SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Essence of thiruvAimozhi 9.1
Introduction
In this pAsuram, mAmunigaL is following AzhwAr’s pAsurams of instructing others to leave the sOpAdhika bandhus (worldly relatives) and hold on to nirupAdhika bandhu (bhagavAn who is the natural relative) and is mercifully explaining it.
How is that done? sarvESvaran who unites those who surrender unto him, at the divine feet of bhAgavathas who are dear to him, is the prApyam (goal), prApakam (means) and all types of relatives; all others are incidental/artificial; hence, leaving aside the incidental relatives, surrender unto the natural, all types of relatives as said in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 8.31 “bhrAthA bharthA cha bandhuScha pithA cha mama rAghava:” (SrI rAma is my elder brother, lord, relative and father) and become uplifted – AzhwAr joyfully instructs this to others. mAmunigaL mercifully explains this principle explained in “koNda peNdir” starting with “koNda peNdir thAn mudhalA“.
pAsuram
koNda peNdir thAm mudhalAk kURum uRRAr kanmaththAl
aNdinavar enRE avarai vittuth thoNdarudan
sErkkum thirumAlaich chErum enRAn Arkkum idham
pArkkum pugazh mARan paNdu
Listen
word-by-word meanings
Arkkum – even for the ignorant ones
idham pArkkum – trying to do good only
pugazh – having glories
mARan – AzhwAr
paNdu – previously
koNda peNdir thAm mudhalAk kURum – said as accepted wife et al
uRRAr – all relatives
kanmaththAl aNdinavargaL enRE – as those who came into existence based on karma
avarai vittu – leaving aside those incidental relatives
thoNdarudan sErkkum thirumAlai – Sriya:pathi who unites those who surrender unto him with his devotees
sErum enRAn – mercifully instructed to reach
Simple Translation
AzhwAr who is having the glories of trying to do good only even for the ignorant ones, mercifully instructed to leave aside all those incidental relatives such as accepted wife et al, who came into existence based on karma previously and reach Sriya:pathi who unites those who surrender unto him with his devotees.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam
- koNda peNdir thAn mudhalAk kURum uRRAr – [Emphasis on koNda] The women who would take away the wealth from the hands of the men; koNda (accepted) emphasises on the incidental nature of the relationship. thAn reveals the primary nature of the man. In this manner, the relatives who are known as wife, children etc. When recited as “kUdum uRRAr“, it means, those who newly gathered around.
- kanmaththAl aNdinavar enRE avarai vittu – Leaving aside the incidental relatives considering those to have come into existence due to karma. mAmunigaL is following the words starting with “koNda peNdir makkaL uRRAr” [1st pAsuram].
- thoNdarudan sErkkum thirumAlaich chErum enRAn – Mercifully instructed to reach Sriya:pathi who unites those who surrender unto him with his devotees.
- Arkkum idham pArkkum pugazh mARan paNdu – AzhwAr has the glory of looking out for the well being of the ignorant ones too, due to his broad vision, previously. In other words, what an amazing personality who seeks the well-being of all! Arkkum idham pArkkai implies, mercifully instructing others in various ways to everyone about all the noble aspects for them, as said in,
- “koNda peNdir makkaL uRRAr suRRaththavar piRarum kaNdadhOdu pattadhallAl kAdhal maRRu yAdhum illai eNdhisaiyum kIzhum mElum muRRavum uNda pirAn thoNdarOmAy uyyal allAl illai kaNdIr thuNaiyE” (Those who consider us as relatives in their hearts such as wife, children et al, close relatives, like in-laws and other relatives, friends, servants et al will agree with us when they see something to be received from us and in other situations, they don’t have even a little bit of love for us. Hence, other than being the servitors of the great benefactor who mercifully consumed the earth with all its directions, the nether worlds, the higher worlds and everything and protected all of them from deluge, and being uplifted, there is no refuge for us) [1st pAsuram]
- “thuNaiyum sArvum AguvAr pOl suRRaththavar piRarum aNaiya vandha Akkam uNdEl attaigaL pOl suvaippar kaNai onRAlE Ezh maramum eydha em kArmugilai puNai enRuyyap pOgal allAl illai kaNdIr poruLE” (The relatives and others, pretending to be companions and refuge, and pretending to be doing favour for the individual, will completely suck out like leeches if some benefit is present. Other than considering the benefactor who shot seven ebony trees with an arrow, who makes us remain faithful and who has the nature of a dark cloud, as refuge and being uplifted, there is no other benefit) [2nd pAsuram]
- “poruL kai uNdAych chellak kANil pORRi enRERRezhuvar iruL koL thunbaththinmai kANil ennE! enbArum illai maruL koL seygai asurar manga vada madhuraip piRandhARku aruL koL ALAy uyyal allAl illai kaNdIr araNE” (When they (relatives) see the presence of wealth in his (individual’s) hand, they will perform mangaLASAsanam, accept what is given by him and leave; when they see very sorrowful poverty which has abundance of ignorance and darkness, they won’t be there to show compassion saying “alas!”; hence, other than being uplifted by being servitors and being the target of the mercy of krishNa who incarnated in northern mathurA to destroy the demons who were having heart-wrenching activities, there is no refuge) [3rd pAsuram]
- “araNAm Avar aRRa kAlaikku enRenRamaikkap pattAr iraNangoNda theppar Avar inRi ittAlum ahdhE varuNith thennE? vada madhuraip piRandhavan vaN pugazhE saraN enRuyyap pOgal allAl illai kaNdIr sadhirE” (Those who were repeatedly thought to be the refuge for the times when we have no means and those who were captivated by offering wealth etc will leave us like those who owe us something. Their non-helping nature is well established even if we don’t consider that; what is the use in highlighting their ungrateful nature? Instead of being uplifted by thinking about the qualities such as Seela (simplicity), saulabhya (easy approachability) etc which are causeless favours of the one who was born in northen mathurA, no other activity is present) [4th pAsuram]
- “sadhuram enRu thammaith thAmE sammadhiththu inmozhiyAr madhura bOgam thuRRavarE vaigi maRRonRuRuvar adhir koL seygai asurar manga vadamadhuraip piRandhARku edhir koL ALAy uyyal allAl illai kaNdIr inbamE” (Those people who enjoyed the sweet enjoyability of women who have pleasant speech, who speak within themselves saying “we are capable”, will be insulted at other times; other than being uplifted by being servitors who go towards krishNa, who incarnated in northern mathurA to annihilate demons who were causing great torment, there is no other ultimate joy) [5th pAsuram]
- “illai kaNdIr inbam andhO! uLLadhu ninaiyAdhE thollaiyArgaL eththanaivar thOnRik kazhindhozhindhAr mallai mUdhUr vadamadhuraip piRandhavan vaN pugazhE solli uyyap pOgal allAl maRRonRillai surukkE” (There is no joy; alas! Many persons of ancient times were fully engaged in birth and death repeatedly without knowing the true nature of bhagavAn who is eternal and blissful; other than being uplifted by praising the refreshing qualities of the one who incarnated in the abundantly wealthy, ancient town of northern mathurA, there is nothing more which is to be stated in a brief manner) [6th pAsuram]
- “maRRonRillai surungach chonnOm mAnilaththevvyuirkkum siRRa vENdA sindhippE amaiyum kaNdIrgaL andhO! kuRRamanRengaL peRRaththAyan vadamadhuraip piRandhAn kuRRam il sIr kaRRu vaigal vAzhdhal kaNdIr guNamE” (Other than what we have briefly told, there is nothing more to say; all AthmAs in this vast earth need not sweat it out heavily; mere thoughts are sufficient; you have seen already; alas! There is nothing disastrous; it is natural and apt for all of you to understand the qualities of the one who, without any expectation, is obedient towards devotees and protects them and who incarnated in northern mathurA to be the protector of cows and to live enjoying the qualities forever!) [7th pAsuram]
- “vAzhdhal kaNdIr guNamidhu andhO mAyavan adi paravi pOzhdhu pOga uLLagiRkum punmai ilAdhavarkku vAzh thuNaiyA vadamadhuraip piRandhavan vaN pugazhE vIzh thuNaiyAp pOm idhanil yAdhum illai mikkadhE” (Isn’t this natural living! Isn’t this world renowned! Alas! sarvESvara who has amazing qualities and activities incarnated in northern mathurA, for those who think about praising his divine feet due to being pleased and to spend the time without any inferiority, to be the means for their life matching their true nature; there is nothing greater than this life of having only his qualities which are enjoyable for his devotees, as the companion for enjoyment) [8th pAsuram]
- “yAdhum illai mikkadhanil enRenRadhu karudhi kAdhu seyvAn kUdhai seydhu kadai muRai vAzhkkaiyum pOm mAdhugilin kodik koL mAda vadamadhuraip piRandha thAdhu sEr thOL kaNNan allAl illai kaNdIr saraNE” (There is no other benefit greater than that [kainkaryam]; those who are repeatedly considering the other benefits in the form of aiSvaryam (worldly wealth) and kaivalyam (self enjoyment) will perish just as one who tries to pierce his ear will end up damaging the ear itself; hence, there is no refuge for the goal other than krishNa who incarnated in northern mathurA having mansions with flags made of huge clothes and is having shoulders decorated with garlands of thuLasi, vaijayanthi etc; this can be seen by those who understand it) [9th pAsuram]
- “kaNNan allAl illai kaNdIr saraN adhu niRka vandhu maNNin bAram nIkkudhaRkE vadamadhuraip piRandhAn thiNNamA num udaimai uNdEl avan adi sErththuymminO eNNa vENdA nummadhAdhum avan anRi maRRillaiyE” (There is no prApya and prApaka other than krishNa; leaving the nAga paryanka [mattress of serpent AdhiSEsha], he incarnated in northern mathurA to have that nature of his being prApya and prApaka established and to eliminate the burden of demoniac people who are the enemies; offer whatever object you are claiming as yours, if present, firmly at his divine feet; you need not analyse this; there is nothing which is owned by self in all aspects in the form of prApya and prApaka, other than bhagavAn who is all kinds of relatives as said in “mAthA pithA bhrAthA nivAsaS SaraNam suhrudh gathir nArAyaNa:”) [10th pAsuram]
nAyanAr too mercifully said in AchArya hrudhayam chUrNikai 227 “immadavulagar kaNdadhOdu patta abhAndhava arakshaka abhOgya asuka anupAya prathi sambandhiyaik kAtti” (Showing to everyone the worldly relatives who are not the real relatives, not the protectors, not the enjoyable ones, not the pleasing ones, not the means).
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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