SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavara munayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr mentioned that emperumAn removes hurdles for his followers such that they could attain him and that he accepts their servitude. In this pAsuram, AzhwAr enjoys the way emperumAn is reclining in thirukkudandhai in order to remove the hurdles for his followers so that they could attain him, just as he removed the hurdle for pirAtti, who never separates from him, for her bhagavadhanubhavam (enjoyment with emperumAn) by destroying rAvaNa.
sangu thangu munkai nangai kongai thangal uRRavan
angamanga anRu senRadarththu eRindha AzhiyAn
kongu thangu vArkuzhal madandhaimAr kudandha nIr
pongu thaN kudandhaiyuL kidandha puNdarIganE
Word-by-Word Meanings
sangu – bangles
thangu – remaining
mun kai – having forearm
nangai – sIthAp pirAtti’s
kongai – in her divine bosom
thangal – to remain
uRRavan – rAvaNa, who thought of
angam – physical form
manga – to be destroyed
anRu – on a day, at that time
senRu – went (to the place where he resided)
adarththu – fought with
eRIndha – severed his heads
AzhiyAn – one who has a divine form which is invigorating like an ocean
kongu – fragrance
thangu – present always
vAr – being long
kuzhal – having locks
madandhaimAr – women
kudaindha – took a bath by dipping in
nIr – water
pongu – since it overflows
thaN – being cool
kudandhaiyuL – in divine thirukkudandhai
kidandha – one who is mercifully reclining
puNdarIganE – it is only ArAvamudhAzhwAn (emperumAn’s divine name in kudandhai) who has limbs which are like lotus.
Simple Translation
rAvaNa wanted to embrace sIthAp pirAtti, who had bangles on her forearm. emperumAn went to that rAvaNa’s place and destroyed him by severing his head. Aren’t you ArAvamudhAzhwAn, with divine limbs like lotus, who has a divine form like the invigorating ocean and who is mercifully reclining in thirukkudandhai, where women, with fragrant hair, take a dip in the water which is cool due to that!
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
sangu thangu mun kai – sIthAp pirAtti whose bangles will not come out of her forearm. When emperumAn takes hold of her hand, it is the bangles which he praises. When he separates from her, it is the bangles which will slip out of her hands. Hence, AzhwAr is referring to her bangles. sangu – bangles made of conch. Since the term thangu refers to the fact that the bangles will always be present on her forearm, it indicates that pirAtti will be always together with emperumAn.
nangai – one who is complete with the beauty of her divine form, with the auspicious qualities of her divine form such as softness etc and with the auspicious qualities of her divine soul such as mercy, patience etc. sIthAp pirAtti is one who is just as she has been mentioned in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 16-5 “thulya SeelavayOvruththAm thulyAbhijanalakshaNAm l
rAgavO’rhathi vaidhEhim tham chEyamasithEkshaNA ll” (for vaidhEhi who has (with SrI rAma) matching qualities, age and conduct, SrI rAma is well suited; with her well-matched pedigree and characteristics, this black-eyed sIthA is also well suited to him). In such sIthAp pirAtti’s case …
kongai thangal uRRavan angam manga – while it is appropriate to take refuge under the divine feet of mother, without even considering that she is the mother, rAvaNa thought of embracing the bosom of such pirAtti. To destroy the physical form of that rAvaNa who thought of carrying out the most inappropriate act. thangal – to embrace. uRRavan – one who thought of. The reason for such a wicked thought is that rAvaNa considered his body as soul. Hence, SrI rAma thought of destroying the body [of rAvaNa] which was the case for his pride.
anRu – this could be considered as – on that day when [rAvaNa] separated perumAL and pirAtti on either side of ocean, just like separating body and soul, or as – on that day when pirAtti, reaching the extreme limit of her sorrow, wanted to end her life by hanging herself by knotting her hair around her neck.
senRu – just as it has been said in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 1-29 “abhiyAthA praharthA cha sEnAnayaviSAradha:: (SrI rAma is one who goes to enemy’s place to wage a war; he is an expert on the rules of war), since he was a great warrior, he went to rAvaNa’s place.
adarththeRindha AzhiyAn – laying siege on lankA, SrI rAma severed the head of rAvaNa, and through that bliss, he has a divine form which would remove the ennui of the beholder. eRidhal – severing the head.
kongu thangu vArkuzhal madandhaimAr – women, with long hair, which had lasting fragrance.
kudaindha nIr pongu thaN kudandhaiyuL– the water body in which they had a bath, flowed abundantly due to contact with them. Due to this, thirukkudandhai was able to remove the ennui of everyone. With this verse, it is hinted that the distinguishing adjectives used for thirukkudandhai could be applied to women who welcome followers who reach paramapadham, just as it has been mentioned in kaushIdhakI upanishath 1-34 “tham panchaSathAnyaprasarasAm prathidhAvanthi Satham mAlA hasthA: | Satham anjana hasthA: Satham chUrNa hasthA: Satham vAsO hasthA: || Satham paNa hasthAs tham brahmAlanArENAlankurvanthi ||” (500 celestial ladies hasten towards that mukthAthmA [who has just reached parama padham]; 100 proceed with garlands in their hands; hundred with black pigment in their hands, for the eyes; hundred with fragrant body powder in their hands; hundred with divine dresses in their hands; hundred with ornaments in their hands; they decorate him with the decorations of brahmam [supreme entity]). This verse is also applicable to women who carry out servitude to ArAvamudhan here [in thirukkudandhai].
kidandha puNdarIganE – emperumAn is reclining in thirukkudandhai like a forest of lotus flower having blossomed on the entire surface of a pond, with his divine limbs of eyes, hands, legs etc resembling lotus in such a way that his followers could enjoy him.
Thus, through the 56th and 57th pAsurams, AzhwAr has enjoyed the valour and beauty of chakravarthith thirumagan (SrI rAman, the son of emperor dhaSarathan) in the divine form of ArAvamudhan (the presiding idol in thirukkudandhai). In the next two pAsurams, he enjoys the valour and beauty of kaNNan (krishNa) in the divine form of ArAvamudhan.
Next, we will take up the 58th pAsuram of this prabandham.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
archived in http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org
pramEyam (goal) – http://koyil.org
pramANam (scriptures) – http://granthams.koyil.org
pramAthA (preceptors) – http://acharyas.koyil.org
SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – http://pillai.koyil.org