padaikkum – speaking with words of praise. In other words, making people, wherever they may be, to speak about their qualities of magnanimity, compassion etc and to celebrate. Even if they did not carry out such deeds desiring fame, this [fame] will come, automatically.
thiruvAimozhip piLLai says here that people in other places [countries] will wonder “Is it that qualities such as magnanimity, radiance and compassion are seen only with these people!” Even though they may hear such praiseworthy words about themselves, these people will not think of whatever they had done in the past. They will keep thinking about the activities which they have to undertake to help others. They will consider such a magnanimous quality to be their life.
vaN kaiyinArgaL – Those, who have magnanimous hands. In other words, they have the magnanimous quality to “Offer whatever is available, for the sake of others”.
vAzh thirukkOttiyUr – thirukkOttiyUr has such people, who feel that inhabiting this divine abode is their life.
kEsavA – oh, one who has beautiful, divine locks!
purudOththamA – Oh, one who has the magnanimity of giving the experience of enjoying that [the divine locks, mentioned in the previous word], to your followers!
kiLar sOdhiyAy – Oh, one who has the effulgence to manifest that that such an action [of offering the experience to followers] as your fortune!
kuRaLA – In order to retrieve your possession, oh, one, who even takes to alms!
enRu pEsuvAr adiyArgaL – those who become servitors to those who lose out to his basic characteristics and speak about his divine qualities. Those who speak in such a manner [about emperumAn’s basic characteristics] are not the ones who we desire. Those who we desire are the ones who speak about such people, wondering “How are they able to know so much about emperumAn’s divine qualities and speak about him!” To what extent would they be desired?
endhammai viRkavum peRuvArgaL – they have the authority to even sell us, who remain thinking that being servitors to them is our ultimate benefit. It is pertinent to recall the saying “thadhbhakthi nigna manasAm krayavikrayArha:” (those, who are the servitors of servitors of servitors have the authority to sell or buy us).
thiruvAimozhip piLLai says here that carrying out servitude to those who are followers of emperumAn is the ultimate benefit to be attained. He says at the end, the following: During times of famine, during the time when the entire world is bewildered, during the time of diseases and during the time of poverty, considering that carrying out servitude to emperumAn, followers of emperumAn and AchAryas , without having any greediness, is the ultimate benefit to be attained; this quality is praised by SrIvaishNavas and by all in nithya vibhUthi [spiritual realm of SrI vaikuNtam]. Such people will get the splendour, even when they are living, here itself.
We shall next consider the last pAsuram of this thirumozhi.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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