SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> Sixth Centum >> Tenth decad
pAsuram
agalagillEn iRaiyum enRu alar mEl mangai uRai mArbA!
nigaril pugazhAy! ulagam mUnRudaiyAy! ennai ALvAnE!
nigaril amarar munik kaNangaL virumbum thiruvEngadaththAnE!
pugal onRillA adiyEn un adik kIzh amarndhu pugundhEnE.
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Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai (Continuation)
[We will continue to see the third explanation for this pAsuram here.]
- pugal onRu illA adiyEn – The nature of the person who surrenders, i.e. the one identified in prapadhyE [implicitly], is explained here. ananya gathithvam (lack of any other refuge) and ananyArha SEshathvam (exclusive servitude) which highlight the true nature are explained here. Should both “pugal onRu illA” (lack of any other refuge) and “adiyEn” (servitude) be individually highlighted? AzhwAr is doing so due to the striking reality in the material realm and due to the greatness in acquiring knowledge/devotion through bhagavAn‘s mercy.
- un adik kIzh – The divine form which is highlighted by “charaNau” is explained here. The divine form is the auspicious abode, which instills the inclination towards him after eliminating the inclination towards worldly pleasures, which nurtures that inclination, which eliminates the hurdles for the attainment of the goal, which accepts the eternal service after reaching paramapadham, and which is the target of sadhA paSyanthi (constant vision of the residents of paramapadham). It is amazing that AzhwAr started saying to his own divine heart in thiruvAimozhi 1.1.1 “thuyaraRu sudaradi thozhudhezhu en mananE” and while pursuing emperumAn, he held on to emperumAn’s divine feet as seen in thiruvAimozhi 6.10.1 “una pAdham kUdumARu kURAy” (tell me the means to reach your divine feet), thiruvAimozhi 6.10.2 “un adi sEr vaNNam aruLAy” (Bless me to reach your divine feet), thiruvAimozhi 6.10.3 “un adi sEra adiyERku AvA ennAyE” (Take pity upon me to reach your divine feet), thiruvAimozhi 6.10.4 “pUvAr kazhalgaL porundhumARu puNarAyE” (ensure that I reach your divine feet which are covered with flowers), thiruvAimozhi 6.10.5 “una pAdham adiyEn sErvadhu ennAL” (when will I reach your divine feet), thiruvAimozhi 6.10.6 “maN aLandha iNaith thAmaraigaL kANbadhaRku” (to see the divine feet which measured the world), thiruvAimozhi 6.10.6 “ennAL un adikkaN adiyEn mEvuvadhE” (when will I fully fit in your divine feet), thiruvAimozhi 6.10.7 “nodiyAr pozhudhum una pAdham kANa nOlAdhERRenE” (Though I have not put in any effort to see your divine feet, I cannot bear without seeing them even for a moment), thiruvAimozhi 6.10.8 “nOlAdhARREn una pAdham kANa” (Though I have not put in any effort to see you divine feet, I cannot bear without seeing them), thiruvAimozhi 6.10.9 “adiyEn una pAdham agalagillEn iRaiyum” (I cannot leave your divine feet even for a moment) and finally in thiruvAimozhi 6.10.10 “un adik kIzh amarndhu pugundhEn” (I surrendered unto your divine feet).
- amarndhu – Does “being seated” indicate the aversion towards other goals as manifested towards other means? Since that is not relevant in this context, that is not what is said here. The meaning is – Just as “sarvadharmAn parithyajya” (give up all means) and “SaraNam vraja” (accept [me] as the means) were used, “Eka” was also spoken [indicating emperumAn only as the means, eliminating any doubt in the actual surrender being the means], this indicates how thiruvEngadamudaiyAn’s divine feet and AzhwAr‘s head were closely fitting with each other as in the case of a fastened hook and the eye (where the hook is connected) of an ornament.
- pugundhEnE – AzhwAr who knows that emperumAn remains inseparable from him as antharyAmi (in-dwelling super soul) and having AzhwAr as his body, is saying “pugundhEn” , not considering a physical travel and entry; it is highlighting the knowledge with full faith of his being the cause for the whole universe, his being the antharyAmi of all and his being the protector of all. gathyarthA budhyarthA: – words indicating travel actually means focussing the mind.
- pugundhEnE – The present tense in “prapadhyE” is not important; as said in “adaindhEn” (reached), [the past tense in] “pugundhEn” (entered) is the key [while SaraNAgathi must be done only once, the present tense in dhvayam is to emphasise that one repeats dhvayam due to its enjoyability].
[To highlight the greatness of pirAtti, nampiLLai quotes SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 116.44 and elaborates it beautifully]
- pApAnAm vA – This is pirAtti‘s abhaya pradhAnam [Just as SrI rama offers protection to those who surrender unto him, sIthAp pirAtti also does the same]. thiruvadi (hanuman) informed the joyful news to pirAtti saying “rAvaNa was killed and perumAL became victorious”. pirAtti being overjoyed, remained speechless with hiccups and sobbing. hanuman asked her “why is your highness not replying me who informed the most joyful news?” as in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 116.15 “kimnu chinthayasE dhEvi kim thvam mAm nAbibhAshasE“. pirAtti said “as I cannot pay you back in a fitting manner [for the favour you have done], I remain speechless”. hanuman, thinking “let me request my desire to be fulfilled” said “these rAkshasis (demoniac ladies) are so cruel to have tortured you previously; they should have been killed before rAvaNa; even he is not as bad as they; now they remain humble as a snake which has its hoods contracted. I want to torture them fully. I want to do as said in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 116.33 ‘mushti:pANibiSchaiva’, punching them with my fists, kicking them with my feet, tearing them with my nails, biting them with my teeth and as said in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 94.22 ‘chinnam binnam Sarair dhagdham’ (cut, blown away, burnt and destroyed by the arrows of SrI rAma)). I am desiring to punish them as those who commit offences towards bhagavAn and bhagavathas are punished; when I was here previously, since the opportunity was no there, I let them go. If you let me do these, you would have shown me complete gratitude; so kindly give your divine order to do this”. Hearing this she mercifully said “pApAnAm vA“.
- pApAnAm vA SubhAnAm vA – sIthAp pirAtti said “Let them be sinners in your view or noble persons in my view, that [being sinner] itself will be desirable; as said in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 18.3 ‘dhOshO yadhyapi thasya syAth’ (Even if faults are there in him, let them be). Only the one who is dirty deserves to bathe; only when they are sinners, my acceptance is needed for them. If they are already virtuous, would they need your tail [they would already have the option to hold on to the tail of the cow which will help the virtuous soul to cross over the river of urine, stool, dirt etc after death]; their pious deeds will help them; only for those who are helpless, our help is required”.
- vadhArhANAm – hanuman asked “Is your highness suggesting to discard the dharma SAsthram (the portion of SAsthram which highlights our conduct) which suggests that the offenders should be punished and others should be let off?”, and pirAtti responded “Are you suggesting the viSEsha SAsthram (special case) which suggests that those who are surrendered must be protected?”. She further asked “Are the words spoken by SrI rAma’s on the seashore saying in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 8.3 ‘nathyajEyam‘ (I will not abandon even if he has faults) to SrI vibhIshaNAzhwAn who surrendered, like the noise of the sea [i.e incohesive and insignificant]”.
- plavangama – Since hanuman was still not convinced, she says “hari! hari!” (hari means monkey). She is saying plavangama to indicate hanuman having the nature of monkey’s mind which keeps changing desires. You are not born in the ikshvAku dynasty which consults with vaSishta et al; you are not born in janaka dynasty which has many yOgis; aren’t you born in the clan of monkeys which jump from branch to branch! She is saying that the greatness of SaraNAgathi is not known for such persons. [Is calling hanuman as plavangama an insult?] The same pirAtti who previously called him “vAnarOththama!” (best among monkeys) is now calling him “hari! hari!” and plavangama. Even SrI rAma who is among the great kings and is supremely independent, dare not manifest such anger in front of us; yet, can you being born in monkey clan, be so angry?
- kAryam karuNam AryENa – Leave aside their puNya (virtues) and pApa (sins); see their helpless state now. See how frightened they are thinking “what are we going to suffer in hanuman’s hands?”. They have no other saviour. We should now show compassion!
- AryENa – Why am I placed in this difficult situation to teach you all these! [i.e. You know these already]
- AryENa – Is it false that you are aindhra vyAkaraNa paNditha [most scholarly person]? While you have studied and heard all of these, it is your involvement in SrI rAma’s entourage which made you speak you like this. She implies that, after her departure from there, they have become devoid of compassion.
- na kaSchin nAparAdhyathi – Who does not have faults in this material realm! Can anyone wait for the waves to stop, before bathing in the sea? Is SrI the matchless [and prideful] perumAL (SrI rAma) faultless? Am I faultless? Are you faultless?
- What is the fault of perumAL? He decided to go to the forest; iLaiyaperumAL (lakshmaNa) followed him like those who engage in madal; I too followed him to be in seclusion with him with great eagerness; [but] he remained separated from me for ten months; even if he did not come, he could have sent his arrow towards lankA [to destroy it]; the fault lies in him to be able to remain separated for such a long period.
- My fault lies in speaking like this to you, instead of remaining totally at his disposal.
- Your fault – When you try to punish those servants who simply obeyed the orders of their master, you should be punished first for following divine orders of perumAL, before punishing these rAkshasis who obeyed the orders of rAvaNa; so, you too are at fault! I thought that when perumAL remains steadfast to punish someone, I am there to pacify him; when I am forced to follow him, you [in the position of an AchArya] are there to pacify [both of us]. But even if you act like this, who will save those who committed mistakes?
We will see the next pAsuram in the next article.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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