thiruvAimozhi – 3.2.10 – thalaippey kAlam

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Full series >> Third Centum >> Second decad

Previous pAsuram

krishna-thirumalai

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In tenth pAsuram – AzhwAr becomes hopeless and is unable to survive the grief; seeing that emperumAn manifests his divine form in thirumalA (thiruvEnkatam) to AzhwAr’s total satisfaction and makes AzhwAr sustain himself.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, krishNa seeing AzhwAr hopelessness in “engu inith thalaip peyvan” (How I am I going to attain the goal?), manifests his form in well known vicinity where he is present to help the people of future generation [in the form of deity in a temple] and AzhwAr having his sorrows removed becomes satisfied.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

Tenth pAsuram. Seeing AzhwAr‘s hopeless state, emperumAn thinking that “AzhwAr cannot wait patiently for the result” says “Knowing you are greatly desirous, I am standing in north thirumalA specifically for you” to sustain him and AzhwAr becomes pleased by sustaining himself.

pAsuram

thalaip pey kAlam naman thamar pAsam vittAl
alaippUN uNNum avvallal ellAm agalak
kalaip pal gyAnaththen kaNNanaik kaNdu koNdu
nilaip peRRen nenjam peRRadhu nIduyirE

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Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

naman thamar – the servitors of yama
thalaip pey kAlam – in the last moments
pAsam – rope
vittAl – throw
alaippUN – being tortured
uNNum – such as experiencing it (due to seeing enemies)
a – that
allal ellAm – sorrows
agala – to eliminate
pal – many types of
kalai – vEdhams
gyAnam – having known
en – [emperumAn] who is easily approachable by me
kaNNanai – krishNa
kaNdu koNdu – having seen
en nenjam – my heart (which is broken)
nilai – stability
peRRu – acquired
uyir – AthmA (which was going to be finished due to grief)
nIdu – eternity
peRRadhu – acquired

Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

In the last moments, when the servitors of yama throw their rope and will torture [the AthmA], that will lead to experiencing great sorrows (due to seeing enemies – i.e, the servitors of yama); after seeing krishNa who is known by many types of vEdham, eliminating such sorrows, my broken heart acquired stability and the AthmA (which was going to be finished due to grief) acquired eternity.

vyAkyAnams (commentaries)

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam

See vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s translation.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

  • thalaip pey kAlam naman thamar – thalaip pey kAlam – the time when the servitors of yama reach us [to take our life]. When one was alive and engaging in whatever sins he liked, they will keep noting them down and will arrive and manifest themselves when one is about to reap the fruits of their activities.
  • pAsam vittAl – when they throw the ropes from their hands towards such a person in his last moments [to strangle him and pull him]
  • alaippUN uNNum – There is no end to their suffering, as the AthmA will try to pull the rope towards his side since he likes his mundane life and the servitors of yama will pull the rope towards their side.
  • avvallal ellAm agala – “avvallal” can only be said as “that suffering” – there is no example to explain that suffering. Will these be applicable for SrIvaishNavas as there are certain pramANams which say that it is not applicable for SrIvaishNavas? embAr explains that these sufferings [of AzhwAr] are similar to AthmAs suffering in the hands of the servitors of yama. i.e., the sufferings in separation from bhagavAn is the same as the sufferings of AthmA‘s final moments. Alternatively – ANdAn explains this as – once we have not attained bhagavAn, naturally we will end up with the servitors of yama – to eliminate such sorrows.
  • kalai … – As said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 15.15 “vEdhaiScha sarvair ahamEva vEdhya:” (from all of vEdhams, I am only known), having the glories of being known from many [parts of] vEdhams; instead of being in too far away place and only heard from pramANams (SAsthrams), having seen his appearance as krishNa.
  • nilaip peRRu en nenjam – The heart that was said in thiruvAimozhi 3.2.5 “sindhAmal seyyAy” (you are not protecting my heart from being broken), also became stable somehow.
  • uyir nIdu peRRadhu – That AthmA which is explained in SrI bhagavath gIthA 2.24 as “achchEdhyO ’yam adhAhyO” (This AthmA cannot be cut, burnt) was going to be finished. Only now, it acquired permanence. But is there destruction for AthmA which is eternal while it is explained as “chEdhyAdhi visajAthIyam” (distinguished category which cannot be cut etc)? There is no destruction to bhagavAn‘s qualities which can enter subtly into the AthmA and destroy it [by fully taking over the AthmA]. Destruction for the eternal AthmA is dhAsya asidhdhi (not having servitude). When SEshathvam (being a servitor) is the true identity of AthmA, there is no identity other than this.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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