SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai
AzhwAr was asked “You say that nArAyaNa is both the means and object of attainment. But many in the world do not believe this. What is the reason for this?”. AzhwAr responds “This is the handiwork of people who belong to contrary philosophies who are unfit even to talk about him”.
Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:
nArAyanan ennai ALi naragaththuch
chErAmal kAkkum thirumAL than pErAnA
pEsappeRAdha piNachchamayar pEsakkEttu
AsaippattAzhwAr palar
Word for Word Meanings
nArAyaNan – one who has the divine name of nArAyaNa
ennai ALi – one who has made me as his servitor
naragaththu sErAmal kAKkum – one who protects (his followers) from coming to samsAram (materialistic realm)
thirumAL than – thirumAl’s
pEr Ana – divine names
pEsa peRAdha – those who are unfortunate in not reciting (such divine names)
piNam – walking like a corpse
samayar – those who do not believe in vEdhas or who misinterpret vEdhas
pEsa – babbling
kEttu – hearing such words
palar – many people
Asaippattu – desiring to be such disbelievers or misinterpreters of vEdhas
AzhwAr – they will also fall into that rut.
vyAkyAnam
nArayaNan ennai ALi – AzhwAr says that he is not bothered about the others. SrIman nArayaNa has made him his servitor.
nArayaNan ennai ALi – emperumAn, who is the lord of all the worlds, has such deep affection for AzhwAr that he kept AzhwAr on one side of a weighing balance and all the others on the other side. When such is the case, why should AzhwAr bother about the others!
nArAyaNan ennai ALi – emperumAnAr (bhagavath rAmAnujar) in line with this verse, wrote in his SaraNAgathi gadhyam “akila jagath swAmin asmath swAmin” (emperumAn is the lord of all the worlds; he is also my lord)
When asked as to how emperumAn protected him, AzhwAr says..
naragaththuch chErAmal kAkkum – by ensuring that I do not get involved with samsAram (materialistic realm) which is like cruel hell, emperumAn protected me. This samsAram is more cruel than the other hells such as rUru, etc. Those hells are very well known for their cruelty and hence one would be wary of them. In the case of samsAram, superficially it would appear that it is very good and hence people would think that they need not fear it and indulge in their desires. Thus this samsAram is very cruel. Both in the previous pAsuram and in this pAsuram, it has been mentioned that nArAyaNa is both the means and the object of attainment. There is a small difference between the two pAsurams. Means would mean both granting of what is desired and removal of hurdles. The previous pAsuram stressed on granting of what is desired in the verse vIdAkkum meypporuLdhAn nArAyaNan while in this pAsuram the stress is on the removal of hurdle nArAyaNan ennai ALi naragaththuch chErAmal kAkkum.
AzhwAr was asked as to why emperumAn is coming now to protect him from hell when he had allowed AzhwAr to be in this hell from time immemorial. AzhwAr says..
thirumAL – since he is the consort of purushakArabhUthai (one who is playing the recommendatory role) SrI mahAlakshmi, due to that relationship he has made AzhwAr as his servitor.
thirumAL – one who is infatuated with SrI mahAlakshmi. Even though he is nArAyaNa [supreme being] since he is also totally affectionate towards her, could he bear if she frowns? How can he look up her face if he disregards AzhwAr who is her servitor?
nArAyaNan than pErAna – the divine names of emperumAn which denote his supremacy and his infatuation with her.
pErAna – his thousand names as denoted by the verses “dhEvO nAmasahasravAn” (lord with a thousand names), “pErAyiram koNdadhOr pIdudaiyan nArAyaNan” (nArAyaNa who has a thousand names due to which he has greatness), “pErum OrAyiram piRa pala udaiya nArAyaNan” (nArAyaNa who has a thousand names and many other qualities).
pEsappeRAdha piNachchamayar – those belonging to other philosophies, who do not have the good fortune as a result of which they are like corpses.
piNachchamayar – this could be construed as those belonging to decaying philosophies (like a corpse)
nArAyaNan …..pErAna pEsappeRAdha piNachchamayar – isn’t it apt to call those who do not know him who is the only life for all the worlds and those philosophies which they belong to, as being like corpse!
pEsakkEttu – hearing that whatever has been said in vEdhas is not correct and what has been said outside the vEdhas only is true.
Asaippattu – being drawn towards them [who speak against vEdhas], thinking that only these are true
AzhwAr palar – There are many who get drawn towards the samsAram, in this way.
We will move on to the 15th pAsuram next.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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