SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavara munayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction
AzhwAr’s heart asked him “If he is the means, what is that we have to do?” AzhwAr responds in this pAsuram, saying “Keep thinking that it is the divine feet of SrI varAhap perumAn (incarnation as wild boar), who lifted earth which had got immersed in the deluge, which is our means, helping us with granting knowledge at the beginning and ending with taking us to parama padham. Until this SarIram (physical body) lasts, keep praising him, in order to pass your time purposefully”
InamAya ettu nIkki EdhaminRi mIdhu pOy
vAnam ALa vallaiyEl vaNangi vAzhththu en nenjamE
gyAnamAgi nA(gyA)yiRAgi gyAlamuRRum Or eyiRRu
EnamAyidandha mUrthi endhai pAdham eNNiyE
Word-by-Word Meanings
en nenjamE – Oh, my mind!
InamAya – causing deficiency (of contraction in knowledge)
ettu – the five entities of avidhyA (ignorance), karma (deeds of vice and virtue), vAsanA (impression of worldly matters), ruchi (repeatedly engaging with worldly pursuits) and prakruthi sambandham (connection with primordial matter, our physical forms) and the three thApams (AdhyAthmikam, Adhi bhaudhikam and Adhi dhaivikam)
nIkki – removing
EdhaminRi – being relieved of all the sorrows
mIdhu pOy – going up (over leelA vibhUthi, through the path of archis (light))
vAnam ALa vallaiyEl – if you desire to enjoy parama padham
gyAnamAgi – as one who grants AthmagyAnam (knowledge about AthmA)
gyAyiRAgi – being the cause for getting knowledge through senses, like sUriyan (sun)
gyAlam muRRum – entire world
Or eyiRRu – through the unique tusks
EnamAy – as wild boar
Idandha – one who dug out
mUrthi – one who has divine auspicious form
endhai – my swAmy’s (lord’s)
pAdham – the divine feet
eNNi – thinking [of them] as the means
vaNangi vAzhththu – try to bow down and praise
Simple Translation
Oh, my mind! If you desire to reach parama padham through the path of light, after getting rid of eight entities which are hurdles causing deficiency, try to bow down to the divine feet of my swAmy who incarnated as the wild boar to dig out earth from deluge through his unique tusks, who grants us knowledge about AthmA and who is the cause for getting knowledge through senses, like sun, who has a divine auspicious form; try to praise him.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
InamAya ettum nIkki – removing eight characteristics which cause lowliness in samsAris. These eight are: (1) avidhyA (ignorance), (2) karma (deeds of virtue and vice), (3) vAsanA (impression, in worldly matters, which has been present since time immemorial), (4) ruchi (repeated engagement with worldly pursuits), (5) prakruthi sambandham (connection with the physical form), and the three diseases of (6) AdhyAthmikam (caused by self through physical and mental faculties), (7) Adhi bhaudhikam (caused by other creations) and (8) Adhi dhaivikam (caused by dhEvathAs). Since all these eight entities cause contraction in knowledge of the jIvAthmA, they are called as Inam. Inam refers to anything which causes lowliness.
EdhaminRi – getting rid of all the grief in this samsAram; Since the 8 causes [listed previously] are removed, all the grief caused by these 8 will also get removed, Edham – grief.
mIdhu pOy vAnam ALa vallaiyEl – reaching parama padham which is above this leelA vibhUthi through the path of archis (light). Just as chAndhOgya upanishath 7-25-2 says “sa svarAt bhavathi” (that mukthAthmA becomes svathanthran (independent) not under the control of karma (deeds)), if you had prayed for life without any deficiency.
vaNangi vAzhththu en nenjamE – Oh my heart, which has been helpful to me in enjoying emperumAn instead of leading me in your way! For spending time purposefully, try and bow down to his divine feet and to praise him.
If bowing down to the divine feet and praising is the way to spend time purposefully, what is the means to achieve this? AzhwAr says through the last two lines that it is only his divine feet.
gyAnamAgi nAyiRAgi – being the knowledge which removes the inner darkness of ignorance, and being sUryan (sun) which removes the outer darkness, manifesting the outer entities. Through this, it has been mentioned that emperumAn alone is the cause for knowledge about internal AthmA, and for knowledge about external objects which are known through sensory organs. Only if external objects are known as they are, would it be possible to let go of them. Only if AthmA is known as it is, would it be possible to have desire in the ultimate benefit, which is appropriate to the AthmasvarUpam (basic nature of AthmA). Thus, it is only sarvESvaran who grants all types of knowledge.
gyAlamuRRum OreyiRRu EnamAy idandha mUrthi – one who incarnated as the wild boar, dug out earth with his unmatched tusks and who is with a distinguished divine form. Through the term murthi it refers to emperumAn who has a divine form which is apt to be enjoyed by nithyasUris [permanent dwellers of parama padham], having the six distinguished qualities of gyAnam (knowledge), Sakthi (strength), balam (strength), aiSvaryam (wealth), vIryam (valour) and thEjas (resplendence). The indication here is that emperumAn, with such a divine form, incarnated as boar, which is not apt for his eminence, and lifted up earth which had got immersed in deluge.
endhai – this could be construed as either one who manifested that quality of affability and made me as his servitor or that the reason for taking such an inapt form is because he is the lord of earth.
pAdham eNNiyE – be firm in considering his divine feet alone as the means. This should be added to vaNangi vAzhththu to get cogent meaning. AzhwAr says that just as he lifted earth from deluge as the great boar, he will lift us also, from the ocean of samsAram and that we should have firm faith, worship and praise him. The pAsuram has to be rearranged as “InamAya ettu nIkki EdhaminRi mIdhu pOy vANmALa vallaiyEl – gyAlamAgi nAyiRAgi, gyAlam muRRum Or EnamAy idandha mUrthi endhai pAdham eNNiyE vaNangi vAzhththu en nenjamE”, to get cogent meaning.
Next, we will take up the 115th pAsuram of this prabandham.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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