SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
periya thirumozhi >> Third centum >> Sixth decad
Highlights from avathArikai (Introduction)
No specific introduction.
pAsuram
nilaiyALA! nin vaNanga vENdAyE Agilum en
mulaiyALa oru nAL un agalaththAl ALAyE?
silaiyALA! maram eydha thiRalALA! thirumeyya
malaiyALA! nIyALa vaLaiyALa mAttOmE
Word-by-Word meanings
silai ALA – Oh you who have SrI kOdhaNdam in your hand!
maram eydhda thiRal ALA – Oh you who can shoot arrow to uproot the marAmaram!
thirumeyya malai ALA – Oh you who are mercifully reclining in thirumeyyam!
nilai ALA nin vaNanga – As I surrender unto you without any other expectation
vENdAyE Agilum – even if you don’t desire for it
en mulai ALa – to have my bosoms serve
oru nAL – at least one day
un agalaththAl ALa – you should rule me by embracing with your vast chest;
nI ALa – after you accepted
vaLai ALa mAttOmE – we will not seek out the ability to rule over our bangles.
Simple translation
Oh you who have SrI kOdhaNdam in your hand! Oh you who can shoot arrow to uproot the marAmaram! Oh you who are mercifully reclining in thirumeyyam! Even if you don’t desire for my surrender unto you without any other expectation, you should rule me by embracing me with your vast chest, at least one day, to have my bosoms serve you; after you accepted, we will not seek out the ability to rule over our bangles.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
nilai ALA … – The activity which matches the true nature of the self is to worship his divine feet and live as long as one has existence.
nin … – Though this is the truth, it will materialise only when he thinks “let this AthmA attain this goal”.
nilai ALA! nin vaNanga vENdAyE Agilum – If something is to be attained, it is this – AzhwAr is desiring to perform eternal kainkaryam at emperumAn’s divine feet being close to him, instead of getting other benefits and leaving him. Though AzhwAr is in the mood of emperumAn’s divine consort, she is only desiring for servitude towards him just as brAhmaNas will constantly recite vEdha manthrams even when they become mad.
nilai ALA nin vaNanga – With this, the goal is established [to serve emperumAn is the goal].
vENdAyE Agilum – With this, the means is established [emperumAn’s mercy is the means]. If he does not desire, this goal will not be attained. This is what we desire – even if you remain like neem [which is bitter].
en mulai ALa – To let me manage my existence; to have me retain my femininity and manage myself instead of suffering by the urge of my bosoms which are like children crying out saying “Food! Food!” as in nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 5.7 “kongai kiLarndhu kumaiththu” (my stout bosoms are melting my life joyously).
en mulai ALa – To control and rule over my bosoms like those who control and rule over an intoxicated elephant.
emperumAn says “When we don’t have the desire, if you ask me to do this for your purpose, should I do it?” parakAla nAyaki responds,
oru nAL – You can avoid coming everyday; but should you not come one day, for the sake of others?
oru nAL – Don’t think that I need you to come many days; even if you come one day, it is sufficient.
emperumAn says “If I don’t have the interest in my heart to do that even one day, should I do it?” parakAla nAyaki responds,
un agalaththAl ALAyE – You keep your heart in those who are desirable for you and you can just embrace me with your body.
emperumAn says “Why should I be having my heart with others and embracing you? Why should I engage with you even for one day, when I don’t desire for it?” parakAla nAyaki says,
silai ALA – To avoid my sorrowful cry [you have to come]. SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 10.3 “kshathriyair dhAryathE” (the kings are holding [the bow to eliminate the cry of the suffering ones]), aren’t you holding the bow to not hear the sorrowful cry.
emperumAn says “Where did you see us using our bow to eliminate the sorrow, and forcing me to do the same now?” parakAla nAyaki says,
maram eydha thiRal ALA – Are you not the one who will take up arms and help even those who don’t believe in your ability? Did you not shoot the seven marAmaram with your arrow to eliminate the sorrow of sugrIva mahArAjar?
emperumAn says “In that case, you should have come during rAmAvathAram and got my help” parakAla nAyaki says,
thirumeyya malaiyALA – Have you not mercifully arrived in thirumeyyam to eliminate such loss [in not getting your help in avathArams]? In such case, will being accepted by you and having bangles in hand occur together? Now, due to her sorrow, she is saying like that. Bangles will never stay in her hands; if he is with her, her body will swell in happiness and the bangles will break and fall down; if he leaves her, she will become lean, and they will fall down. Being accepted by you, how can I protect myself with my femininity? [An incident is explained here] During the final moments of ammangi ammAL, nanjIyar heard about the situation and went to see him. At that time, nanjIyar told him “While you should be joyful in this world with service to AchArya and enjoying bhagavAn’s qualities, it is unfortunate that you have to suffer like this like common people”. ammangi ammAL responded quoting the words “nI ALa vaLai ALa mAttOmE” from this pAsuram and said “If we are accepted by bhagavAn, we must suffer [in separation] and finally give up the body”. As nanjIyar left from there, he mercifully told nampiLLai “If he can say such words even in his final moments, it is due to the firm placement of his strong relationship due to the strong faith in bhagavAn”.
Thus, in this pAsuram, the following aspects are explained:
- Establishing the goal
- the state of those who have taste
- the nature of emperumAn who is the refuge
- AthmA having lot of desire to reach him
nilai ALA – It is explained that the goal is to be engaged in eternal kainkaryam.
vENdAyE Agilum – It is explained that bhagavAn is the upAyam as well.
en mulai ALa oru nAL – The nature of those who have taste is explained.
silai ALA – bhagavAn being refuge is explained.
maram eydha – It is explained that there is no shortcoming in his protection and AthmA should seek his protection.
All of these principles are explained in this pAsuram.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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