thiruvAimozhi – 5.8 – ArAvamudhE

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Full series >> Fifth Centum

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Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

See nampiLLai‘s introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

See nampiLLai‘s introduction.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

In the eighth decad – Previously,  AzhwAr prays to vAnamAmalai perumAL‘s divine feet, and became pleased on seeing emperumAn manifesting his divine feet to be the upAyam (means) as well; still since he did not acquire any further experience and became distressed, (seeing that) ArAvamudhAzhwAr (thirukkudandhai emperumAn) manifested his divine beauty and AzhwAr thinks “let us have our desire fulfilled there”; he then highlights the following aspects of emperumAn:

1. ArAvamudhAzhwAr’s unconditional relationship [with self]
2. the radiance of the incarnations undertaken [by emperumAn] due to such relationship
3. how emperumAn made AzhwAr to desire for emperumAn only and nothing else
4. ArAvamudhAzhwAr’s unlimited greatness
5. his having lotus eyes which highlight his greatness
6. his infinite enjoyability which is revered by nithyasUris
7. his distinguished divine form which reveals such enjoyability
8. how emperumAn revealed AzhwAr’s ananyagathithvam (not having any other refuge) even when undesirable effects occur
9. how emperumAn makes an AthmA to allow emperumAn [to help] and enjoy emperumAn
10. the greatly tasteful internal experience of emperumAn

Meditating upon these aspects AzhwAr calls out to ArAvamudhAzhwAr who is in close proximity due to the internal vision, with great grief saying “emperumAn with such qualities has not given me the experience of his glance, embrace etc” and concludes thinking firmly that in all cases there is no means other than the previously revealed divine feet of emperumAn.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nampiLLai‘s introduction.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction

AzhwAr fell like an uprooted tree at the divine feet of vAnamAmalai emperumAn who is residing in sirIvaramangala nagar and surrendered having no other refuge; though AzhwAr surrendered with great grief, emperumAn did not appear in front of AzhwAr; just as those who fell in the ocean will survive by holding on to a boat, AzhwAr survived thinking “even in this situation emperumAn ensured that I don’t have the confusion of thinking that the goal can be attained through other means or going to others for help” and such survival helped him reach thirukkudandhai. A question is raised here – since he did not have his desire fulfilled here (sirIvaramangala nagar), why should he go to thirukkudandhai? The answer for that is – AzhwAr is not of the nature where he loses his faith and taste due to nAsthikyam (not having faith in SAsthram/bhagavAn) thinking “We surrendered once, but it did not yield the expected result”; AzhwAr thinks “emperumAn who has mercifully descended here to fulfil the desires of his devotees, will not fail to fulfil our desire; but he may have made up his mind to help us in certain places; this being the case, if he does not help here, he will help us elsewhere”; now, when SrI bharathAzhwAn eagerly went thinking “we will bring back SrI rAma and crown him”, emperumAn being independent, said “I will not return until after fourteen years”; hence, AzhwAr thought “even if he delays for some time, he will fulfil our desire”, and entered thirukkudandhai thinking “as soon as we enter thirukkudandhai [and surrender to ArAvamudhAzhwAr], our desires will all be fulfilled; nothing to worry”; SrI bharathAzhwAn was grieving thinking “I have become the administrator for the kingdom [instead of SrI rAma]” and was also fearing thinking “the citizens of the kingdom would blame me for grabbing the kingdom through his mother and sending perumAL (SrI rAma) in exile to the forest”; in this manner he thought “If I go and surrender unto the divine feet of SrI rAma, would he not consider me as his brother, disciple or servant, and show mercy upon me joyfully!”; thinking this way, just as a warrior will gather all his armies [while going to the battlefield], he brought along the residents of SrI ayOdhyA who were grieving in separation of SrI rAma, so that SrI rAma will change his mind and return to SrI ayOdhyA on seeing everyone’s grief; SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 101.12 “EbiScha sachivai: …” (Your highness who is worshipped by all these ministers and me, should show your mercy upon me who am your younger brother, disciple and servant”; [at that time] just as perumAL asked caringly “are you administering the kingdom tactically? are you consulting the ministers while taking decision?” and did not give any chance for SrI bharathAzhwAn to speak, when AzhwAr entered, emperumAn did not open his divine eyes broadly and mercifully to shower his cool glance upon AzhwAr, did not open his divine mouth to speak a few words and did not embrace AzhwAr [as AzhwAr was expecting]; [so, who was fortunate to have such interactions?] as said in SrIvishNu purANam 5.17.12 “mAmakrUrEthi vakshyathi” (krishNa will call me “Oh akrUra!“), akrUra who grew up eating the enemy’s (kamsa’s) food had his dream fulfilled; but AzhwAr did not have his desires such as emperumAn embracing him etc, fulfilled and hence became distressed, being attached to emperumAn due to his enjoyabilty, and being grieved due to emperumAn’s beauty etc [which could not be enjoyed], like a nursing baby will cry and suffer when it does not get mother’s proximity, AzhwAr became weakened in the presence of emperumAn and called out, and concludes wondering “how many more places do I have to visit to have refuge?”.

Each pAsuram is discussed subsequently.