SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Introduction
bhagavAn is the first benefactor as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.3.2 “aRiyAdhana aRiviththa aththA! nI seydhana . . . .” (Oh lord who revealed those unknown experiences! your favours…”. As said in thiruvAimozhi 7.9.7 “vaikunthanAgap pugazha” (emperumAn making AzhwAr praise him as the lord of SrIvaikuNtam), since praises are dear to him (ISwara), and also praising emperumAn is dear to the AchAryas, with the intent to praise him, briefly explaining the upAyam (means) and upEyam (goal), starts praising bhagavAn.
yanmUrdhni mE SruthiSirassu cha bhAthi yasmin
asman manOrathapadhas sakalassamEthi |
sthOshyAmi na: kuladhanam kuladhaivatham thath
pAdhAravindham aravindhavilOchanasya ||
Word by word meaning
yath – that emperumAn’s divine feet
mE mUrdhni – on my head
SruthiSirassu cha – in vEdhAntham also
bhAthi – shining
yasmin – on which divine feet
asman manOratha padha: sakala: – all our overflowing love
samEthi – reaches beautifully
na: kula dhanam – being wealth of our clan
kula dhaivatham – being (dependable) deity of our clan
aravindha vilOchanasya thath pAdha aravindham – the divine lotus feet of puNdarIkAksha (lotus eyed lord)
sthOshyAmi – I am going to praise
Simple Translation
I am going to praise the divine lotus feet of puNdarIkAksha (lotus eyed lord) who is being the wealth of our clan and being the (dependable) deity of our clan, on whose divine feet all our overflowing love reaches beautifully, whose divine feet are on my head and also in vEdhAntham.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
- mE mUrdhni … – ALavandhAr highlights his own inferior nature, his servitude that came about due to being captivated by emperumAn‘s beauty and like light in darkness, the divine feet acquiring shine after coming in contact with his head. With this, his beauty etc which is pivotal in his being the upAyam (means) and his consideration of accepting the AthmA as his own benefit are highlighted. ALavandhAr says that he attained what is prayed by his devotees as in thiruvAimozhi 9.2.2 “thalaikkaNiyAy” (as a decoration to my head). Since he is the lord, he treats everyone in this manner [placing his divine feet on the heads]; since ALavandhAr is a grateful person, he discusses that [with joy].
- Sruthi sirassu cha bhAthi – His divine feet are shining in the vEdhAntham as well. With this, his being the goal, being greater than all, being the abode of all auspiciousness and being difficult to attain are explained. With the ‘cha’kAram (as well), as he kept his divine feet on vEdhAntham and ALavandhAr‘s head, ALavandhAr is explaining emperumAn‘s affection towards him. cha Sabdham may also indicate avadhAraNam (exclusive nature) and explain that the saulabhyam (simplicity) of placing emperumAn’s divine feet on his head, is the nature of emperumAn’s divine feet. As said in thiruvAimozhi 10.7.8 “thiruppARkadalE en thalaiyE” (kshIrAbdhi (milk ocean) is my head).
- yasmin asman manOratha padhas sakalas samEthi – As said in sthOthra rathnam 60 “pithA thvam mAthA thvam …” (You are my father, you are my mother and so on), all my material and spiritual desires are blending into your divine feet.
- sthOshyAmi – With my words I perform service to the divine feet which are the goal, are distinguished and which favour me.
- na: kula dhanam – dhanam (wealth) is that which helps when in danger and always enjoyable. kula: dhanam implies it was acquired without any effort from self [acquired as hereditary wealth] and acquired naturally.
- kula dhaivatham – That bhagavAn who bestows this wealth and is the refuge. With these, the prApyam (goal) and prApakam (means) which are to be revealed in this prabandham are highlighted.
- thath pAdha aravindham – the divine lotus feet which are to be spoken about.
- aravindha vilOchanasya – The one who has divine eyes which create this taste/attachment [for him in us] as said in jithanthE sthOthram 1 “jithanthE puNdarikAksha” (Let the lotus-eyed lord be victorious), which have a motherly affection [towards us] as said in thiruviruththam 42 “than kAl paNindha en pAl empirAna thadam kaNgaL” (the wide eyes which show their lordship over me who is surrendered unto his divine feet) and which are enjoyed by nithyasUris as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.6.3 “thAmaraik kaNNanai viNNOr paravum thalaimaganai” (lotus-eyed lord who is the leader, worshipped by nithyasUris). Such emperumAn‘s eyes. This implies, emperumAn’s joy in seeing ALavandhAr‘s efforts to praise him, is revealed in his eyes; or, emperumAn is mercifully glancing at ALavandhAr who set out to praise him.
In the next article we will enjoy the next SlOkam.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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