thiruvAimozhi – 7.8.11 – Am vaNNam

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

Full series >> Seventh Centum >> Eighth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the end, AzhwAr truly knew sarvESvaran who cannot be known by anyone and in any way, and mercifully spoke in an apt way for his greatness in paramapadham, in these thousand pAsarams; AzhwAr says “Those who can recite this decad among such thousand pAsurams, to the extent possible, will be considered as kruthakruthya (one who accomplished the task that needs to be done) always”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

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

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

pAsuram

Am vaNNam innadhonRenRu aRivadhariya ariyai
Am vaNNaththAl kurugUrch chatakOpan aRindhuraiththa
Am vaNNa oN thamizhgaL ivai AyiraththuL ippaththum
Am vaNNaththAl uraippAr amaindhAr thamakkenRaikkumE

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

Am – apt
vaNNam – mode
innadhu onRu – of this particular type
enRu aRivadhu – to know
ariya – one who is difficult
ariyai – sarvESvara
kurugUrch chatakOpan – AzhwAr who was granted unblemished knowledge and devotion
Am vaNNaththAl – truly
aRindhu – knew
uraiththa – mercifully spoke (matching SrIvaikuNtam’s greatness)
vaNNam – poetic meter
Am – having
oN – having goodness of being pursued by everyone
thamizhgaL – in thamizh
ivai AyiraththuL – among the thousand pAsurams
ippaththum – this decad
Am vaNNaththAl – to their ability
uraippAr – those who can recite
thamakku – for them
enRaikkum – for eternal experience
amaindhAr – prepared.

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

AzhwAr who was granted unblemished knowledge and devotion truly knew sarvESvara who is difficult to be known as “he is in the apt mode of this particular type” and mercifully spoke thousand thamizh pAsurams which are having poetic meter and goodness of being pursued by everyone; those who can recite this decad among those thousand pAsurams, to their ability, will be prepared for eternal experience [of bhagavath kainkaryam in paramapadham].

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

  • Am vaNNam … – AzhwAr sung sarvESvara who is difficult to be known by anyone as having a particular nature. Even vEdham returned being unable to speak about him [his qualities] as said in thaiththirIya upanishath “yathO vAchO nivarthanthE” (the speech returned).
  • Am vaNNam … – The pAsurams which are mercifully spoken by AzhwAr matching emperumAn‘s greatness.

When it is said “aRivadhariya ariyai” (hari who is difficult to be known), how can it be said “Am vaNNaththAl uraiththa” (truly knew and spoke)? Aren’t these contradictory?

  • aRindhu uraiththa – Because emperumAn granted him unblemished knowledge and devotion as said in thiruvAimozhi 1.1.1mayarvaRa madhinalam aruLinan” and AzhwAr spoke due to that. When someone tries to know emperumAn on his own efforts, emperumAn is difficult to know; but there is no shortcoming when one tries to know emperumAn through the knowledge given by him. Those who try to know emperumAn on their own are only rejected in mudhal thiruandhAdhi 4neRivAsal thanE Ay ninRAnai aindhu poRivAsal pOrkkadhavam sAththi – aRivAnAm” (Would one who closes the doors of five sensory organs which are difficult to close, know emperumAn who is both the path and the goal?)
  • Am vaNNam oN thamizhgaL … – Beautiful thamizh [pAsurams] which match his greatness; another explanation – thamizh pAsurams having apt poetic meter and goodness of being pursued by everyone. vaNNam – chandhas (poetic meter). Alternative explanation – vaNNam – tone. Pure thamizh pAsurams which are having nice tone.
  • thamizhgaL ivai AyiraththuL ippaththum – This decad among the thousand pAsurams in thamizh.
  • Am vaNNaththAl uraippAr – Now, would those who recite this pAsurams be also blessed by emperumAn with unblemished knowledge and devotion, and recite them in a manner matching his greatness? No – those requirements are only for AzhwAr; for the others who recite this decad, it is sufficient if they recite them to their ability.
  • amaindhAr thamaku enRaikkumE – For them, until eternity, they don’t need the left over water [prasAdham – grace] of emperumAn; it is sufficient for them to have the acceptance of AzhwAr. They will remain fully prepared always for the eternal experience.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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