thiruvAimozhi – 7.9.7 – vaigundha nAdhan

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

Full series >> Seventh Centum >> Ninth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the seventh pAsuram, AzhwAr says “For this great favour of using me as a tool to sing this infinitely enjoyable poems, I will not be satisfied even if I enjoy him forever”.

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

vaigundha nAdhan en valvinai mAyndhaRach
cheykundhan thannai ennAkki ennAl thannai
vaigundhanAgap pugazha vaNdhIngavi
seykundhan thannai ennAL sindhiththArvanO?

Listen

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

vaigundha nAdhan – Having the greatness of being SrIvaikuNtanAtha

(the hurdles to enjoy him)
val – very strong
en vinai – my sin
mAyndhaRa – to destroy
sey – doing
kundhan – having the nature
thannai – him
ennAkki – making him to be understood by me
ennAl – having me as a tool
thannai – he who is having such greatness
vaigundhanAga – not to cause any blemish for his nature
pugazha – to praise
vaN – magnanimously
thIm – sweet
kavi – poem
sey – to do
kundhan – having the nature of favouring
thannai – him
sindhiththu – think
ennAL Arvan – when will I get satisfaction?

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

Having the greatness of being SrIvaikuNtanAtha, emperumAn had me as a tool, making him to be understood by me, having the nature of destroying my very strong sin, having such greatness of favouring me to sing magnanimous, sweet poem to praise him and not to cause any blemish for his nature; when will I get satisfaction by thinking about such emperumAn? Implies, that he will never get full satisfaction. “valvinai mAyndhaRach chey kundhan” is also explained as one who has the weapon named “kundha” to eliminate the enemies. “kavi sey kundhan” is also explained as one who is pure in nature, like “kundha” flower.

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

  • vaigundha nAdhan – Should I be satisfied that the one who favoured me is at par with me? How can I stay calm when the leader of nithyasUris comes and pursues me, who is a samsAri? It is even greater than what is explained in SrI rAmAyaNam kishkindhA kANdam 4.18 “lOkanAtha: purA bhUthvA sugrIvam nAtham ichchathi” (One who is the lord of the universe, is now desiring to have sugrIva as his leader). He first became lord of the universe to qualify to have SrI sugrIva mahArAja. Whether he attains it or not, he desired for that. Usually, one desires for unattainable goals only. As said in  SrI rAmAyaNam kishkindhA kANdam 4.21 “sarAmO vAnarEndhrasya prasAdham abikAnkshathE” (Such SrI rAma desired with noble thoughts, the grace of sugrIva).
  • en val vinai mAyndhaRa – Me who does not desire to eliminate my very strong sin.He said in thiruvAimozhi 1.1.1mayarvaRa madhinalam aruLinan” (mercifully bestowed unblemished knowledge and devotion) and did not say “mercifully bestowed unblemished knowledge and devotion to me” since he did not see himself as an entity before receiving that mercy; the previous state is explained as in thaiththirIya upanishath “asannEva bhavathi” (he does not exist).
  • val vinai mAyndhaRa – The sin is so strong that one would wonder whether even the omnipotent lord can remove it.
  • mAyndhaRach chey kundhan – One who was having the ability to eliminate my strong enemy; it is said in thiruvAimozhi 2.6.1adiyArkkuth thIrththu asurarkkuth thmaigaL sey kundhA” (He destroys the cruel sins for those who are his servitors, passes them on to those demoniac individuals causing them disaster). It can be construed that “mukundhA” is cut short in the beginning [thamizh grammar – thalaik kuRai]. Alternatively kundhan could be considered as a divine name of emperumAn. As seen in SrIvishNu sahasranAmam “kumudha: kundhara: kundha:“, kundhan is a divine name of emperumAn. It is explained there [in sahasranAmam] as his great ability of his partiality towards his devotees which makes him collect the vices of his devotees and place them on the demoniac persons. “thannai ennAkki” implies two meanings – making him [AzhwAr] at par with emperumAn and making him [AzhwAr] fully exist for emperumAn.
  • ennAl thannai vaigundhanAgap pugazhaemperumAn‘s action is similar to that of a father who gives a cow through charity to his son and will get it back from the son as charity.
  • vaigundhanAgap pugazha – paramapadham is called nithya vibhUthi (which always exists); but still he thinks that he acquired it due to AzhwAr‘s praises. This is similar to how AthmA is explained in thaiththirIya upanishat as “asannEva” (non-existing) and “santhamEnam” (to be existing), while AthmA is eternal. It is seen [in the world] that “one becomes great due to being praised by so and so person”; similarly, emperumAn thinks that only after AzhwAr’s praises, he feels comfortable in paramapadham.
  • vaN thIm kavi … – One who is having the purity of singing poems which are magnanimous and sweet, and considers such praises as his desired results. As said in thiruvAimozhi 1.1.1 “thuyar aRu sudaradi” (the divine feet which eliminate sorrow), his sorrows became eliminated after being sung by AzhwAr. Once AzhwAr’s sorrows were eliminated, emperumAn thought that he himself had sorrow and got that sorrow eliminated. When the body becomes afflicted with some disease, it is the soul which suffers [bhagavAn being the soul of everyone/everything hence anguishes]. SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 2.42 “vyasanEshu manushyANAm” (He feels the pain of the suffering of lowest of humans) – would he be anguished when his divine consorts in their private quarters or his mothers become anguished? “manushyANAm bhruSam bhavathi dhu:kitha:” (the pain of the suffering of lowest of humans). He is not just anguished, but he feels like an elephant which gets stuck in mud. “dhu:kithO bhavathi” – for them, they will feel the pain one day but will be healed the next day; but he will feel the pain freshly every day. If the disaster is for the individual, should the resulting sorrow also be for the same individual? Why is emperumAn anguishing here? emperumAn thinks “His suffering is not due to his carelessness but my carelessness” and hence he will feel the anguish freshly everyday. It is said in SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 10.10 “hrIrEshA hi mamAthulA” (this is a great shame for me). emperumAn feels more shame than the AthmA.
  • ennAL sindhiththu ArvanO – His favour is so great; there is not enough time to show the gratitude; what will I do? After leaving this body, as one will be immersed in experiencing emperumAn, there will not be enough time to show the gratitude; the time we are here, there is not enough time; his favour is great; what will I do?

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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