SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
periya thirumozhi >> First centum >> Sixth decad
Highlights from avathArikai (Introduction)
In the previous pAsuram AzhwAr said “I wasted my time”; he should have done something to pass his time; when asked “How did you spend your time?” he is identifying that.
pAsuram
sUdhinaip perukki kaLavinaith thuNindhu
suri kuzhal madandhaiyar thiRaththuk
kAdhalE miguththuk kaNdavA thirindha
thoNdanEn naman thamar seyyum
vEdhanaikku odungi nadunginEn
vElai veN thirai alamarak kadaindha
nAdhanE! vandhu un thiruvadi adaindhEn
naimisAraNiyaththuL endhAy!
Word-by-Word meanings
veL – Whitish
thirai – having waves
vElai – thiruppARkadal (kshIrAbdhi – milk ocean)
alamara – to agitate
kadaindha – one who churned
nAdhanE – Oh lord!
naimisAraNiyaththuL endhAy! – the benefactor who arrived in SrI naimiSAraNyam
sUdhinaip perukki – spending a lot of time gambling
kaLavinaith thuNindhu – having firm faith in robbing
suri – curly
kuzhal – having hair
madandhaiyar thiRaththu – towards the women
kAdhal miguththu – having increased love
kaNda A – in the matters visible to eyes
thirindha – following as desired
thoNdanEn – I who served them
naman thamar – servitors of yama
seyyum – doing
vEdhanaikku – thinking about the torture
odungi – having the limbs weakened
nadunginEn – one who was shivering
un thiruvadi – at your highness’ divine feet
vandhu adaindhEn – came and surrendered.
Simple translation
Oh lord who churned the milk ocean which is having whitish waves, to agitate it! Oh benefactor who arrived in SrI naimiSAraNyam! I was spending a lot of time gambling and having firm faith in robbing; I was having increased love towards women who were having curly hair, following matters visible to eyes as desired, served them. I who was shivering, thinking about the torture done by servitors of yama, having my limbs weakened, came and surrendered at your highness’ divine feet.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
- sUdhinaip perukkik kaLavinaith thuNindhu – As I would gamble in the day and observed that the loser was giving a lot of wealth, thought “since he has a lot of wealth, he is giving out like this” and would firmly plan to rob that wealthy loser in the night. Thus, I would grab his money with and without his knowledge. Since these are forbidden acts, AzhwAr could be speaking about these aspects. Alternative explanation – when an Asthika (person who believes in SAsthram) says “Fool! There is someone called ISvara (lord)”, being a nAsthika (not believing in SAsthram), I would rob [of ISvara’s supremacy] in front of his eyes asking “Who is that ISvara?” [like gambling]. Further I would consider myself as independent and hence rob myself from bhagavAn too [like robbing].
- suri kuzhal … – After earning wealth in this manner, the way it is spent is further explained. If a woman does not tie her hair as said in thirumAlai 33 “viri kuzhalAril pattu” (being caught in the net of women with well spread locks of hair), he would become attracted in her; if a woman had her locks tied, he would [still] become attracted in her. Whatever may be their posture, he will be attracted to them. As said in thiruvAimozhi 5.10.2 “ennai un seygai naivikkum” (as long as they are your acts, I will be attracted towards them).
- kaNdavA thirindha – As said in sthOthra rathnam 58 “nrupaSu:” (animal in human body), whatever is caught in the eyes, I would not withdraw myself thinking SAsthram has forbidden these acts. I roamed around as I pleased.
- thoNdanEn – thoNdan – parathanthran – dependent. When such dependency is seen in inapt aspects, that leads to lowliness; when it occurs in apt aspects, it will lead to greatness.
- naman thamar … – Since I am conducting myself in this improper manner, I would fear for the tortures done by the servitors of yama. Further, all the limbs in my body will become weakened and will shiver.
- vElai … – Your relationship with AthmA (self) is such that you will churn the ocean for the sake of prayOjanAntharaparars (those who have ulterior desires while worshipping bhagavAn).
- vandhu … – Just as you mercifully reclined in kshIrAbdhi to hear the cries of brahmA et al being their refuge, you arrived here and made your presence to be surrendered to, by me.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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