SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
periya thirumozhi >> Eighth centum >> Second decad
Highlights from avathArikai (Introduction)
In the previous pAsuram, the mother said “peNmaiyum sAla niRaindhilaL” (She has not matured enough into a woman). When asked “Let that happen over time. But is she at least having the femininity for that?” the mother is saying “Even that is not there”. When asked “How did you come to know?” the mother is saying “The moment she thinks about him, all her faculties (mind, speech and body) are changing; what femininity is present in her?”
pAsuram
kaNNanUr kaNNapuram thozhum kArigai
peNmaiyum thannudai uNmai uraikkinRAL
veNNey uNdu AppuNda vaNNam viLambinAl
vaNNamum ponniRam Avadhu ozhiyumE
Word-by-Word meanings
kaNNan – krishNa’s
Ur – abode
kaNNapuram – thirukkaNNapuram
thozhum – due to worshipping
kArigai – beautiful (girl)
thannudai – her
peNmaiyum – femininity
uNmai – truth
uraikkinRAL – speaking;
veNNey – butter
uNdu – (stole and) mercifully consumed
AppuNda – bound
vaNNam – (his) nature
viLambinAl – if spoken
pon niRa mAdhu – having golden complexion
vANNamum – bodily beauty
ozhiyumE – is being lost
Simple translation
My daughter, who is having the beauty acquired by worshipping thirukkaNNapuram which is krishNa’s abode, is speaking about her femininity and truth; if the nature of krishNa, who is stealing and mercifully eating butter and got bound due to that, is spoken, she is even losing the beauty of her body which is having golden complexion.
Highlights from vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
kaNNanUr kaNNapuram thozhum – She is repeating what was said previously. She is saying “Did I not say previously? Instead of stopping with worshipping him, she goes beyond and worships his abode. What femininity is she having!”
kaNNanUr kaNNapuram – The abodes such as SrI mathurA, thiruvAyppAdi, SrImath dhvArakA appear similar to the assembly in paramapadham as said in thiruviruththam 47 “kaNNan viNNUr” (krishNa’s abode, SrIvaikuNtam). Just as in dhAra niyathi (principle with respect to wife, where SrI rAma had one wife and krishNa had many wives), [in the case of abodes also] chakravarthith thirumagan (SrI rAma, son of the emperor), was born and raised in a single place; krishNa is quite opposite to that. The nature of the town (mathurA) is so dangerous that he had to leave the place as soon as he was born. After leaving those abodes and entering thirukkaNNapuram, he would think this to be his abode.
thozhum – Just as that abode is the primary identity for him, worshipping him is the primary identity for her. As said in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 4-42 “prAgyalim prahvamAsInam” (one who stood humbly with joined palms), when perumAL (SrI rAma) was leaving his private quarters, iLaiya perumAL (lakshmaNa) who was in the second gate, was performing anjali above his head and was with a bent back, standing to be seen by perumAL. Similarly, parakAla nAyaki is having anjali posture with her hands. kArigai indicates beauty. If her beauty was seen by him, then he would pursue her with hands in anjali posture, falling head over heels. For her, who has the roles reversed now, what femininity is there! With this, her bodily actions are highlighted.
peNmai … – Speaking about her speech.
peNmaiyum thannudai uNmai uraikkinRAL – peNmai – sthrIthvam – femininity. That is – even in dire situations, even for the closest friend, the emotions will be hidden. That friend will look at her actions and determine “This is probably what she is going through”; in such case, she is revealing that to me, who is her mother. What femininity she is having! – says the mother.
thannudai uNmai uraikkinRAL – The thoughts which are happening in her heart; alternative explanation, uNmai – sadhbhAvam – true state. She is speaking about that. SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 86.1 “AchachakshE’tha sadhbhAvam lakshmaNasya mahAthmana: I bharathAyApramEyAya guhO gahanagOchara: II” (guhap perumAL, who lives in the forest, spoke to bharathAzhwAn, whose qualities of goodness are incomprehensible, about mahAthmA iLaiya perumAL’s virtues). After hearing that bharathAzhwAn is coming, SrI guhap perumAL started listing out the activities of iLaiya perumAL (lakshmaNa). He remained with anger, thinking “Why should I tell what I will do when he comes? I have the boats. I have the weapons. I will see how he and his people cross over the river to the other side”. Subsequently, sumanthran et al came and told “bharathAzhwAn’s nature is also the same as iLaiya perumAL’s nature. You should see him”. He then went and saw bharathAzhwAn and became amazed thinking “What an amazing nature he has!” and thought “What can we give him [matching his greatness?” and concluded that it is apt to speak about iLaiya perumAL’s glories to him and started telling the same.
SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 86.1 “AchachakshE’tha sadhbhAvam lakshmaNasya mahAthmana: I bharathAyApramEyAya guhO gahanagOchara: II” (guhap perumAL, who lives in the forest, spoke to bharathAzhwAn, whose qualities of goodness are incomprehensible, about mahAthmA iLaiya perumAL’s virtues) is explained here.
- AchachakshEtha sadhbhAvam – sadhbhAvam – noble people’s conduct. SrIvishNu purANam “sachchabdha: sAdhuvAchaka:” (the word sath indicates a noble person) and SrIvishNu purANam “sAdhava: kshINadhOshAsthu” (sAdhus are those whose faults have been eliminated). As said in these, saththukkaL are those whose faults have been eliminated already.
- bhAvam – AchAram (conduct). One is known as arthavAn (wealthy), abhijAthan (person of great heritage), vidhvAn (wise), based on their conduct only. Similarly, iLaiya perumAL’s conduct is very noble. guhap perumAL started speaking about iLaiya perumAL’s conduct as in “He will cut the grass to make a bed for perumAL’s merciful reclining, make the bed, fetching some lotus leaves and water in those leaves and washing perumAL’s divine feet, again fetching water and offering it to perumAL to mercifully drink the same; remaining water is offered to pirAtti, making them rest, having arrow and bow in his hand and protecting perumAL, doubting even us”.
- lakshmaNasya mahAthmana: – He started fetching the water of an ocean with his hands [iLaiya perumAL’s glories were as big as an ocean].
- lakshmaNasya mahAthmana: sadhbhAvam apramEyAya bharathAya – AchachakshE – He started explaining the greatness of a salt-pan to an ocean.
- bharathAya apramEyAya AchachakshE – [bharatha’s greatness being inconceivable is highlighted here by comparing him with iLaiya perumAL’s words and actions] If one is a servitor, would one say “I will serve you” [instead of actually just doing it]; let that be aside; after vowing that he will do everything ordered by SrI rAma as in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 31.25 “aham sarvam karishyAmi” (I will do everything), when SrI rAma told lakshmaNa “You remain in the kingdom”, lakshmaNa refused and followed SrI rAma – is this an act of a servitor? The real act of a servitor is to follow the lord’s instructions – if the lord ordered to enter into fire, one should do it; even better than that if asked to remain in the kingdom, he should do that; if he ordered to follow him, he should do that.
- guha: – Alas! guhap perumAL who has seen perumAL just for once is now telling bharathAzhwAn, who has served perumAL for a long time. There is no restriction that only such and such person can instruct such and such person; the speaker should be learned – that is the only requirement.
- gahana gOchara: – Sage vAlmeeki is praising guhap perumAL as in “Look at this person who moved with trees and branches, is speaking about the nature of iLaiya perumAL”. Alternatively – it can be said that guhap perumAL who became sorrowful and buried his head in the bushes, has now become enlivened, seeing bharathAzhwAn.
veNNey uNdu … – Is she only speaking out with her mouth? She is revealing through all her faculties. What a femininity she is having! – says the mother. In the previous pAsuram, she desired to embrace the divine form as mentioned in “kArkkadal vaNNar mEl eNNam” (my thoughts are on the one who has dark ocean like complexion) and is remaining as said in periya thirumozhi 8.1.1 “mulaiyilangu pUm payalai munbOda” (beautiful paleness of her bosom is going in front). When others say “He is such that, he desires for yasOdhAp pirAtti’s possession which is butter, and if he does not get it, he will engage in stealing that and even got caught red-handed in that as said in periya thirumozhi 11.5.5 ‘kattuNdAn kAN‘ (see he got caught)'”, as soon as my daughter hears these leelAs, she will say “Oh! I am glad that he is someone who desires for the possession of a woman and would not let it go when he does not get it and will try to steal the same. And finally, he gets caught, to be bound by her. We got a person who is very easily approachable for us” and is having the desire to embrace such divine form and became happy. She is saying that we have no more shortcoming since bhagavAn, who is avAptha samastha kAman (one who has no unfulfilled desires) is desiring for a woman’s possession; one who is omnipotent, engages in stealing; and he becomes so easily approachable that he gets caught stealing and becomes bound; how simple he is.
In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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