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Full series >> First Centum >> Fourth decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In this fourth pAsuram, AzhwAr feeling dejected “How can I inform emperumAn who left me even after knowing my nature?”, again out of hope/desire, requests some maganRil birds (a species of love birds where the male and female of the species will not separate from each other) “Would you go and tell him about me or not?”.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, parAngusa nAyagi desiring to send a messenger to dark-cloud hued emperumAn, speaks towards beautifully (similarly) coloured maganRils (love birds).
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
Similar to nanjIyar‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Fourth pAsuram – Previously parAngusa nAyagi stated “My sins are so much that they cannot be exhausted by enjoying the fruits of the same” in 2nd pAsuram. Did she experience any suffering? Yes – When emperumAn turned his face away from her for a moment – she experienced great suffering (thereby exhausting the accumulated sins). At that time, she assumes that some love birds who came near her were asking her “how can he help you?”. She feels dejected and tells them “Even after seeing my pitiful state – he left me. What can I tell him?” But out of desire, as if telling to someone who does not listen, she asks them “will you go and tell him about my situation or not?”
pAsuram
என் நீர்மை கண்டு இரங்கி இது தகாது என்னாத
என் நீல முகில் வண்ணார்க்கு என் சொல்(ல்)லி யான் சொல்லுகேனோ
நன்நீர்மை இனி அவர் காண் தங்காது என்று ஒருவாய்ச் சொல்
நன்னீல மகன்றில்காள். நல்குதிரோ நல்கீரோ?
en nIrmai kaNdu irangi idhu thagAdhu ennAdha
en neela mugil vaNNarkku en sol(l)i yAn sollugEnO
nannIrmai ini avar kaN thangAdhu enRu oruvAych chol
nanneela maganRilkAL nalgudhirO nalgIrO
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
en nIrmai – (while being together) my inability to cope with separation
kaNdu – seen (while observing changes in my body during our embrace, etc)
irangi – having compassion (considering she is very tender natured)
idhu thagAdhu ennAdha – not understanding/saying that this separation is unbearable
en neela mugil vaNNArkku – to the one who is having dark-cloud hued form (but not showing compassion like such dark-clouds which rain water)
en solli – saying what words
yAn – me
sollugEnO – can tell? (still)
nal – venerable
nIrmai – her sustenance
ini – now onwards
avar kaN – to him
thangAdhu – will not be sustained
oru vAych chol – saying a word
nanneela maganRilkAL – beautifully blue colored love birds
nalgudhirO – will you help?
nalgIrO – will you not help?
Simple transalation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
While being together, emperumAn has seen my inability to cope with separation by observing my bodily changes during his embrace etc., and what words can be said to that dark-cloud hued emperumAn? Still, oh beautifully blue colored love birds! Can you tell him or not that I cannot sustain myself in separation? Here “avar” is used as parAngusa nAyagi‘s venerable way of calling emperumAn. In this pAsuram, the beautiful form of the gataka (AchArya) is also highlighted.
vyAkyAnams (commentaries)
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam
Similar to vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s translation.
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
- en nIrmai – my nature, my tender form/heart.
- kaNdu irangi idhu thagAdhu ennAdha – Instead of showing compassion on seeing my suffering, he left. Here a thamizh scholar asks bhattar “Should it not be ‘kEttu irangi‘ (having compassion on hearing my suffering) instead of ‘kaNdu irangi‘ (having compassion on seeing my suffering)?” bhattar (being an expert in thamizh grammar and literature) replies “When he relaxes the embrace, her body becomes pale out of separation”. The scholar again asks “Is it even possible?”.bhattar asks “Don’t you know thirukkuRaL 1187 ‘pullik kidandhEn‘ and kuRundhogai 399 ‘kAdhalar thoduvuzhi‘? Is that not sufficient reference?” [The scholar’s question is – since parAngusa nAyagi is singing in separation, emperumAn cannot see her suffering – but only can hear about her suffering. bhattar says that though the current situation is in separation, parAngusa nAyagi reminds him of the time when they were together when he was observing her suffering in a moment of separation].
- en neela mugil vaNNarkku en solli yAn sollugenO – emperumAn was so attached to her that even in separation she says “ennudaiyavan” (mine – owned by me). She says “What can I say to the one who left me?” When asked “Why are you saying like this?”,parAngusa nAyagi says “He did not show compassion even after seeing my sufferings. How do I expect him to show compassion on hearing my sufferings now?” When asked “When did he see your suffering?” parAnkusa nAyaki replies “While being together, when he takes his hand away from me, that part of my body will become pale out of sufferings in separation”.
- kaNdirangi – Should he not know that I cannot sustain myself as he has seen me losing consciousness as soon as saying “eththiRam” ? [as in thiruvAimozhi pAsuram 1.3.1]
- idhu – this state of mine – even she herself cannot fully express her state (which is beyond words).
- en neela mugilvaNNarkku – one who has a dark-bluish complexion like a cloud. He showed his beauty and got me to become fully dependent on him. But this radiance is not seen in his heart [comparison with cloud is done for both bodily beauty and the generosity of cloud which rains over everywhere – here, parAngusa nAyagi says that emperumAn has beauty like cloud but does not have the compassion towards her]. AzhwAr himself says in thiruvAimozhi 8.9.5 “yAmudai Ayan than manam kal” (our cow-herd boy’s heart is made of stone). Initially giving up thinking “if he can leave me even after seeing my suffering, what is the use of sending a message?” later out of hope/desire, she starts sending the messenger again. This is like the behaviour of gOpikAs towards krishNa as explained in srI vishNu purANam 5.24.15 “athavA kim thadhAlAbhai: parA kriyathAm kathA | apyasau mAtharam dhrashtum sakrudhapyAgamishyathi ||” (If there is no use of speaking about him, let other matters be discussed. Would this krishNa not come to visit his mother at least once?) – here the gOpikAs are first saying he does not need us (so won’t talk about him, then out of hope expects his visit saying), but he would need his mother.
- avar kaN thangAdhu – My life will only be sustained on/by you (who is my master). nampiLLai explains a similar conversation from srI rAmAyaNam between sIthA pirAtti and hanumAn (who is the messenger from srI rAma). sIthA pirAtti is upset with srI rAma for not rescuing her quickly. At that time hanumAn asks “But, if you are so attached to srI rAma, how have you sustained yourself thus far instead of immediately giving up your life?”.sIthA pirAtti replies as in srI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 36.30 “na chAsya mAthA…“. nampiLLai explains this slOkam – perumAL showed all his love (like towards his father, mother et al) towards me. While he is searching for me if he finds me dead, he will be heart-broken like a thirsty person finding a broken pot (without water). That is why I sustained myself to protect him.
- oru vAych chol – Just one word/phrase is sufficient. Like sIthA pirAtti said to hanumAn in srI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 39.10 “…vAchA dharmamavApnuhi” (by conveying the message using the appropriate words to the illustrious srI rAma, so that he can console me while I am surviving, you become virtuous through speech).
- nanneela maganRilgAL nalgudhirO nalgIrO – Both perumAL and you have dark-complexion. So, are the actions also similar (both trying to not help me)? Out of sorrow, she asks “will you help or not?”.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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