SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> Third Centum >> Tenth decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In first pAsuram – AzhwAr explains the principles which are explained in this decad in short in this pAsuram saying “I enjoyed with loving devotion, the auspicious qualities of emperumAn who incarnates many times to protect his devotees and who destroyed their enemies”.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
In first pAsuram – AzhwAr says “I who praised the multifarious qualities of emperumAn who destroyed the enemies of his devotees through his incarnations, have no dissatisfaction”.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
In first pAsuram – AzhwAr explains the principles which are explained in this decad in short in this pAsuram.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
In first pAsuram – AzhwAr explains the principles which are explained in this decad in short in this pAsuram; AzhwAr says “I who enjoyed his incarnations, where he appeared with his divine weapons, have no dissatisfaction”; AzhwAr says “I who praised the auspicious qualities of emperumAn who destroyed the enemies of his devotees through his incarnations to protect them, have no dissatisfaction”; (sanmam pala pala) AzhwAr says “I who meditated upon emperumAn’s nature of assuming different forms even after being akarma vaSya (not bound by karma) which are despised even by those who are karma vaSya (bound by karma), have no dissatisfaction”; AzhwAr says “I who meditate upon emperumAn who is being sarvESvara, instead of feeling supreme and not mingling with the worldly people, assuming the forms where he goes through the same suffering like those worldly people and protect them, have no dissatisfaction”.
pAsuram
sanmam pala pala seydhu veLippattuch changodu chakkaram vil
oNmai udaiya ulakkai oL vAL thaNdu koNdu puL Urndhu( u)lagil
vaNmai udaiya arakkar asurarai mALp padai porudha
nanmai udaiyavan sIr paravap peRRa nAnOr kuRaivilanE
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Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
(as said in purusha sUktham “ajAyamAna: … ” (the unborn, assumes many births), being akarma vaSya (not bound by karma to take birth), )
pala – in different species such as dhEva (celestial), manushya (human), thiryak (animal) and sthAvara (plant)
pala – in different inner categories of those species
sanmam – different births
seydhu – assuming (not just with his vow, but physically being born amidst the particular species)
veLippattu – manifesting himself (so that his divine form which is beyond perception becomes visible for samsAris (worldly people))
(the tools that help him protecting the devotees and destroying the demoniac which is the purpose of his incarnations)
sangodu sakkaram – Sanka (conch) and chakra (disc) which are inseparable from him
vil – SrI SArnga bow
oNmaiyudaiya ulakkai – the club which breaks the enemies
oL vAL – nandhaka sword which never gives up while destroying the enemies
thaNdu – gadhA (mace)
(with)
koNdu – having these as tools/weapons
puL – periya thiruvadi (garudAzhwAr)
Urndhu – ride
ulagil – in this world (which is protected by him)
vanmai udaiya – having hardness (without being attracted to such beautiful emperumAn)
arakkarai – rAkshasas (demoniac persons among humans)
asurarai – asuras (demoniac persons among celestial beings)
mALa – to kill
padai porudha – to march as an army against
nanmai – the goodness of honesty/straightness
udaiyavan – one who has
sIr – Saurya (valour), vIrya (bravery), parAkrama (courage) and swAmithva (lordship), vAthsalya (motherly affection) towards his devotees
paravap peRRa – to praise and speak about them elaborately
nAn – I
Or kuRaivu ilan – have no dissatisfaction (in enjoying any aspect of bhagavath vishayam (matters relating to bhagavAn) in any place, any time and any body)
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
emperumAn (who is said in purusha sUktham “ajAyamAna: … ” (the unborn, assumes many births), being akarma vaSya (not bound by karma to take birth), ) assumes different births in different species such as dhEva (celestial), manushya (human), thiryak (animal) and sthAvara (plant) and in different inner categories of those species and manifests himself (so that his divine form which is beyond perception becomes visible for samsAris (worldly people)) along with his weapons (the tools that help him protecting the devotees and destroying the demoniac which is the purpose of his incarnations) such as Sanka (conch) and chakra (disc) which are inseparable from him, SrI SArnga bow, the club which breaks the enemies, nandhaka sword which never gives up while destroying the enemies and gadhA (mace); with all of these, he rides garudAzhwAr; he is the one who is having the goodness of honesty/straightness to kill by marching as an army against the rAkshasas (demoniac persons among humans) and the asuras (demoniac persons among celestial beings) who are having hardness (without being attracted to such beautiful emperumAn); for I who got to praise and elaborately speak about Saurya (valour), vIrya (bravery), parAkrama (courage) and swAmithva (lordship), vAthsalya (motherly affection) towards his devotees, there is no dissatisfaction (in enjoying any aspect of bhagavath vishayam (matters relating to bhagavAn) in any place, any time and any body).
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
- sanmam pala pala – emperumAn would assume several incarnations. Those who know that his nirhEthuka krupA (unconditional grace) [instead of karma, as in the case of bound jIvAthmAr] is the cause for incarnations, would not pursue his supremacy [in paramapaadham] ignoring his incarnations. [vEdham – scripture] purusha sUktham “ajAyamAna: bahudhA vijAyathE | thasya dhIrA: parijAnanthi yOnim” (the intelligent persons know the reason of his births very well); [vEdhyan – bhagavAn who is revealed through the vEdham] he himself is very attracted towards his incarnations as said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 4.9 “janma karma cha mE dhivyam” (my birth and activities are divine); [vaidhikar – those who are faithful towards vEdham] AzhwAr too who is the best among the intelligent persons is delighted saying in thiruvAimozhi 5.10.1 “piRandhavARum” (his births …). The reason for AzhwAr being immersed in devotion is due to his great knowledge about bhagavAn. When there is abundance of sweetness in something, it is natural to become immersed in it.
- pala – AzhwAr who become delightedly bewildered as in thiruvAimozhi 1.3.1 “eththiRam” (how is this possible?) when thinking about one incarnation, what to speak of many incarnations?
- pala pala – It is said that – there is a boundary/end for the births of karma vaSya (one who is bound by karma) [i.e., when the AthmA is liberated, there is no more births in the material realm]; but there is no end to the births of akarma vaSya (emperumAn who is not bound by karma) [his incarnations are based on his desire to help bound souls, and will keep occurring for eternity]. There is a limit to karma (cycle of birth/death) but no limit to anugraha (blessings). Even when he himself explained his births, he said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 4.5 “bahUni” (countless).
- pala pala – differences in species such as dhEva etc and the different internal categories in each of those species.
- seydhu – While incarnating, instead of just appearing (out of nowhere), if a karma vaSya (bound soul) will remain in the womb for 10 months before coming out, emperumAn would be born after remaining in the womb of 12 months as said in SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam “thathaScha dhvAdhaSE mAsE” (kausalyA gave birth to SrI rAma in the 12th month of chaithrA on the navami thithi). periyAzhwAr (who assumed motherly mood towards emperumAn) highlighted in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 3.2.8 “panniru thingaL vayiRRil koNda appAnginAl” (yaSOdhA saying – due to lovingly caring for krishNa in my womb for 12 months). As said in yajur vEdham kAtakam 3.9 “pithA puthrENa pithrumAn yOniyOnau | nAvEdhavinmanuthE tham bruhantham ||” (sarvESvara who is the father of the whole world, in his every birth, he accept one of his children as his father; the foolish people will not understand the glories of such incarnations of emperumAn), emperumAn who is the sarva kAraNa bhUthan (cause of all), appeared as the kArya (effect) of one among his effects.
- veLippattu – emperumAn who is imperceptible as said in muNdaka upanishath 3.1 “na chakshushA gruhyathE” (not seen by the [material] eyes), makes himself visible. As a treasure which is buried under a place where one roams around becomes visible, emperumAn incarnates and makes his divine form along with his paraphernalia visible for everyone. Presenting the form which is constantly seen by the spiritual eyes [of nithyasUris and mukthas in paramapadham], to the material eyes [of worldly people]. emperumAn is making the material eyes see the divine form which is explained in periya thiruvanthAdhi 28 as “enREnum katkANNAl kANAdha avvuru” (your divine form which cannot be seen with this material eyes).
- sangodu … – the brotherly inseparable relationship [between bhagavAn and his conch/disc]. As in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 1.1 “gachchathA mAthulakulam bharathEna” (one who is going along with bharatha to his maternal uncle’s place as a sword will be take along by the owner). When he incarnates, he incarnates with his divine weapons [who are all nithyasUris]. For those who desire to leave this samsAram [material realm], he descends along with those who are part of the goal. After seeing and enjoying emperumAn, they would say as in thiruvAimozhi 2.3.10 “adiyArgaL kuzhAngaLai udan kUduvadhu enRu kolO” (when will I unite with your devotees in paramapadham?); to fulfil their desire immediately, he descends with his eternal associates in the form of his weapons.
- sangodu sakkaram – When one is sufficient [to please the devotees and eliminate their enemies, emperumAn out of great affection brings them all along].
- vil – instead of just bring one per category [of weapons, he brings them all along]
- oNmaiyudaiya ulakkai – oNmai – knowledge. As said in thiruvAimozhi 10.6.8 “karudhum idam porudhu” (whatever emperumAn thinks, they will execute the task without even verbally being ordered), they are most intelligent.
- oL vAL thaNdu koNdu – samsAris are the ones who see the divine divine weapons in his hands and think that he is having them to hurt others; unlike them, nithyasUris would think that he is having them to add to his beauty; since AzhwAr is also one among them, he also enjoys them as adding beauty to him. He along with his weapons resemble a beautiful kalpaka tree with well expanded branches.
- puL Urndhu – this is another beautiful combination; as said in thiruvAimozhi 9.2.6 “ponmalaiyin mImisaik kArmugil pOl” (like a black cloud on top of a golden mountain [emperumAn on garudAzhwAr]).
- ulagil – this beauty is enjoyed in the divine abode of paramapadham by nithyasUris. That being the case, he presented the same experience in this material realm itself.
- vanmai … – The rAkshasas and asuras whose heart don’t melt seeing this beauty. AzhwAr longs that everyone is tender like him in this matter [relating to bhagavAn]. For him, as said in thiruvAimozhi 9.6.2 “ninai thoRum sollum thoRum nenju idindhugum” (every thought, every word, AzhwAr’s heart becomes shattered). [AzhwAr becomes amazed at people for not being attracted towards such beauty and says ] One can remain “I am supreme” until they see emperumAn; but these rascals, after seeing the beautiful form of emperumAn with divine weapons, are fighting him instead of surrendering unto him and serve him. He says “Instead of being captivated by his beauty, they are getting finished by his arrows”.
- mALap padai porudha – To hurt them with weapons to finish them. After entering into the battle field, instead of speaking about non-violence or compassion about relatives [like arjuna did], emperumAn has the goodness of destroying them since they are enemies to his devotees. Alternatively – his goodness of incarnating and physically fighting to kill them instead of killing them out of his sankalpa (divine will). AzhwAr himself said in thiruvAimozhi 3.1.9 “mazhungAdha gyAnamE padaiyAga – malarulagil
thozhumbAyArkku aLiththAl un sudarch chOdhi maRaiyAdhE” (For those who worship you in this blossomed/expanded world, if you helped them with unfailing gyAnam (knowledge) in the form of sankalpam (divine will) as your entourage, would that not reduce your greatly radiant lustre (of urgently arriving at the banks of the pond to protect your devotee)?). [Is killing not violence, even if he kills the enemies of devotees?] When one hesitates/skips performing animal sacrifices [which are performed by well qualified persons for the upliftment of the animal being sacrificed] as part of agnIshOmIya [vaidhika yagyas or hOmas – fire sacrifices], one should atone for that [i.e., one cannot go to a war and hesitate to fight. If one does so, then that is a mistake. Hence, emperumAn killing the enemies of devotees in war is not wrong]. - nanmai udaiyavan sIr paravap peRRa nAn – I who spoke his auspicious qualities in a disorderly manner.
- Or kuRaivu ilanE – Two explanations:
- I do not have the following dissatisfaction:
- Like samsAris, not knowing bhagavAn to start with.
- Being unable to praise him in pAsurams after seeing his incarnations.
- Being finished like SisupAla et all for considering emperumAn as “one among us” and insulting him.
- Being bewildered like arjuna after seeing SrI viSvarUpam [unable to comprehend bhagavAn’s qualities fully].
- Do I have the dissatisfaction of “not having this experience in paramapadham” after enjoying that same experience of his divine qualities in this material realm, which is explained in thaiththiriya upanishath “sO’SnuthE sarvAn kAmAn” (the jIvAthmA enjoys all auspicious qualities with bhagavAn)?
- I do not have the following dissatisfaction:
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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