SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai
AzhwAr’s divine mind took a step back saying that if this is the position of the great nithyasUris with regard to emperumAn, do I have the qualification to approach him? AzhwAr tells his divine mind “you need not fear like that. emperumAn is such a person of easy access that even animals approach him. Hence stay focussed on that”.
Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:
pOdhaRindhu vAnarangaL pUnjunai pukku Angalarndha
pOdharindhu koNdu EththumbOdhu uLLam pOdhu
maNivEngadavan malar adikkE sella
aNivEngadavan pEr Ayndhu
Word by Word Meaning
vAnarangaL – monkeys
pOdhu aRindhu – waking up early in the morning (and getting up)
pU sunai pukku – entering ponds with flowers (and having a bath)
Angu alarndha – just then blossomed
pOdhu – flowers
arindhu koNdu – plucking and offering them
Eththum – will worship
uLLam – Oh mind!
pOdhu – you too start (to carry out like that)
maNi vEngadavan – thiruvEngadavan who is like a blue coloured gem
pEr – divine names
Ayndhu – meditating on
vEngadavan malar adikkE sella – ensuring that they reach the lotus-like divine feet of
emperumAn
pOdhu aNi – offer the flowers
vyAkyAnam
pOdhu aRindhu – just as sages get rid of their rajO guNam (being passionate) and thamO guNam (being ignorant) and have only sAthvika guNam (being noble) knowing that it is brahma muhUrtham (the time span between 4 and 6 in the morning), the monkeys also become aware of the time and do not get sleep during this time frame, like EkAgis (solitary people).
vAnarangaL – monkeys worship at the thirumalai hills where nithyasUris come and worship with affection.
pUnjunai pukku – entering ponds which have flowers. Just as sages take a dip in the water unmindful of the chillness, the monkeys too have a bath.
Angu – in that place
alarndha pOdhu – beautiful flowers which are neither buds nor fully blossomed.
arindhu – plucking them, they will worship. They will approach emperumAn with these.
uLLam pOdhu – Oh my mind! Step out! Do not step back in the time available.
What are we going to do? You also, like those monkeys, with beautiful flowers …..
maNi vEngadavan malaradikkE sella – ensuring that the flowers reach the beautiful divine feet of thiruvEngadavan who has the complexion of a blue gem
aNi – while doing that
vEngadavan pEr Ayndhu koNdu – meditating on the divine names of thiruvEngadavan, wondering at his simplicity, we shall ensure that we offer the flowers to his divine feet. We shall surrender to him with flowers.
If the text is taken as aNi vEngadavan instead of maNi vEngadavan, the meaning will change to: thiruvEngadamudaiyAn who is like a decorative jewel to the world. We can also interpret this as – even when going towards thiruvEngadavan’s flower-like divine feet, offer (offer such that they reach thirvEngadavan’s divine feet).
We shall take up the 73rd pAsuram next.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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