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periyAzhwAr thirumozhi >> Fourth Centum >> Fifth decad
avathArikai
In this pAsuram, AzhwAr says that those, who had carried out upAya varaNam [the act of surrendering] once, earlier, to emperumAn, could get to see emperumAn always.
angam vittavai aindhum agaRRi Avi mUkkinil sOdhiththa pinnai
sangam vittu avar kaiyai maRiththup paiyavE thalai sAyppadhan munnam
vangam vittu ulavum kadaRpaLLi mAyanai madhusUdhananai mArbil
thangavittu vaiththu AvadhOr karumam sAdhippArkku enRum sAdhikkalAmE
Word-by-Word Meanings
avai aindhum – the five different prANans [five types of air, circulating inside the physical form]
angam vittu agaRRi – leaving from the physical form (the word aganRu has got transformed to agaRRi)
avar – those, who are in proximity
mUkkinil – holding the hand, near the nose
Avi sOdhiththa pinnai – after confirming that breathing has stopped
sangam vittu – leaving aside the desire that the person will survive
(when those, who came to see him, ask the persons who were in his proximity “What happened?”)
kaiyai maRiththu – spreading their hands [as an indication that everything is over]
paiyavE – slowly
thalai sAyppadhan – before hanging their heads down
munnam – before [that occurs]
vangam – boats
vittu ulavum – continuously sailing to and fro
kadal – in the ocean
paLLi – one, who is reclining
mAyanai – one, who has amazing activities
madhusUdhanai – emperumAn, who annihilated the monster, madhu
mArvil – in the heart
thangavittu vaiththu – such that he remains
Avadhu – ordained for us
Or – easy to perform
karumam – upAya varaNam [Athma samarpaNam or carrying out SaraNAgathi to
emperumAn)
sAdhippArkku – for those, who carry out once
enRum – till the entity ‘time’ remains [in other words, forever]
sAdhikkalAm – he could be worshipped
Simple Translation
When relatives and others are near a person, in his last moments, five types of air would leave the physical form. Those who are near, would check if breathing has stopped, by keeping their fingers near the person’s nose. When those, who have come to see the person, ask those who are in proximity, as to what had happened, they will spread their hands out, indicating that everything is over. Before the relatives and others leave the place, hanging their heads down, in sympathy, if the person [who was in his last moments] had ensured to keep madhusUdhanan [emperumAn], who had killed the monster madhu, and had reclined in the ocean, where boats keep moving about continuously, in his heart and proffered his AthmA to emperumAn [in carrying out the act of surrendering], he could have carried out kainkaryam to emperumAn forever.
vyAkhyAnam
angam vittu avai aindhum agaRRi – the five types of air which function in the physical form in five different ways, leaving one’s physical form [(1) prANa, which moves inward and upward, controlling intake of breath, sensory inputs and thoughts etc (2) apANa, which moves downward and outward, controlling elimination of waste, urination, reproduction etc (3) vyAna, moving from centre to periphery, controlling blood circulation, movement of muscles etc (4) udhAna, moving upward and outward, controlling speech, expression, growth etc and (5) samAna, moving from periphery towards centre, controlling digestion, metabolism etc]
Avi mUkkinil sOdhiththa pinnai – after knowing that the person has stopped breathing
sangam vittu – leaving aside the hope that the person would survive; alternatively, the verse sangam vittu would refer to those who had been pestering the person all along to tell as to where he had kept his wealth hidden, dispersing from the assembly; another meaning – leaving aside the desire that they would be able to get some wealth from him.
kaiyai maRiththu – when those, who had just then come to see the person, who was in his last moments, ask those who are nearby, as to what had happened, those who are nearby, would spread their hands out, indicating that nothing could be done to save him.
paiyavE thalai sAyppadhan munnam – moving slowly away from the person [who had died], hanging their heads down, indicating their loss
vangam vittu ulavum kadal paLLi mAyanai – one, who is an amazing entity, who reclines in the ocean, where boats are moving about continuously. Alternatively, the word mAyanai would indicate one, who has knowledge, who reclines on his volition, as mentioned in periya thirumozhi 3.6.7 “kurai kadal mEl aravaNaimEl kulavaraipOl paLLikoNdu” (reclining on the vast milky ocean, like a huge anchoring mountain, on top of thiruvananthAzhwAn)
madhusUdhanai – one who removes the enemies of followers, just as he had annihilated the monster, madhu. It is pertinent to recall periya thirumozhi 8.10.7 “veLLai nIr veLLaththu aNaindha aravaNai mEl thuLLu nIr meLLath thuyinRa perumAnE, vaLLalE un thamarkku enRum naman thamar kaLLar pOl” (Oh supreme, generous lord who is residing in thirukkaNNapuram and who is mercifully reclining on thiruvanthAzhwAn (AdhiSEshan) who is gently lying on the flowing water of thiruppARkadal, as the jumping droplets touch you! For your devotees, yama’s servitors are always like thieves, who are living in hiding).
mArvil thanga vittu vaiththu – thanga viduvadhu refers to keeping in one place.
Avadhu Or karumam – Athma samarpaNam [proffering AthmA to emperumAn, during the time of surrendering to him], which is easy to perform, and which is ordained for us. It is pertinent to recall here, thiruvAimozhi 3.3.6 “nama ennalAm kadamai” (for those who performed the activity of carrying the word nama: [which highlights the eradication of independence, indicates total dependence on emperumAn, easy means, that which matches one’s true nature], on their heads)
sAdhippArkku enRum sAdhikkalAmE – upAyam [surrendering to emperumAn] is carried out once; upEyam [the ultimate benefit of kainkaryam, upon reaching emperumAn] is to be carried out forever. periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.2.6 “Avaththanam enRu sEviththirukkum” (sages and celestial entities, considering emperumAn as their wealth during their times of danger, keep worshipping him) – Avaththu thanam – thinking once; sEviththirukkum – forever
We shall next consider the 7th pAsuram of this thirumozhi.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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