SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
nammAzhwAr in SrI SatakOpam (divine pAdhukA (sandals) of emperumAn), vAnamAmalai [There is no separate divine deity for nammAzhwAr in this dhivyadhESam]
Essence of thiruvAimozhi 5.7
Introduction
In this pAsuram, mAmunigaL is following AzhwAr’s loving pAsurams of worshipping and surrendering at the divine feet of vAnamAmalai [emperumAn], and is mercifully explaining it.
How is that done? AzhwAr became anguished due to his desire not being fulfilled even after being pained in separation and having intense desire which made him sustain himself by enacting emperumAn; he thought that ISvaran is considering such intense desire in the form of seeking enjoyment as a means to attain him thinking “let this desire mature enough and we will fulfil that”. Hence, he announced that he has absolutely no involvement in any of the upAyams (means) such as karma yOgam etc which are identified in SAsthram as the means to get the result, and declares that there is no means other than the one which emperumAn showed in the beginning [or lotus feet], at the divine feet of vAnamAmalai emperumAn who has mercifully arrived at sirIvaramangai (SrIvaramangA kshEthram – vAnamAmalai) along with his divine consorts and eternal associates, falling at his divine feet like an uprooted tree without any other refuge. mAmunigaL mercifully explains this aspect which is explained in thiruvAimozhi 5.7 “nORRa nOnbilEn” starting with “nORRa nOnbAdhiyilEn“.
pAsuram
nORRa nOnbAdhiyilEn undhanai vittARRagillEn
pERRukkupAyam unRan pEraruLE – sARRuginREn
ingennilai ennum ezhil mARan sol vallAr
angamararkkArAvamudhu
Listen
word-by-word meanings
nORRa – pursued as means for mOksham
nOnbu Adhi – in upAyams (means) such as karma yOgam etc
ilEn – I have no involvement;
un thanai vittu – without you
ARRagillEn – I am unable to sustain;
pERRukku – for the purushArtham (desired goal)
upAyam – as means
un than – your
pEr aruLE – great grace
sARRuginREn – I am announcing;
ingu – on this aspect
en nilai – my state (is this)
ennum – mercifully spoke
ezhil mARan – AzhwAr who acquired beauty (due to being in ultimate servitude)
sol – merciful pAsurams
vallAr – those who can recite
angu – in SrIvaikuNtam
amararkku – for nithyasUris
ArA amudhu – will become eternally fresh nectar.
Simple Translation
AzhwAr who acquired beauty, mercifully spoke on this aspect [of upAyam] “I have no involvement in upAyams such as karma yOgam etc which are pursued as means for mOksham; I am unable to sustain without you; I am announcing that your great grace is the means for the purushArtham”. Those who can recite these merciful pAsurams will become eternally fresh nectar for nithyasUris in SrIvaikuNtam.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam
- nORRa nOnbu Adhi ilEn – With this – AzhwAr is saying “I have no involvement in the upAyams such as karma yOgam etc which are identified in SAsthram as means to attain mOksham”. Just as SrI vibhIshaNAzhwAn surrendered to SrI rAma highlighting his defects as seen in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 17.10 “rAvaNO nAma dhurvruththa: rAkshasO rAkshasESvara: | thasyAham anujO bhrAthA vibhIshaNa ithi Srutha: ||” (I am the younger brother of rAvaNa, who is known for his evil deeds and who is the king of demons), AzhwAr is surrendering here highlighting his shortcomings. mAmunigaL mercifully says this considering the whole pAsuram “nORRa nOnbilEn” [1st pAsuram].
- un thanai vittu ARRagillEn – I cannot sustain myself without you, my sustenance and enjoyment. This suffering is part of my true nature.
When asked “What is the means for the result?” He says,
- pERRukku upAyam un than pEr aruLE – The means for liberation is the causeless mercy which your highness who is as said in thiruvAimozhi 1.1.1 “ayarvaRum amarargaL adhipathi” (lord of the unblemished nithyasUris), mercifully revealed originally, being as said in “aravin aNai vIRRirundhu” (seated on the serpent throne) [1st pAsuram], “sirIvaramanga vaNan” (controller for sirIvaramangai dhivyadhESam) [8th pAsuram], “karuLap putkodi chakkarap padai vAna nAdan” (emperumAn is having garuda bird as his flag, divine chakra as his weapon and paramapadham as his kingdom) [3rd pAsuram]. That is, the message mercifully conveyed in “poruL allAdha ennaip poruL Akki” (he transformed me who cannot be considered as an entity as said in “asannEva” (like achith) to realize my nature) [3rd pAsuram], “thamiyEnukkaruLAy” (Mercifully bless me who is lonely without anyone other than you as companion) [2nd pAsuram], “vandharuLi ennenjidam koNda” (emperumAn mercifully arrives and has my heart as his residence) [7th pAsuram], “aruLAy uyyumARenakkE” (mercifully bestow the means to make me attain your divine feet and have me uplifted) [9th pAsuram], “ARenakku nin pAdhamE SaraNAgath thandhozhindhAy” (You (emperumAn) have bestowed on me your divine feet only which are the means to attain the goal, as the upAyam (means) which is the refuge) [10th pAsuram]. Other pAsurams narrate emperumAn’s nature which makes him bestow the mercy and AzhwAr’s nature to receive the same.
- pERRukku upAyam un than pEr aruLE sARRuginREn – Hence AzhwAr is saying that he is announcing to everyone that emperumAn’s causeless mercy is the only means.
- ingu en nilai ennum – Here, in this principle, this is my nishtai (conviction); the true nature of jIvAthmA who is subservient to paramAthmA, is to highlight his own emptiness due to the completeness in bhagavAn.
- ezhil mARan – AzhwAr who is very beautiful due to being decorated with ornaments such as SEshathvam (servitude) and pArathanthriyam (total dependence); those who can recite/practice this decad where he reveals his firm conviction in the means.
- angu amararkku ArA amudhu – For the nithyasUris who enjoy endless nectar [of emperumAn] in paramapadham, those who recite/practice this decad will become the eternally fresh nectar. mAmunigaL is following what was said by AzhwAr in “sirIvaramangai mEya paththu udan vaigal pAda vallAr vAnOrkku ArA amudhE” (those who can sing this decad agreeing with its meanings, will always be eternally enjoyable like never-satisfying nectar, for the residents of paramapadham) [11th pAsuram].
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
archived in https://divyaprabandham.koyil.org
pramEyam (goal) – https://koyil.org
pramANam (scriptures) – http://granthams.koyil.org
pramAthA (preceptors) – http://acharyas.koyil.org
SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – http://pillai.koyil.org