iraNdAm thiruvandhAdhi – 55 – enRu maRandhaRiyEn

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avathArikai

AzhwAr says that after emperumAn desired to dwell in AzhwAr’s divine mind, AzhwAr became full in both knowledge and strength without any shortcoming. He prays to emperumAn that as a consequence, emperumAn should carry out the means for AzhwAr attaining him. He says that emperumAn helped him to think of him in this world where it is very rare to think of emperumAn. Now, emperumAn should himself provide the means for AzhwAr to attain him.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

enRu maRandhaRiyEn Ezh piRappum eppozhudhum
ninRu ninaippu ozhiyA nIrmaiyAl venRi
adal Azhi koNda aRivanE inbak
kadal Azhi nI aruLik kAN

Word by Word Meaning

venRi – being always victorious
adal – being in combat (with enemies)
Azhi – chakkaram (disc)
koNda – having in the hand
aRivanE – Oh the omniscient!
nI – you, who are like this
Ezh piRappum – in all births
eppozhudhum – in all states
ninRu ninaiipu ozhiyA nIrmaiyAl – never forgetting to hold me in your thoughts
enRum maRandhaRiyEn – I never forgot you
inbam kadal Azhi – the huge ocean of happiness
aruLik kAN – you should bestow on me

vyAkyAnam

enRu maRandhaRiyEn – I have never known forgetting you. It is mentioned that all that has been lost would be forgotten if he is seen. AzhwAs was asked whether the reason for this is as mentioned in SAsthram, viz. SravNam (listening), mananam (thinking), nidhidhyAsanam (meditating) about bhagavath vishayam (matters relating to emperumAn) followed by upAsanam and dhruvAnusmruthi (thinking without any break, which is the final state of bhakthi yOgam to worship emperumAn). AzhwAr says

EzhpiRappum eppozhudhum ninRu ninaippozhiyA nIrmaiyAl – in all my states you [emperumAn] had come in front of me and graced me sayhing “let him not forget us anytime and attain us”. Since this thought of yours [about me] never changes, I am having the quality of not forgetting you. SrI bhagavath gIthA 15-15 says “maththasmruthirgyAnampOhanancha”(memory, knowledge and forgetfulness all emanate from me). Also, emperumAn has said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 7-26vEdhAham samathIthAni varthamAnAni cha arjuna, bhavishyANi cha bhUthAni mAm thu vEdha na kaSchana”(only I know those who existed, who are existing and who will exist. Oh arjuna! There is none who knows me truly)! As mentioned in SrIvishNu purANam 1-8-28 “bhOdhOyam vishNuriyam bhudhdhi:” (this vishNu himself is knowledge. She (mahAlakshmi) is intelligence) emperumAn is termed knowledge. thirumazhisai AzhwAr has mercifully mentioned in  thiruchchandha viruththam 101 “ninna pAdha pangayam nirantharam ninaippadhAga nI ninaikka vENdumE“ (you have to bless me so that I am able to think of your divine lotus feet all the time);  nammAzhwAr has mercifully mentioned in thiruvAimozhi 1-10-10maRappaRa ennuLLE manninAn” (he stayed put in my heart such that I can never forget him). Even the knowledge for the chEthana has to be taken from emperumAn’s treasure [of knowledge]. It is not only that knowledge is subservient to dharmam (righteousness); AthmA’s dharma bhUtha gyAnam (knowledge through senses) is also subservient to emperumAn. When his existence itself is under emperumAn’s control, it goes without saying that his knowledge is also under emperumAn’s control. Thus, AzhwAr says that he did not attain emperumAn through karma yOgam (path of deeds), gyAna yOgam (path of knowledge) and the resultant bhakthi yOgam (path of devotion) but through emperumAn himself who is sidhdhOpAyam (readily available as means).

venRi adalAzhi koNda aRivanEemperumAn says “We have done what we were supposed to do; can you compel us to do more? ”. AzhwAr responds “You have the weapon which removes all hurdles [discus]. More than that, you know about yourself fully and you also know about me. You also know that I cannot attain you through my efforts and that I can attain you only through your grace. Aren’t you the omnipotent and the omniscient? ” Hasn’t jithanthE SlOkam 1-6 said about emperumAn  “naiva kinchith parOkshanthE prathyakshOsi na kasyachith; naiva kinchidhasidhdhanthE na cha sidhdhOsi kasyachith” (there is nothing that you have not seen; you are not seen by anyone; there is  nothing that has not been attained by you; you are not attained by anyone)! Just as agyAnam  (ignorance) and aSakthi (powerlessness) are chEthana’s qualities, gyAnam (knowledge) and Sakthi (power) are emperumAn’s qualities. AzhwAr says that he has not seen any shortcoming in emperumAn’s knowledge and power. Hence

inbak kadal Azhi nI aruLik kAN – you, who had granted the knowledge without any shortcoming, to attain you, should also enable me to have unlimited happiness out of attaining you, with which I can enjoy you. Just as emperumAn removed the contraction in knowledge, he should also enable as mentioned in thaiththirIya upanishath Anandhavalli 7 “EshahyEvAnandhayAthi” (he – emperumAn  – himself makes jIvAthmA ecstatic). You should grant me the ecstasy born out of seeing you. When you carry out the difficult task of enabling me to see you, can you not carry out the easier task of granting the consequent happiness? Both the words kadal  and Azhi mean ocean. The combination of these two words kadalAzhi thus refers to excessive happiness, Viz. Ocean of happiness.

We shall take up the 56th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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