IDU OR ARPUDAM KELEER- PART 5

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

Sri lakshmi nrusimha divya paadukaa sEvaka SrivaN satakOpa Sri Vedaanta

desika yateendra mahaa dEsikaaya namah:

 

In the previous posting parts 1 to 4 on this topic, we saw

* How periyaazhvaar identified KaNNan with thirumaal,

* How he described the entire world was tied down by

his divine music thru the paasurams (without the meanings of the paasurams),

 

* Certain points on observations of bagavathaas.

* The meanings in detail for the first four paasurams

* Verses of few other bakthas who relished the kuzhal

oothal episode of krishna leelai

 

In the first part of this "idu Or arpudam kELeer" series, we saw "kuzhal

vaai maduththu oothi vantha aayappilLLai azhagu" (3-4-9) with its meaning as

visualised by Periyaazhvaar.

 

In the third part, we saw the paasuram alone of Kulasekara PerumaaL (KP) in

his "perumaaL thirumozhi" 6-9 - titled Ermalar poonkuzhal, which is in

similar lines of periyaazhvaar.

 

Before we take up the fifth arpudam by periyaazhvaar, now let us see the

meaning of this KP paasuram.

"Mangala nan vana maalai maarvil ilanga mayil thazhaip peeli

soodi

PongiLa vaadai araiyil saththi poonkoththuk kaadhir puraip

peithu

Kongu naRunkuzhalaargalOdu kuzhainthu kuzhal inithu oothi

vanthaai

EngaLukkE orunaaL vanthootha un kuzhal innisai pOdharaathE"

 

Mangala nan vana maalai - the vaijayanthi maalai which gives all auspicious

things -subham -nallavai- good things- so nan- tulasi maalai - so mangala

nan maalai

 

[Now, the scientists have prooved tulasi, whereever it exists, it serves as

air purifier with medical properties, removes cold, cough, etc besides

other medical properties]

 

maarvil ilanga - hanging in the chest.

The word ilanga has special position here. Whenever the word ilanga is used,

the subject person for whom, this verb is used is understood to be of

exalted status- like a king. KP could have simply said, vanamaalai thonga or

soodi but says ilanga.

 

whether tulasi adds beauty to kaNNan or kaNNan adds beauty to tulasi is

doubtful. Tulasi is of dark green- kaNNan is of dark cloud coloured- neerada

samaneeyan- what adds beauty to whom?

 

KP says- maarvil vanamaalai ilanga- so hey reader folks -I am not making it

clear - but I say ilanga - from this you please infer. We can infer kaNNan

only add beauty to tulasi.

 

mayil thazhaip peeli soodi--yet another beautiful selection of words. Here

the word thazhai has two meanings- thazhai is a bunch of leaves, thazhai is

also an umbrella made of peacock's feathers, like a tree has lot of leaves,

peacock also a lot of feathers. peeli is each feather [refer the famous

kuRaL - peeli pei sakaadum achchiRum appaNdam saala miguththup peyin. Even

though it may be feather of peacock, if it is loaded beyond certain limits

in a cart, the axle of the cart will break].

 

mayil peeli thazhai soodi- just he took the feathers and simply tucked in

KaNNan's tresses in a bunch -no proper arrangement. But simply gathered and

tucked in- so it appears as thazhai in his head - mayil peeliyai thazhai

pOla soodi- because it is kaNNan, this careless tucking also adds beauty.

 

another meaning or usage

* he comes under the mayil thazhai- comes under the shade using the

umbrella made of peacock feathers,

* peeli soodi - with feathers of peacock in his crown, under the

umbrella.

 

PongiLavaadai araiyil saththi - the aadai- dress in the waist

Pongum iLa nilaa pOnRa aadai - dress is of the colour of the cresent moon in

the sukla paksham - light yellow colour.

peethaambaram- yasya peetham ambaram dharathi sa: peethaambaram -every word

selection is marvellous

 

poonkoththuk kaadhir puNarap peithu - here flowers are bunched [kothu]

-flowers mixed (puNara) and inserted in the ear lobe - peithu- it is not

serugi inserted but peithu- like rain, a lot are kept- inserted in the hole

of the ear- why?

 

If you observe children, when they are happy and walking, they will not

simply walk. First three or four steps ordinary walk- then a small jump -

then two or three step running- again a twist or turn to see whether some

body is observing. Then walk - a jump again etc. it is a mixture of walking

running jumping turning etc.

 

KaNNan, when he is coming with his friends, is happy and is doing all these.

While walking and doing all these, the flowers should not fall on the way-

so it is puNarap peithu.

 

- [please recollect valankaathinmEl thOnRip poo aNinthu of periyazhvaar]

 

[in part 3 where this paasuram was quoted, it was mentioned as puraippeithu

which may please be read corrected as puNarappeithu, that was taken from

another book wherein it may be a printer's devil]

 

Kongu naRunkuzhalaargalOdu kuzhainthu - kongu naadu is part of sEra naadu in

those days (present dharmapuri district). Kulasekara is the king of

sEranaadu- so the patriotism comes out. It is mixed with kaNNan bakthi.

KaNNan comes mingling with young girls of kongu naadu who have goodlooking

black long hair - that too how- kuzhainthu- siriththu pEsi- avargaLai

mayakki- thaanum mayanguvathupOl baavanai seithu- so kuzhainthu-

 

[A cross reference from subramania bharathy- sindhu nadhiyin misai

nilavinilE sEra nannattiLam peNgaLudanE sundara thelunginil paattisaiththE

for the beauty of sEra naattu ilampeNgal]

 

kuzhal inithu oothi vanthaai- you came playing the flute. This is in past

tense. So an incidence of the past. Why? Next line gives the answer.

 

EngaLukkE orunaaL vanthootha un kuzhal innisai pOdharaathE- a slight

anvayam is to be done. OrunaaL vanthu engalukkE un kuzhal ootha innisai

pOdharaathE- please come one day and give us your flute music only for us-

POdharaathE means tharuvaayE.

 

It may appear a little contradictory in the last line to ask krishna "you

come again and give us your flute music" when in the previous line KP says

kaNNan came playing flute with all alankaarams, with sEra naattu girls, as

said in the previous 3 lines.

 

Even though just now heard kaNNan's music, the desire is coming up again to

ask for more of his music. So a request, "hey krishnaa why not you come

again?" by aazhvaar.

 

One more by MGV on behalf of BHAKTI_net members- "hey krishnaa why not you

come again and give us your music?".

 

Now let us see the meaning of pEyaazhvaar paasuram also.

KOvalanaai aanirai meiththuk kuzhal oothi

maavalanaai keeNda manivaNNan mEvi

ari uruvaagi iraNiyana thaagam

theri ugiraal keendaan sinam (paasuram 42)

 

kOvalanaai- the gOpaalan- aayan- cowherd

aanirai - the flock of cows- pasukkoottangal

mEiththu- grassed the flock of cows

kuzhal oothi- playing the flute

maavalanaai- in the roopam of hayam - the horse

keenda - ploughed or opened

maNi vaNNan- thaan aNinthuLLa maniyinaal vaNNam perubavan maNivaNNan

whether it is syamanthaga maNi or kowsthubha mani -both are kaNNan only -

but in the hayagreeva roopam it can be taken as kowsthuba mani

mEvi- paranthu - spread- maavalanaai paranthu- is to refer the saving of the

vEdams in the hayagreeva avathaaram

ari uruvaagi- in the shape of lionman

iraNiyanathaagam- the heart of HiraNyan

sinam theri- with anger

ugiraal keeNdaan- tore with nails.

 

See how nicely three avathaarams are covered in one stanzaa- kuzhal oothum

kaNNan, vEdham kaaththa hayagreevan, narasingan.

 

Now let us see meaning of the fifth arpudam presented by periyaazhvaar:

 

3.6.5 Madhusoodhan vaayil kuzhalin Osai seviyai paRRi vaanga

Nannarampudaiya thumburuvOdu naaradanum veeNai maRanthu kinnara

mithunangaLum tham tham kinnaram thodugilOm enRanarE.

 

ThumburuvOdu naaradanum veeNai maRanthu - Why? They recollected this kaNNan

is the same person- who? Mun narasinghamadhaagi - earlier narasimhan - the

man lion - the ferocious person who tore hiranya kasibu- also the

mannaranchum madhusoodhan - who killed the ferocious arakkan madhu - about

whom all kings were afraid but kaNNan was not afraid. In the fight kaNNan

killed madhu and got the name madhusoodhan. The very presence of kaNNan

makes naarada and tumburu to fear - when he plays flute and the music is so

nice - it is aanandam mixed with fear.

 

Naaradaa is always singing music in praise of naaraayaNa and it is his

practice. But when he heard kaNNan's music, he simply forgot his rhythm and

music.

 

Another person in such music habit is thumburu who is also the dEvalOka

musician. The noted musicians Thumburu and Naarada lost their balanceof mind

when they started listening to KaNNan's music. That is the power of kaNNan's

music.

 

The kinnaraas are the musicians of the devaloka, and they also missed their

sruthi. Kinnaras always play music as couples- kinnara mithunangal- the male

provides the taala and women plays the musical instrument. When kaNNan plays

music these people forgot their music and refused to touch their instruments

- kinnaram thodigilOm enRanarE.

 

See the arpudam- kaNNan's music just makes the music professionals to miss

their balance and thereby they refuse to start playing their music. Is this

not an arpudam?

 

Before concluding this part let us see another baktha who enjoyed krishnaa's

music.

 

Here, he calls him "Oh, you, the very embodiment of music".

 

Gaana moorthE- sri krishna vENu gaana moorthE

Gaana lOla thribhuvana paala paahi - gaana

 

Maaninee maNee sree rukmaNee

Maanasaabahaara maara janaka dhivys - gaana

 

Naveneetha chora nandha sath kichora

Naramithra dheera narasimha soora

Nava mEga thEja nagajaa sagaja

Nara kaanthakaaja natha thyagaraaja - gaana

 

(nouka charithram of thyaagaraaja - song in the raaga gaanamoorthy)

 

Oh krishna! Oh, the embodiment of music! Oh the flute music

embodiment! Oh vENu gaanapriyaa (lover of flute music)! Oh, the lord of this

world, lOka naatha! Oh sri rukmani's loving husband! Father of manmatha!

Butter thief! Son of king Nanda! Friend of Arjuna! Oh narasimha! The new

cloud coloured lord! Paarvathi's brother! Killer of narakaasura! Save this

bowing thyaagarajaa.

 

Here he enjoys krishnaa as embodiment of music, not simply

music but music from the flute (vENu gaana moorthE). All other words are

fitting nicely but why suddenly narasimha - does narasimha have any

connection with music? [is there any reference in Narasimha avathaaram for

music - bhagavathaas can provide information please]

 

Krishnaa plays music in the forest- every body obeys and

surrenders to his music. Similarly in the forest, the lion is the king and

orders to all animals, everybody simply obeys to his orders. Lion is

compared or elevated to kannan's level (only for this obeying aspect) - king

of music prowess kaNNan- king of physical prowess lion - kinglion- manlion -

narasimhan- narasingaavathaaram.

 

There is no wonder to go back to narasimham from krishna by

thyagaraaja - is also in the footsteps of periyaazhvaar to call mun

narasingamadhaagi.

 

Dasan

Vasudevan M.G.