SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavara munayE nama:
perumAL thirumozhi >> 4th Decad
avathArikai (Introduction)
In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr had said “If I could carry out servitude to emperumAn, even human birth is acceptable”. In this pAsuram he says “Since human form is common to a king also, I do not desire that. If I could be of some use to thiruvEngadamudaiyAn, it is acceptable if I could be born as a seNbaga (champaka) tree”.
oNpavaLam vElaiyulavu thaN pARkadaluL
kaN thuyilum mAyOn kazhaliNaigaL kANbadhaRku
paN pagarum vaNdinangaL paNpAdum vEngadaththuch
chenbagamAy niRkum thiruvudaiyEnAvEnE
Word-by-Word Meanings
oN pavaLam vElai ulavu – bringing splendorous coral to the shore and taking a stroll (with its waves as legs)
thaN pARkadaluL – in the cool, thiruppARkadal (milky ocean)
kaN thuyilum – closing his eyes [in sleep]
mAyOn – emperumAn who has amazing activities, his
kazhal iNaigaL kANbadhaRku – to prostrate before his two divine feet
paN pagarum vaNdu inangaL – swarms of beetles, which are singing
paN pAdum vEngadaththu – in thirumalai, which is apt for singing
seNbagamAy niRkum – to remain as a seNbaga (champaka) tree
thiru udaiyEn AvEnE – let me have the fortune
Simple Translation
Swarms of beetles are singing joyously in thirumalai hill, which is apt for singing. They are in thirumalai in order to prostrate before the two divine feet of emperumAn, who reclines [usually] in the milky ocean where the waves will bring shining coral gemstones to the shore and take a walk there. I will consider it to be my fortune if I could [take birth and] remain as a champaka tree on that hill.
vyAkyAnam
oN pavaLam vElai ulavu thaN pARkadaluL– the waves in the milky ocean are bringing to the shore effulgent coral gemstones and taking a stroll in such a way that this will remove the ennui of those who reach that place. Since the term vElai denotes wave as well as shore, we can construe this to mean – milky ocean which flourishes by bringing the splendorous coral gems to the shore
kaN thuyilum mAyOn – one who has amazing activity of displaying the beauty of his reclining posture, in the divine milky ocean, just as it has been mentioned in thirumalai 23 “kidandhadhOr kidakkai” (the unparalleled posture of reclining beautifully).
kazhal iNaigaL kANbadhaRku – we cannot go to thiruppARkadal to worship his divine feet. In order to overcome this deficiency, [he has come to thirumalai so that] we can go to thirumalai. For AzhwAr, since thirumalai is more desirable than thiruppARkadal, we should consider this interpretation alone.
paN pagarum – Unlike human beings who have to learn the words of the song and with the help of the one who teaches, learn to sing the words with a tune, the sound raised by beetles becomes music by itself.
vaNdinangaL paN pAdum vEngadaththu – the music generated in thirumalai which synchronises with the music from the humming of beetles. Since AzhwAr has used the term paN pAdudhal (singing songs) twice as in paN pagarum vaNdinangaL paN pAdum, the vyAkyAthA (commentator) periyavAchchAn piLLai has said that “AzhwAr is saying that in synchronisation with the songs sung by AzhwArs like them, the beetles are singing in thirumalai”.
seNbagamAy niRkum thiruvudaiyan AvEnE – let the wealth of remaining in thirumalai as a seNbaga (champaka) tree come to me. The implied meaning here is: what I desire is to be with emperumAn constantly. Should I get it, it is acceptable to me to remain like a seNbaga tree. I do not desire to remain as a more intelligent human being.
We will next take up the 5th pAsuram of this decad.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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