<< previous – 9 – vangaththAl<\/a><\/p>\n By this pAsuram, AzhvAr says: He who goes to the place of His devotees, and does so without seeing whether they are qualified or not qualified, has absolutely not shown up for me \u2013 AzhvAr<\/a> gets a doubt that “this could be due to my saying earlier \u2018mandhiraththai mandhiraththAl maRavAdhenRum vAzhudhiyEl vAzhalAm <\/em>[thirunedunthANdakam \u2013 4]\u2019 may have been construed by Him as a means I used (other than Him as the means), and so He must have avoided coming to me till I complete the process of such means”; AzhvAr<\/a> says \u2013 in that pAsuram “I said that one could have that thirumanthram as companion, which shows us the relationship between us and emperumAn<\/a>, and be enjoying that and such people would be able to enjoy so till there is AthmA (eternally), and I did not say that thirumanthram could be used as a means. Only if I think that there is something other than You as prApyam<\/em> (destiny) would I think that there is something other than You as prApakam<\/em> (means), isn\u2019t it?”<\/p>\n Saying \u2018mandhiraththAl\u2019 \u2013 <\/em>could be construed as using it as a means, and saying \u2018maRavAdhu vAzhudhiyEl\u2019<\/em> \u2013 could be construed as saying that one should perform that means without fail, and saying \u2018vAzhalAm\u2019<\/em> \u2013 could be construed as that if one performs such means then there is a benefit\/end\/destiny for that. This pAsuram is this AzhvAr<\/a>\u2019s \u2018nORRa nonbu <\/em>[thiruvAimozhi – 5.7<\/a>]\u2019.<\/em> Like how that was for nammAzhvAr<\/a>, where he said \u2018nORRa nOnbilEn nUNNaRivilEn <\/em>[thiruvAimozhi \u2013 5.7.1<\/a>]\u2019 (I do not have karma yOgam performed to attain the result\/destiny; I do not have subtle knowledge related to gyAna yOgam which is focussed on knowledge about self and god), saying about his Akinchanyam<\/em> (utter destitution), and \u2018Agilum unnai vittu onRRum ARRA kiRkinRilEn<\/em> [thiruvAimozhi – 5.7.1<\/a>]\u2019 (Not having bhakthi yOgam which is impossible without these two, i.e. karma yOgam and gyAna yOgam, but after meditating upon your qualities, I am unable to survive even for a moment without You who are the saviour), saying there is no dearth of interest (toward Him) \u2013 this is how nammAzhvAr<\/a> divined. In the same way, in the 4th<\/sup> pAsuram thirumangai AzhvAr<\/a> sang \u2018mandhiraththai mandhiraththAl\u2019<\/em> \u00a0thus divining that there is no dearth of interest (toward Him), and in this 10th<\/sup> pAsuram he is divining about his utter destitution.<\/p>\n pon AnAy pozhil Ezhum kAval pUNda<\/em> then AnAy \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Oh One who is like an elephant that stands in the beautiful thirumAlirunchOlai<\/em> mountain pon AnAy \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Oh emperumAn<\/a> You who are my destiny!\u00a0 As said in \u2018rukmAbham svapnadhee gamyam<\/em> [manu smruthi \u2013 12.122]\u2019 (Should only meditate upon the supreme being who is \u2026 and like gold \u2026), and \u2018avyayO nidhi: <\/em>[mahAbhAratham \u2013 sahasranAmam – 301]\u2019 ((emperumAn<\/a>) is the ever lasting (fixed) deposit of wealth), and as \u2018vaippAm<\/em> [thiruvAimozhi \u2013 1.7.2<\/a>]\u2019 (emperumAn<\/a> is the wealth (that is the goal)), in smruthi, ithihAsa, <\/em>and purANas, <\/em>by the word \u2018nidhi<\/em>\u2019 it talks about destiny\/end.\u00a0 Wealth is \u2013 one that helps during crisis, one which if known to exist would bring back the life (of its owner),\u00a0 and one which is enjoyable by everyone.<\/p>\n (Why talk about destiny\/end when in the context of means?) \u2013 saying this now is to imply \u2013 only if I knew that there is some other destiny than You, would l be knowing about some means other than You.<\/p>\n Or this is also said to show – one would look for a means only when they need to get to the destiny, isn\u2019t it? (since I have already got You I would not be looking for some means). nammAzhvAr<\/a> too said \u2018vaippAm marundhAm<\/em> [thiruvAimozhi \u2013 1.7.2<\/a>]\u2019 (emperumAn<\/a> is the wealth (that is the goal) and the medicine (that removes the obstacles in attaining the goal) ) (showing that emperumAn<\/a> Himself is the means as well as the destiny);<\/p>\n Or, since AzhvAr<\/a> is saying \u2018pozhil Ezhum kAval pUNda<\/strong>\u2019, <\/em>thus saying that emperumAn<\/a> Himself is the means, and since in \u2018ananyasAdhyE<\/em> [bharatha muni: – vishvaksEna samhithai]\u2019 (When someone else cannot get you what you need, then with full faith praying to the One who is fully qualified (for getting you that), saying \u2018Only You shall be the means please\u2019 is saraNAgathi), and so since He is the suitable means for getting the destiny, AzhvAr<\/a> is first saying \u2018pon AnAy\u2019<\/em>, thus saying that He is the destiny.<\/p>\n AnAy \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>While I am loitering being interested in worldly matters, based on Your grandeur You Yourself took me up, creating interest in me toward You, and became my destiny. This is all You, isn\u2019t it? (So is there anyway I would look for some other means?)<\/p>\n pozhil Ezhum kAval pUNda pugazh AnAy \u00a0– <\/em><\/strong>by this, AzhvAr<\/a> says \u2018You are also the means\u2019. Oh the protector of leelA vibhUthi<\/em>!<\/p>\n pozhil Ezhum \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>talking about all the seven worlds. By this \u2013 it implies the worlds below as well.\u00a0 It implies all the oval shaped worlds, that is said in \u2018eedhRuSAnAm<\/em> [SrI vishNu purANam \u2013 2.7.27]\u2019 (There are thousands, ten thousands, crore of crores of oval shaped worlds (in this environment of prakruthi)). pozhil \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>world.<\/p>\n kAval pUNda \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>You are unlike the kings of the world who while having taken the crown would use others to protect his people, but is like one who with a weapon in his hand looks out for the safety of his town, You are protecting all the worlds with great attention.<\/p>\n pUNda \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>You have taken this protection as a penance; You protect by all means even in the presence of any hindrance\/danger in protecting. That is, even if one of very close relationship like mahArAjar <\/em>(sugreevan) say \u2018vadhyathAm<\/em> [SrI rAmAyaNam \u2013 yudhdha kANdam – 17.29]\u2019 (this vibheeshaNan shall be killed along with his ministers in most harsh way), Your staunchness of protecting is like your reply \u2018na thyajEyam<\/em> [SrI rAmAyaNam \u2013 yudhdha kANdam – 18.3]\u2019 (There is no way I would reject him (vibheeshaNan) who has come in the form of a friend).\u00a0 As saying in \u2018abhayam sarva bhUthEbhya: <\/em>[SrI rAmAyaNam \u2013 yudhdha kANdam – 18.33]\u2019 (I give protection from all things (to those who surrendered to me), (this is my vow)), You would protect me without even leaving that responsibility to me.<\/p>\n By this \u2013 You are the one who protected me, removing my ignorance, scent of prior actions, and their taste.<\/p>\n Or, pUNda \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>He is in the form of sweetness itself that is the destiny;\u00a0 without any other option He is being the means also which He takes it upon Himself; \u00a0even though milk may be the medicine to remove the bile (piththa<\/em>), one would not consider it as a decoction (kashAyam),<\/em> but only as a medicine; so – You Yourself are anxious to be the means, says AzhvAr<\/a>.<\/p>\n pugazh AnAy \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Oh You having the splendour due to protecting so! It is said too as \u2018yaSasaScha Eka bhAjanam<\/em> [SrI rAmAyaNam \u2013 kishkindhA kANdam – 15.19,20]\u2019 (He is being the holder of fame (due to protecting everyone)), and as \u2018ulappil keerththi ammAnE<\/em> [thiruvAimozhi \u2013 6.10.1<\/a>]\u2019 (lord with endless glories).\u00a0 As said in \u2018yAni nAmAni gauNAni <\/em>\u00a0[mahA bhAratham \u2013 anusA \u2013 153.13]\u2019 (I shall tell you the divine names of vishNu, which are based on His qualities. These were divined by noble ones. I shall say these for the goodness of the world (stating so, bheeshmar says to yudhishtra the thousand divine names of emperumAn<\/a>)), your divine names are to express the qualities and acts of Yours that are due to Your vow of protecting.<\/p>\n igazhvAya thoNdanEn nAn \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>By this it talks about the true nature of ones (adhikAri <\/em>svarUpam) who attain the means (prApakam<\/em>) and destiny (prApyam<\/em>). Like how for You the whole form is greatness, for me the whole form is my lowliness. For us the qualification is not having any quality etc that qualify us. Does it mean one should keep doing mistakes? No, one does not have to do any bad deeds; it is already there aplenty in us.\u00a0 All one has to do is humbly convey that to emperumAn<\/a>.<\/p>\n In \u2018aham asmyaparAdhAnAmAlaya:<\/em> [ahirbudhnya samhithA 87.30 and 87.31]\u2019 (I am the abode of all faults..), and \u2018rAvANO nAma dhurvruththa: <\/em>[Sri rAmAyaNam \u2013 yudhdha kANdam \u2013 17.12]\u2019 ((I am the brother of) the one who is full of evil qualities named rAvaNan), and \u2018amaryAdha: kshudhra:<\/em> [sthOthra rathnam 62<\/a>]\u2019 ((I am) one who crossed the limits of vEdhas, having great interest in lowly matters\u2026), it is humbly conveying to Him of one\u2019s own faults only. So what we have to do is convey to Him about our faults, and about not having any qualifications.<\/p>\n thoNdanEn nAn \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>I who am deeply interested toward You. By this, it talks about interest in what is going to be attained (prApya ruchi<\/em>).\u00a0 Like how for praying Him to be the means, one has to convey to Him that we do not have any qualifications and convey our own faults, to pray that He is the one to be attained, one has to have interest toward Him, isn\u2019t it?\u00a0 It is about not having any qualifications and not tolerating separation from Him that convey our qualification for involving in dhvaya manthram<\/em>.<\/p>\n Or,<\/p>\n igazhvAya thoNdanEn nAn \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Like how people would scorn a servant who carries water pot if she wishes to marry the emperor, and like how everyone would scorn a beggar who begs for a handful of food if he wishes to be crowned, it is same as me who am a nithya samsAri <\/em>(forever involved in worldly affairs),<\/em> wishing to attain You.<\/p>\n en AnAy en AnAy ennal allAl <\/em>\u00a0– <\/strong>(Anai<\/em> – elephant) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>By this \u2013 it talks about how the time is spent by him, he who considers emperumAn<\/a> only as the means and destiny.\u00a0 I reminisced your qualities (like in \u2018manthiraththai<\/em>) for spending the time only, and not by considering such interest of me as a means (to attain You).\u00a0 He is saying \u2018en AnAy\u2019 (~You are like an elephant for me), based on the qualities of elephants.<\/p>\n Elephant is such that (1) one is not satisfied by seeing it just one day \u2013 it is such that one would wish to see it always; (2) having huge pride; (3) is such that it could lift someone nearby and place on its neck; (4) it would stoop down if one wishes to climb on it by himself;\u00a0 (5) if it pushes down some unwanted one from its back it is not possible to find its reason;\u00a0 (6) would itself give the rope for tying it down;<\/p>\n emperumAn<\/a> also carries these qualities; (1) He having the beautiful form that is wished to be seen always;\u00a0 (2) He having great pride as there is no one equal to or above Him; (3) like how if a king wishes to make a female servant as his main queen then there would not be anyone to stop it, if emperumAn<\/a> wishes to grant Himself to a nithya samsAri<\/em> (one who is forever involved in worldly affairs) based only on his surrendering to Him, then there is no one to stop Him \u2013 He is having such independence; (4) like how the elephant would stoop down if someone wishes to climb on it on his own, emperumAn<\/a> having the character of simplicity of giving Him even to those who wish to attain Him by using some other means; (5) having the character of not having anyone who could stop Him from finishing off the enemies of His devotees even if they are related to Him; (6) creates interest towards Him by He Himself giving the bhakthi <\/em>(devotion) that could be used for enjoying Him \u2013 these are the characteristics that are matters for AzhvAr<\/a>‘s time pass. (How is rope related to bhakthi?<\/em>) \u2013 In \u2018ettinOdu iraNdenum kayiRu<\/em> [thiruchchandha viruththam \u2013 83]\u2019, bhakthi is referred as a rope. It is about tying emperumAn<\/a> in the pillar\/post that is mind, using bhakthi that is rope, so that He would not be able to go away.<\/p>\n By repeating \u2018en AnAy\u2019<\/em> (and by comparing the aforementioned respective qualities), AzhvAr<\/a> implies that these qualities are always in his mind, and are the matter for his time pass. It is not possible to remove this from his mind.\u00a0 AzhvAr<\/a> cannot indulge in material pleasures \u2013 since he became afraid of those and so joined emperumAn<\/a>. AzhvAr<\/a> cannot indulge in other means \u2013 since he has surrendered to the means that is emperumAn<\/a> who does not tolerate other means. So AzhvAr<\/a> can only be involved in the matters of emperumAn<\/a> by talking about his many qualities.<\/p>\n ennal allAl \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>In this way I keep spending my time thinking about Your nature; other than that,<\/p>\n en aRivan \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>would I know any other means mentioned by the SAsthram? Would I know the qualities like \u2018do not disrespect the noble people\u2019 etc. (qualities such as ones listed in SrI bhagavath gIthA<\/a> chapters 7 through 11)? Would I know karma yOgam? <\/em>Would I know gyAna yOgam<\/em>? Would I know bhakthi yOgam <\/em>that can be attained through these two yOgams<\/em>? What do I know? Like the dawn that came upon someone sleeping, when I was roaming as one interested in worldly pleasures, I saw, as you showed, the greatness of You. This is all I have got \u2013 where did I see other means \u2013 is what he is saying.<\/p>\n emperumAn<\/a> asks \u201cIf you are staying put thinking that I am your means and destiny, and if you are in the state that you do not have anything good as a qualification, then do you not have to just be as I see fit? Is it right of you to call saying \u2018Oh You are not showing your face to me!\u2019 \u201c<\/p>\n ezhaiyEn \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>What can I do if my love for seeing You is unbounded? During those times when I was interested in worldly affairs only, I did not have any control or limits; then how would I be able to control or limit in the case of wishing to enjoy You?\u00a0 Without having ability to think that this is good and that is not good because of my my excessive interest, I had immersed in worldly matters; this is all I had done isn\u2019t it? (now also I am showing interest towards You without any control or limit). If you are going to consider this my love for You as my using it as a means and You try to reject me,\u00a0 then you would have to reject the nithyasUris<\/em> first before rejecting me.<\/p>\n As emperumAn<\/a> asks, \u2018Did you learn through SAshtrams or through an AchAryan that I have got qualities similar to that of elephant?, AzhvAr<\/a> replies, \u2018I found and learned from the divine abodes<\/a> where You are happily present (ugandhu aruLina nilangaL<\/em>)…<\/p>\n Continued in part 2<\/em><\/p>\n ==========<\/p>\n Translation by raghuram SrInivAsa dAsan<\/p>\n archived in https:\/\/divyaprabandham.koyil.org<\/a><\/p>\n pramEyam (goal) \u2013 https:\/\/koyil.org<\/a> SrI:\u00a0 SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:\u00a0 SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:\u00a0 SrImath varavaramunayE nama: Full Series << previous – 9 – vangaththAl Introduction By this pAsuram, AzhvAr says: He who goes to the place of His devotees, and does so without seeing whether they are qualified or not qualified, has absolutely not shown up for me \u2013 AzhvAr gets … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,39],"tags":[547,586,595],"class_list":["post-21927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-irandam-ayiram","category-thirunedunthandakam","tag-srirangam","tag-thirumaliruncholai","tag-thirumuzhikkalam"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/divyaprabandham.koyil.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/divyaprabandham.koyil.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/divyaprabandham.koyil.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divyaprabandham.koyil.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divyaprabandham.koyil.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/divyaprabandham.koyil.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21927\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/divyaprabandham.koyil.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divyaprabandham.koyil.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divyaprabandham.koyil.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Introduction<\/h3>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0 pugazh AnAy igazhvAya thoNdanEn nAn<\/em>
\nen AnAy en AnAy ennal allAl<\/em>
\n\u00a0 en aRivan EzhaiyEn – ulagam Eththum<\/em>
\nthen AnAy vada AnAy kudapAl AnAy<\/em>
\n\u00a0 guNapAla madha yAnAy imaiyOrkku enRum<\/em>
\nmun AnAy pin AnAr vaNangum sOdhi<\/em>
\n\u00a0 thirumUzhik kaLaththAnAy mudhal AnAyE.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>10<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/divyaprabandham.koyil.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/kaliyan_uthsavam_thiruvali_thirunagari_thirumangai_azhvar-Large-1024x680.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWord by word meaning<\/h3>\n
\nulagam Eththum \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>which is worthy of praise by one and all in the world!
\nvada AnAy \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Oh One who is like an elephant that stands in the thiruvEnkatam <\/em>in the north!
\nkuda pAl AnAy \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Oh One who is like an elephant in the westerly (in sleeping pose in thiruvarangam)!
\nguNapAla madham yAnAy \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Oh One who is like a proud elephant (in thirukkaNNapuram)!
\nimaiyOrkku mun AnAy \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Oh One who stands in front of nithyasUris <\/em>(for them to see and enjoy You)
\nenRum \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>at all times!
\nthirumUzhik kaLaththAnAy\u00a0 – <\/em><\/strong>Oh One living in thirumUzhikkaLam<\/em>
\npin AnAr vaNangum sOdhi \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0like a luminous entity who could be surrendered to by those living after your incarnations!
\nmudhal AnAy \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Oh the cause of the world!
\npon AnAy \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Oh One who is like the gold!
\npozhil Ezhum kAval pUNda <\/em><\/strong>\u2013 <\/strong>Oh One\u00a0who is having the fame due to giving divine protection to all the seven worlds!
\nigazhvu Aya thoNdanEn EzhaiyEn nAn \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>I who am a devotee who is lowliness\/scorn personified and who am of unsteady mind (chapalan),
\nen AnAy en AnAy ennal allAl \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Other than saying \u2018Oh my elephant! Oh my elephant!\u2019 (calling emperumAn<\/a> so),
\nen aRivan – <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0what else do I know to say?\u00a0 (Akinchanyam<\/em>).<\/p>\nvyAkyAnam<\/h3>\n
\npramANam (scriptures) \u2013 http:\/\/granthams.koyil.org<\/a>
\npramAthA (preceptors) \u2013 http:\/\/acharyas.koyil.org<\/a>
\nSrIvaishNava education\/kids portal \u2013 http:\/\/pillai.koyil.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"