thiruvAimozhi – 1.5.3 – mAyOnigaLAy

srI:
srImathE satakOpAya nama:
srImathE rAmAnujAya nama:
srImath varavaramunayE nama:

Full series >> First Centum >> Fifth decad

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the 3rd pAsuram – When AzhwAr declared that he was unqualified to even say that he has no qualification and moved too far away from serving bhagavAn, AzhwAr says that emperumAn showed him the measuring (winning over) of three worlds which highlights bhagavAn’s sauseelyam (mixing with everyone freely), vAthsalyam (motherly forbearance) etc., and mercifully attracts AzhwAr towards him.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr becomes astonished when emperumAn says “Not just unlimited greatness, I also have the simplicity which lets me freely mingle with everyone without discimination” and shows him the thrivikrama avathAram where he touched everyone with his lotus feet.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nampiLLai‘s introduction.

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

Third pAsuram – in the first pAsuram AzhwAr said “I did a mistake by thinking, speaking and becoming depleted”; He said in the second pAsuram “I did a mistake in saying that I did a mistake”; At this time, emperumAn says “Don’t see my supremacy and shy away from me. For once, see my simplicity in mixing freely with everyone” and shows his act of measuring the three worlds (and touching everyone’s head with his lotus feet). Meditating upon this, AzhwAr stays stunned, neither coming close nor moving far. When asked “Can AzhwAr spend his time like this without approaching him?” it is explained that as highlighted in periya thiruvanthAdhi 86 “sIr kalandha sol ninaindhu pOkkuvar ippOdhu” (those devotees spend their time meditating on the pAsurams which glorify the auspicious qualities of emperumAn), AzhwAr could meditate on emperumAn’s quality of simplicity and spend his time.

pAsuram

மாயோனிகளாய் நடை கற்ற வானோர் பலரும் முனிவரும்
நியோனிகளைப் படை என்று நிறை நான்முகனைப் படைத்தவன்
சேயோன் எல்லா அறிவுக்கும் திசைகள் எல்லாம் திருவடியால்
தாயோன் எல்லா எவ்வுயிர்க்கும் தாயோன் தானோர் உருவனே

mAyOnigaLAy nadai kaRRa vAnOr palarum munivarum
nIyOnigaLaip padai enRu niRai nAnmuganaip padaiththavan
sEyOn ellA aRivukkum thisaigaL ellAm thiruvadiyAl
thAyOn ellA evvuyirkkum thAyOn thAnOr uruvanE

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

mAyOnigaLAy – having distinguished birth
nadai – suitable actions
kaRRa – learned
palarum – many different
vAnOr – dhEvathAs (celestial beings)
munivarum – rishis (sages)
yOnigaLai – living beings
nI padai enRu – saying “you create”
niRai – having completeness (in gyAnAm (knowledge) etc., that is required for vyashti srushti (variegated creation))
nAnmuganai – chathur muka brahmA
padaiththavan – one who created
ellA aRivukkum – the knowledge of all jIvAthmAs starting with brahmA
sEyOn – having greatness which is beyond the reach of
thisaigaL ellAm – all worlds indicated by dhik (directions)
thiruvadiyAl – with the tender divine feet
thAyOn – who touched
ellA evvuyirkkum – all beings of different species
thAyOn – having motherly affection
thAn – him (bhagavAn)
Or uruvanE – his qualities are so enjoyable!

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

srIman nArAyaNan created brahmA who is complete (as necessary to perform vyashti srushti) and tells him “you create the great dhEvas, rishis et al who have learned their suitably great actions”. emperumAn who is beyond the reach of the intelligence of such great persons, who measured all directions (which indicate all worlds) with his tender divine feet, who is having motherly affection towards all entities – such emperumAn‘s qualities are so enjoyable. The essence is – Just like his supremacy, his simplicity (of touching everyone with his lotus feet etc) is also unbounded.

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

mAyOnigaLAy … – Persons having distinct birth. When it comes to srushti (creation) etc., which are their responsibilities, these dhEvathAs, rishis et al are so intelligent that in whatever they were taught by emperumAn, they will not have any doubt and will not go back to emperumAn for clarification again. These include – saptha rishis (the seven primary sages), dhasa prajApathis (the ten progenitors), EkAdhasa rudhras (the eleven rudhras), dhvAdhasa Adhithyas (the twelve sons of adhithi – the main dhEvas), astha vasus (the eight dhEvathAs who assist indhra) et al. bhagavAn creates brahmA, imparts him the vEdhas and orders him to engage in vyashti srushti (variegated creation). As explained in svEthAsvathara upanishath “yO brahmANam vidhadhAthi pUrvam“, emperumAn imparts vEdham unto brahmA initially. brahmA is so complete that, after learning once, he would never return to bhagavAn for any clarification and would function perfectly.
sEyOn ellA aRivukkum – bhagavAn is beyond comprehension for even brahmA who is born directly from him and learned vEdham directly from him (what to speak of others who were created by brahmA?).
thisaigaL ellAm thiruvadiyAl thAyOn – Though he is beyond the reach of the most intelligent beings, when he desires to reveal himself, he effortlessly does it. He measured the bhUmi (earth) which has different directions with his divine feet. AzhwAr is being amazed at bhagavAn‘s gesture since he touched the forests, water bodies etc with his lotus feet which are so tender that even his divine consorts would touch them as if they were touching a flower.
ellA evvuyirkkum thAyOn – Why did he touch everyone without discrimination based on their quality etc? That is because he has motherly affection towards all beings.
thAn Or uruvanE – In the first two lines AzhwAr enjoyed bhagavAn‘s ultimate supremacy and in the next two lines AzhwAr enjoyed bhagavAn’s ultimate simplicity – in both cases AzhwAr becomes amazed. AzhwAr who was walking away fast from emperumAn slows down a bit thinking about his simplicity.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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