SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> Fourth Centum >> Fifth decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In second pAsuram, AzhwAr mercifully explains emperumAn‘s lakshmInAthathva (being the divine lord of SrI mahAlakshmi) which is the cause for this great wealth.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, AzhwAr says “I sang the praises of emperumAn who is having the relationship with SrI mahAlakshmi which is the cause for this greatness, to remove all troubles which are related to this material realm”.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
See nanjIyar‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Second pAsuram. AzhwAr mercifully explains emperumAn‘s Sriya:pathithva (being the lord of SrI mahAlakshmi) which is the cause for this great wealth. By the grace of brahmA who conducts the world by the grace of emperumAn as per emperumAn’s desire, through nAradha et al, SrImath rAmAyaNam came about; here, AzhwAr mercifully highlights the greatness of his prabandham over such great SrI rAmAyaNam. As said in thiruvAimozhi 8.8.11 “thirumAlAl aruLappatta SatakOpan” (nammAzhwAr, who was blessed by SrIman nArAyaNa), these prabandhams of AzhwAr came about as a result the mercy of the divine couple. “sIthAyAScharitham mahath” (the epic which narrates sIthA’s greatness) is equally applicable for both (SrI rAmAyaNam and thiruvAimozhi); AzhwAr too said in thiruviruththam 48 “thirumAlavan kavi yAdhu kaRREn” (In what way will I know SrIman nArAyaNa’s glories?). vAlmIki composed [SrI rAmAyaNam] and made SrI rAma listen to it alone [without the presence of sIthA]; AzhwAr made him listen along with SrI mahAlakshmi and performed mangaLASAsanam to the couple [praising them]; AzhwAr glorified “maiya kaNNAL malar mEl uRaivAL uRai mArbinan” (one who who is having on his chest, the dark-eyed SrI mahAlakshmi, seated on a lotus flower).
pAsuram
maiya kaNNAL malar mEl uRaivAL uRai mArbinan
seyya kOlath thadam kaNNan viNNOr perumAn thannai
moyya sollAl isai mAlaigaL Eththi uLLap peRREn
veyya nOygaL muzhudhum viyan gyAlaththu vIyavE
Listen
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
maiya – (as she is always residing in his chest [and looking at him] his black complexion got transferred to her eyes and being naturally known as asithEkshaNA (black-eyed), beyond all of these) as if applied with black pigment
kaNNAL – having eyes
(more than this matching beautiful form)
malar mEl uRaivAL – most enjoyable lakshmi having been born in and residing in the lotus flower, and having high heritage and a form which is embodiment of the fragrance of the flower
uRai – most enjoyable abode where she eternally resides
mArbinan – having the chest
seyya – (by constantly enjoying the lotus coloured mahAlakshmi through his eyes, acquiring more redness on top of the naturally) reddish
kOlam – having beauty
thadam – expansive (out of great excitement in love)
kaNNan – having divine eyes
viNNOr – letting nithyasUris (eternally free souls of paramapadham) experience (such mutual and enjoyable togetherness)
perumAn thannai – sarvESvara, who is their lord
moyya – collected together (like when they recite sAma gAnam [that part of vEdha which is sung as hymns])
sollAl – made with words
isai – having tune
mAlaigaL – with garlands
viyal – vast
gyAlaththu – while being in this world
veyya – (as said in “na thathra sancharishyanthi“) that which causes grief
nOygaL muzhudhum – all sorrows (such as avidhyA (ignorance), karma (actions), vAsanA (impressions), ruchi (taste), prakruthi sambandham (bondage))
vIya – to be destroyed (so they don’t ever occur)
Eththi – praise
uLLa – experience in my heart (his happiness revealed in his face, the one who is known as sthavapriya (one who likes to be praised))
peRREn – got
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
Most enjoyable lakshmi who is born in and residing in the lotus flower, and since having high heritage and a form which is embodiment of the fragrance of the flower, who is having eyes which look as if they are applied with black pigment; sarvESvara is having the chest which is the most enjoyable abode where she eternally resides and having reddish, beautiful, expansive, divine eyes and who is the lord of nithyasUris, is letting them experience [such mutual and enjoyable togetherness of him and SrI mahAlakshmi]; I got to praise such emperumAn to destroy all sorrows which cause grief, with garlands of words collected together, while being in this vast world, and experience in my heart, his happiness.
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
- maiya kaNNAL – She is said as SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 16.5 “asithEkshaNA” (black-eyed). If periya pirAttiyAr glances at sarvESvaran with her divine eyes once, he will cool down as if drenched in heavy rain; she is said in thiruviruththam 52 as “mazhaik kaN madandhai” (lady having cool rain like eyes). Those who are not seen by her become virUpaksha (having deformed-eyes like rudhra). SrIrangarAja sthavam “nama: SrIranganAyakyai yath bhrU vibhrama bhEthatha: | IsEsithavya vaishamya nimnOnnatham idham jagath ||” (I worship SrI ranganAchchiyAr whose eyebrow movements (her desire and reaction revealed through that) determine the fate of jIvAthmAs (whether one is rich or poor, learned or illiterate, etc).); one being azhagiya maNavALap perumAL (SrI ranganAthan) and another being bikshuka (rudhra, who begs for alms) [are based on her divine glance].
- malar mEl uRaivAL – One who is born in the fresh lotus flower, having the buds/fragrance of the flower as the raw material. Previously (maiya kaNNAL) explains her beautiful features; here her tenderness is explained.
- uRai mArbinan – One who has the chest which is the permanent residence of SrI mahAlakshmi, for whom even residing on a flower is difficult to handle [she is so tender]. Just as SrI janaka rAja’s divine daughter (sIthA) never once thought about [going to] mithilA after marrying perumAL [SrI rAma], she never thought about the lotus flower after realizing the nature of his chest; as said in as said in chAndhOgya upanishath 8.12.3 “nOpajanam smaran idham SarIram” (AthmA will not contemplate about the material body after reaching the spiritual realm), she would not think about the lotus flower as mukthAthmAs would not think about their [previous] lives in the material realm.
- seyya kOlath thadam kaNNan – When heavy rains fall on a particular region, the whole region will cool down; similarly, her eyes become drenched in his black-coloured form, and she becomes black-eyed; his form is known, as in thiruviruththam 94 “maippadi mEni” (black-coloured form). She is constantly seeing that form. [In the same way] emperumAn is constantly glancing at her reddish form and that reddish complexion gets transferred to his eyes and he becomes puNdarikAksha ([red] lotus-eyed); she is known, as in thiruvAimozhi 9.4.1 “seyyAL thirumArbinil sEr thirumAl” (SrIman nArAyaNan who is united in his chest with the reddish SrI mahAlakshmi). In this manner, in both their eyes, the form of each other can be seen; his form/complexion can be seen in her eyes and vice versa. This is their eye-body contact. One who is having reddish, attractive, wide divine eyes. AzhwAr recites his poems in praise of emperumAn, to express his great joy, emperumAn looks at pirAtti and pirAtti tells “Why don’t you hear AzhwAr‘s pAsuram without getting diverted?” – they both heard AzhwAr’s pAsurams in this manner.
- viNNOr perumAn thannai – The abode which is nurtured under the protection of these eyes is explained here. Having those who enjoy these beautiful eyes and their [divine couple’s] togetherness instead of these being wasted like a moon shining in the forest; as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.6.3 “thAmaraik kaNNanai viNNOr paravum thalai maganai” (Lotus-eyed lord, the leader who is worshipped by nithyasUris). emperumAn, periya pirAttiyAr and the assembly of nithyasUris heard AzhwAr‘s pAsurams together.
- moyya sollAl – Being amazed by the distinct nature of bhagavAn, vEdham set out to praise but returned unable to do so saying as in thaiththirIya upanishath “yathO vAchO nivarthanthE” (mind/speech returned unable to comprehend emperumAn‘s quality of bliss); unlike such vEdham, I got to sing emperumAn’s glories. moy indicates collection/abundance and greatness; the poem which is with tightly connected words instead of loosely connected words and the poem which is strong enough to consume [glorify] bhagavAn.
- isai mAlaigaL – Like garlands with abundant fragrance, having tune/music which will mesmerize those who listen to the pAsurams.
- Eththi uLLap peRREn – The rule of “mana:pUrva: vAguththara:” (first conceptualize in the mind and then speak through the mouth) does not apply in AzhwAr‘s case. He does not need to think for the words of praise; since bhagavAn‘s thoughts control AzhwAr, the words will naturally fit in well; AzhwAr himself said in thiruvAimozhi 7.9.2 “en mun sollum” (bhagavAn who remains inside me and teaches me the words first, as an AchArya would do [which I will repeat]). Since these pAsurams are explained in thiruvAimozhi 7.9.3 “nA mudhal vandhu pugundhu nal in kavi thU mudhal paththarkkuth thAn thannaich chonna” (Entering my tongue, he sings beautiful pAsurams about himself for the enjoyment of mumukshus (those who are focussed on liberation)), the words will naturally form nice pAsurams. As happened in thiruvAimozhi 3.8 “mudiyAnE” decad where the different faculties of AzhwAr craved for emperumAn individually, here AzhwAr enjoys emperumAn individually. [Explaining AzhwAr‘s state through this pAsuram] periya thirumozhi 8.10.9 “nAttinAy ennai unakku mun thoNdAga” (you placed me in front you as your servitor), you engaged me who had no experience / interest in servitude and said “He is mine”; with your acknowledgement, I drove away may accumulated sins, along with their traces. “pAttinAl …” – through those pAsurams, you revealed your presence in my heart as sarvagya (omniscient), sarvaSaktha (omnipotent). “kaNNapuraththuRai ammAnE” – the dhivya dhESam which made me sing is thirukkaNNapuram. This is “mukkOttai” of thirumangai AzhwAr [mukkOttai is a temple of a dhEvathAntharam, where anyone who goes and prays sincerely will be blessed with great knowledge and ability such as singing etc. Similar to that, thirumAlirunchOlai is said to be the mukkOttai of nammAzhwAr]. In this way, as his mouth sings the glories, just like us, AzhwAr too meditated upon those pAsurams.
- veyya nOygaL muzhudhum – “avaSyam anubhOkthavyam” (one must experience the effects of one’s karma), even those karmas are destroyed.
- viyan gyAlaththu vIyavE – The clarity acquired through the bhagavath anubhavam (experience of bhagavAn) made AzhwAr say that even while being in this material realm, all my sins are eradicated. Another explanation – unlike the shadow of palm tree which is only useful for itself, all the karmas of everyone in this material realm where I live are destroyed. Yet another explanation – since AzhwAr says “viyal gyAlam” (vast world) as if it is a different place, some say that “AzhwAr mercifully recites ‘vIRRindhu Ezhulagu‘ as if he is speaking from paramapadham (spiritual realm)”. Due to his mood, it appears that he is one among those residents of paramapadham as his divine heart is always attached there. viyal gyAlam means wonderful world and vast world.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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