SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavara munayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr had said that keeping the avathAra rahasya gyAnam (knowledge about the secrets of incarnation of emperumAn) to the fore, carrying out devotion to him is a means for mOksham (SrI vaikuNtam). In this pAsuram, he recalls that in one of his incarnations, as kaNNan (krishNa), emperumAn has as his nature, destroying the enemies of his followers. He says that apart from those who proffer love to his divine feet, there is no possibility to enjoy emperumAn by being together with nithyasUris in paramapadham.
vAsiyAgi nEsaminRi vandhedhirndha dhEnugan
nAsamAgi nALulappa nanmai sEr pananganikku
vIsimEl nimirndha thOLin illaiyAkkinAy kazhaRku
AsaiyAm avarkkalAl amararAgal AgumE
Word-by-Word Meanings
vAsiyAgi – as a mule
nEsaminRi vandhu – coming without any affection
edhirndha – one who opposed
dhEnugan – the monster, dhEnukan
nAsamAgi – making him suffer
nAL ulappa – to put an end to his life
nanmai sEr – being beautiful
pananganaikku vIsi – throwing it on top of palm fruit
mEl nimirndha – going above the capability of enemy
thOLin – due to the strength of shoulders
illaiyAkkinAy – made that dhEnukan to be non-existent; for such your
kazhaRku – to the divine feet
AsaiyAmavarkkallAl – other than those who have affection
amararAgal AgumE – is it possible to be on a par with nithyasUris?
Simple Translation
The monster, dhEnukAsuran, without any affection, came in the form of a mule and opposed you [emperumAn]. You made him suffer and destroyed him by throwing him atop beautiful palm fruits. Due to the strength of your shoulders, you went far above the capability of your enemy. Other than those who have affection towards the divine feet of such an entity like you, is it possible to be on a par with nithyasUris [and enjoy you in paramapadham]?
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
vAsiyAgi nEsaminRi vandhedhirndha dhEnukan – unlike enemies such as kAlayavanan who came in their original [physical] form, the monster dhEnukan came in the form of vAji, a mule, in order to pounce on kaNNan when he was not attentive enough.
nEsaminRi vandhedhirndha dhEnugan – nEsaminRi vandhu (coming without affection) – periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 3-6-9 says “maruNdu mAn gaNangaL mEygai maRandhu mEyndha pullum kadaivAy vazhisOra” (groups of deer, which are always bewildered, forgot grazing [on hearing the sound of flute played by krishNa], and even the grass which they were chewing came out of the corners of their mouth). Thus, attracted by the activities of kaNNan, even animals got entranced due to affection and stayed quietly. However, dhEnukan, being a wicked person, was unlike those animals, and came without affection. edhirndhu vandhu – even if one were not without affection, one could stay neutral; however, he came only to cause harm.
nAsamAgi nAL ulappa – in order to make such dhEnukan to lose his life and become a corpse. Since the term nAL ulappa refers to putting an end to his [dhEnukAn’s] life, the term nAsam here, instead of referring to destruction, refers to suffering.
nanmai sEr pananganikku vIsi – throwing him on top of palm trees so that the beautifully matured palm fruits will fall down. Hasn’t SrI vishNu purANam too said this in 5-8-9 and 5-8-10? “kruhIthvA bhrAmaNE naiva sOmbarEgathajIvitham l thasminnEva sa chikshEpa dhEnukam thruNarAjani ll thatha: palAnyanEkAni thalAgrAn nipathan khara: l pruthivyAm pAthayAmAsa mahAvAthO ghanAniva ll” (That bhagavAn caught hold of dhEnukAsuran who was in the form of a mule, whirled him around and threw him, who had lost his life when he was thrown to the sky, against the palm tree. The wicket demon, once thrown like that, just like a strong wind forces clouds to let go of the water held by them to fall as rain drops, hit against the tree and made many fruits to fall on the ground, from the top of the tree).
mEl nimirndha thOLin illaiyAkkinAy kazhaRku – to the divine feet of yours, who had powerful shoulders whose strength was far superior to the enemy’s and with with which you destroyed the enemy. The implied meaning is that instead of killing him with his vow or any weapon, emperumAn had caught hold of his enemy and destroyed him with the power of his shoulder.
AsaiyAm avarkkallAl amararAgal AgumE – AzhwAr asks whether it is possible for one other than those who meditate on your nature of destroying the enemies of your followers and are affectionate towards your divine feet, to be on a par with nithyasUris and enjoy you in paramapadham
Next, we will take up the 81st pAsuram of this prabandham.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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