SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
periya thirumozhi >> Seventh centum >> Third decad
Highlights from avathArikai (Introduction)
No specific introduction.
pAsuram
Angu vennaragaththu azhundhum pOdhu
anjEl enRu adiyEnai angE vandhu
thAngu thAmarai anna ponnAr adi
empirAnai umbarkku aNiyAy ninRa
vEngadaththu ariyaip parikIRiyai
veNNey uNdu uralinidai AppuNda
thIngarumbinai thEnai nanpAlinai anRi
en manam sindhai seyyAdhE
Word-by-Word meanings
Angu – present in the abodes such as pAthALa etc
ven naragaththu – in the cruel hells
azhundhum pOdhu – while being drowned (and suffering)
angE vandhu – came to those places
anjEl enRu – saying “don’t fear”
adiyEnai – I, who am your servitor
thAngu – one who protects
thAmarai anna – matching a lotus flower
pon Ar – very desirable
adi – one who is having divine feet
empirAnai – being my lord
umbarkku – for nithyasUris
aNiyAy ninRa – one who remains as the decoration
vEngadaththu – mercifully present in thiruvEngada mountain
ariyai – being the lion
pari – kESi who came in the form of a horse
kIRiyai – one tore the mouth
veNNey uNdu – (stealing and) eating the butter
ural idai – in between the mortar (with his waist and the mortar)
AppuNda – one who was bound
thIm karumbinai – one who is like sweet sugarcane juice
thEnai – one who is sweet like honey
nal pAlinai anRi – anyone other than purushOththama who is like sweet milk
en manam – my heart
sindhai seyyAdhu – will not think of
Simple translation
While I, the servitor, was drowning in the cruel hells which are present in the abodes such as pAthALa etc, he came to those places and protected me saying “don’t fear”. He is having very desirable divine feet which are like lotus flower. He is my lord. He remains as the decoration for nithyasUris. He is mercifully present in thiruvEngada mountain as a lion. He tore the mouth of kESi, who came in the form of a horse. For eating the butter, he was bound with the mortar. My heart will not think about anyone other than purushOththama who is like sweet sugarcane juice, sweet like honey and sweet milk.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
Angu ven naragam … – Instead of relieving me from performing the sins while being engaged in them, after completing those acts, in the cruel hells where suffering is undergone which are not seen while engaging in the acts, he comes there.
anjEl enRu … – Instead of remaining “He has committed the sins and is reaping the results. How does it bother us?” he went there and said “While I am present, should you be a target of the result of your sins? Don’t fear”
thAngu … – He protects us with his very desirable, divine feet which are like fresh lotus flower. My lord, whose divine feet can be superficially compared to lotus flower for the expansive nature, freshness, coolness, fragrance etc. But these aspects are not limited in the divine feet as they are in the flower. bhagavAn’s lotus feet are very tender and desirable.
umbarkku aNi … – His standing posture in thirumalA appears like an ornament for nithyasUris.
ariyai – Just as he remains as an ornament for those who love him, he remains invincible for those who hate him.
pari kIRiyai – One who tore the mouth of kESi.
veNNey … – He became totally dependent on the food item (butter) which has the physical touch of devotees; having not acquired it directly, tried to steal and eat the same, and being unable to do it perfectly, got caught in the act, bound along with the mortar, got beaten and trying to escape the beating, he became pale and sorrowful. As AzhwAr meditated about these aspects again and again, he enjoyed such situation in all manners. This enjoyment is such sweet as said in chAndhOgya upanishath “sarvarasa:” (bhagavAn’s divine form is origin of all tastes).
nal pAlinai … – My heart will not constantly meditate upon anyone other than bhagavAn who is so enjoyable.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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