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periyAzhwAr thirumozhi >> Fifth Centum >> First decad
avathArikai
In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr had said that “On days that I do not eat, I do not feel hungry”. In this pAsuram, since he says “thuyil aNai koLLEn” he says that he is unable to sleep too.
In the svApadhESam, it is mentioned that in the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr had mentioned that emperumAn is his ultimate benefit. Since he is unable to attain that benefit immediately, he feels distressed, in this pAsuram.
veLLai veLLaththin mEl oru pAmbai meththaiyAga viriththu adhanmElE
kaLLa niththirai koLginRa mArkkam kANalAm kol enRa AsaiyinAlE
uLLam sOra ugandhu edhir vimmi urOma kUbangaLAy kaNNa neergaL
thuLLam sOrath thuyil aNai koLLEn sollAy yAn unnaith thaththuRum ARE
Word-by-Word Meanings
veLLai – faultless
veLLanththin mEl – on top of water
oru – unmatched
pAmbai – thiruvananthAzhwAn [AdhiSEshan]
meththai Aga viriththu – spreading as a mattress
adhan mElE – on top of that mattress
kaLLam niththirai koLginRa – having yOganiththirai [thinking of how to protect the AthmAs]
mArkkam – the manner
kANalAm kol – is it possible to see?
enRa AsaiyinAlE – with the desire
uLLam sOra – with the heart fluttering
ugandhu – becoming very happy
vimmi – sobbing
urOma kUbangaLAy – with goose bumps all over the physical form
(as he kept meditating, AzhwAr was able to envision emperumAn in his mind [uru veLippAdu]. He stretched out his hands to embrace emperumAn, but couldn’t find him. With that sorrow)
kaNNa neeergaL – tears from the eyes
thuLLam sOra – as they collected in drops
aNai – in the bed
thuyil koLLEn – I was unable to sleep
yAn – this servitor
unnai – your highness
thaththuRum ARu – way to attain
sollAy – you should mercifully tell me
Simple Translation
I have a desire to look at the way you are reclining in yOga niththirai, with the unique thiruvananthAzhwAn spread as mattress, on top of the faultless waters [of ocean]. Thinking of that, my heart will flutter; simultaneously, becoming happy [that I could see you], I will break into sobs; I will have goose bumps all over my physical form. Tears will well up in my eyes and I will be unable to sleep on my bed. You should mercifully tell me a way by which I could attain you.
vyAkhyAnam
veLLai veLLaththin mEl – on faultless waters
oru pAmbai – since AdhiSEshan has fragrance, tenderness and coolness, spreading AdhiSEshan as a mattress
In the svApadhESam, it is mentioned that AdhiSEshan is unique since he is unmatched in carrying out kainkaryam [servitude] to emperumAn.
adhan mElE – entities such as brahmA, rudhra et al would say “He is sleeping due to the eminence of the mattress”, as mentioned in thiruvAimozhi 4.8.9 “ulagellAm nangu odunga yOgu aNaivAn” (pretending to sleep, he contemplates on the means to give shelter to the world, in the goodness of attaining him).
kaLLa niththirai koLginRa – reclining, pretending to be asleep
mArkkam – way. In other words, the manner of knowing that “It is like this”.
kANalAm kol enRa AsaiyinAlE – with the desire to see
uLLam sOra – heart flutters. It is pertinent to recall periya thiruvandhAdhi 34 “pAlAzhi nI kidakkum paNbai yAm kEttEyum kAl Azhum nenjazhiyum …” (even as I hear the beauty with which you are reclining in the milky ocean, my legs will weaken, my heart will flutter).
ugandhu edhir vimmi – with overflowing affection towards you, unable to speak a word, I will sob.
urOma kUbangaLAy – there will be goose bumps all over the physical form. This meditation [upon your lying on the mattress of AdhiSEshan] will be radiant, as if happening in front of me. When I stretch my hand in order to embrace you, not seeing you, tears will well up in my eyes, at my loss.
thuyil aNai koLLEn – I meditated on your reclining on your mattress. However, I am not able to lie down on my bed, fittingly.
sollAy yAn unnaith thaththuRum ARE – thaththurum ARu – way to attain. The way to get rid of my tears “kaNNa neergaL thuLLam sOra” is through my experiencing you. I could experience, if I could attain you. The means to attain you, is you. You, who are thinking of the means for me to attain you, should mercifully tell me the way in which I could attain you. When I was turning my face away from you [in the past], you were thinking of the means to accept me. Now, when I am affectionate towards you, looking at you, will you not tell me the means to attain you? It is pertinent here to recall thiruvAimozhi 2.6.5 “pARkadal yOga niththirai sindhai seydha endhAy unnaich chindhai seydhu seydhE” (Oh, my lord, who is lying in the milky ocean, meditating for the welfare of the universe! By constantly meditating upon you …). It is emperumAn’s act of meditating for the welfare which made AzhwAr to meditate upon emperumAn.
In the svApadhESam, it is mentioned that AzhwAr would ask only emperumAn, irrespective of the state in which he [AzhwAr] is.
We shall next consider the 8th pAsuram of this thirumozhi.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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