SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
periya thirumozhi >> Second centum >> Fifth decad
Highlights from avathArikai (Introduction)
bhattar mercifully explained – sarvESvaran is the one who grants same stature as him for those who surrender unto him; considering this point, to reveal his simplicity, pramANams (scriptures) will highlight greatness of others [other dhEvathAs]; they will also manifest some greatness just as a worm’s movement may end up making a proper letter accidentally; seeing that, the people of the world will become bewildered that these dhEvathAs have certain greatness; thus, as the scriptures are in this manner and the chEthanas (sentient beings) are less intelligent, without realising the essence of these scriptures, people will become drowned in the ocean which is known as in jithanthA sthOthram “samsAra sAgaram” (the ocean of nescience) had it not been for the wet (compassionate) words [of truth] of these AzhwArs.
pAsuram
peNNAgi innamudham vanjiththAnaip piRai eyiRRu anRu adalariyAyp peruginAnaith
thaNNArndha vArpunal sUzh meyyam ennum thadavarai mEl kidandhAnai paNangaL mEvi
eNNAnai eNNiRandha pugazhinAnai ilangoLi sEr aravindham pOnRu nINda
kaNNAnaik kaNNArak kaNdu koNdEn kadipozhil sUzh kadalmallaith thalasayanaththE
Word-by-Word meanings
in – sweet
amudham – nectar (to be not consumed by demons)
peN Agi – assuming a feminine form
vanjiththAnai – one who cheated them
anRu – when prahlAdha was tormented by hiraNya
piRai – resembling a crescent moon
eyiRu – teeth
adal – strong
ariyAy – being narasimha
peruginAnai – one who grew
thaN Arndha – cool
vAr – flowing
punal – by water
sUzh – surrounded by
meyyam ennum – known as thirumeyyam
thada varai mEl – on the huge hill
paNangaL – on thiruvananthAzhwAn
mEvi – firmly
kidandhAnai – one who mercifully reclined
eNNAnai – one who is thought about by everyone
eN iRandha – unlimited
pugazhinAnai – one who is having divine, auspicious qualities
ilangu oLi sEr – having great radiance
aravindham pOnRu – vast like lotus petal
nINda – wide
kaNNAnai – one who is having divine eyes
kaN Ara – to quench the thirst of the eyes
kadi – fragrant
pozhil – by garden
sUzh – surrounded
thalasayanaththu – in sthala sayanam (where he rests on the ground)
kadal mallai – in thirukkadalmallai
kaNdu koNdEn – I got to see
Simple translation
emperumAn assumed a feminine form and cheated the demons by stopping them from consuming the sweet nectar; when prahlAdha was tormented by hiraNya, being strong narasimha with crescent moon like teeth, emperumAn grew; he mercifully reclined on thiruvananthAzhwAn on the huge hill known as thirumeyyam which is surrounded by cool, flowing water; he is thought about by everyone; he is having unlimited, divine, auspicious qualities; he is having wide divine eyes which are vast like greatly radiant lotus petal; I got to see such sarvESvaran to quench the thirst of my eyes, in sthala sayanam in thirukkadalmallai, which is surrounded by fragrant garden.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
peN Agi … – One who fulfils the tasks of his devotees even by performing actions which don’t match him. One who is known as purusha and purushOththama, assumed a feminine form which does not match him, and cheated saying “this sweet nectar should not be given to demoniac persons”.
piRai … – When the young prahlAdha was tormented by harsh hiraNya, emperumAn having crescent moon like teeth,
adal ariyAy – being narasimha who would expand for battle.
peruginAnai – Had emperumAn not appeared when prahlAdha vowed, he would have considered to have shrunk and become incapable and would have lost his saviourship.
thaN Arndha … – When father et al ceased to be saviour and set to be tormentor, emperumAn thought “we should not leave our devotees at the disposal of such enemies” and mercifully reclined. emperumAn who is the real father mercifully reclined thinking “I sent some as protective fathers who will be caring and will do favours; but when such persons become tormentors, I cannot remain absent there”. One who mercifully reclined on thiruvananthAzhwAn in thirumeyyam which is having rejuvenating, flowing water.
eNNAnai – AzhwAr is speaking about emperumAn mercifully thinking about protecting the world, while reclining on that mattress; alternative explanation – one who is constantly thought as “emperumAn who is constantly cared by nithyasUris has come here and mercifully reclined! What a simplicity!”
eN iRandha pugazhAnai – AzhwAr is saying that there is no limit to his greatness due to constantly thinking about the protection of the world. Alternative explanation – for those who meditate upon his qualities, there are abundant qualities in him which cannot be fully thought about.
ilangu … – His physical beauty is such that, even without his qualities, he cannot be given up. Being very radiant, for blossomed nature etc, lotus can be cited as an example. But lotus will be round in shape. Unlike that, his eyes will be very wide. Alternative explanation – there is unlimited enjoyability in his eyes.
kaN Ara – Just as being filled with badabAmukhAgni (a type of fire), the eyes are withered and longing to see him; to quench the thirst of such eyes, I got to see him. Attaining a distinguished form and seeing him after reaching the special abode of paramapadham, is similar to one person having hunger and another person getting food; I got to see with the eyes that longed to see him. SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 40.3 “gAthrai: SOkAbhi karSithai:” (to see SrI rAma with this same body which suffered in separation).
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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