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Full series >> Seventh Centum >> Tenth decad
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
No specific introduction.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In the seventh pAsuram, when asked “Isn’t thirunAdu (paramapadham) our goal?” AzhwAr says “thiruvARanviLai is our goal and emperumAn who is present there, is our means”.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, AzhwAr says “krishNa who eliminated anirudhdha’s enemy bANa amd severed his shoulders, is the apt means for us”.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
See nanjIyar‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
Seventh pAsuram. When asked “You said thiruvARanviLai is the goal; but isn’t emperumAn the goal?”; AzhwAr says “Am I capable to say no? Can you not listen to my philosophy?” and elaborates the same as “Whatever is attained as a result of upAsanam (means) becomes part of the result [example – the path leading to paramapadham, reaching dhivyadhESam etc]; whatever helps to enhance the result, is also part of the result [example – kainkaryam to bhagavAn, kainkaryam in dhivyadhESam etc]; hence, that dhivyadhESam itself is the goal; bhagavAn is the means who brings us there; this is my philosophy”.
pAsuram
nINagaram adhuvE malarch chOlaigaL sUzh thiruvARanviLai
nINagaraththuRaiginRa pirAn nedumAl kaNNan viNNavarkOn
vANapuram pukku mukkatpirANaith tholaiya vem pOrgaL seydhu
vANanai Ayiram thOL thuNiththAn saraNanRi maRRonRilamE
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Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
nINagaram (nIL nagaram) – the great city (which is famously known in Sruthi (vEdham) as ayOdhyA, aparAjithA)
adhuvE – to be that (archAvathAra sthalam)
malar – having flowers
sOlaigaL – gardens
sUzh – surrounded
thiruvARanviLai – thiruvARanviLai
nINagaraththu – in the great city
uRaiginRa – eternally residing
pirAn – being great benefactor
nedumAl – being greatly attached towards his devotees
kaNNan – one who incarnated as krishNa
viNNavar kOn – the master of nithyasUris
vANapuram – into bANa’s town (where anirudhdha was confined)
pukku – entered
mukkaN pirAnai – rudhra (who has the third eye which indicates his power and who pridefully considers himself as the lord)
tholaiya – to stop him (from protecting his devotee)
vem – greatly valorous
pOrgaL – battles
seydhu – performed
vANanai – bANa’s
Ayiram thOL – thousand shoulders
thuNiththA – one who severed
saraN – means (to attain the dhivyadhESam)
anRi – than him
maRRu – other than him
onRu – means
ilam – we are not having.
Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
thiruvARanviLai, the great city which is surrounded by flower-filled gardens, can be said as the great city, paramapadham; emperumAn, the great benefactor who is eternally residing in this dhivyadhESam, who is greatly attached towards his devotees, who incarnated as krishNa, the master of nithyasUris, entered bANa’s town, stopped rudhra, performed greatly valorous battles, and severed the thousand shoulders of bANa; other than such emperumAn, we are not having any means (to attain the dhivyadhESam).
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
- nIL nagaram adhuvE – This is the ultimate destination which is eternal residence for those who entered there and where there is no bewilderment as said in mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi 51 “kalangAp perunagar” (paramapadham which is without any bewilderment), and from where there is no return as said in chAndhOgya upanishath 8.15 “na cha punarAvarthathE” (there is no return).
- malar … – It appears as the ultimate destination for emperumAn himself too. The benefactor who resides in the great city of thiruvARanviLai which is surrounded by evergreen gardens.
- nedumAl … – Being the lord of nithyasUris, incarnating as krishNa due to the affection towards those who have inclination towards him in this samsAram, travelling from one ocean [west coast – dhvArakA] to another ocean [east coast – chONithapuram], eliminating the pride of rudhra who considered himself to be the lord and who vowed to protect bANa fully, and engaged in valorous battles to make rudhra think “I will never consider myself as a dhEvathA to vouch for the protection of anyone”. SrI vishNu purANam 5-33-41 “krishNa krishNa mahAbAhO jAnEthvAm purushOththamam ” (rudhra says – Oh krishNa, with mighty arms! I know that you are the greatest among all souls). As said in “Anaikkum thanakkuth thakka vAdham” (elephant has problems matching its size), dhEvathAs are more ignorant than us [humans]. [Are they ignorant?] When emperumAn broke a weak bow, the dhEvas thought him to be great as said in SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 75.19 “adhikam mE nirE vishNum” (they thought vishNu to be superior to rudhra).
- vANanai Ayiram thOL thuNiththAn – He eliminated the shoulders and let bANa live thinking “ushA cannot become fatherless”.
- saraN – He is the gataka (connector – means) and thiruvARanviLai is the prApyam (goal). As emperumAn who is the prApyan (goal) himself arrived and remained in that dhivyadhESam, there is nothing wrong in highlighting the abode to be the goal. A sarvAdhika (supreme entity) should be the means and the one who grants the result; hence he is the means, and the result is that dhivyadhESam.
- anRi maRRu onRu ilamE – We will not consider anything else as the means and goal.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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