SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> Fifth Centum >> Seventh decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In the fourth pAsuram, AzhwAr shows some examples where emperumAn protects without any expectation and says “unless you protect me like that I cannot do anything”.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, AzhwAr says “How can I attain you who are the saviour of your devotees, through my desire as means?”.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
See nanjIyar‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Fourth pAsuram. emperumAn says “You say that I should protect you with my causeless grace; have I done that anywhere before?” and AzhwAr highlights a couple of examples and says “Did you not do those? You should do the same for me too”.
pAsuram
mARu sEr padai nURRuvar manga Or aivarkkAy anRu mAyap pOr paNNi
nIRu seydha endhAy nilam kINda ammAnE!
thERu gyAnaththar vEdha vELvi aRAch chirIvaramangala nagar
ERi vIRRirundhAy unnai engeydhak kUvuvanE?
Listen
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
mARu – being inimical
sEr – gathered
padai – having armies
nURRuvar – dhuryOdhana and his brothers, one hundred of them
manga – to die
Or – lonely
aivarkku – the five pANdavas
Ay – determined to help
anRu – back then (when they were affected by dhuryOdhana et al)
mAyam – amazing acts (such as changing day into night)
pOr – battle
paNNi – performed
(as said in thiruvAimozhi 3.2.3 “ellAch chEnaiyum” (all the armies))
nIRu – to become dust
seydha – made
endhAy – being great benefactor
nilam – bhUmi (earth, which could do nothing like the pANdavas)
kINda – lifted it up during the danger of total deluge
ammAnE – being the lord
(for people like me who are subsequent to those times)
thERu – having clarity (in prAypyam (goal) and prApakam (means))
gyAnaththar – of those who have knowledge
vEdham – vaidhika (as per vEdham)
vELvi – worship of bhagvAn [vELvi – yAgam – worship of bhagavAn]
aRA – happening continuously
sirIvaramangala nagar – in SrIvaramangala nagar
ERi – entered there (just as they have entered there)
vIRRu – showing distinction (that he is worshippable and they are the ones who worship him)
irundhAy – Oh one who is present!
unnai – you (who are engaged in protection without any expectation and who cannot be attained by any other means)
engu – where
eydha – attain
kUvuvan – will I call out?
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
Being great benefactor, back when dhuryOdhana et al were inimical towards pANdavas, you performed the battle with amazing acts with determination to help the lonely pANdavas and kill dhuryOdhana et al and changed them to dust; being the lord you lifted bhUmi up during the danger of total deluge; Oh one who entered SrIvaramangala nagar where worship of bhagavAn is performed continuously as per vEdham by those who have clear knowledge, and is present there showing distinction! [without your help] How will I call out for you and attain you?
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
- mARu sEr padai nURRuvar – The hundred brothers who arrived with an inimical army. The army did not just come to help them, but were individually inimical towards krishNa. padai – Army. Alternative explanation – The hundred brothers who are inimical [towards krishNa] with their weapons. padai – weapon. As said in mahAbhAratham “dhvishadhannam na bhOkthavyam …” (krishNa said – Neither should one accept food from enemies nor should serve them food; Oh dhuryOdhana! since you considered pANdavas as your enemies and as pANdavas are my life [you are my enemy]”), krishNa considered them as his own enemies.
- manga – to die. He destroyed them to be not seen similar to darkness [which cannot be seen].
- Or aivarkkAy – Though both kauravas and pANdavas are equally related to krishNa, he sided with the humbler side of pANdavas. The five brothers who were so lonely that even krishNa, their own sArathi (charioteer), placed himself as secondary having vowed not to take up arms.
- aivarkkAy – kaNNan emperumAn remained fully at their disposal.
- anRu – Back when the kauravas were ready to attack in the war.
- mAyap pOr paNNi – It is said as amazing war as well as mischievous war; that is, his acts of changing day into night, vowing not to take up arms and still taking up arms, and showing the lifelines of the enemies.
- nIRu seydha – Turned them (enemies) to ashes. As said in thiruvAimozhi 6.10.2 “kURAy nIRAy nilanAgi” (first will cut them, turn them into ashes and then flatten them fully to the ground).
- endhAy – His considering the destruction of kauravas for the sake of pANdavas, as his own gain.
emperumAn says “Whatever you said is correct. But were they [pANdavas] all not obedient towards me?”, and AzhwAr replies “You protected the earth, without even looking for such obedience”.
- nilam kINda ammAnE – Alright, you can leave that aside since you can cite a reason in the case of pANdavas; what can you say about this earth [which is considered as an achEthana – insentient, and hence cannot show obedience towards you], which was consumed by deluge?
- nilam kINda – Did you not help earth which neither requested you to help to start with nor showed gratitude for your help? In this case, only you have attachment towards earth and the earth on its own cannot reciprocate.
- ammAnE – Did you not help the earth out of your own mercy thinking “I cannot lose my property”?
- thERu gyAnaththar … – Those who are very clear in being able to treat anushtAnam (practice of principles) and ananushtAnam (disregard for principles and not putting them into practice) equally. That is, anananushtAnam is not the means [to attain bhagavAn]. Just as knowing well that “engaging in forbidden activities is not a means to liberation”, they would remain “engaging in ordained activities is not a means to liberation”. But then, why do they practice ordained activities [only]? That is, to fulfil the orders of ISvara. Now, just as forbidden activities will stimulate one’s rajas (passion) and thamas (ignorance), ordained activities will stimulate one’s sathvam (goodness); since a chEthana cannot survive without engaging in actions [it is better to engage in ordained activities]. As said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 14.17 “sathvAth sanjAyathE gyAnam” (activities in sathva guNam (mode of goodness) will lead to true knowledge), since sAthvika activities lead to gyAnam, these must be performed.
- sirIvaramangala nagar ERi vIRRirundhAy – He too has arrived in this dhivyadhESam like those knowledgeable persons and is residing there amidst them.
- vIRRirundhAy – Being seated joyfully, thinking “How fortunate am I to be living amidst these people!”.
- unnai – You who cannot be attained by any means other than yourself.
- engu eydhak kUvuvanE – Only if I have done anything to have you in this manner in this dhivyadhESam, I can do something to attain my goal. As you have done so much until now, you should fulfil my subsequent desires too, out of your own mercy.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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