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periya thirumozhi >> First centum >> Second decad
Highlights from avathArikai (Introduction)
No specific introduction.
pAsuram
kariya mAmugil padalangaL
kidandhu avai muzhangidak kaLiRenRu
periya mAsuNam varai enap peyartharu
piridhi emperumAnai
varikoL vaNdaRai paimpozhil
mangaiyar kaliyanadholimAlai
ariya innisai pAdu nalladiyavarkku
aruvinai adaiyAvE
Word-by-Word meanings
kariya – dark
mAmugil – huge clouds
padalangaL avai – the groups
kidandhu – remaining in one place
muzhangida – as they make noise (hearing that noise)
periya – big
mAsuNam – pythons
kaLiRu enRu – confusing those clouds to be elephants (arriving to be their prey)
varai ena – like mountain
peyar tharu – will come swaying
piridhi – eternally residing in thiruppiridhi
emperumAnai – on sarvESvaran
vari koL – having stripes
vaNdu – beetles
aRai – humming
pai – vast
pozhil – having garden
mangaiyar – the ruler of the residents of thirumangai region
kaliyandhu – AzhwAr’s
oli – merciful pAsurams which have sound
mAlai – being garland
ariya – difficult for anyone to know
in – sweet
isai – pAsurams which have tune
pAdum – those who recite
nal – distinguished
adiyavarkku – the bhAgavathas
aruvinai – great sins
adaiyA – will not reach
Simple translation
As the groups of dark clouds remain in one place and make noise, big pythons confuse those clouds to be elephants, will come swaying like mountains in thiruppiridhi where sarvESvaran is eternally residing; on such sarvESvaran, thirumangai AzhwAr, who is the ruler of the residents of thirumangai region which is having vast garden where beetles which are having stripes are humming, composed pAsurams which have sound, in the form of a garland, which are difficult for anyone to know; great sins will not reach those distinguished bhAgavathas who recite these sweet pAsurams which have tune.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
- kariya … – The groups of huge clouds which are very dark due to having absorbed a lot of water, due to their weight, being unable to move, made noise remaining wherever they were. Instead of raining the water and becoming pale, being dark, and that too not being pieces of clouds, but being huge clouds, that too not being just one or two, but in many groups, due to the weight of the water absorbed, being unable to move on their own and being unable to be pulled by wind, remaining in the same place, making noise just like a pregnant lady will cry out due to pain.
- kaLiRu enRu – Considering those clouds to be elephants due to their similarity in colour and the sound which they made.
- periya mAsuNam – The pythons which have a huge form. They are so big that they can swallow elephants.
- varai enap peyar tharu – Those pythons would fear those elephants, and move as if a mountain moves, and will enter their pits. nanjIyar would mercifully explain that they will enter their pits and hide there in this manner as said in mudhal thiruvandhAdhi 38 “kArudaiya minnenRu puRRadaiyum” (the snakes will reach their pits thinking that it is the lightning amidst clouds) and as it is commonly said that big hooded snakes will hide in their pits on seeing an elephant. nampiLLai mercifully asked “Should we have the meaning in this manner only?” nanjIyar responded “When you ask like this, you must be thinking about a different meaning, you can tell that”; nampiLLai said “moving is common for both going [to the pit] and coming [from the pit]; while glorifying a mountain, people will say ‘pythons will swallow elephants in this mountain’; hence these pythons would consider the groups of huge clouds to be elephants and would move towards those clouds thinking that they have got their prey, like a mountain moving”; nanjIyar greatly celebrated that explanation saying “this is the apt meaning”. That is why the python was said as “periya mAsuNam” – the greatness being the ability to swallow elephants.
- vari koL … – Garland of pAsurams with tune which were composed by AzhwAr who is the leader of thirumangai which has vast garden where beautiful beetles with stripes drink honey, become joyful and will be humming.
- ariya innisai – nampiLLai will say “[How amazing that] thirumangai AzhwAr is saying ariya innisai (beautifully sounding pAsurams which are difficult to understand)! AzhwAr thiruvarangap perumAL araiyar was once having an argument with some SrIvaishNavas; he would start playing the cymbals aggressively and say “I challenge you to compete with me in reciting vAli mA valam pAsuram/decad with music”. It is well known that, this pAsuram/decad is used in competition. One can engage in the prose and the meaning! But it is to engage in the tune/music of this decad. arumai (ariya) implies greatness; inimai (innisai) implies enjoyability of the pAsuram.
- ariya – The decad which has greatness and sweetness.
- nal adiyavarkku – Only those who sing this decad, will become confidential servitors of sarvESvaran.
- aru vinai … – Sins will not reach them. Just as the snakes will consider the clouds as prey and pursue them, sarvESvaran will consider those who recite this decad to be enjoyable and will accept them after eliminating their hurdles, and hence they will become accepted by him. As those who recite these pAsurams are considered by sarvESvaran as all types of enjoyable aspects and reach them, the sins will have no place to stay and hence will run away.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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