SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavara munayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
This pAsuram narrates the greatness of thirumazhisai which is also called as mahIsAram.
ulagum mazhisaiyum uLLuNarndhu thammil
pulavar pugazhkkOlAl thUkka – ulagu thannai
vaiththeduththa pakkaththum mAnIr mazhisaiyE
vaiththeduththa pakkam validhu
Word-by-Word Meanings
pulavar – sages who are experts in vEdhams (sacred texts, describing about the supreme entity)
ulagum – all the world, except thirumazhisai
mazhisaiyum – and thirumazhisai
thammil uNarndhu – (separately) analysing in their hearts
pugazh kOlAl thUkka – when weighed with the help of balance which measures greatness
ulagu thannai vaiththu eduththa pakkaththum – more than the pan (of the balance) on which rest of the world had been placed
mA nIr mazhisai vaiththu eduththa pakkamE validhu – the pan on which thirumazhisai, which has distinguished water resources, was kept, was found to be stronger.
Simple Translation
Sages, who are experts in vEdhams, were asked to determine as to which of these two was greater – thirumazhisai or the rest of the worlds. They analysed this in their hearts and weighed these two with the help of a balance which measures greatness. They found that the pan on which thirumazhisai, which had rich resources of water bodies, had been kept, was stronger than the pan on which rest of the world had been placed.
vyAkyAnam
ulagum mazhisaiyum – rest of the world and distinguished thirumazhisai
uLLuNarndhu – analysing the greatness of the various parts of these two, in their hearts
thammil pulavar – sages such as bhArgavar, who are experts in vEdhams. The word pulam was denoted as vEdham in the first paripAdal (a kind of stanza with sections of various metres, in ancient thamizh literature). Thus, the word pulavar would refer to those who are experts in vEdhams. `While the word pulavar would also refer to poets, in line with the usage “kavi: krAntha dharSi”, this word would refer to sages who had seen vEdha manthrams (the incantations in vEdhams) which are beyond the five senses.
pugazhkkOlAl thUkka – weighing thirumazhisai and the rest of the world on a balance which determines greatness. Alternatively, it could be construed as – analysing the greatness of these two, in the balance of their hearts.
ulagu thannai vaiththu eduththa pakkaththum – more than the pan on which rest of the world had been placed.
mA nIr mazhisaiyE vaiththu eduththa pakkam validhu – the pan on which thirumazhisai, with its rich water resources, was kept, was found to be stronger, thus confirming that thirumazhisai was greater than rest of the world.
It is said that this thaniyan refers to an event mentioned in the sthalapurANam (narrative of the abode) of thirumazhisai. Many great sages such as bhArgavar, vasishtar et al went to brahmA, and asked him “Which is the best place on earth for us to carry out our penance?” brahmA, with the help of viSvakarmA, the celestial sculptor, created a balance on which he kept thirumazhisai on one pan and the rest of earth on the other pan. The pan containing thirumazhisai was found to be greater, showing that the essence of earth is thirumazhisai, which is also called as mahIsAra kshEthram. In this context, the word pulavar (seen in the thaniyan) refers to brahmA, who learnt the four types of vEdhams from emperumAn and instructed those to others, through his four faces. During the time of pArvathi’s wedding [with Sivan], all the sages and celestial entities had gathered in himAlayas (where the wedding was held), leading to that part becoming heavier, tilting the earth towards it. Sivan asked sage agasthya to proceed towards the southern part to balance it out. This incident is mentioned in the purANam. From the vyAkyAnam it is seen that there is another narrative, with sage dhurvAsar, in a similar incident like this. The vyAkyAnam refers to another incident – In thirumazhisai kshEthra mahAthmIyam (the greatness of the abode of thirumazhisai), it is said “dhAthrA thulithA lagu mahI” (when mahIsAra (thirumazhisai) kshEthram (abode) and the rest of the world were weighed by brahmA on a balance, the rest of the world had a lower weight than thirumazhisai. In thirumazhisai sthala purANam another verse is quoted: “chinthayEth sa jagannAtham vishNum jishNum sanAthanam” (let one meditate on that jagannAthan (lord of all the worlds, emperumAn) who is pervading everyone and everything, who is victorious and who is ancient). Since jagannAthan stays in that place and since all the sages keep him in their hearts, the pan on which thirumazhisai was kept, was found to be stronger.
mAnIr mazhisai – divine place which has pious water and divine soil. Did not poets too say, of this abode, “mazha nAdu kaNdIr marundhu” (thirumazhisai is the medicine for all ills)! Thus, with all these, it has been said in the narratives of this divine abode that it is appropriate for the divine incarnation of this AzhwAr, who is also known as bhakthisArar (essence of devotion), just as this AzhwAr had said in the 100th pAsuram of this prabandham “paththiyAna pAsanam” (cultivation of the crop of devotion). It has been mentioned in SrI bhAgavatham “thulAyAma lavEnApi na svargam nApunarbhavam l bhagavath sangi sangasya marthyAnAm kimudhASisha: ll” (svargam and mOksham cannot equal a drop of the joining together of emperumAn and his devotees. When such is the case, will we consider the wealth of people as anything?) [No, we will not]. Hasn’t the greatness of emperumAn and his followers too been glorified in purANams!
End of thaniyan vyAkyAnam
Next, we will take up the avathArikai (Introduction) for this prabandham.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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