SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Essence of thiruvAimozhi 2.2
Introduction
In this pAsuram, mAmunigaL is following AzhwAr’s pAsurams of meditating upon emperumAn‘s parathvam which was thought about incidentally, in his incarnations and instructing the same to others, and is mercifully explaining it.
How is that done? emperumAn’s has greatness which not only makes one who is separated from him to suffer, it also makes that person forget about the separation after reuniting again; he also has the greatness of his qualities which are the cause for that greatness; AzhwAr incidentally thought about his supremacy which is the cause for his qualities and mercifully spoke the same as instructions to others along the lines of ithihAsas (epics) and purANas (ancient history) [which speak about his incarnations], in thiruvAimozhi 2.2 “thiNNan vIdu“; mAmunigaL mercifully explains this starting with “thiNNidhA mARan“.
pAsuram
thiNNidhA mARan thirumAl paraththuvaththai
naNNi avadhAraththE nanguraiththa – vaNNamaRindhu
aRRArgaL yAvar avaradikkE AngavarpAl
uRRArai mElidAdhUn
Listen
word-by-word meanings
thiNNidhAm mARan – AzhwAr who has firm mind
thirumAl – sarvESvaran‘s
paraththuvaththai – supremacy
avadhAraththE naNNi – through incarnations
nangu uraiththa vaNNam aRindhu – knowing how well AzhwAr mercifully spoke
aRRArgaL yAvar – those who are totally existing for AzhwAr
avar adikkE – to their divine feet only
Angu – there
avarpAl uRRArai – those who approach them as close confidantes
Un – relationship with body
mElidAdhu – will not overpower
Simple Translation
Those who approach the divine feet of totally surrendered devotees of AzhwAr, who know how well the firm minded AzhwAr mercifully spoke about sarvESvaran‘s supremacy through his incarnations, will not be overpowered by the relationship with body.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam
- thiNNidhA mARan – Previously AzhwAr said in thiruvAimozhi 2.1.10 “mUvAmudhalvA ini emmaich chOrElE” (Oh ever youthful cause of all! Now onwards, please don’t fail [leave] me ever); emperumAn manifested his supremacy rooted upon his being the cause for everything as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.1.11 “sOrAdha epporutkum AdhiyAm sOdhi” (paramjyOthi (supreme light), which is the cause for all entities) and pacified AzhwAr; here it is saying “AzhwAr who sustained himself on seeing that”; alternatively, it can be said as “AzhwAr who explained emperumAn’s supremacy to everyone, to make them understand it firmly”.
- thirumAl paraththuvaththai – The supremacy of Sriya:pathi (lord of SrI mahAlakhsmi); he himself said in thiruvAimozhi 2.1.1 “nIyum thirumAlAl” (was your heart also stolen by SrIman nArAyaNa?)
- naNNi avadhAraththE nangu uraiththa – Explaining well the supremacy of SrIman nArAyaNa in his incarnations. Unlike in first decad (thiruvAimozhi 1.1) where emperumAn‘s supremacy was explained in paramapadham along the lines of Sruthi (vEdham), AzhwAr mercifully, well explained his supremacy in his easily approachable incarnations, along the lines of ithiAsas and purANas. Alternatively, it is explained as – AzhwAr enjoyed bhagavAn’s supremacy and explained it well in the context of his incarnations.
- nangu uraiththa vaNNam aRindhu – This is how one can know how AzhwAr explained it well. To know from AzhwAr’s divine words of firmly establishing his supremacy in his incarnations as in “kaNNan kaN alladhu illai Or kaN” (There is no other protection than krishNa’s protection) [1st pAsuram], “gOpAla kOLaRi ERanRi – Ezhulagum IpAvam seydhu aruLAl aLippAr Ar” (Who else can protect all the worlds out of compassion other than krishNa who is the lion amongst those who are born in cowherd clan and the one who offered alms to rudhra to erase the effects of a very big sin?) [2nd pAsuram]. Further, there are other references which support these as in “dhEvan emperumAnkkallAl pUvum pUsanaiyum thagumE” (Does worshiping and attending, offerings such as flowers fit for anyone other than emperumAn?) [4th pAsuram], “thagum kOlath thAmaraik kaNNan emmAn migum sOthi mEl aRivAr yavarE” (Are there any vaidhikas who know some one greater in radiance than emperumAn who has lotus like beautiful eyes) [5th pAsuram], and starting with “kaLvA” ending with “puLLUrdhi kazhal paNindhEththuvar” (rudhra who rides white bull, four-headed brahmA, indhra and the residents of heaven would offer obeisances to the divine feet of emperumAn, the rider of gaurda and offer him prayers saying “Oh mischievous lord (who hides your dominance in the name of being in an incarnation) who created us and all worlds through your will!”) [10th pAsuram]. While explaining these, AzhwAr mercifully followed the references from mahAbhAratham sabhA parvam 38.23 “krishNa Eva hi lOkAnAm uthpaththirapichAbyaya:” (krishNa is the cause for all worlds), mahAbhAratham AraNya parvam 189.52 “sa Esha pruthu dhIrgAkshasa sambandhI thE janArdhana:“, mahAbhAratham sabhA parvam 39.4 “archyam archithum ichchAma: sarvE sammanthum arhatha” (We wish to worship this supreme soul who possesses all wealth, who is the supreme master, the father, the preceptor, and the one who is fit to be worshipped. All of you should agree to this), “pAdhEna kamalAbhEna brahma rudhrArArchithEna” (his divine feet worshipped with lotus flowers by brahmA, rudhra); also, following the pramANams such as SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 35.8 “rAma: kamalapathrAksha: sarva sathva manOhara:” (SrI rAma who has eyes like lotus petals; he is so handsome to be attractive to everyone), SrI rAmAyaNam uththara kANdam 82.9 “pAvanas sarvalOkAnam thvamEva raghunandhana” (agasthya muni says – oh raghunandhana [SrI rAma]! you are the one who purifies all the worlds), AzhwAr mercifully said “thagum kOlath thAmaraik kaNNan emmAn” (emperumAn who has lotus like beautiful eyes) and “IpAvam seydhu aruLAl aLippAr Ar” (Who else can protect all the worlds out of compassion other than krishNa who is the lion amongst those who are born in cowherd clan and the one who offered alms to rudhra to erase the effects of a very big sin?) [2nd pAsuram].
In this manner, knowing how AzhwAr instructed emperumAn‘s supremacy, and towards such AzhwAr who established emperumAn’s supremacy,
- aRRArgaL yAvar – those few personalities who are exclusively devoted
- avar adikkE Angu avarpAl uRRArai mElidAdhu Un – Those who became exclusively devoted to their (the previously mentioned devotees’) divine feet, and there itself, approaching them (the previously mentioned devotees) as close confidantes, will not be overpowered by the body which is dirty being made of flesh, blood etc. This means, thatthey will not be overpowered by their bodily connections.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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