IDU OR ARPUDAM KELEER - PART 6

[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 5 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 five paasurams

* Verses of few other bakthas who relished the kuzhal

oothal episode of krishna leelai

 

1. Before we really take up the next arpudam presented by periyaazhvaar

we will see the meaning of the Ambujam Krishnaa song "gaana mazhai" -

 

gaana mazhai pozhiginraan kaNNan

yamuna theeraththilE yaadava kulam sezhikka - (gaana)

 

Krishnaa is raining music (flute music) on the riverbanks of yamuna

river - the thamasa river-. The purpose for this rain is prosperity of the

yaadava kulam - the cowherd clan.

 

aanandhamaagavE aruL perugavE

munivarum mayangidum mohana roopan - vENu (gaanamazhai)

 

How he sings- with pleasure, and with flowing grace (aruL perugavE).

In the beauty of the roopam of krishnaa, the saints are simply mesmerised -

munivarum mayangum mohana roopan. The people who carry out the silent vow

[mouna viratham] are called munivar and they have very good control over the

senses. Such munivars are simply bowled over by kaNNan's mohana roopam -

beautiful physique. He also rains the flute music.

 

theenchuvai idhazhil vEynkuzhal vaiththE

thigattaa amudhaai dEvarum virumbum - vENu (gaanamazhai)

 

The sweet lips carry the bamboo flute and rains the music. This

music is liked by the demigods as the nectar - dEvargaL virumbum amudha

gaanam (theenchuvai - I am unable to express the depth in the meaning of

this word by saying sweet).

 

kuyilinam koovida mayilinam aadida

aavinam karainthida anchugamum konja

kOvalar kaLiththida gopiyar aada

gOvindan kuzhal oothi - (gaanamazhai)

 

Because Govindan is singing on the flute, the herds of cuckoo birds

make their charecteristic sound in joy, the flocks of peacocks dance, the

crowds of cows get themselves dissolved in the music, the parrots are making

their own noise in their language, the gopaalar are enjoying.

 

[Recall periyaazhvaar in - Paravaiyin kaNangaL koodu thuranthu

vanthu padu kaadu kidappa karavaiyin kaNangaL kaal parappittu

kavizhnthirangi seviyaattagillaavE- we will see the meaning in detail later

for this arpudam of periyaazhvaar which is very very special].

 

Ambaram thanilE thumburu naaradar

arambaiyarum aadal paadal maranthida

achchuthan aanandan aayar kula thilakan

ambuja naabhan aarvamudan - muraLi (gaanamazhai)

 

In the skies the dEvalOka musicians thumburu and naaradaa have

forgotten their music. The damsels like ramba, menaka and others have

forgotten their music and dance. The Lord achyutan - who never leaves any

body unprotected - kai vidaathavan, the aanandan -who gives pleasure to all,

the darling and Lord of the cowherd clan in brindaavan- the Lord who has

lotus flower in the navel -naaraayaNan- is playing with zeal and zest the

flute and rains the flute music.

 

Again refer back to periyaazhvaar -

MEnakaiyOdu thilOththamai arambai uruppasiaravar veLgi mayangi

vaanagampadiyil vaai thirappinRi aadal paadal avai maarinar thaamE.

 

Nannarampudaiya thumburuvOdu naaradanum veeNai maRanthu kinnara

mithunangaLum tham tham kinnaram thodugilOm enRanarE.

 

Perhaps the poetess is greatly influenced by our aazhvaar to compose

this song. But the song whenever sung with depth and with feeling will make

tears roll down the cheeks of the serious krishna baktha and music listener.

 

 

2. Now let us see another picturesque scene by periyaazhvaar, similar

to mangala nan vanamaalai of KP on the same "kuzhal oothi baala leelai" of

beloved krishnaa. This is in addition to the "valankaathin mEl" appearing in

same thazhaigaLum decad.

 

[i am adding it now, since it also concerns the same kuzhal oothi

baala leelai. First I thought I will concentrate on the 10 arpudams alone

but krishnaa's flute lures me and makes this writeup longer and longer].

 

"ThazhaigaLum thongalum thadhumbi engum

ThaNNumai ekkam maththaLi thaazh peeli

KuzhalgaLum geethamumaagi engum

GOvindan varuginRa koottam kaNdu

Mazhai kolO varugirathenRu" 3-4-1 thazhaigaLum decad of

periyaazhvaar

 

A slight anvayam first- "thazhaigalum thongalum kuzhalgaLum thaazh

peeli thadhumbi engum thaNNumai ekkam maththaLi geethamum aagi govindan

varuginRa[thu] kaNdu koottam engum mazhai kolO varugirathenRu"

 

ThazhaigaLum- Umbrellas with peacock feathers

Thongal- garlands of flowers

KuzhalgaLum- the hair tresses

Thazh peeli thadhumbi- full of peacock feathers

 

KaNNan is coming under the umbrella of peacock feathers with

garlands of flower in the chest dangling in the speed of walking. The hair

is nicely plaited into a crown and peacock feathers are inserted to make the

already beautiful kaNNan still more beautiful.

 

[just another line from another ambujam krishnaa song- "Mayir peeli

saRRe koNdai thanil asaiya, makara kundalangaL iru sevi ilanga, mathi mugam

thanilE muruval viLaiyaada, madhura mohana kuzhal isai kootta, mangaiyar

kaNgaL maiyal kaatta, mathi mayangi, aruL sorinthu, iNainthu, onRaai" in the

song "aadinayE kaNNaa" in raaga mohana kalyani- made famous by MLV]

 

KaNNan is coming with his friends who are playing the full

orchestra-

- kaNNan flute

- another boy- thaNNumai- a small drum- siRu paRai

- third person -ekkam- cymbols- thaaLam - chappaLaa

- fourth person- maththaLam- mrudangam or drums

 

Geethamum aagi- with music every where,

Govindan varuginRathu Kandu koottam Engum mazhai kolO

varugirathenRu- the gopees seeing kaNNan coming they think rain is coming

[gopees male and female all]

 

Because rain is life giver by providing the basic need of water- and

the life saver.

So Govindan as the name suggests he is rakshakan not only to cows,

but also the whole world, so his coming appears as though rain is coming.

 

[i heard some time ago from a senior bhagavatha, that the word

govindan has 27 meanings. I am unable to recollect except one or two.

Members in the net can give as many as possible, if not all the 27]

 

3. Now let us see Sree Sukabrahmam what he has to say in his srimad

bhaghavatam on this govindan coming playing flute. Please observe the dress

comparison which is similar to periyaazhvaar (perhaps aazhvaar has taken

clue from sukhar) or azhvaar visualised sukar's description.

 

Bharhaapeetam natavaravapu: karNayo: karNeekaaram bibrathvaasa:

kanaka kapiscam vaijayantheem ca maalaam randhraan vENO: adharasudhaayaa

poorayan brundhaaraaNyam svapadaramaNam praaviscath geetha keerthi:

 

Krishnaa comes playing [or singing] the flute with the lips covering

the holes of flute, comes like a sutradhaara, [in the drama entering the

stage to announce some thing big is coming- the raasakreetai to begin with

immediately - govardhana giri episode, and later things]. Krishnaa comes

with peacock feathers on his hair tresses, golden brown coloured dress,

tulasi maalai in the chest, karNeekaaram flowers in the ears, and enters

brindaavan with the flock of gopa girls around him.

 

randhraan vENO: adharasudhaayaa poorayan- this is a special in

sukha brahmam - The flute having tasted the amrutam from krishnaa's lips

enjoys touching it again and again.

 

[Cross reference -marupposiththa maadhavan than vaaychchuvaiyum

naaRRamum viruppuRRu kEtkinRen soolazhi veN sanghE of aandaaL- nachchiyaar

thirumozhi].

 

4. Now let us turn to Swami Desikan who has enjoyed this govindan

coming.

 

Chithraakalpa scravasi kalayan laangaleekarNapooram

BarhOththamsa sphurithachikurO bandhujeevam dhadhaana:

Gunjaabadhdhhaa murasi laLithaam dhhaarayan haarayashtim

GOpasthreeNaam jayathi kithava: kO api koumaara haari- gopaala

vimsathi slokam 17

 

Krishnaa, the winner of young ones -koumaarahaari (girls, boys,

calves, all young ones without exception) with white flowers in the ears,

red flowers in the hands, kunthumaNi garlands in the chest, the hair nicely

tied into tresses, with peacock feathers crowning the hair dressing, comes

with pictursque postures and wins the hearts of one and all.

 

Please see the raasikyam is similar between sukha brahmam, swami

desikan and periyaazhvaar. Valankaathin mEl thOnRip poo, karNeekaaram

flowers, kunthumaNi maalai, vaijayanthi maalai - only the items vary but the

rasanai on kaNNan is identical.

 

5. Now we will turn to the next arpudam of periyaazhvaar.

 

3.6.6 ambaram thiriyum kaanthapparellaam amuda geetha valaiyaal surukkundu

nam paramenRu naaNi mayangi nainthu sOrnthu kai maRiththu ninRanarE.

Ambaram is aakaasam- the sky space

Thiriyum- roaming

Kaanthappar- gandharvaas

Amuda geetha valaiyaal- the net created by the music, which

is better than nectar

SurukkuNdu- tied down

Nam - ours

Param- this word has 3 meanings - vasam (possession) -

baaram (weight) - uyarvu- ERRam- elevation

[Nam param anRu- it is not possible for us to raise to that

level (uyarvu)

It is not within our capacity or possession to play music

like that.

The weight of krishnaa's music is too much for us to bear

and hence becomes subservient.]

EnRu NaaNi- vetkappattu- shied

Mayangi- became unconscious- really- no - became inactive-

can say mesmerised by music

Nainthu- became pale

SOrnthu- became tired

Kai mariththu ninRanarE - with hands tied, they stood- who

gandharvaas

 

Ambaram thiriyum kaanthappar - gandharvaas who are supposed

to be roaming always in the devalokam, aakaasam and other places, they also

missed their routine [like others covered in earlier parts], they were

caught in the flute music net, of beloved krishnaa and unable to move even.

 

One more reason is also there for these gandharvaas unable

to move. In the beginning of this verse periyazhvaar says "dEvargaL singam"

- if the lion of dEvaas is standing and playing the music, will these people

have the guts to move- singaththin mun vanthuvittu - can you just leave in

the middle?

 

They, with folded hands were just listening, thinking that

'Unless the music stops, we will not be able to get back to our senses and

do our normal things'. Nam param anRu- it is not within our capacity -

further they also have a desire -because the person playing flute is "nam

paraman" - our supreme Lord- when our man is playing shall we move away from

that place - that is why they are not interested in moving.

 

See the arpudam- the gandharvaas are tied down in krishnaa's

music and unable to move from the place.

 

Now let us turn to another very staunch krishna baktha who has sung all most

on all krishna baala leelaigal - viz. Ooththukkaadu venkatasubbaiyer.

 

[i was told by a very senior bhagavatha that whenever venkatasubbier go into

trance then only the song used to pour out. During such occasions krishnaa's

jathi sollal (uttering of the jathi by krishnaa was heard in the middle by

Sri iyer and that is why there are several jathis in the songs). Of course

the songs are a little kada kada thamizh (a little tough). But the krishna

bakthi in the songs are beyond any measurement and songs are so sweet]

 

This song is vasantha raagam

 

Neela malar kOla thirumEni kaNdu moham koNdu

Nenjam niraivaanathE- nin iniya, nuN adhisaya - neela

 

SOlai thanil nadamaadum thooya kuzhal isai paadum

sugamodu maasuNamum magizha viriththaadum

iragu nizhal amarum ezhilukku ezhilaana - neela

 

vaana villil kaaNuginRa vaNNa vaNNa niramellaam

nin ezhilil vanthu vanthu saraN pugunthathO

mOna ezhil kaaNa naan, nee vaan mathi aanathu anji

moola naadham sabai pOnathO- nin kuzhalil

gaana mazhai pozhinthida gantharva kinnararum

maanamanji marainthanarO- nin kuzhalil

thEnaruvi pol oLirum un vadhana

theenchvaiyil viLaiyaadum makaram ena - neela

 

Dasan

Vasudevan M.G.