thiruvAimozhi – 7.6.3 – kAththa engUththAvO

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

Full series >> Seventh Centum >> Sixth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the third pAsuram, AzhwAr says “You who are the cause for brahmA et al, came to me without any reason, and made me fully sustain by you only; now, you should fulfil the remaining task as well”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr says “When will I reach you, while I cannot sustain without you who are easily approachable by all and greater than all?”

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

In the previous two pAsurams, his being the cause of the universe and his attractive nature are explained; previously, his being the goal is explained; now his being the means is explained. See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

pAsuram

kAththa engUththAvO! malai Endhik kal mAri thannai
pUththaNduzhAy mudiyAy punai konRai anjenjadaiyAy
vAyththa en nAnmuganE! vandhu ennAruyir nIyAnAl
EththarungIrththiyinAy! unnai enguth thalaippeyvanE

Listen

Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

malai – mountain
Endhi – holding
kal mAri thannai – hailstorm
kAththa – while protecting
em kUththA – one who has the attractive posture of an expert dancer
pU – wearing blossomed flower garland, which reveals supremacy
thaN – invigorating
thuzhAy – thiruththuzhAy (thuLasi) garland
mudiyAy – one who is having on your divine crown
punai – (similarly, considering to be like that) wearing
konRai – konRai flower garland
am – having acquired beauty due to that
sem – (revealing his penance to become such lord) reddish
sadaiyAy – one who is having rudhra who has matted hair, as your prakAra (form)
vAyththa – (being the father of such rudhra) born (from emperumAn himself)
en nAnmuganE – one who revealed the state of having brahmA as his prakAra (form)
Eththa – to praise (seeing the ultimate state of parathva (supremacy) and saulabhya (simplicity))
arum – difficult
kIrththiyinAy – oh one who is having glories!

(without my desire, you voluntarily came)
en – for me
Ar uyir – complete sustainer
AnAl – due to being
unnai – you (who are greater than all and easily approachable to all)
engu – how
thalaippeyvan – will reach and enjoy!
O – alas!

Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

Oh one who has the attractive posture of an expert dancer, who held the mountain and protected [everyone] from hailstorm, who is wearing blossomed flower garland, which reveals supremacy and who is having invigorating thuLasi garland on his divine crown! Oh one who is having rudhra who is wearing konRai flower garland, who is having acquired beauty due to that and who has matted hair, as your prakAra! Oh one who revealed the state of having brahmA who is born from you, as your prakAra! Oh one who is having such glories which are difficult to be praised even by rudhra and brahmA! As you sustain me fully, how will I reach you and enjoy you! Alas! Implies “you who were attained by those who consider themselves to be lords and by those who are ignorant, are difficult to reach by me who is fully sustained by you and calling out for you!”

vyAkyAnams (commentaries)

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam

See vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s translation.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

  • kAththa em kUththAvO – previously, AzhwAr spoke about krishNa’s activities “Anirai mEyththu avai kAththa em kUththAvO“; after saying “eththiRam“, he would repeatedly say “eththiRam” and be immersed in it; being reminded by what he said previously, he is saying “kAththa em kUththAvO“.
  • malai Endhik kal mArithannai – As it was a hailstorm (raining stones/rocks), he lifted the mountain [stone] and protected; had he [indhra] rained with water, he would have lifted up the ocean and protected. Did the cows lift up the mountain to protect themselves? [Np]
  • pUth thaNduzhAy …AzhwAr is explaining the specific identity for each entity.
  • pUth thaN thuzhAy mudiyAy – this thuLasi garland is the most revealing aspect of his opulence; this garland is the identity for the entity [emperumAn] who has full control over its existence [and does not depend on anyone else]. What did he get by highlighting this point? AzhwAr is implying “Just as you have full control of your existence, my existence is also under your full control; hence, why should I engage in pursuing other means to reach you?”
  • punai konRai am sem sadaiyAy – Are the existence of others, free from your control? Just as the existence of the cows is under your control, isn’t the existence of those who consider themselves to be lords, under your control as well?
  • punai … – rudhra, who has beautiful, reddish matted hair which is decorated with konRai garland, is at your disposal.
  • vAyththa en nAnmuganE – Just as the garlands are distinguished identities for the respective entity, as explained in the previous phrases [for emperumAn and rudhra], for brahmA, his four faces are specifically given for the task he is set out for [i.e. creation]. Further, even if ISwara vows “let me create this way”, it will be impossible to do, looking at brahmA’s apt creation [vAyththa nAnmugan – brahmA, the apt person for creation].
  • en – for this, the focus is on viSEshya (emperumAn who is the object who has the viSEshaNa (attribute)). While speaking in context of vaiyadhikaraNam (dealing with different entities – i.e. emperumAn being the lord of different dhEvathAs), it will lead to bewilderment to separate him from the dhEvathAs and also to consider it to be talking about kEvala bEdham (simple difference) only; but when explained in context of sAmAnAdhikaraNam (dealing with different entities which have a common base – i.e. emperumAn being the antharAthmA of all these dhEvathAs), it will highlight the lord/servant relationship. So, the result of both vaiyadhikaraNam and sAmAnAdhikaraNam, is his total control over others; yet, there is special reason in explaining this in the context of sAmAnAdhikaraNam. As said in SrIrangarAja sthavam 2.87 “svam udhdhiSya“, emperumAn did all these for his own sake only. As said in this SlOkam “upAththE saththA sthithi niyamana Adhyai: chidhachithau svam udhdhiSya” (upanishaths are saying that SrIman nArAyaNan accepts the existence, protection and control of all chith (sentient beings) and achith (insentient entities), for his own sake), since starting from existence to everything else is at his disposal, one’s total dependence on emperumAn is such that one cannot engage in pursuing other means separately.
  • vandhu en Ar uyir – Should I speak about your favours towards others? Is it not sufficient to see the favours you have done for me? By revealing your form/nature to me, you brought me to the state where I cannot exist without you, whereas previously I was totally engaged in worldly activities and had not even see you in my dream.
  • AnAl – after this being the situation
  • Eththa arum kIrththiyinAy – When I who was made to exist by you, set out to praise you, would it be possible for me to praise you?
  • AnAl – That is your [superior] nature and this is my [inferior] nature; now
  • unnai enguth thalaippeyvanE – How will I pursue some means and reach you? Is there even anything like that [myself pursuing and reaching you]?

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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