kaNNinuN chiRuth thAmbu 7 – kaNdu koNdu

srI:
srImathE satakOpAya nama:
srImathE rAmAnujAya nama:
srImadh varavaramunayE nama:

Full Series

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram:

nanjIyar highlights that madhurakavi AzhwAr reveals his desire to spread the glories of nammAzhwAr who dispelled all his hurdles (sins) out of his unconditional grace.

nampiLLai  highlights that madhurakavi AzhwAr being blessed by the unconditional grace nammAzhwAr , wants to speak the glories of nammAzhwAr to everyone who are suffering in this material world.

periyavAchchAn piLLai highlights that madhurakavi AzhwAr being blessed by the unconditional grace nammAzhwAr , wonders why all the people of this world who are eligible to get that grace are not getting lifted. He realizes it is due to the lack of awareness about nammAzhwAr‘s glories and reveals that he will speak about the glories so everyone becomes aware of it.

azhagiya maNavALa perumaL nAyanAr‘s introduction

• In the 4th pAsuram, madhurakavi AzhwAr explained that though great sages rejected him, nammAzhwAr blessed him with his grace as a mother/father. In the 5th pAsuram, he reveals his defects. In the previous pAsuram, he says that nammAzhwAr will never give up on him going forward and has blessed that he will sing nammAzhwAr‘s glories forever.
• In this pAsuram, madhurakavi AzhwAr says that nammAzhwAr also mercifully removed all the hurdles (sins) in him which have been there since time immemorial. Thus, he says, he will spread nammAzhwAr‘s glories everywhere. madhurakavi AzhwAr practically demonstrates the injunction in sAsthram “gurum prakAsayEnnithyam” (always spread the glories of guru/AchArya).
• nammAzhwAr had full understanding in bhagavAn‘s supremacy, dhEvathAntharams not having any supremacy, bhAgavatha sEshathvam (being devoted to devotees of bhagavAn), having no attachment in worldly desires, etc. Yet, he looked at the sufferings of samsAris (worldly people) and out of great mercy towards them, he instructed them about the true knowledge starting from thiruvAimozhi 1.2 “vIdu min muRRavum” upto thiruvAimozhi 10.5 “kaNNan kazhaliNai” padhigams. Even though bhagavAn is filled with unsurpassed mercy, since he is supremely independent, he may punish the ones who approach him seeing their defects. But nammAzhwAr will never do that. This aspect is discussed by madhurakavi AzhwAr in this pAsuram.

கண்டு கொண்டென்னைக் காரி மாறப்பிரான்
பண்டை வல்வினை பாற்றி யருளினான்
எண்டிசையு மறிய இயம்புகேன்
ஒண்டமிழ்ச் சடகோபனருளையே.

kaNdu koNdu ennai kArimARappirAn
paNdai valvinai pARRi aruLinAn
eNdisaiyum aRiya iyambugEn
oNdamizhch chatakOpan aruLaiyE

word-by-word meanings

pirAn – being parama upakAraka (one who does great favours)
kAri mARan – auspicious son of poRkAri
ennai – me (who do not understand his glories)
kaNdu – blessed by his divine glance/vision
koNdu – engaged me in his service
paNdai valvinai – strong sins which were following me since time immemorial
pARRi aruLinAn – mercifully drove them away
(AthalAl) oNdamizh satakOpan aruLaiyE – (thus) mercy of nammAzhwAr who is the abode (source) of beautiful thamizh pAsurams (poems)
eN dhisaiyum – to the people of eight directions (everywhere)
aRiya – to make them know
iyambukEn – will speak

Simple translation:
nammAzhwAr, the auspicious son of poRkAri, being the one who has done great favours to me having glanced me with his divine blessings and engaged me in his service. He drove away my eternal sins that have been following me since time immemorial. I will speak the glories of the mercy of nammAzhwAr who is the abode (source) of beautiful thamizh pAsurams (poems), to the people of eight (all) directions and make them realize (his glories).

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam:

• Like nammAzhwAr said in thiruvAimozhi 8.7.2 “irunthAn kaNdu koNdu” (emperumAn stayed in my heart looking at me with great love), here madhurakavi AzhwAr says “nammAzhwAr stayed there mercifully glancing at him”.
• paNdai valvinai – time immemorial – the origins of these strong sins not traceable. Since there is an end for the AthmA in this samsAram (as there is an opportunity to reach paramapadham), it might be inferred as having a start in samsAram (but since the existence of AthmA in this samsAram is said as anAdhi in sAsthram, there is no beginning for these sins). These sins are neither atonable nor exhaustible by experiencing the fruits of the same (meaning it will take forever). nammAzhwAr removed all those sins. He even removed the attachment towards bhagavAn since that is a hurdle for bhAgavatha kainkaryam (which is the ultimate goal).
• eNdisaiyum aRiya iyambukEn – I will speak this to both knowledgeable and ignorant people.
• oNdamizh – Instead of being samskrutham/vEdham as said in “yathO vAchO nivarthanthE” (words/mind could not understand), this is easily understandable thamizh (dhrAvida vEdham).
• “satakOpan aruLaiyE” – nammAzhwAr‘s aruL (mercy) even captured the ones (me) who missed out bhagavAn‘s aruL (mercy).

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s eedu vyAkyAnam:

• kArimARap pirAn – Out of gratitude, madhurakavi AzhwAr calls nammAzhwAr as pirAn (one who does great favours). Specifically says “kArimARap pirAn” to distinguish from bhagavAn who is normally glorified as pirAn.
• paNdai valvinai – Many ancient hurdles such as attachment towards material desires, approaching bhagavAn in improper ways like sUrpaNakA, considering kainkaryam to bhagavAn as the ultimate goal, etc.
• pARRi aruLinAn – dispelled them completely as mentioned in sAtyAyana sAkai “dhvishantha: pApakruthyAm” (fruits of sins/vices are distributed to ones enemies while going to paramapadham).
• endisaiyum aRiya iyambukEn – Preaching to all who have the desire towards this matter. Like nammAzhwAr said in thiruvAimozhi 5.2.2 “thoNdIr ellArum vArIr” (all devotees are welcome), madhurakavi AzhwAr also invites everyone following the footsteps of nammAzhwAr.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam:

• This vyAkyAnam is mostly based on nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.
• kaNdu koNdu – On seeing me nammAzhwAr was so happy like finding a treasure as I am the most suitable recipient (filled with inauspiciousness) for his mercy (which is great).
• ennai – one who was so ignorant and did not even know the difference between nammAzhwAr and other samsAris (materialistic people). Me who would not even comprehend nammAzhwAr‘s unconditional grace.
• kARimArap pirAn – bhagavAn himself says in gIthA “suhrudham sarva bhUthAnAm” (I am the well-wisher of everyone) – but nammAzhwAr‘s favours are even greater.
• oNdamizhch chatakOpan aruLaiyE – oLLiya thamizh – beautiful thamizh. His aruL (mercy) towards me is greater than him singing thiruvAimozhi which was the refuge of great devotees.

Highlights from azhagiya maNavALa perumaL nAyanAr‘s vyAkyanam:

• nammAzhwAr‘s auspicious qualities are highlighted in the beginning of this pAsuram’s commentary. gyAnam (knowledge), bhakthi (devotion), virakthi (detachment) and krupai (mercy) are some of his main qualities. gyAnam is focussed on thathva thrayam (chith, achith, Iswara) – i.e., he is fully knowledgable in the three entities. bhakthi is focussed on Iswara, i.e., being devoted to bhagavAn only. virakthi is focussed on chith and achith, i.e., being detached from self enjoyment and material pleasures. But beyond all of these he is filled with krupai towards others. His mercy is even greater than bhagavAn‘s and that is explained in this pAsuram.
• kaNdu – Like it is said in mahAbhAratham sAnthi parvam 358.73 “jAyamAnam hi purusham yam paschEth madhusUdhana: …” (by the divine glance of madhusUdhanan emperumAn, the AthmA is blessed in the womb), nammAzhwAr blessed me with his divine glance.
• koNdu – Seeing my defects, still he accepted me.
• ennaik kaNdu, ennaik koNdu – He bestowed his vision on me (who should not be seen due to my defects), accepted me (who was given up by everyone). Due to his acceptance, even bhagavAn has to accept me.
• kArimARap pirAn – he is not a pirAn like bhagavAn who is svayambu (without any origin), he is the son of kAri (who comes in a very nice family which is devoted to bhagavAn).
• pARRi – changed/dispelled my hurdles. Unlike bhagavAn who said in gIthA 18.66 “mAmEkam saraNam vraja … mOkshayishyAmi” (surrender unto me, I will remove your hurdles), he already removed my hurdles without me surrendering unto him.
• endisaiyum… –  I will preach his glories to people who are considering themselves as independent and to those who are considering dhEvathAntharams will protect them.
• aRiya iyambukEn – will speak so they know – as periyAzhwAr said in thiruppallANdu 4 “nAdu nagaramum nangaRiya” (to make people of towns and cities realize). I will speak about nammAzhwAr‘s mercy, how it materialized in my case, how my hurdles were dispelled and how I am blessed with singing the glories of nammAzhwAr.
• srI jAmbavAn glorified bhagavAn after he completing thrivikrama avathAram in “dhEvA: svasthAnamAyAnthi dhaithyA: sarvE hathA gathA: | na bhayam vidhyathE kinchith jitham bhagavathA jagath ||” (dhEvas are returning to their places. asuras are killed. there is no more fear. the world is won over by bhagavAn). Here madhurakavi AzhwAr glorifies nammAzhwAr. There bhagavAn’s strength/power is glorified. Here nammAzhwAr‘s compassion is glorified. There prayOjanAntharaparars (dhEvas – ones who are looking personal favours) benefited. Here ananyaprayOjanars (prapannas – ones who are looking to serve bhagavAn/bhAgavathas) benefited. There bhagavAn‘s mischief is revealed. Here nammAzhwAr‘s (pure) nature is revealed.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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