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 eighth pAsuram, AzhwAr thinks about emperumAn‘s attachment towards him and says “There is no one comparable to me even in paramapadham, to praise such sarvESvaran“.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, AzhwAr says “Is there any one equivalent to me in paramapadham to praise sarvESvaran who is the lord of both spiritual and material realms?”.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
See nampiLLai‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Eighth pAsuram. AzhwAr thinks about emperumAn‘s attachment towards him and says “there is no one comparable to me even in paramapadham, to praise emperumAn matching his lordship over the two realms and his tenderness”.
pAsuram
namakkum pUvin misai nangaikkum inbanai gyAlaththAr
thamakkum vAnaththavarkkum perumAnaith thaN thAmarai
sumakkum pAdhap perumAnaich chol mAlaigaL sollumARu
amaikka vallERku iniyAvar nigar agal vAnaththE
Listen
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
namakkum – for us (who are lower than nithya samsAris (eternally bound souls), due to our involvement with ignorance etc since time immemorial)
pUvin misai nangaikkum – for pirAtti (SrI mahAlakshmi) who is greater than nithyasUris (eternally free souls) due to her enjoyable aspect of being born in a lotus flower and her completeness in all auspicious qualities.
inbanai – one who gives bliss (due to his ultimately enjoyable nature)
(causing these two aspects)
gyAlaththAr thamakkum – the residents of material realm (who are not greatly knowledgeable)
vAnaththavarkkum – residents of paramapadham (who are greatly knowledgeable), without any difference
perumAnai – one who is having natural lordship for all
(being captivated by his qualities such as beauty, fragrance, tenderness and attractive nature, on top of his enjoyable nature and greatness)
thaN – having freshness
thAmarai – lotus flower
sumakkum – carrying
pAdham – one who is having divine feet
perumAnai – the supreme lord
(staying firm and not becoming overwhelmed by meditating upon such features of emperumAn)
sol mAlaigaL – garlands of words
sollumARu – to praise
amaikka vallERku – to remain firm
agal – vast
vAnaththu – in thripAdh vibhUthi (paramapadham, spiritual realm)
yAvar – who (can enjoy without becoming emotional)
ini – now
nigar – match?
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
emperumAn gives bliss for both us and SrI mahAlakshmi, is having natural lordship for both the residents of material realm and spiritual realm and is the supreme lord carried by fresh lotus flower; who can match me in the spiritual realm to remain firm after praising him with garlands of words?
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
- namakkum – For us who took shelter of his divine feet today. For us who are lower than nithya samsAris (eternally bound souls). AzhwAr already said in thiruvAimozhi 3.3.4 “nIsanEn niRai onRum ilEn” (I am very lowly and have no good qualities).
- pUvin misai nangaikkum – For pirAtti who is greater than nithyasUris and who is complete in qualities of her form and nature.
- pUvin misai nangai – She is tender and enjoyable like the fragrance in the flower. Just as we have no good qualities, she has no shortcomings.
- inbanai – While giving bliss, first he will associate with us and then only with her. SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 41.4 “thvayi kinchith samApannE kim kAryam sIthayA mama” (even if you were insulted a little bit, what is the use of my getting back sIthA?). When SrI rAma arrived, rAvaNa appeared on the top of the tower. Looking at that [sugrIva] mahAraja thinks “How dare you lowly person stand atop in front of SrI rAma?”, jumps on him [knocks his crown] and returns back. Seeing that SrI rAma says “Evam sAhasa yukthAni kurvanthi janESvara:” (Kings should not do such daring acts themselves) – when some one needs to be attacked, should the king himself go and do that while the servitors are waiting for the king’s orders [SrI rAma considers himself to be a servitor of sugrIva]? SrI rAmAyaNam kishkinthA kANdam 4.18 “lOkanAtha: purA bhUthvA sugrIva nAthamichchathi” (SrI rAma who is the lord himself, desires sugrIva as his lord) – whether his desire is fulfilled or not, he desired for that. SrI rAmAyaNam kishkinthA kANdam 4.17 “sugrIvam SaraNam gatha:” (SrI rAma surrendered to sugrIva). [Expanding further on the relationship between SrI rAma and sugrIva] When SrI vibhIshaNa AzhwAn came to surrender to SrI rAma, sugrIva said “I won’t allow him to come to our side” and SrI rAma said “I won’t consider myself to exist, if I don’t accept him”. nanjIyar asked [his AchArya, bhattar] “Why do they have such differing view points?” and bhattar mercifully said “Both are differing, since both want to protect the one who surrendered to each of them”. sugrIva tried to fulfil the aspect of “sugrIvam SaraNam gatha:” and SrI rAma tried to fulfil the aspect of “rAghavam SaraNam gatha:” (vibhIshaNa surrendered to SrI rAma). That is why SrI rAma said “Anaya” (bring him over) to sugrIva [himself, who opposed] and accepted vibhIshaNa. SrI rAma said “thvayi kinchith samApannE” – If he [rAvaNa] causes even the slightest insult to your stature of being the king, of what use to me is the object (sIthA) which you went searching for?
What is the cause for his such attachment towards us?
- gyAlaththAr … – The reason for his equal attachment towards distinctly different entities [those in material realm and those in spiritual realm], though his relationship with everyone is common, is that AzhwAr is on the earth (bhUmip pirAtti), which is his mattress; hence there is special attachment. While his being the Lord is congruent with their [nithyasUris, in paramapadham] being the servitors, just as parents would show more compassion towards their children who have shortcomings, emperumAn also shows more attachment towards samsAris [as their abilities, intelligence etc are less in comparison with nithyasUris]. As said in mahOpanishath, “sa EkAki na ramEtha” (SrIman nArAyaNa, who was alone during deluge, was not joyful) emperumAn was not happy even though SrIvaikuNtam was very much existing.
- thaN thAmarai sumakkum pAdhap perumAnai – The sarvasvAmi (lord of all) who is having divine feet which are held by cool lotus flower. It appears that the lotus flower lost the competition with the lotus feet in coolness, fragrance and freshness and in turn, are carrying the lotus feet. AzhwAr already said in thiruvAimozhi 3.1.2 “thAmarai nin kaN pAdham kai ovvA” (lotus flower does not compare to your divine eyes, divine feet and divine hands).
- sol mAlaigaL – Previous AchAryas explained this as AzhwAr saying – When emperumAn said to me “Why don’t you praise me with a poem?” I would at once compile a poem, for such competent me [This is called Asukavi – one who is able to instantaneously write a poem]; But, bhattar explained it as AzhwAr saying – As said in thiruvAimozhi 7.9.4 “ennAgiyE thappudhal inRith thanaik kavi thAn solli” (Through me, you praised yourself with poems which have no defects), since it is sarvESvaran who is singing [through me], there is no surprise in instantaneously singing his praises; but when he acknowledges and mercifully glances at me and says “You sing a poem in praise of me”, I can stay firm without becoming overwhelmed and recite a poem in praise of him – for such me. For me who can recite poems which match his wealth and tenderness which are acquired as a result of his lordship over the spiritual and material realms.
- ini yAvar nigar agal vAnaththE – Are those who stay firm in paramapadham and sing as in thaiththirIya upanishath “aham annam aham annam aham annam” (I am the food to be enjoyed by bhagavAn [repeated thrice]), a match for me? Even if everyone from the vast spiritual realm were compared with me, are they a match for me? Since paramapadham (spiritual realm) is known as “theLi visumbu” (the spiritual realm where every one is perfectly wise), it will naturally make them recite [perfectly]; but since this samsAram (material realm) is known as “iruL tharumA gyAlam” (the world which gives ignorance), this will deviate everyone from such recitals [as I stay in this material realm and recite firmly, I am greater than them]. AzhwAr already said in thiruviruththam 79 “sIdhanaiyE thozhuvAr viNNuLArilum sIriyarE” (those who worship cool natured emperumAn only [in this realm], are better than the residents of paramapadham).
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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