SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> Third Centum >> First decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In the fifth pAsuram – emperumAn mercifully says “If the ignorant world does not speak, why don’t you speak?” AzhwAr replies “I cannot speak about you, who are having endless auspicious qualities and wealth”.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, AzhwAr asks “How can I comprehensively explain about you who are having such distinct greatness?”.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
See nanjIyar‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Fifth pAsuram. Third pAsuram and this pAsuram are directly connected; in the fourth pAsuram, the loss to worldly people was highlighted by AzhwAr since he happened to think about it. emperumAn asks “Why are you saying ‘gOvindhA paNburaikka mAttEnE‘? Leave aside the loss to worldly people, since you are blessed with pristine knowledge by me, you are different from them (and much wiser) ; not only are you different from worldly people, you are also different from the residents of paramapadham; why don’t you speak about me?” and AzhwAr replies “you have bestowed pristine knowledge to me, but you have not converted yourself to be ‘limited’ [i.e., emperumAn‘s greatness is unlimited and cannot be spoken comprehensively]”.
pAsuram
varundhAdha arundhavaththa malar kadhirin sudar udambAy
varundhAdha gyAnamAy varambinRi muzhudhiyanRAy
varungAlam nigazhkAlam kazhikAlamAy – ulagai
orungAga aLippAy sIr engulakka OdhuvanE
Listen
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
varundhAdha – not attainable without great efforts
aru(m) – difficult to attain
thavaththa – to be said as the result of (such) penances
malar – blossomed
kadhirin – having rays
sudar – radiant
udambai – having as form
varundhAdha – natural instead of attaining through efforts
gyAnamAy – being the one which (such) knowledge
varambu – limit
inRi – not having
muzhudhu – all entities
iyanRAy – one who is residing
varungAlam nigazhkAlam kazhikAlamAy – being present in all times (future, present and past)
ulagai – world
orungAga – to stabilize
aLippAy – Oh one who protects!
sIr – qualities (which are there due to your natural radiance, radiance in your knowledge, omnipresence and protection)
engu – where (how)
ulakka – comprehensively
Odhuvan – can I speak?
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
emperumAn who has radiant light with blossomed rays as his form – a form which is the most difficult to attain even as a result of penance and cannot be attained without great efforts; emperumAn who resides in all entities without any limits and has natural knowledge instead of knowledge acquired through self-efforts; emperumAn who exists in past, present and future times; Oh such emperumAn who stabilizes and protects the world! How can I comprehensively speak about your qualities (which are there due to your natural radiance, radiance in your knowledge, omnipresence and protection)?
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
- varundhAdha … – Is this beauty of his divine form explainable by me?
- varundhAdha arum thavaththa – natural, radiant form of well-expanded rays. thava – abundance. As soon as people see the divine form, they will think “is this the result of great penance?” but once they immerse in it, they will realize “this is not acquired by any penance; but naturally gifted strength”.
- malar kadhirin sudar udambAy – Having divine radiant form with clear rays. [Like a diamond] having removed the dirt, i.e., instead of being mixed with rajas (passion) and thamas (ignorance), this is pure sathvam (goodness), the form of infinite splendour. bhagavAn with the divine form which reveals his internal qualities clearly – unlike those bodies which are bound by karma [in the mixed mode of sathvam, rajas, thamas], his divine body is acquired by him based on his ichchA (desire) and thus is very pure. Our bodies are made of karma – some are made of pApam (sins), some are made of puNyam (virtues) and some are made of both puNyam and pApam. SrIvishNu purANam 5.1.50 “na akAraNAth kAraNAdhvA kAraNAkAraNAnna cha” is explained here. akAraNam – result [variegated forms of matter]; kAraNam – mUlaprakruthi (primordial matter – cause); kAraNAkAraNam – mahath etc (intermediary forms of matter which are both cause (for variegated forms) and effect (of primordial matter)) [these are worldly elements, but bhagavAn‘s divine forms are made of spiritual elements and their purpose is explained further]; SarIra grahaNam vyApin – you who are omnipresent, having the world itself as your body, assume these forms. dharmathrANAya kEvalam – your forms are like water-shelter (A place where water is provided for the thirsty persons) for the pleasure of those who long for your vision as said in thiruvAimozhi 8.5.2 “kANa vArAy” (please come here to see me). This is explained in jithanthE sthOthram 5 “… na chAkAra: bhakthAnAm …” (your nature, forms, ornaments, weapons etc are all for the pleasure of your devotees).
- varundhAdha gyAnamAy – Being naturally omniscient instead of acquiring this knowledge by great penances or acquiring it by the blessing of some one else.
- varambu inRi muzhudhu iyanRAy – You control everything without any limitation. It is natural for the owner to control everything that is owned by him.
- iyanRAy – iyalugai means controlling. Being the owner, instead of staying elsewhere and overseeing it, he is present everywhere and protecting each entity [by his presence as antharyAmi].
- varungAlam … – How is it possible for me to comprehensively explain the auspicious qualities of yours, protecting all the worlds in a stable manner, being the controller at all times (past, present and future)? First two lines explain the greatness of your divine forms. Subsequently your presence as the one who can visualize everything at once and you being the protector are explained. Among these what can I speak about comprehensively?
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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