SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
periya thirumozhi >> Fifth centum >> Eighth decad
Highlights from avathArikai (Introduction)
In the previous two pAsurams, bhagavAn having Sakthi (ability) and being the complete upAyam (means) were explained. What is the reason for this pAsuram’s arrival? bhagavAn says to AzhwAr “You are considering the lowliness of the samsAram and my great ability and urging to reach me; this is not natural; it is natural for you to remain patient and observe how I grant you mOksham”. AzhwAr responds “Just as you gave svarUpa gyAnam (true knowledge) to thoNdaimAn chakravarthi who remained fully subervient to you without thinking about anything else, you have to grant svarUpa gyAnam to me as well” and surrenders to bhagavAn.
In the beginning, as said in periya thirumozhi 1.1.1 “nAn kaNdu koNdEn nArAyaNA ennum nAmam” (I, who am unqualified to recite the divine name, got to see the divine name, nArAyaNa), AzhwAr first got thirumanthram with meanings and then realised the same up to thadhIya SEshathvam (servitude towards bhAgavathas) as said in periya thirumozhi 8.10.3 “nin thiruvettezhuththum kaRRu nAn uRRadhum un adiyArkku adimai” (I learnt ashtAksharam and understood that I am the servant of your servitors). Did he not acquire svarUpa gyAnam before itself [i.e. in the beginning itself]? It is apt to consider that the knowledge we have is not fully trustworthy [and practice humility]. bhagavAn made SrI nAradha bhagavAn instruct thirumanthram with its meanings to SrI puNdarIka as said in ithihAsa samuchchayam “kim thathra bahubhirmanthrai: kim thathra bahubhirvrathai: namO nArAyAnEthi manthra: sarvArtha sAdhaka: ” (what is the purpose of other manthrams and other vrathams (vows)? The incantation namO nArayaNAya will give all benefits) and mahAbhAratham “narAjjAthAni” (Everything came from nara (that is, nArAyaNa)). But when it was time to bestow the benefit, ISvaran asked SrI puNdarIka “What do you need?” He responded as in jithanthA sthOthram “kvAham athyantha dhurbudhdhi:” (I am having very inferior mind. What do I know?”. SaraNAgathi is sarvAbhimatha sAdhanam (the means to get all benefits).
pAsuram
thuLangu nINmudi arasar tham kurisil
thoNdai mannavan thiN thiRal oruvaRku
uLangoL anbinOdu innaruL surandhu
angodu nAzhigai Ezhudan iruppa
vaLangoL mandhiram maRRavaRku aruLich
cheydhavARu adiyEn aRindhu ulagam
aLandha ponnadiyE adaindhu uyndhEn
aNipozhil thiruvarangaththammAnE!
Word-by-Word meanings
thuLangu – shining
nIL – showing his supremacy over everyone
mudi – having crown
arasar tham – for the kings
kurisil – being the king
thiN – firm
thiRal – having strength
oruvan – (due to that, being) unique
thoNdai mannavaRku – in the matter of thoNdaimAn chakravarthi
uLam koL – in (his) divine heart
anbinOdu – with love
in aruL – mercy without any other expectation
surandhu – showed
maRRu – further
avaRku – for that king
angu – in protecting his kingdom
odu – being wasted
nAzhigai – during the times
Ezhu nAzhigaiyOdu – a time period of 24 minutes focussed on 7 principles
iruppa – to remain (to have those 7 principles remain in my heart)
vaLam koL – having magnanimity of being pursuable by all
mandhiram – thirumanthram (ashtAksharam)
aruLichcheydha ARu – the way he instructed
adiyEn – I, who am a servitor
aRindhu – analysed
ulagam – worlds
aLandha – measured and held in his control
pon – desirable
adiyE – (your) divine feet only
adaindhu – considering to be the means
uyndhEn – got uplifted
aNi – decorative
pozhil – surrounded by orchards
thiruvarangaththu – mercifully reclining in SrIrangam
ammAnE – Oh lord!
Simple translation
thoNdaimAn chakravarthi was the king of kings who were having shining crowns which show their supremacy over everyone; he is having firm strength and is unique due to that; having love in his divine heart with love towards such king, you showed mercy without any other expectation; further during the times the king wasted in protecting the kingdom, you instructed in one nAzhigai (24 minutes) the thirumanthram having magnanimity of being pursuable by all, focussed on 7 principles and made those 7 principles remain in him. Oh lord who is mercifully reclining in SrIrangam which is surrounded by decorative orchards! I who am a servitor, analysed your words towards such king, got uplifted by considering your desirable divine feet only which measured the worlds and held the worlds in your control.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
thuLangu – Shining instead of being dull. With this – it is not speaking just about radiance, but it is speaking about the radiance of ruling the kingdom without having mutual conflicts.
nIL mudi – Not just the length of the crown, but the vastness of the kingdom, is spoken about here.
arasar tham kurisil – Emperor. Just like there is king for men and women, he is emperor for kings. mahAbhAratham ASva parvam 43-13 “rAjAdhi rAjas sarvEshAm vishNur brahmamayO mahAn l ISvaram tham vijAnIma: sa pithA sa prajApathi ll” (vishNu alone is the radiant entity who is the emperor of all the kings, who is eminent as brahmasvarUpi (with the nature of the supreme entity). Due to the vastness of the kingdom, it will be difficult to assert “He is the crowned king of this kingdom”, hence it is emphasised that he is the emperor of kings.
thoNdai mannavan – While he was crowned in thoNdai maNdalam (present day’s chennai, kAnchIpuram region), he extended his kingdom all over.
The reason for that is explained.
thiN thiRal oruvaRku – As said in vishNu dharmam “vIra bhOgyA vasundharA” (Earth is fit to be ruled and enjoyed by the brave persons), he was fighting everywhere by his valour, remained unique for his valour. His valour is so great that it was honoured by thirumangai AzhwAr who is known for valour as in periya thirumozhi 3.9.10 “maruvalar tham udal thuNiya vAL vIsum parakAlan” (uses his sword to cut the enemies’ bodies to pieces). If AzhwAr is explaining this as an example for surrendering unto bhagavAn to get svarUpa gyAnam, why did he choose to explain this which will lead to pride? AzhwAr is speaking about this valour, thinking “This valour will be useful for protecting the devotees and destroying the enemies, after acquiring svarUpa gyAnam”.
uLam koL anbinOdu – Since this affection which bhagavAn showed towards thoNdaimAn was to instruct for his well-being, it will be matching bhagavAn’s divine heart.
in aruL – The mercy which is considered to be for bhagavAn’s benefit. While he considers all types of devotees who approach him, including those who seek worldly benefits, to be generous as said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 7.18 “udhArA:” (generous), those who are very dear to him are addressed in the same SlOkam as “gyAni thvAthmaiva” (but the gyAni is the one who sustains (me)).
surandhu – Just as those who would let out milk from the bosom, due to unbearable pain (of not feeding their child), bhagavAn let the mercy flow.
angodu nAzhigai – While his days are being wasted in the burden of administering the kingdom.
Ezhudan iruppa – Seven times indicate seven principles (six hurdles which are shown in 8th SlOkam of ashta SlOki that is, considering body to be the self, considering the self to be independent, having servitude towards others, considering self/others to be the refuge, considering bodily relatives as relatives, considering sense enjoyment as the goal, and are eliminated by the different parts of thirumanthram, and the seventh principle of servitude towards bhAgavathas).
vaLam koL mandhiram – Beauty. Wandering. vaLam means the ability to wander to everyone just as ISvara who can grant all wishes does. It will assist karma yOga etc for a prapanna, will lead to svarUpa gyAnam and deliver him to paramapadham.
maRRavaRku aruLichcheydha ARu – Instructed thirumanthram and created thadhIya SEshathvam (being devoted to devotees) in him. Here it is speaking about thoNdaimAn chakravarthi becoming devoted to kuRumbaRuththa nambi (a potter who was greatly devoted to SrInivAsa bhagavAn). [kuRumbaRuththa nambi would offer a clay flower to thiruvEngadamudaiyAn (SrInivAsa bhagavAn) at the end of his day, with the left-over clay. Srinivasa bhagavAn would keep that on his head and discard the golden flowers submitted by thoNdaimAn chakravarthi. When the king asked bhagavAn about it, bhagavAn explained about nambi’s devotion] kuRumbaRuththa nambi said “Just as a husband will share his private/intimate interactions with his chaste wife in public, thiruvEngadamudaiyAn is revealing my devotion to others! Why is he being loud-mouthed like this”.
adiyEn aRindhu – This is AzhwAr’s “nAn” (I) [i.e., he always says adiyEn to indicate his total servitude].
ulagam aLandha – The divine feet which were placed even on those who turn away from bhagavAn.
ponnadi – Desired by all. That is, as with water placed in a golden pot which can be touched by vasishta or chaNdALa, without any difference, his divine feet are approachable by all.
adaindhu uyndhEn – I surrendered unto him praying “You should grant me svarUpa gyAnam” and got uplifted.
aNi pozhil … – AzhwAr is identifying the principle which was demonstrated by thiruvEngadamudaiyAn and surrendering unto the divine feet of periya perumAL. When bhagavAn was standing on thirumalA, a purpose is revealed; subsequently the same bhagavAn reclined in SrIrangam.
Since AzhwAr started with “mAzhai mAn mada nOkki” and concluded with “ulagam aLandha ponnadiyE adaindhu uyndhEn“, in all these 9 pAsurams, the theme is based on the single principle (revealed in dhvaya mahA manthram) which is surrender at the divine feet of bhagavAn with the help of SrI mahAlakshmi.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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