SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavara munayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
If the mercy of emperumAn, who is apt to be attained, is the means for getting mOksham (SrI vaikuNtam), what should the person, who desires mOksham, do, in order to get emperumAn’s mercy? AzhwAr says that worshipping at the divine feet of SrI vAmanan and reciting the divine names which describe the simplicity of emperumAn will bring the ultimate goal [SrI vaikuNtam] to this person.
aRindhaRindhu vAmanan adiyiNai vaNanginAl
seRindhezhundha gyAnamOdu selvamum siRandhidum
maRindhezhundha theNdiraiyuL mannu mAlai vAzhththinAl
paRindhezhundhu thIvinaigaL paRRaRudhal pAnmaiyE
Word-by-Word Meanings
vAmanan – emperumAn who incarnated as vAmanan, his
adiyiNai – both the divine feet
aRindhaRindhu – knowing that they are the means and the ultimate goal
vaNanginAl – if one worships (them)
seRindhu – strong
ezhundha – happened
gyAnamOdu – with true knowledge (about AthmA, soul)
selvamum – wealth of devotion
siRandhidum – will come in abundance
maRindhu – spread out
ezhiundha – being with agitation
theL – being clear
thirai uL – in kshIrAbdhi (milky ocean) which has waves
mannu – (residing) permanently
mAlai – one who is affectionate
vAzhththinAl – if one were to recite through the mouth
thIvinaigaL – sins (which are tied to Athma svarUpam)
paRindhu ezhundhu – getting out (from that)
paRRaRudhal – and getting destroyed, with their impressions
pAnmaiyE – is natural only.
Simple Translation
If one worships the two divine feet of emperumAn who incarnated as vAmanan, knowing that they are the means [to attain him] and the ultimate goal [to enjoy after attaining him], one would get strong, true knowledge about AthmA as well as the wealth of devotion, in abundance. If one recites the divine names of emperumAn who is permanently residing in the milky ocean, which is clear, spread out and has waves, all the sins which are attached to the Athma svarUpam will get destroyed, naturally.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
aRindhaRindhu vAmanan adiyiNai vaNanginAl – if one were to firmly believe that the divine feet of vAmanan, who came in the form of an alms-seeker in order to get back his possession, are the means and end goal and submit the responsibility accordingly. The reason behind saying aRindhu twice is to show that one should fall at the divine feet of emperumAn after knowing that only his divine feet are the means to attain him and that they are also the benefit to be enjoyed after attaining him. Alternatively, it could also be construed as “By hearing through SAsthram (sacred texts) and knowing from AchAryan’s instructions”. Another interpretation is: since the divine feet of vAmanan were kept on the heads of everyone, without seeing the distinction between the eminent and lowly, the divine feet are those of an entity who is simplicity personified. This phrase is an explanation for the term “anRu pAraLandha pAdha pOdhu” which we had seen in the 66th pAsuram.
seRindhezhundha gyAnamOdu selvamum siRandhidum – the term “seRindha gyAnam” refers to the true knowledge about AthmA who is inside the physical form of an entity. The term “ezhundha gyAnam” refers to the fact that this knowledge will take the person till the stage where he sees the AthmA directly. True knowledge is knowing that this AthmA is subservient only to emperumAn and to none else. Since knowledge about other entities outside is superficial knowledge, it cannot be considered to be true knowledge. Through the term “selvam“, the devotion that one would get through this knowledge is indicated. Did not poygai AzhwAr too mercifully say in his mudhal thiruvandhAdhi 43 “dhanamAya thanE kaikUdum” (knowledge and devotion which are the wealth for a SrIvaishNava will come on their own) emphasising that for a SrIvaishNava, devotion is wealth? Since kainkaryam (carrying out servitude to emperumAn) results from this devotion, this will be an auxiliary for bhagavath kainkaryam (service rendered to emperumAn). Since the term “sIrappu” refers to abundance, the term “sIrandhidum” indicates that the knowledge and devotion will be attained in full. Reference to knowledge and devotion here would also be symbolic of the kainkaryam which results from these two as well as to elimination of hurdles such as sins which is required for the fruition of knowledge and devotion.
maRindhezhundha theNdiraiyuL mannu mAlai vAzhththinAl – AzhwAr says that even those, who do not have the maturity to firmly believe that emperumAn alone is the means and the end-benefit, could attain the same benefit by reciting the divine names of emperumAn, without expecting any benefit. By reciting the divine names of the affectionate entity who is permanently residing in the divine milky ocean which has clear waves which rise in all four directions. The term “maRidhal” refers to being spread out everywhere. In order to clear the doubt “Would one get the benefit by merely reciting the divine names?” AzhwAr refers to emperumAn as mAl – one who is affectionate.
paRindhu ezhundhu thIvinaigaL paRRu aRudhal – emperumAn will ensure that pApa and puNya (sinful and virtuous deeds), which are bonded inseparably to AthmA since time immemorial, and which are hurdles in attaining him, will be removed and destroyed without leaving any trace of their impressions on the AthmA,
pAnmaiyE – since these deeds are incidental to Athma svarUpam [basic nature of AthmA], their leaving the AthmA could only be termed as natural. Just as we had seen earlier in the 18-66th SlOkam from bhagavath gIthA “sarva pApEbhyO mOkshayishyAmi” (I will relieve you from all your sins), if all these sins, which are incidental to the Athma, leave the AthmA, due to the natural characteristic of SEshathvam (AthmA being totally subservient to emperumAn), kainkaryam (service to emperumAn) will occur on its own. Just as in the first half reference to gyAnam and bhakthi (knowledge and devotion) were indicative of elimination of hurdles, in the second half, elimination of hurdles is indicative of that knowledge and devotion and the resultant servitude.
Next, we will take up the 75th pAsuram of this prabandham.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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