Denver Conference : PeriyAzhwAr's Paasurams 2.4 decad on NeerAttam

[Guest guest]

ManjanamAttal

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YasOdhA piratti wanted to bathe her child , KrishnA .

She collected water for the thirumanjanam . She added

cinnamon , cardamom and other fragrant powders in

the water . She looked around for KrishNa and invited him

to come to the bathing room ,where she had lovingly prepared

fragrant water at the right temperature . He heard her call ,

but tried to get away from her reach . YasodhA appealed

to her son to come to her , described at length about

the enormous efforts she took for him

to have a most enjoyable bath , praised him and tried

to lure him to take his bath with sweet and coaxing words .

 

PeriyAzhwAr took on the role of YasOdhA , the mother ,

to enjoy this scene .These verses are always

recited during the Thirumanjanam ( holy bath ) of

the ArchA murthys at the temples or the vigrahams

or SaaLagramams at home .

 

Paasuram 1 : VeNNayaLantha KuNangum ----

 

O my Lord who is not easily accessible ! NaarAyaNA !

Please come here for taking Your bath . I have prepared

the oil for Your oil bath , the soap nut powder and have

been waiting for You to come here for a long , long time .

I will not let you dirty the bed tonight with the day's dust

besmearing Your body from all of Your playful activities

and the unwelcome smell arising from the immersion

of Your hands all the way upto Your shoulder , when You

stole and ate butter during the day . This I shall not put up

with . Please come and take Your bath and cleanse Yourself

before You retire to bed .

 

Paasuram 2 : KanrugaL Oda ---

 

O Lord who knocked down the seven trees with the power of

Your arrow during RamAvathAram ! Today is the day of

SravaNam ( ThiruvONam ) , when Your birth star is in

ascendance . Please do not try to escape from me .

I am exasperated with Your pranks . Earlier in the day ,

you ran after the frightened calves and placed the biting

ants into their ears , which made them more panicky and they

ran away . How am I going to milk the cows , when the calves

have run away ? If I do not milk the cows , how are You going

to get the butter to steal and eat ? Please do not run away .

Come and take Your bath .

 

Paasuram 3 : pEycchi mulai ---

 

O my precious one of auspicious glories ! O my dear one

with the hue of a blue jewel ! When I saw You partake

the poisonous milk from the fearsome PuthanA's breast

and suck her life forces , I responded to the collective call

of the fleeing neighbors and approached You and breast-fed

You . I did not run away like them out of fear at the sight of

the mighty corpse of PuthanA , whom You had dispatched

to heavens . Today , I have prepared warm and comforting

water containing broiled leaves of Nelli tree for sweetness .

I have stored this lovely water for Your bath in large vessels ,

so that You can enjoy a long and leisurely bath . Please do not

escape me. Come and have Your bath .

 

Paasuram 4 : Kanjan puNarpinil ----

 

O great helper , who destroyed the asuran in the form

of the wheel sent by Your evil uncle Kamsan with a swift

kick of Your tender feet ! O Lord, who sucked the life out of

the deceitful PUthanai ! I have added turmeric powder ,

and enriched Your bath water with petals of red lotus flowers .

I have set aside fragrant sandal paste and black collyerium

for decorating Your eyes after Your bath . O Beautiful One !

Please do not run away from me .Come and take Your

bath with further hassle !

 

Paasuram 5 : Appam kalantha siRRundi ----

 

O Lord of full perfection ! O my Swami !

My salutations to You . Please come here . Young girls with

tender breasts will complain behind my back about Your

minor offenses and laugh over them . While they are busy

that way , I have been busy dissolving cubes of jaggery in milk

and flour to cook sweet tasting appam and

other delicious luncheon items for You .

If You want this lovely lunch , You must take a bath first.

Please come and have Your delightful bath .

 

Paasuram 6 : YeNNai kudathai urutti ---

 

O Lord with the beautiful blue complexion of the

waters of the ocean with noisy waves ! O Swami

who kicks the oil containing vessels around with Your

tender legs and who wakes up sleeping children with

Your pinching ! I will give You sweet , hand-picked fruits .

Please come here and take Your bath without further delay !

 

 

Paasuram 7 : KaRantha naRpAlum ---

 

O My Lord ! From the day You were born , I have not

seen the likes of either milk or curds or the butter

stored in the pots hanging from the ceiling . You have

taken care of all of that ! If I started to criticize You in

front of others , they will be astonished at me as the

mother complaining about the child that I bore ! Hence ,

I am hesitant to criticize You because of fear about

offending my neighbors . I will never belittle You in

front of others . Please come here and take Your bath !

 

Paasuram 8: KanRinai vAlOlaik katti -----

 

O Lord of total perfection ! I can not fully comprehend

Your limitless , auspicious attributes ( anantha kalyANa

guNams ) or Your power . One day , You tied the ribbons

on the tail of the asuran , who took the form of a calf

to kill You . What did You do ? You took that calf by the tail ,

swirled him around and threw him at a wood apple tree .

The fruits fell as a result of that impact

and provided a feast for Your play mates . Thereafter , You

went to the banks of YamunA river and got on the top of

the hoods of the poisonous KaaLingan and danced there

to Your heart's content and subdued the serpent's arrogance .

Today happens to be the day of Your birth . Therefore You

must take an enjoyable bath . O NaaraNA !

Please come hither! Do n't run away .

 

Paasuram 9 : pUNit thozhuvinr pukkup -----

 

O Lord without any modesty ! My mANikkam ! My blue

sapphire ! I enjoy seeing your beautiful limbs covered

with dirt from Your entering the cow sheds and playing

in the mud there . But , those who see Your body smeared

with all that dirt blame me and call me an uncaring mother .

O shameless Lord who puts me in such a dire spot !

Nappinnai will laugh at You , if she sees You in this state.

Let me help You . Please come here and cleanse Yourself

with the lovely bath that I have prepared for You .

 

Paasuram 10 : Kaarmali mEni niratthu--

 

Those who recite these ten paasurams composed by

PeriyAzhwAr--, the elder of the most ancient land known

as Sri VillipputthUr -- on the way in which the full-breasted

YasOdhA pirAtti bathed her son , KaNNapirAn of complexion

far more beautiful than the clouds of the rainy season ,

will become completely free of any sins .

 

Sri PeriyAzhwAtr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan