srI:
srImathE satakOpAya nama:
srImathE rAmAnujAya nama:
srImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> First Centum >> Second decad
krishNa enjoying pleasant time with his friends
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
If we approach emperumAn, would he accept us? Is he not the supreme lord (too high to consider engaging with us)?
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
Would ISwara who has many distinct followers accept some one like us who is just approaching emperumAn now?
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, nammAzhwAr explains emperumAn‘s equality towards everyone.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
Even if we give up everything and approach him, since he is sarvESvaran (supreme lord), would he acknowledge us? Considering his easy mingling nature with everyone, even his supremacy will look like vandhERi (accidental – acquired) for him.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
In the previous pAsuram, nammAzhwAr explained remedy for internal hurdle. When asked “Since he is explained as the one who has no unfulfilled desires and the master of everyone, would he be attainable by us?” AzhwAr replies “He is already naturally interested in engaging with others”.
pAsuram
பற்று இலன் ஈசனும் முற்றவும் நின்றனன்
பற்று இலை ஐ அவன் முற்றில் அடங்கே
paRRu ilan Isanum muRRavum ninRanan
paRRu ilai Ay avan muRRil adangE
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
Isanum – Even though he is sarvESvaran (supreme lord)
paRRu ilan – he is not attached to his divine consorts, nithya sUris et al who are already attached to him
muRRavum – attached fully as dhAraka (sustaining), pOshaka (nourishment), bhOgyam (enjoyment) etc to us who are newly approaching him
ninRanan – firmly stood
paRRu ilai Ay – you too, giving up worldly attachments
avan – towards him
muRRil – his qualities of being dhAraka (sustaining), pOshaka (nourishment), bhOgyam (enjoyment), etc.
adangu – be immersed
Simple transalation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
Even though he is sarvEswaran, giving up attachments towards his divine consorts, nithya sUris et al who are already attached to him , he firmly stood attached fully to us (who are newly approaching him) considering us to be that which sustains him, that which nourishes him and that which gives him pleasure. You too give up worldly attachments and become immersed in him considering his qualities of being dhAraka (sustaining), pOshaka (nourishment), bhOgyam (enjoyment) to us.
It is also explained as – Even though being sarvESvaran, he is having attachment towards us and standing firmly on that as explained in bhagavath gIthA 9.24 “samOham sarvabhUthEshu” (I am equal to all entities). You too become firmly attached towards his true nature, auspicious qualities, forms, activities etc.
vyAkyAnams (commentaries)
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam
Even though he is sarvESvaran, whoever approaches him, he will manifest friendship. So, you too approach him with friendship and serve him by all means.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam
Similar to piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam
Similar to nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
- paRRilan – one who has attachment. Its explained as paRRu + il (abode or residence of attachment). “paRRilAn” is shortened to be “paRRilan“. It is like – “innAn ingu uNdO?” (is that person here?). “ingu illai avan. agaththilAn” (He is not here. He is at home). This is based on piLLAn‘s second/alternative explanation of paRRilan being explained as “one who has attachment”.
- Isanum – ISwarathvam (Supremacy) is just natural for him. Great person being easily approachable is a distinct quality (if some one is not very great, being humble and easily approachable is not surprising, but a great person being humble is rare). nampiLLai beautifully quotes srIvishNu purANa slOkam 5.19.21 “prasAdha paramau nAthau mama gEhamupAgathau | dhanyOham archchayishyAmi ithyAha mAlyOpajIvana: ||” (balarAma and krishNa who are naturally most compassionate have come to my home. Hence, the most humble me is going to worship him – says the one who makes a living by selling flowers). nampiLLai explains this slOkam beautifully:
- prasAdha paramau nAthau – you both are most compassionate and easily approachable – it looks very rare for such supreme persons.
- mama gEyamupAgathau – When the great masters are served by their servants, your compassion is very clearly visible by your visit to this humble residence in a narrow lane.
- dhanyOham – being most fortunate like some one finding a great treasure in the same street where he passes by everyday.
- archchayishyAmi – I will engage in what is natural servitude for me.
- ithyAha – rishi (sage – speaker) is being amazed at mAlAdhara’s (flower vendor) words which resemble the words of nithyasUris as explained by nammAzhwAr himself in thiruviruththam 21 “sUttu nanmAlaigaL thUyana Endhi” (nithyasUris holding up the pure and good garlands).
- mAlyOpajIvana: – One who makes a living out of selling flowers. He was such (business minded) that he would look the other side while making garlands fearing that he may develop attachment to use some flowers for himself,
- muRRavaum ninRanan – As explained in bhagavath gIthA 9.24 “samOham sarvabhUthEshu” (I am equal to all entities), he treats all his devotees equally irrespective of the quality of the ones who approach him.
- paRRilaiyAy – you too with attachment
- avan muRRil adangE – As said by srI lakshmaNa to srI rAma in srI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANtam 31.25 “aham sarvam karishyAmi” (I will serve in all ways), one should engage in kainkaryams to emperumAn.
nampiLLai also highlights bhattar‘s explanation which is also most elegant.
- parrilan Isanum – Though he is the abode of all auspicious qualities residing in paramapadham, he is not attached to even nithyasUris.
- muRRavum ninRanan – Does that bother him? No. He is greatly glorified while accepting a devotee who approaches him for the first time. This is explained beautifully using srI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANtam 41.4 “…thvayi kinchith samApannE kim kAryam sIthayA mama” (srI rAma tells sugrIva (after sugrIva tries to hit rAvaNa and returns) even if you are hurt a little bit, what is the use of getting sIthA back?) – For an animal (sugrIva being a monkey), srI rAma is willing to give up his eternal companion (sIthA pirAtti). When a cow gives birth to a new calf, to protect that calf, she will push her other calves away – similarly emperumAn also greatly protects ones who approach him newly.
- paRRilaiyAy – He was ready to ignore nithyasUris for you. Why can’t you give up everything else for him?
- avan muRRil adangE – accept him as everything. A few pramANams are quoted here:
- bhagavath gIthA 7.19 “vAsudhEvas sarvam” (everything is vAsudhEva)
- subhAla upanishath “mAthA pithA brAthA nivAsa: saraNam suhrudh gathir nArAyaNa:” (nArAyaNa is Mother, Father, Brother, residence, refuge, well-wisher, goal)
- “… EkaikapalalAbhAya sarvalAbhAya kEsava:” (When attaining father, mother et al they fulfil one particular purpose; When attaining kEsava, all purposes are fulfilled).
In the next article we will the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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