karunyam

[Guest guest]

kaaruNyam

--------------

 

In this continuing series of twelve posts, twelve of the

many guNaas that are innate to Brahman is discussed

with illustrations from aazhvaar paasurams. These

twelve guNaas demonstrate God's eternal love for us

jeevaathmaas. They are sowseelyam, vaathsalyam,

maardhavam, aarjavam, sowhaartham, saamyam,

kaaruNyam, maadhuryam, gaambeeryam, owdhaaryam,

chaathuryam, and sthairyam. The subject of this post is

kaaruNyam.

 

kaaruNyam: (i) eagerness to eliminate other's grief

without expecting anything in return

(vERu oru payan karudhaamal

piRarudaiya dhukkatthaip pOkka

virumbudhal); (ii) not tolerating other's

grief (piRar padum dhukkathai

poRukkaamai); (iii) feeling grieved at

other's grief (piRarkaLudaiya

dhukkatthaik kaNdu thaanum

dhukkitthal.)

 

The result of the above three dimensions of kaaruNyam

is the swiftness of our Lord's remedy for the anguish felt

by his devotees. This is beautifully illustrated by

thirumangai aazhvaar in the following paasuram.

 

 

meenamar poygai naaNmalar koyvaan

vEtkaiyinOdusen Rizhindha,

kaanamar vEzham kaiyeduth thalaRak

karaavadhan kaalinaik kadhuva,

aanaiyin thuyaram theerap puLLoorndhu

senRun^in Raazhithot taanai,

thEnamar sOlai maadamaa mayilaith

thiruvallik kENikkaN dEnE.

 

-- periya thirumozhi (2.3.9)

 

 

vEzham = elephant

karaa = crocodile

kadhuva = bite

puL = bird (garudaazhvaar)

 

 

This paasuram describes the well known story of

GajEndhraazhvaan crying out "aathimoolamE" when a

crocodile bites his foot. The interesting part of this

paasuram is the phrase "senRu ninRu aazhi thottaanai"

in the sixth line above. It seems our Lord had to wait

(ninRu) for the disc (aazhi) to catch up, after reaching

the pond. With intense desire to eliminate GajEndhran's

distress, our Lord hurried at lightening speed. But,

Chakaratthaazhvaan was unable to keep up with the

Lord. Consequently, upon reaching the pond, the Lord

of thiruvallikkENi had to pause ("ninRu") for the

chakkaram to catch up (ninRu aazhi thottaan") with him.

Such intensity for instantaneously relieving our distress

without expecting anything in return springs from

kaaruNyam.

 

p.s.

It seems there are some disagreements with the third

interpretation for kaaruNyam numbered (iii).

 

.... to be continued

 

----------

This and other posts to follow in this subject are based

on the aruL mozhigaL of the 45th azhagiya singar of sri

aHObila madam, sri vaN satakOpa sri naaraayaNa

yatheendhra mahaa dEsikan, published in sri nrusimhap

priyaa starting with bava varusham, chitthirai maasam,

(April 1994), and commentaries of aazhvaar

prabhandams published by The Visishtadvaita Pracharini

Sabha, 27, Venkatesa Agraharam, Mylapore, Madras,

600 004.