thiruvAimozhi – 9.1 – koNdapeNdir

In the previous decad, emperumAn revealed the ultimate goal leading up to bhAgavatha SEshathvam after eliminating all the hurdles. AzhwAr became very pleased, mediating upon that great favour, desired for bhAgavathas as said in thiruvAimozhi 8.10.2 “sayamE adimai thalai ninRAr” (those whose serve without any expectation), thiruvAimozhi 8.10.9 “nIkkam illA adiyAr” (inseparable devotees) and thiruvAimozhi 8.10.10 “kOdhil adiyAr” (blemishless devotees). AppAn thiruvazhundhUr araiyar surrendered to kUraththAzhwAn and learned thiruvAimozhi from him. He would quote AzwAn explaining “sayamE adimai thalai ninRAr” are those who are like SrI bharathAzhwAn; “nIkkam illA adiyAr” are those who are like iLaiya perumAL and “kOdhil adiyAr” indicates those who are like SrI SathrugnAzhwAn. AzhwAr eliminated the prApyAbAsam (fake goal) and prApakAbAsam (fake means) thinking “sarvESvara who gave such ultimate goal of bhAgavatha SEshathvam is the natural relative; all others are incidental relatives. He is the only natural well-wisher and the wishes of others are incidental” and determined that emperumAn is the true means and became joyful; being focussed on instructing others, he said to chEthanas (sentient beings) “You try to give up these incidental relatives and pursue emperumAn, the natural relative and aim for being uplifted”. mahAbhAratham says “sarvEshAm Eva lOkAnAm …” (SrIman nArAyaNa is father and mother for all beings); mahAbhAratham SrI vishNu sahasranAmam says “avyaya:pithA:” (the imperishable father); others will remain as mother and father and will leave after some time just as a sand-house gets destroyed; instead, emperumAn is the only one who will is the imperishable father who will protect us forever. rAvaNa drove out vibhishNa who gave him good advice as said in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 16.15 “thvAm thu dhik [kulapAmsanam]” (I am abandoning you); perumAL (SrI rAma) said “I cannot be without his [rAvaNa’s] younger brother”. When sugrIva mahArAjar was tormented by his elder brother, perumAL helped him. When SrI prahlAdhAzhwAn’s father became his enemy, emperumAn came and helped him with great love. When jayantha (kAkAsura) was abandoned even by his own mother and father, perumAL who shot the brahmAsthram on him, became his refuge. SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 38.33 “sa pithrAcha …“. “sa:” – Just as a person will drown in water [which usually sustains everyone], the sustainer himself became the tormentor by shooting the arrow on him. As previously explained in thiruvAimozhi 3.7.8 ,when dhraupadhi ignored her five righteous husbands who were helpless and thought about krishNa who was far away, he felt hurt thinking as in mahAbhAratham uththara parvam 47-22 “krishNAmAm dhUravAsinam” (While she is thinking about me in danger, I am unable to help her). When arjuna became sad saying “I cannot fulfil my desires”, krishNa said “Only if something can accomplished by you, can you feel sad for that? You place all your burdens on me and be confident that I will fulfil them; I will eliminate all your hurdles”. In this manner, AzhwAr set out to mercifully instruct those who are surrendered unto him, the principle  which he has determined saying “emperumAn is the natural relative; you pursue him only”.

Each pAsuram is discussed subsequently.