SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
In the previous pAsuram, he had narrated the way darkness had tormented him. He says in this pAsuram that however much darkness surrounds and torments, sarvESvaran’s true nature is such that one cannot blame him about anything.
Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:
adaikklaththOngu kamalaththalarayan senniyennum
mudaikkalaththUN munnaranukku nIkkiyai Azhisangam
padaikkalamEndhiyai veNNeykkanRu Aychchi van thAmbugaLAl
pudaikkalandhAnai emmAnai ensollip pulambuvanE
Word-by-Word Meanings
adaikkalaththu – as an entity to be protected
Ongu – grown well
kamalaththu – (having been born in the divine navel) lotus’
alar – born in a flower
ayan – brahmA’s
senni ennum – known as head
udai – having an unpleasant smell
kalaththu – in the vessel
UN – food
mun – in earlier time
aranukku – for rudhra
nIkkiyai – one who removed
Azhisangam – divine disc and divine conch
padai – divine weapons
kalan – as ornaments
Endhiyai – one who donned
anRu – during the time of krishNAvathAram (incarnation as krishNa)
veNNey – for butter
Aychhi – yaSodhAp pirAtti
van – strong
thAmbugaLAl – ropes
pudaikka – to hit
alandhAnai – one who had trouble
emmAnai – one who is my lord
en solli – by speaking about what deficiencies
pulambuvan – could I call?
Simple Translation
brahmA was born in the lotus flower which originates from the divine navel of sarvESvaran who is the refuge for all. rudhra took his food from the skull (head) of brahmA [which was plucked by rudhra] which had an unpleasant smell. sarvESvaran removed that curse on rudhra; he holds the divine weapons of disc and conch; when he incarnated as krishNa, he stole butter and was hit by strong ropes by yaSOdhA [his mother]. With what deficiencies in him could I call him, who is my lord?
vyAkyAnam
adaikkalaththOngu – growing under sarvESvaran, to whom he has surrendered, brahmA is like nikshEpam (treasure)
kamalaththalarayan – nikshEpam refers to a treasure which is hidden. However, that term refers here to his being looked at by sarvESvaran such that there is no deficiency in him. Apart from that, brahmA has the fortune of having been born directly to sarvESvaran.
senni . . . – while brahmA is considered as the lOkaguru (AchAryan for the world), he is the father of rudhra, who plucked one of his heads and stood as one who has committed a serious crime. brahmA stood in sadness, having his head severed. He [sarvESvaran] removed both their sorrows.
ayan senni ennum mudaikkalam – that skull [severed head of brahmA] became a vessel with a foul smell. Since it was having an unpleasant smell [due to its contact with brahmA’s flesh] wherever rudhra went, he was followed by birds of prey such as eagle etc.
mudaikkalaththu UN mun aranukku nIkkiyai – [due to the curse of brahmA], rudhra had to eat his food by begging for alms, from that skull. rudhra, who is the deity for annihilation, had to suffer like this. sarvESvaran removed this curse for rudhra, in an earlier time. He thought “Someone who was created by me should not suffer for a long time like this” and removed that difficulty. Through this , it has been brought out that for those who are born in samsAram, being attracted by karma and the resultant physical form, difficulties etc are common to all and that these are applicable for these two too (brahmA and rudhra). One stood with his head severed; one stood having committed that heinous act; sarvESvaran stood as one who removed both their sorrows.
Azhi sangam padaikkalam Endhiyai – he constantly holds his divine weapons such as disc and conch since he cannot search for them to protect samsAris [such as brahmA and rudhra] when they are wandering in difficulties. He has the nature of wearing these divine weapons as divine ornaments in order to carry out the activity of protection.
veNNey . . . – though he is capable of removing the difficulties of brahmA, rudhra et al and has the necessary implements for that, when he gets into any difficulty from his followers, he cannot extricate himself from such difficulty. While he is the controller of brahmA, rudhra et al and remains as the supreme entity, he cannot sustain himself without a few materials which have a contact with his followers. While he is avApthasamasthakAman [he does not have any unfulfilled desire], he feels that there is some deficiency and if he cannot get it directly, he goes to the extent of stealing it. Even while stealing it, he makes sure that he leaves evidence behind to be caught; when caught, he does not take any action to extricate himself from such situations.
anRu – a day comes when he gets tied down and looks as a very simple person! Such a day too occurs! I had missed that day when he had himself tied down and looked so simple and I am praying for attaining him today!
Aychchi – he could not seek a remedy for the difficulty posed by a herdswoman!
van thAmbugaLAl – whatever ropes she [yaSOdhA] could lay her hands on, turned out to be short to tie him. Hence she took more ropes and hit him with those. The anger towards a person would be present to the same extent as affection towards that person. It is pertinent here to recall periya thiruvandhAdhi 48 pAsuram “idaichchi kumaiththiRangaL . . .” (the difficulties that he had undergone at the hands of yaSOdhA)
pudaikkalandhAnai – even when he was in such difficulties he did not take any remedial action.
alandhAnai – the term ala refers to blossoming. As she [yaSOdhA] hit him with the ropes, his face became more and more blossomed. periya thirumozhi 5-9-7 says “kaNNiyAr kuRungayiRRAl katta vettenRirundhAn” (as he was tied with short ropes which were tied together, he stood as if agreeing to that act)
emmAnai – as he was being tied and hit, he shed copious amount of tears from his eyes and his dark divine form became pale; with such an act, he made me to be subservient only to him. Just as it has been mentioned in thiruvAimozhi 5-10-3 “paiyavE nilaiyum” (the way he stood trembling in fear), it was this which made me lose my steadfastness.
en sollip pulambuvanE – I desired for him now and am wailing since I could not attain him. I was not there when he carried out his activites in krishNAvathAram and I cannot point out to any deficiency in him. I am unable to attain him now because of the result of my past deeds. He has no shortcoming in him for me to blame him.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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