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srImathE satakOpAya nama:
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Full series >> First Centum >> Third decad
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Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In this 4th pAsuram, when asked if these incarnations of bhagavAn are comprehensible by any one, nammAzhwAr replies that they can be easily comprehended by the devotees and very difficult to comprehend for those who are not devotees.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, nammAzhwAr says bhagavAn who has many forms and names through these incarnations, is not comprehensible to those who are unfavourable towards him and comprehensible to the favourable ones – this will continue forever.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
Similar to nanjIyar‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Similar to nanjIyar‘s introduction.
pAsuram
yArum Or nilaimaiyan ena aRivaraiya emperumAn
yArum Or nilaimaiyan ena aRiveLiya emperumAn
pErum Or Ayiram piRa pala udaiya emperumAn
pErum Or uruvamum uLadhillai iladhillai piNakkE
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
pErum – names which highlight the divine forms
piRa – the many other forms which are highlighted by those names
pala Ayiram – many thousands
udaiya – being visible having such names/forms
yArum – those unfavourable ones even though they may be greatly knowledegable
Or nilaimaiyan – having a state
ena – thus
aRivariya – difficult to know/understand
emperumAn – the one who is my master accepting service from me
yArum – those devotees even though they may be very ignorant
Or nilaimaiyan – having a state
ena – thus
aRiveLiya – easy to know/understand
emperumAn – to the one who is my master accepting service from me
Or pErum – a name
Or uruvamum – a form
uLadhillai – not present for such unfavourable persons
iladhillai – not absent for such favourable persons
piNakku – eternal argument/doubt
Simple transalation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
emperumAn has many names which highlight his divine forms and many other forms which are highlighted by those names. He is visible through such many thousands of those forms. Such emperumAn is having a state that is not understandable by those who are not devoted to him and is understandable by those devotees even though they may be very ignorant. For such unfavourable ones, he is never present with a form and name. For such favourable ones, he is never absent (implying always present) with a form and name. Thus, there will be constant debate about his existence and non-existence. Here, AzhwAr blissfully says emperumAn many times in this pAsuram, realising the favours bhagavAn has done to him.
vyAkyAnams (commentaries)
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam
No matter how great one may be, if one is unfavourable towards bhagavAn, they cannot understand “He is like this”. No matter how meek/ignorant one may be, if one is favourable towards bhagavAn, they can understand “He is like this”. Knowing “He is like this” implies – bhagavAn who has unlimited auspicious qualities assumes unlimited forms to protect his devotees. For the unfavourable ones, since they don’t understand this nature of his in a name and form, “He does not exist”. For the favourable ones, since they understand his nature properly, “He does exist”. Thus, there will always be this confusion about his existence.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam
Similar to nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam
Similar to nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
- yArum… – The first “yArum” (whoever) indicates the unfavourable ones – no matter how intelligent (most intelligent) they are, because they will try to understand emperumAn (my master) with their self-efforts, they will fail to understand him. In arumpadham some pAsurams are shown to explain this – mudhal thiruvandhAdhi 56 “nErE kadikkamalaththuL irundhum kANgilAn” (despite being in the lotus flower from bhagavAn‘s navel, he [brahmA] does not see bhagavAn), thiruvAimozhi 7.7.11 “katkariya piraman sivan indhiran enRivarkkum katkariya kaNNan” (krishNa is difficult to be seen/understood by brahmA, rudhra, indhra who are difficult to be seen by us)
- yArum… – The second “yArum” (whoever) indicates the favourable ones – no matter how ignorant (most ignorant) they are, because they understand his glories as revealed by him. We saw this in the lives of monkey (sugrIva), hunter girl (sabari), cow-herd girl (yasOdhA).
- emperumAn – Being amazed by this great quality of being understandable and not-understandable at the same time, AzhwAr declares him to be emperumAn (my master). ALavandhAr too glorifies emperumAn in sthOthra rathnam 21 “namO namO vAngmanasAthi bhUma yE namO namO vAngmanasaikabhUmayE…” (I offer my obeisances to you who are beyond the mind and words; I offer my obeisances to you who are in reach of mind and words).
- pErum Or Ayiram – In mahAbhAratham bhIshma declares “…dhEvo nAma sahasravAn” (that radiant worshippable bhagavAn has thousands of names). There is no limit for the words (names) which explain his guNams (auspicious qualities) and svarUpam (true nature).
- piRa palavudaiya – having many divine forms. How can “piRa” (other) refer to forms? This is based on precedence seen in sAsthram where nAma (name) is followed by rUpa (form). In vishNu purANam 1.5.6, it is said that “nAma rUpancha bhUthAnAm…” (brahmA created names, forms and activities for entities such as dhEvas et al). In chAndhOgya upanishath 6.3.178, it is said that “…anEna jIvEna AthmanAnupravisya nAma rUpE vyAkaravANI…” (I (brahmam) enter through these jIvAthmAs as antharyAmi and give them names and forms). Not only that, he himself says subsequently in this pAsuram itself “pErum Or uruvamum” (name and form).
- pErum oR uruvamum – auspicious name and divine form
- uLadhillai – For those who are unfavourable, it will be difficult to understand even at a gross level (since they are not seeing any of the auspicious qualities and the divine forms as they are).
- iladhillai – For those who are favourable, since they see him with his qualities and form, he cannot be made non-existent ever.
- piNakkE – Since the devotees see everything, they will constantly be performing mangaLAsAsanam. Since the others do not see anything, they will not even approach him. In between these, AzhwAr is happy to see the emperumAn eternally.
In the next article we will the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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