SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> Third Centum >> Second decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In ninth pAsuram – AzhwAr says “I missed out on your great favours as bestowed in the form of krishNa and SrI vAmana; is there anything like me attaining you any more?” and becomes hopeless.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, AzhwAr says “After missing out on your favours for both the wise and the ignorant without discrimination, how will I attain the goal?”.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
See nanjIyar‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Ninth pAsuram. AzhwAr asks “Is there anything like me attaining you any more after having missed the opportunity when you descended in incarnations that were helping everyone without discrimination?”.
pAsuram
kUvik kUvik koduvinaith thURRuL ninRu
pAviyEn pala kAlam vazhi thigaiththu alamaruginREn
mEvi anRu Anirai kAththavan ulagamellAm
thAviya ammAnai enginith thalaip peyvanE?
Listen
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
kodu – cruel
vinai – source for sins
thURRuL – being caught in the quagmire (samsAram – material realm, where one cannot escape from)
ninRu – staying here
pala kAlam – for long time
vazhi – way (to escape)
thigaiththu – being confused
alamaruginREn – toiled (in such situation)
pAviyEn – me who is very sinful
anRu – back when (you helped by giving sticks to the cowherd boys to herd the cows)
mEvi – with full heart (instead of just to accomplish the task)
Anirai – cows
kAththavan – you who protected
ulagamellAm – towards all worlds (unlike limiting to a single place [like in krishNAvathAram])
thAviya – you who performed the act of thraivikrama (being victorious over the three worlds)
ammAnai – sarva swAmy (the master of all)
ini – after missing out back then
kUvik kUvi – crying out again and again with great grief
engu – where
thalaip peyvan – will I reach?
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
Being very sinful, I am being confused about the way (to escape), toiling and staying here for a long time, being caught in the quagmire (samsAram – material realm, where one cannot escape from) which is the source for cruel sins; I (who is in such situation) missed out on the grace of you back then (when you helped by giving sticks to the cowherd boys to herd the cows), when you protected the cows with full heart (instead of just to accomplish the task) and when you, who is the master of all, performed the act of thraivikrama (being victorious over the three worlds) towards all worlds (unlike limiting to a single place [like in krishNAvathAram]); In such case, by crying out again and again with great grief, where will I reach you?
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
- kUvi – Having understood the true nature of jIvAthmA [being fully dependent on bhagavAn‘s will], AzhwAr would cry out for emperumAn from this material realm instead of calmly waiting for him to come and help him.
- kUvi – Instead of stopping and atoning after crying out once [for not being calm knowing one’s dependence on bhagavAn‘], he will cry out again and again.
- kodu vinaith thURRuL ninRu – Staying in the material realm, where even if emperumAn extends his hand to help on hearing AzhwAr‘s cry, the place is so deep that emperumAn needs to keep extending his hand, and crying out from such place.
- pAviyEn – Did I cry out being in the proximity of vAlmeeki [I am so sinful that I don’t have the shelter of any saintly person]?
- pala kAlam vazhi thigaiththu alamaruginREn – I who have been suffering all along, due to ignorance.
- mEvi … – Am I suffering due to not having someone who would not help those who are suffering? As said in SrIvishNu purANam 4.11.13 “gOgOpIjanasangulam athIvArtham” (for the suffering cows, cowherd boys and girls) the lord looked at the suffering of cows and cowherds and ensured that not a single drop of rain fell on them by lifting up the hill that was in front of him.
- mEvi – When bhagavAn who is the lord of nithyasUris (eternally free souls of paramapadham) was given a stick and asked to tend cows, instead of thinking it was something ordained, he would think that it is a great fortune to be tending cows and would engage in it with great love.
- anRu – what a time it was!
- vazhi thigaiththu alamaruginREn – mEvi anRu Anirai kAththavan – Like the one who showed the directions for those cowherds who were lost in the forest. He is the one who showed the path in SrI bhagavath gIthA 18.66 “mAmEkam SaraNam vraja” (accept me as the only refuge). He will not show any other path. Standing on the chariot, he showed the path for uplifting all jIvAthmAs.
- ulagam … – emperumAn who declared himself as the lord of all by keeping his divine feet on everyone/everything instead of just helping one town [unlike in krishNAvathAram, where emperumAn only helped AyarpAdi (gOkulam), in SrI vAmanAvathAram, he helped everyone].
- engu inith thalaip peyvanE – How am I going to reach him? After having missed such “dhULi dhAnam” (favour in the form of the dust of his lotus feet – which is an easy way to reach him), will I be able to reach him by undergoing any test? AzhwAr is asking “After having missed out on the opportunity when he himself came and helped, how am I going to engage in any sAdhanam (karma yOgam, gyAna yOgam, bhakthi yOgam etc) and reach him?” and becoming hopeless.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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