SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai
In this pAsuram AzhwAr describes the state of nithyasUris (permanent dwellers of SrIvaikuNtam) who carry out service to emperumAn as their svabhAvam (nature), unlike dhEvas (celestial people) who come to emperumAn for seeking solution to their problems and leave. In the earlier pAsuram, AzhwAr spoke about the dhEvas who carry out service to emperumAn in order to get some benefits from him. In this pAsuram he speaks about nithyasUris who transform themselves in order to serve emperumAn.
Let us enjoy the pAsuram and its meanings:
senRAl kudaiyAm irundhAl singAsanamAm
ninRAl maravadiyAm nIL kadaluL enRum
puNaiyAm maNiviLakkAm pUm pattAm pulgum
aNaiyAm thirumARku aravu
Word by Word Meanings
thirumARku – for emperumAn who is with pirAtti (SrI mahAlakshmi)
aravu – thiruvananthAzhwAn (Adhi SEshan)
senRAl kudaiyAm – is an umbrella when (emperumAn) goes out
irundhAl singAsanamAm – (he) is the throne when he sits
ninRAl – when emperumAn stands
maravadiyAm – (he) is the divine sandals
nIL kadaluL – in the expansive ocean
enRum – whenever emperumAn reclines
puNaiyAm – (he) is the float
maNi viLakkAm – (he) is the auspicious lamp
pUm pattam – (he) is the beautiful divine dress
pulgum aNaiyAm – (he) is the pillow that emperumAn embraces
vyAkyAnam
senRAl kudaiyAm – thiruvananthAzhwAn assumes various forms appropriate to emperumAn’s needs to carry out service. When emperumAn goes out on foot, he will be his umbrella. AdhiSEshan cannot tell emperumAn “I want to be an umbrella. Come and stand under me” as it will be contrary to servitorship. Hence when emperumAn leaves for some place, he becomes his umbrella. The opinion here is that services rendered to emperumAn would be as per emperumAn’s wishes and not as per the servitor’s.
irundhAL singAsanamAm – when emperumAn desires to sit, AdhiSEshan will be his throne.
ninRal maravadiyAm – when emperumAn desires to stand, AdhiSEshan will be his sandals.
ninRal – after emperumAn stands, AdhiSEshan will be his sandals.
nIL kadaluL enRum puNaiyAm – in the expansive ocean, when emperumAn wants to rest awhile, he will be the soft mattress. puNai would also mean a float (the meaning then will be that he will be a float in thiruppARkadal (milky ocean) for emperumAn)
maNi viLakkAm – AdhiSEshan will be an auspicious lamp. There is a variant in the phrase, with aNi viLakkAm also used. In this case the meaning will change to beautiful lamp. If emperumAn wants to see objects, AdhiSEshan will become auspicious lamp.
pUm pattAm – if emperumAn desires in his divine mind to wear a beautiful dress, AdhiSEshan will be his dress. He will become his yellow silky dress which indicates that emperumAn is the supreme entity.
pulgum aNaiyAm – when emperumAn desires to recline, he will become the pillow. If there is any (feigned) discord between emperumAn and pirAtti, AdhiSEshan will become the pillow for emperumAn to embrace and forget the discord. Alternatively, it can be construed that emperumAn will embrace AdhiSEshan (as a pillow) due to which discord will arise between emperumAn and pirAtti.
thirumARku – AdhiSEshan carries out service to both emperumAn and pirAtti. Just as lakshmaNa carried out service to rAma when he was joined by sIthA, AdhiSEshan also carries out service to emperumAn when he is conjoined with pirAtti. Just as golden bar can be converted into ornaments as we desire, AdhiSEshan also transforms into umbrella, throne, sandals, float, lamp, divine dress, pillow etc while carrying out service to emperumAn [and pirAtti]. emperumAn and pirAtti need not feel shy due to the presence of AdhiSEshan when they are engaged in playing with each other and he remains as their mattress. Just as dwarfs and humpbacks go around the private quarters of royalties when the King and Queen are experiencing pleasurable moments without disturbing them, AdhiSEshan also remains without intruding.
What has been mentioned for AdhiSEshan is applicable to other nithyasUris too.
We shall consider the 54th pAsuram next.
adiyEn krishNa ramanuja dhAsan
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Very clearly explained. The essence of the Pasuram namely how Adiseshan as a Nityasuri waits to serve the Lord according to His desire, is lucidly brought out in the commentary. Thank you.