thiruvAimozhi – 3.7.10 – adiyArndha

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Full series >> Third Centum >> Seventh decad

Previous pAsuram

krishna-on-leaf

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In tenth pAsuram – AzhwAr desires for the ultimate state of servitude starting with the servitude of those who are attached to the amazing aspects of vatathaLaSAyi (emperumAn lying in banyan tree leaf during total deluge), like those who desire for wealth will desire for the top most opulence.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

See nampiLLai‘s introduction

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

In tenth pAsuram, Like those who desire for material wealth will desire for the position of brahmA which has the top most material wealth, AzhwAr too desires for the ultimate stage of servitude.

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

Tenth pAsuram. AzhwAr says “I am the ultimate servitor [at the bottom of the chain of servitors] of SrIvaishNavas who are won over by emperumAn‘s agatithagatanA sAmarthyam [the ability of making the impossible happen – i.e., lying down in a small banyan leaf in the causal ocean after consuming the entire world]”.

pAsuram

adiyArndha vaiyam uNdu Alilai anna vasam seyyum
padiyAdhumil kuzhavippadi endhai pirAn thanakku
adiyAr adiyAr tham adiyAr adiyAr thamakku
adiyAr adiyAr tham adiyAr adiyOngaLE

Listen

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

(by his action of measuring the world during the thrivikrama avathAram)
adi – with his divine feet
Arndha – united/merged
vaiyam – bhUmi (earth)
uNdu – consuming it (when the danger of deluge occurred)
Alilai – in a banyan leaf
anna vasam seyyum – resting (ensuring that the consumed world does not get digested)
padi yAdhum il – incomparable
kuzhavip padi – having the form of a toddler
pirAn endhai thanakku – (due to that nature) one who is master for us
adiyAr adiyAr tham adiyAr adiyAr thamakku adiyAr adiyAr tham adiyAr – to the lowest level in the descendants of those who are servitors
adiyOngaL – servitors (us).

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

emperumAn is the master for us due to the nature of having the incomparable form of a toddler and resting in a banyan leaf after consuming the bhUmi earth) which was united/merged with his divine feet (by his action of measuring the world during the thrivikrama avathAram); we are the servitors to the lowest level in the descendants of those who are servitors of such emperumAn,

Only due to the constraint in the poetry, AzhwAr stopped with seven levels of adiyAr (servitors).

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

  • adiyArndha vaiyam uNdu – To consume the world, he first measured it. He consumed that which will not even be partly enough for him. Another explanation, consumed the world which is matching the size of thiruvadi (divine feet) [this is based on pAdham meaning feet and quarter – since material realm is said to be 1 quarter in size and spiritual realm to be 3 quarters in size].
  • Al ilai anna vasam seyyum – Two explanations. 1) lying down in a banyan leaf, to match the [amount of] food consumed. 2) lying down on the right side to ensure the consumed food is not digested. Every one tries to preserve his food. thiruppallANdu 3 “kUzhAL pattu” (being attached to food) is applicable even for emperumAn.
  • padi yAdhumil kuzhavip padi – his infancy has no match; not even his infancy under yaSOdhA is a match; there [yaSOdhA’s residence], his infancy is such that “while being in the cradle, he would not know/fear that he may fall off the cradle”; but here his infancy is such that, he would not know/fear that he may fall off the leaf into the causal ocean.
  • endhai pirAn – the benefactor who won over me by manifesting such agatitha gatanA sAmarthyam [combination of contrary aspects – consuming the entire world and yet lying down as a child on the leaf].
  • adiyAr … – As said in SvEthASvathara upanishath “thamISvarANam paramam mahESvaram” (that bhagavAn is the supreme lord for those who are considered as lords here [in the material realm]”, like there is no one superior to bhagavAn in lordship, AzhwAr takes up a position where there is no one superior to him in servitude. Like one who desires for wealth would want to have more wealth than other persons of his clan, more wealth than kshathriyas [who rule huge kingdoms], then the position of indhra [being the lord of celestial world] and finally even the position of brahmA [being the lord of a whole material world containing 14 layers], AzhwAr too desires for the ultimate state of servitude. [Is he desiring for a particular level of servitude?] Even now he is not stopping [with seven level of adiyArs] due to his preference/desire; but he is stopping since the poetic meter does not allow any more words in this pAsuram. [Would it not be contrary to worldly understanding if we wanted to be servitors of the lowest of chaNdALas if they are devoted to bhagavAn?] nanjIyar said “If we manifest servitude towards vaishNavas against the worldly understanding, then we will be regarded as being faithful to nammAzhwAr‘s desire”.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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