"kaRavaigaL" pAsuram - some thoughts

[Guest guest]

Today's thiruppAvai pAsuram "kaRavaigaL..." is a very special one. It is

very dear to my heart. Subadra Vasudevan provided a very nice explanation.

I wish to add my 2 cents worth.

 

The choice of words in "arivu onRum illAdha Aykkulaththu" and "kuRai onRum

illAdha gOvin^dhA" are simply spectacular. She in an expression of self

abasement says, "we belong to such an ordinary lowly community of aayarpAdi

who are so ignorant. we don't have any knowledge. We know nothing. In

contrast, our Lord, you are the embodiment of knowledge. You lack nothing.

One can never find anything missing in you, gOvin^dhA". This establishes the

relationship between the jIvAthmA and the paramAthmA, the sEsha-sEshi

bhAvam. (Somebody who is well versed with the philosophical differences

between visishtAdvaitam and advaitam could explain this much better. I am a

'proud' member of the arivu onRum illAdha Aykkulam )

 

The choice of the name gOvindhA here gains special significance. Our

AchAryAs clearly show the difference between the names gOvindhan and

n^ArAyaNan. gOvindhan is his name in vibhava form whereas n^ArAyaNan is his

name in para form. isn't His vibhava (and ofcourse archa) form much better

than his para form? (Ask sri thirumaN^gai AzhwAr. He won't consider this a

valid question worth answering - "ErAr muyal vittuk kAkkai pin pOvathEn?",

he asks in siRiya thirumadal. (Would a hunter chase a flying crow for its

(lowly) meat ignoring the rabbit on the ground?) )

So the name gOvin^dhan brings forth His sowlabhyam. It is a cowherd name,

just a kind of nick name. Thats why ANdAL says," siRu pEr azhaiththanavum

seeRi aruLAthE" (Please do no show your anger at us, for calling u by such

ordinary names). Once again look at the choice of words in "seeRi aruLAthE"

Even his seeRRam (anger) is expressed as an aruL (grace).

 

"un thannOdu uRavEl n^amakku iN^gu ozhikka ozhiyAdhu" -

^^^^^^^^^

Having established the relationship between the jIvAthmA and the paramAthma

before, she reinforces the relationship here. (We cannot break this

relationship between us.) The usage of the word "n^amakku" gains special

mention. It is impossible for us( You, the Lord and we the gOpikAs) to break

this relationship. "iN^gu n^amakku ozhikka ozhiyAdhu". Even if HE thinks of

breaking the relationship he cannot.

 

This brings to mind an interesting issue that is brought up

at the end of the brahmasUtra. (Once again pardon my ignorance. There are

many people in this list who could explain this very well. )

Would the jIvAthmA that attains mOksham return back to earth? sri rAmAnujar in

his sri bhAshyam poses a question "Do u say the jIvAthma would want to get

back to earth or would the paramAthmA push him back to earth? Experiencing

such an eternal bliss why would the jIvAthmA 'want' to get back to earth.

This sounds so logical. Likewise, the paramAthmA who is so happy on having

the jIvA with him (He is the bhOghi.) isn't it equally logical that He

would never push the jIvAthmA down to earth?

 

This is exactly what ANdAL says. She didn't just say "un thannOdu

uRavu ozhikka ozhiyAdhu" she says"n^amakku ozhikka ozhiyAdhu". Neither of us

could break this relationship. She later stresses this in her next pAsuram

"eRRaikkum EzhEzh piRavikkum un thannOdu uRROmE yAvOm unakkE n^Am aatcheyvOm"

 

sri ANdAL thiruvadigaLE saraNam

-Vijay Triplicane

(Viji)