SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Introduction
In the previous pAsuram, mAmunigaL said “maruLAlE pulan pOga vAnjai seyyum endhan”, thereby requesting SrI rAmAnuja to rechannelize his mind that is controlled by senses that are in turn powered by his (mAmunigAL’s) popular and cruel sins. But even after that, the effect of sins continued to linger. mAmunigaL continues that his mind goes after all those earthly, condescending, loathable and so called “pleasurable” things in the world. These things run amok in his heart and mind and had left him wondering what caused them in the first place. mAmunigaL is left bewildered as to what is the source of those sins and their effects and finally says that he does not know the answer to this question.
pAsuram 36
vAsanaiyil URRamO mALAdha valvinaiyO
yEdhenRaRiyEn ethirAsA!!! thIdhAgum
aimpulanilAsai adiyEn mananthannai
vanbudanE thAnadarum vandhu
Word-by-Word Meanings:
ethirAsA – Oh emperumAnArE!!!
thIdhAgum – That which is deemed “detrimental” for the soul
aimpulanil – and is commonly called as the “senses” of “five senses” that continuously impacts
adiyEn – my
mananthannai – heart’s
Asai – desire for (earthly happiness).
vanbudanE – (These senses) forcefully
thAn vandhu – out of its own volition, without any compulsion
adarum – has decided to reside in me forever.
(The reason for this taste/heart’s yearning, mAmunigal asks)
URRamO – is it the attachment that is rooted at
vAsanaiyil –the innumerable sins from the times of yore?
valvinaiyO – is it my popular karmic sins
mALAdha – that is beyond any reconciliation (that which cannot be removed by any kind of penance)
yEdhenRu – what is it?
aRiyEn – I do not know about it. (The purport is that mAmunigAL wants SrI rAmAnuja to find the reason for it and subsequently obliterate it without any trace of it).
Simple Translation
mAmunigaL asks srI rAmAnuja the reason why his (mAmunigaL’s) mind and heart go after earthly pleasures controlled by sins, though he knows that they are condemned by the scriptures as “detrimental” to the soul. Unable to know the reason for why these senses and sins torture him incessantly, he requests the question to srI rAmAnuja and asks him to find the reason. Subsequently, he requests him to annihilate them and take him to his fold.
Explanation
There are somethings that are deemed “detrimental” for the soul. As they say “ainkaruvi kaNdavinbam (thiruvAimozhi 4.9.10)”, the soul goes after all those so-called pleasurable things in the world, after being triggered by the five senses. Not stopping with that, the soul yearns more and more for that pleasure. These are the pleasures have been condemned in our scriptures as “detrimental” for the soul. As said in the phrase, “harandhiprasapam mana:” “these sense bulldoze over me out of its own volition and pull me in different directions. I have surrendered to your lotus feet and have accepted it as my sole refuge”. mAmunigaL guess the reason for this. He asks SrI rAmAnuja, As kUraththAzhvAn says, “dhurvAsanAthradhi mathas sUkhamindhiryOththam hAthum namE madhiralam varadhAdhirAja:”, is it because of me trapped in the web of sins accrued over eons? If not, as nammAzhvAr said “madhiyilEn valvinaiyE mALAdhO (thiruvAimozhi 1.4.3)”, is it my strong karma that can never be relinquished by penance nor by suffering the effects of it? I do not know what is the reason. I request you, SrI rAmAnuja to investigate the reason for this and subsequently annihilate them”. In this pAsuram and the earlier pAsuram, the phrase “aimpulan” refers to worldly pleasures that are derived by senses.
adiyEn santhAnam ramanuja dasan
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