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periya thirumozhi >> Second centum >> Eighth decad
Highlights from avathArikai (Introduction)
This is how it looked when emperumAn appeared [as narasimha].
pAsuram
thiripuram mUnRu eriththAnum
maRRai malarmisai mEl ayanum viyappa
muri thirai mAkadal pOl muzhangi
mUvulagum muRaiyAl vaNanga
eriyana kEsara vAL eyiRROdu
iraNiyan Agam iraNdu kURA
ari uruvAm ivarAr kol? enna
attabuyakaraththEn enRArE
Word-by-Word meanings
thiri – flying (in the sky)
mUnRu puram – three capital cities
eriththAnum – rudhra who burnt down
maRRai – and
mEl – distinguished
malar misai ayanum – brahmA who is born from the lotus in the divine navel [of bhagavAn]
viyappa – to become astonished
muri – moving
thirai – having waves
mA – vast
kadalpOl – like ocean
muzhangi – making tumultuous sound
mU ulagum – residents of the three worlds
muRaiyAl – aptly
vaNanga – bow down at the divine feet
iraNiyan – hiraNya’s
Agam – body
iraNdu kURA – to become two pieces
eri a(n)na – like fire
kEsari – mane
vAL – shining
eyiRROdu – having canine teeth
ari uruvAm – in the form of narasimha
ivar Ar kol? enna – when asked “Who is he?”
attabuyagaraththEn – I am the lord of thiruvattabuyagaram
enRAr – mercifully said
Simple translation
emperumAn appeared in the form of narasimha having fire like mane and shining canine teeth, to split hiraNya’s body to become two pieces; rudhra who burnt down the three flying capital cities and the distinguished brahmA who is born from the lotus in the divine navel [of bhagavAn] became astonished; residents of the three worlds made tumultuous sound like that of a vast ocean having moving waves and aptly bowed down at his divine feet; when asked “Who is he?” He mercifully said “I am the lord of thiruvattabuyagaram”.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
thiri puram – Travelling city [thiri indicates roaming]; that is – the city would float in the sky and on reaching specific target, would land there to destroy everything beneath it; there were three such capital cities; they are explained here. Alternatively – thiri puram (thiri (thamizh) – thri (samskrutham)- three) could be the name for each of those cities as in bruhadhAraNyaka upanishath “pancha panchajanA:” (five gyAnEndhriyas – each sense is known as panchajana) and “saptha saptharshaya:” (seven saptharishis – each sage is known as saptharishi). rudhra whose valour is shining due to the vanquishing of the three cities.
maRRai .. – When rudhra is the controller for annihilation, brahmA is the controller for creation, and further he is the father of rudhra and is known as ajan (unborn) due to being different from all other mortal beings, having directly been born from the lotus in the divine navel of bhagavAn.
viyappa – They, who are causing astonishment by their amazing acts, are astonished as if a crane has seen an ocean.
muri … – Other than brahmA et al, others are making tumultuous sound like that of a vast ocean with moving waves.
mU ulagum vaNanga – This is similar to “manchA:krOSanthi” (Cot making noise) [those who are in the cot are making noise; similarly, people in the three worlds worship him].
muRaiyAl – Due to unlawful deeds of hiraNya, they were falling at his feet; now that he has died, worshipping bhagavAn due to his natural lordship; alternatively – aptly worshipped.
eri … – Having fire like mane and shining canine teeth, emperumAn assumed the form of narasimha to have hiraNya’s body become split into two, just as certain entities [elephants] will be destroyed due to seeing their enemies [lions] who are their natural enemies.
ivar Ar kol enna – When a child’s [prahlAdhAzhwAn] father became the child’s enemy, emperumAn appeared to the child being closer than the child’s father; he stood in front of me similar to that. Still, she is asking “Who is this person?” emperumAn’s nature is such that one can describe him, yet one cannot firmly say who he is.
attabuyagaraththEn enRArE – He is saying “Will I just help prahlAdha? Have I not arrived here and stood here looking for an opportunity to help you?”
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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