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periyAzhwAr thirumozhi >> Third Centum >> Eighth decad
avathArikai
thiruvAimozhip piLLai, in his svApadhESam, says that the mother is wondering whether the daughter leaving the house is a fault or a good quality.
onRum aRivu onRu illAdha uruvaRaik kOpAlar thangaL
kanRu kAl mARumA pOlE kanni irundhALaik koNdu
nanRum kiRi seydhu pOnAn nArAyaNan seydha thImai
enRum emargaL kudikku Or Echchuk kol Ayidum kolO
Word-by-Word Meanings
onRu – apt
aRivu – knowledge
onRum – even a little bit
illAdha – being without
uru aRai – being without good features
gOpAlar thAngaL – herd-people
kanRu kAl mARumA pOlE – just as stealing calves which are good to look at, without the
knowledge of the owners
kanni – girl
irundhALaiI – my daughter, who was under my control
nanRum – to a great extent
kiRi seydhu – realising his aim, through contrivance
koNdu pOnAn – one, who took her
nArAyaNan – one, who is known as nArAyaNan
seydha – carried out
thImai – mischief
emargaL kudikku – for our clan
enRum – forever
Or Echchu Ayidum kol O – she is asking whether it would become a fault or a good quality
Simple Translation
Herd-people, who are without even a little of apt knowledge, and who do not have good looks, steal calves which are good to look at, without the owners of the calves knowing about their act. In a similar way, one, who is known as nArAyaNan, spoke deceptive words to my daughter, who was under my control, and took her away. Will this deceptive act lead to fault for our clan or will it be considered as a good quality?
vyAkhyAnam (Commentary)
onRum aRivu onRu illAdha – without having apt knowledge. Without having even a little bit of knowledge on laukika or vaidhika (knowledge for living a life in samsAram (materialistic realm) or knowledge about vEdhams). They are referred to, as in thiruppAvai 28 “aRivonRum illAdha Aykkulam” (we are from the cowherd clan, without any gyAnam, knowledge). When they enter forest for grazing their cattle, and if they lose their way, it is only the cattle which will show them the way to get back home. They have only that much knowledge.
thiruvAimozhip piLLai, additionally says here that the herd-people do not have any knowledge about their dhEham or AthmA [about their physical forms or about their souls]. When they eat food from their vessels and take water from freshly poured rains, due to their arrogance, when they assemble together in large numbers, they will say about kamsan, who has won over indhra, “Who will be a citizen under him? Let us pull him down with the sticks which we have for controlling cows and kill him”. This reflects the strength in their hearts, when they do not have any knowledge about their abilities.
uruvaRaik kOpAlar – herd-people, who do not have good looks. Just as they do not have qualities of AthmA [qualities of the soul such as being a servitor to emperumAn, being totally dependent on him etc], they do not have qualities of good looks too.
thiruvAimozhip piLLai says here that just as they do not bother about sharpening their knowledge, they do not remove dirt too, from their physical forms. gOpAlar – those who protect cattle; or, those who are protected by their cattle.
thangaL – the word, thAngaL has got shortened as thangaL. The word should be gObAlar thAngaL – when reference is made to the lack of apt knowledge and good looks, it follows as a corollary that their activities too would be wicked. Their wicket act is mentioned next.
kanRu kAl mARumA pOlE – this act refers to their fobbing off their calves, which do not look healthy, as someone else’s calves and taking healthy calves of others as their calves. Alternatively, this could also refer to their stealing the healthy-looking calves of others, without the knowledge of the owner of the calves. Of these two, it is the latter which is apt here [reference is to krishNa stealing the daughter of the mother, without the knowledge of the mother]. Just as these herd-people indulge in such acts …
thiruvAimozhip piLLai says here that while their calves will indulge in activities without knowing the result, they will keep their front legs behind and hind legs in the front and walk, as if walking on two feet. The herd-men will protect their calves such that they do not step outside their protective places. In the same way, my daughter was protected, without stepping out of the house. But, krishNa, showed his eminence to her and took her with him.
kanni irundhALai-nanRum kiRi seydhu-koNdu-pOnAn – my daughter was a young, nubile girl, who did not know about the pleasures of worldly pursuits, and was under my control. He [krishNa] took her under his control by manifesting his identifications, and, unknown to me, took her with him, in a contrived manner.
thiruvAimozhip piLLai says here for nanRum … – carrying out deceptive deeds, utilising that as his nourishment, he took her with him. Utilising sweet words etc, he made her to follow his steps. Alternatively, getting rid of unhealthy calves, just as the herd-people take away healthy calves which have long legs, gait like peacock, beauty of shining from a good clan etc, krishNa too discarded girls who he had desired in the past, as unhealthy calves, and took my daughter, as a beautiful calf.
nArAyaNan seydha thImai – his name suggests that he is the repository of all the auspicious qualities. He is expected to carry out only beneficial acts, but he is indulging in deceptive acts, like this! The deception here is – while taking away an entity who is his possession, he could have done that publicly, known to all, instead of stealing her like this.
thiruvAimozhip piLLai says here that while the term nArAyaNan signifies one with all the auspicious qualities, the mother speaks as if the medicine is useless [when one is not well, medicine is given to the person; but, the person rejects the medicine as being useless].
enRum … – will this deceptive act of his remain as a calumny on our clan forever? Or else, instead of taking her, known to all, through the act of marriage, will his act of covertly taking her with him lead to a word of appreciation for this clan? Just as it has been mentioned in thiruvAimozhi 6.7.4 “kollai enbargaLO guNam mikkanaL enbargolO” (will the people of the town condemn my daughter for crossing all limits or will they praise her, saying that she has great qualities?), the mother is asking whether this deed would bring her clan slander or praise.
thiruvAimozhip piLLai says at the end that this pAsuram reflects the state of an AchAryan, who recounts the way that ISvaran [emperumAn] had taken one of his disciples, who was totally dependent on him, and how the AchAryan feels sad about this.
We shall next consider the 3rd pAsuram of this thirumozhi.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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