MahA VidvAn Sri U.Ve. PerukkAraNai Swamy ' ThiruppAvai Monograph: Selected Excerpts: Part VIII-> Vyatthu VaazhvIrkAl Dinam :Second day of Dhanur Maasam

[Guest guest]

Srimathyai GodhAyai Nama:

SrimathE RaamAnujAya Nama:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

Introduction to the Second ThiruppAvai Paasuram

************************************************

In the first Paasuram , ANDAL described that

Sriman NaarAyaNan ALONE is our Saviour with

the statement : "NaarAyaNaE NamakkE Parai

TharuvAN" . Our Lord's Thiruvadi was revealed by

ANDAL as "PrApya PrApaka Sangraham ",the essence

of the means and the ultimate goal (PurushArtham )

for our Moksham in the spirit of Swamy NammAzhwAr's

Paasuram set in KuraL VeNNpA (KuraL Metre):

 

KaNNan kazahliNai-- naNNUm manamudayeer

YeNNUm ThirunAmam-- tiNNam NaaraNamE

--ThiruvAimozhi: 10.5.1

 

(meaning): Oh People of the World (Vyatthu-VaazhveerkAL)

aspiring to reach as the Supreme goal of this life

on Earth , the sacred feet of Lord KrishNA , meditate

on His most important naamam , NaarAyaNA . Do it

without fail. That meditation will be rewarded

most assuredly by Sriman NaarAyanan.

 

In the second Paasuram ( Vaitthu VaazhveerkAL ) ,

ANDAL describes about what is KARTHAVYAM( to be done)

and what is THYAAJYAM ( to be discarded ).ANDAL

mentioned in the first paasuram , what the Lord will

do for the ChEthanams and in the second Paasuram , She

lists what chEthanams should do to qualify for His grace.

 

The Meaning of the Second SlOkam by Sr.V.K.S.N.Raghavan

********************************************************

 

" Oh People who reside in this world! May You listen to

our austerities , which we are to follow during our

Paavai Nonbhu.(We will observe this routine). We will

sing in praise of the holy feet of Paraman ( the Supreme

Purushan) that has taken to sleep (YoganidhrA) merrily

on the milky ocean. We will refrain from consuming ghee

and milk (till the end of our Nonbhu). At the early small

hours of the day (dawn) , we will bathe (getting ourselves

immersed )in the river; we will refrain from applying

collyrium (anjanam) to our eyes; we will not decorate

our locks of hair (lit. bind our hairs ) with flowers;

(we will abide by the holy text books (ShaasthrAs );

we will refrain from performing proscribed duties;

we will not speak painful untruth; we will give liberally

alms to those people , who seek for it and even to those ,

who do not seek for it (to SanyAsis);we will always

contemplate upon the fair method to achieve the aim of

purposeful life( Bhagavath-BhAgavatha-AchArya Kaimkaryams);

and we will (thus)live a contented life . (This way ,

Oh dear girl, You may know our routine). { Refraining from

doing wrong acts, through the path of VairAgyA (dispassion)

one should adore the feet of KshIrAbdhisAyin (PaaRkkadaluL

paiya-thyuinRa Paramandi paadi) is what is prescribed/insisted

upon in this second paasuram)}.

 

Kathavyam and ThyAjyam : Kaayakam, Vaachikam & Maanasam

********************************************************

Observances to be practised during Marghazhi Nonbhu

****************************************************

(1)ANDL refers to KIRISAIGAL (Observances) in this paasuram.

Karthavya kirisaikaL to be performed are of three kinds:

Vaachikam , Kaayikam and Maanasam ( by one's speech ,

limbs and mind).Singing /naama Sankeerthanam (paadi)

is Vachika kaaryam ;taking bath , giving alms are kaayikam

kaaryams; thinking about Him (yeNNi/reflecting on Him )

is the maanasika kaaryam.

 

(2) " eiyyamum Picchayum Andhanayum kai kaatti UyyumARu

yeNNI Uhanthu" Here the power of DhAnam (charities and

giving away wealth and time in spirit of Kaimkaryam )

is described in the context of Marghazhi Vratham .

 

" eiyyam " refers to samarpanams to AchAryan.

"Picchai" refers to samarpaNams to SanyAsis and

charities to BrahmachAris. SanyAsi can also be

an AchAryan in many cases like Srimath Azhagiya Singar ,

Srimath ANDavans , Sri VaanamAmalai Jeeyar ,Sriman NaarAyaNa

Jeeyar and many other YathivarAs.

 

It is also said that description of BhagavAn's glories to

His BhaagavathAs is "eiyyam" and the sharing of BhagavathA's

glories with the Lord is "Picchai".

 

"Aandhanayum Kai Kaatti UyyumARu YeNNI ": To share our

wealth to the limit of our capacity is what is intended

here ("SraddhayA dhEyam" and "asraddhayA dEyam " of Taittiriya

Upanishad is the context ). "Illai yennAthu eethalE nanRU"

is the Old Tamil proverb . " arthina: prathamE tasya

charamAn paryapUrayan " is Swamy Desikan's decription

of King Yathu , when it came to giving dhAnams to the limit

to those who sought them .

 

"UyyumARu YeNNI" : Our reason for sustenance (Ujjevanam)

is immersion in the limitless , auspicious GuNams of

our Lord in the spirit of Upanishadic statement: "RasO

Vai Saha"

 

"UyyimARu YeNNI" has also been split this way

"Uyyum+aaRu+ yeNNI" and commented upon. Uyyum

means the way to Moksham . "aaRu YeNNI " means

repeated reflections on those six doctrines that

Lord VaradarAjA gave to AchArya RaamAnujA through

Thirukkacchi Nampi . We seek the life of ParamaikAnthi

through conductance of our lives with these six guidelines

given by Lord VaradarAja of Kaanchi to AchArya RaamAnujA .

 

The "aaRU " referred to by ANDAL to Her fellow

gopis are the six mangaLa vasthus for women :

 

(1) Mettu in toes (Silver aabharanam for the toes)

(2) Valai ( bangles ) in hands

(3) Nose screw (4) ThirumAngalyam or sacred thread

on the neck (5) Tilakam on the forehead and (6)Pushpam

in their hair.

 

Acts to be discarded during the Marghazhi Nonbhu

*************************************************

Vaachika , Kaayika , maanasika thyAjyams (acts to

be abandoned/rejected) are :

 

(1)"TheekkuRalaic-chenROdhOm " ( we will not speak

painful untruth and engage in purposeless talk )

is vaachika ThyAjyam ( to be abandoned by our speech).

 

(2)"SeyyAthana seyyOm ": We will not think on subjects

that will lead us astray.(PraathikUlya Varjanam of

SaraNAgathi anushtAnam is referred not only here

but in all thyAjyams referred to above and below ).

 

(3) NeyyuNNOm PaaluNNOm ": We will not consume ghee and

milk , which are day to day items in the lives of Gopis .

(It is easy to reject exotic items in our lives rather than

some thing that is part of "the pleasures of daily life" ).

Bhagavan Naama Sankeerthanam takes the vratham observers's

appetite away in the spirit of ANDAL's father's (PriyAzhvAr's

Paasura Vaakhyams)statements :" uNNA nALL PasiyAvathu

onRillai (NDP:438) and " nedumayAl ulahEzhum aLanthAi--

KooRai sORivai VeNDuvathillai.." (NDP: 436). Before ,

Ghee and Milk were Taarakam ( nourishment )for them ;

now Bhagavan Naama SankIrthanam and Hari KathA PaarayaNam

is their Taarakam .

 

The guidance here is : "EkAdasyAm Jaagaranam tathA

( One has to be wide awake in following the prescriptions

and the proscriptions of EkAdasi Vratham ).Similar to

observing the rites and rejecting those that are not

prescribed the Vratham is undertaken and completed.

Here , ANDAL connects such Karthavyam and ThyAjyam to

ThiruppAVai Vratham ( Nonbhu).

 

As additional thyAjyams , ANDAL vows that She and

Her fellow observants will not beautify themselves

with flower in their hair and collyrium in their eyes

( Mai ittu yezhuthOm , Malarittu naam mudiyOm ).

 

" SeyyAthana SeyyOm " (Avoiding UpAya VirOdhis)

************************************************

ANDAL vows that during the Marghazhi Vratham ,

She and her friends will avoid Saasthra-Viruddha

Kaaryams ( Those five acts prohibited for PrapannAs ):

 

(1) Akruthya KaraNam ( Para Himsai , Para sthOthram ,

Para ThAra parigruham , Para dhravya apahAram ,

asathya Kathanam and abhakshya BhakshaNam /

Mental-Physical injury to others, praising

human beings , coveting other's wives, stealing other's

property , telling untruth and eating items prohibited

by ShAsthrAs ).

 

(2) Kruthya akaraNam ( Abnadoning the prescribed duties

(according to their ability ) ordained by ShAsthrAs.

 

(3) Bhagavath apachAram : DevathAnthara worship and

equating the glory of Sriman NaarAyaNA to other

Gods , Thought that Raama-KrishNa avathArams

as human births, UpAdhAna NirUpaNam in ArchAvathaaram

of our Lord, AthtmApahAram ( thinking of Jeevan as

our property and dEhAthma Brahamam , Stealing of

the property of the Lord (temple wealth set aside

for His worship), taking money from those , who steal

from BhagavAn's temples.

 

(4) BhAgavatha apachAram: Offending the hearts and minds of

the dear devotees of our Lord.

 

(5) asahyApachAram : intolerance to matters relating to

BhagavAn and His devotees; AchArya apachAram .

 

" Seyyum KirisaikaL kELIrO ":

*****************************

ANDAL Appeals to the fellow-gOpis in the spirit of

"Bhadram karNEbhi: SruNuyAma:" (Listen to the glories of

the Lord as an integral part of the Vratham)and asks

them to observe the anushtAnams . These listening & observances

are of three kinds: (1) through Ears (2) "Through Vaak " and

(3) Through Mind.

 

In the first paasuram , ANDAL advised us that we

should perform SaraNAgathi at our Lord's feet with

the utterance of Dhvaya manthram.Here , She points out

who qualifies for such anushtAnam (observance) and

Uttara kruthyams ( the code of life after Prapatthi/

SaraNAgathi through a SadAchAryan).

 

Who Should we reflect upon?

****************************

ANDAL points out that we should meditate upon

the Lord Sriman NaarAyaNan , who is sleeping

joyously ( with UllAsam ) in the middle of

Milky Ocean ( MadhyE Ksheera PayOdhi Sesha SayanE).

 

That Sriman NaarAyaNan is " PARAMAN"

************************************

The Greatest of the greatest One is our Lord,

who performs Yoga Nidhrai on Adhi Seshan in

the midst of the Milky Ocean reflecting on

ways to come to our rescue ."Na Tath sama:

Nabhyadhikasccha " ( There is none Equal to Him

or Superior to Him ).With Sri MahA lakshmi's

sambhandham , He shines as Param JyOthi there

and becomes Parama Purushan and PurushOtthaman .

 

ANDAL addressed us as " Vaitthu VaazhverkAL " or

the BhAgyasaalis , who got the difficult-to-obtain

Nara Janmam (Human birth) to observe the Vratham of

SaraNAgathi and follow the life of PrapannA afterwards

and qualify for Nithya Kaimkaryam in the Transcendent

world of Sri Vaikuntam.

 

ANDAL ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

RaamAnuja Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE GopAladEsika MahAdEsikAya Namah:

 

Dear Sri SatakOpan mama,

 

Thanks for your excellent outpourings of translations from Sri PerukaraNai

Swamy's book. Please keep it up.

I was reading Sri Ahobilamutt 44th pattam Sri Mukkur Azhagiyasingar's commentary

on ThiruppAvai last night. Simple and very easy to understand.

 

I would like to share two things: (just for enjoyment, as supplemental post)

 

1. pAsuram: 2- Vaiyatthu.. (This was also beautifully explained by Sri Anand

Karalapakkam to Smt Praveena, at Singapore a couple of years ago, which she

spoke in a NAMA event later): InjimEttu Azhaigiya Singar (42nd pattam) it

appears used to narrate a story on this about "Anthanaiyum kaikaatti"..

(meaning: if one is not able to offer anything, at least he needs to show (kai

kaatti) someone so that the person gets benefitted).

 

Some one who never used to offer anything to anyone and always used to show his

right point finger "go to that house; go to this house, etc.,", dies and is

taken to yama. Yama looks at his good (?) deeds. None at all; except showing

this finger (kaikaatti) . He orders severe punishment of roasting and burning

etc., for him, while his finger gets ROYAL treatment placing it in

airconditioned environment. Within a few seconds, yama dhUthAs say that

"MaharAj! we are sorry. The next door guy's name is also the same. We made a

mistake and brought this guy here." So, he is released. Before leaving

YamalOkam, he asks, "why I was made to suffer and finger was given such great

treatment?". Reply was : "you did good deed by showing to needy, others who can

offer help to them. That's why. " So he is convinced that such good deed alone

can help.

 

He comes back (punar janmam) and now he is sure as to what to do. Next day one

beggar cae "aiyA! please offer some food". Our hero, immediately realising the

treatment his finger received, bends his hip towards the neighbour's house for

pointing, extends his head (for pointing) to other beggar. Thereby instead of

using the finger alone, he has started using the entire body to point with a

view to getting Airconditioned treatment for the whole body, without actually

offering anything to needy people.

 

2. pAsuram 3 -Ongi ulagaLandha utthaman pEr PAdi- All commentaries talk and

refer this only to Trivikrama avtaar. However, Sri Mukkur Azhagiyasingar, saying

"it is different; But it si Sri ANdAL's command to write this" (for enjoyment).

Utthaman can not refer to Vaamanan. He can not be Utthaman because He came as a

small Boy, dwarf from; with an intenet to deceive Mahabhali. He simply asked for

three measures of earth with His feet and immediately grew huge. He also cheated

by hiding MahAlakshmi (who resides ever in His Divine Chest) coming as

Brahmachari. Also Vaamanan came in for devathaatharam Devendran. Thus, Sri AndAL

would not have had Vaamanan when she wrote Utthaman. Also she did not write:

"Ongi kaalaalE ulagaLantha.. She only said "ulagaLantha".

 

She refers only to Sri Krishna, whom she is praying to, for rain (as vyAjam) and

for showing us the path of Saranagathy in accordance with His assuring words of

CharamaslOkam: It is He who grew so huge showing His ViswarUpam to Arjunan (Ongi

ulagaLantha) in the battle field. It is He who made Arjunan see the flowers that

he had offered on Sivan's head, lying at the feet of Sri Krishna. He is Utthaman

(PurushOtthaman), as He compassionately blessed us with Charama slOkam and the

entire GitA.

 

I just wrote from memeory. Just for enjoyment. Anything good is due to Sri

Mukkur Azhagiyasingar's commentary. All faults are mine. Please forgive me for

any errors and apacharams.

 

Sri ANdAL ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

 

Regards

NarayananE namakkE paRai tharuvaan

Narayana dAsan Madhavakkannan

[Guest guest]

At 08:46 AM 12/19/00 +0800, you wrote:

>

>

>SrI:

>SrImathE GopAladEsika MahAdEsikAya Namah:

>I was reading Sri Ahobilamutt 44th pattam Sri Mukkur Azhagiyasingar's

commentary

>on ThiruppAvai last night. Simple and very easy to understand.>

>I would like to share two things: (just for enjoyment,

>as supplemental post)

>

Dear Sri MadhavakkaNNan:

 

I am very happy to read the intrepretations of

Srimath Azhagiya Singars on specific passages of

the ThiruppAvai Paasurams covered so far. ThiruppAvai

is an anubhavam-filled grantham and all sadAchAryAs

have blessed us with their penetrating insights

for us to comprehend clearly the inner meanings.

 

Please add supplemental information on individual

paasurams for the general enjoyment of the BhakthAs

during this sacred season.Thank you .

 

Best wishes,

V.SatakOpan