re - divya prabhandham - doubts from Smt. Rajalakshmi

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Vaishnava Perunthagaiyeer,

 

I try to answer here, the questions raised by Smt. Rajalakshmi [sridharaji@-- on

11.11.2002 in her mail to the list on dhivya prabhandham.

 

Smt. Rajalakshmi wrote - "In the first paasuram itself, Periaazhwar says

"pallaaNdu pallaaNdu......." thus does mangaLa aasaasanam to Lord to protect

Him. (Dhrishti kazhithal?)

 

Yes. In the vyaakhyaanam of thirup pallaaNdu sri swamy periya vaachchaan pillai

states

1. "kaala atheethamaana dhEsaththilE irukkiRa vasthu, kaalam saamraajyam

paNNugira dhEsaththilE chakshur vishayam aavadhE | iv vasthuvukku enna theengu

varugiradho ennum adhi sankaiyaalE aanai mElE kidantha maNigaLaith thaaLamaagak

koNdu intha soundharya soukumaaryangaLukku theengu vaaraadhE nithyamaai sella

vENum enRu thirup pallaaNdu paadugiraar".

 

- rough translation - that "thing", which is in a place beyond the controlling

conditions and limitations of time, has come to be seen by the eyes wherein this

time governs. To this "thing" what sort of difficulties or problems will arise -

such a serious doubt comes to the mind, and hence immediately using the bells,

which are hanging on the sides of the elephant, as cymbals, starts singing

"pallaaNdu - live eternally - dheerga aayushmaan bhava" - to that ever lasting

beatitude and tenderness.

 

- here the importance is that adhi sankai - serious doubt - may result in a harm

/ difficulty / problem to the lord.

 

2. Why that serious doubt came?

Because of forgetting see -

"mugappilE chakshur vishayamaana soundharyaadhigaLilE bhagavath prasaadha

labdhamaana bhakthi paravasaraaik koNdu azhunthi avanudaiya sarva rakshakathva

sarva sakthithvaththaiyum sva samrudhdhiyaiyum marakkaiyaalE bhagavath

samrudhdhiyE thamakku samrudhdhiyaagak koNdu mangala aasaasanam paNNugai".

 

- Rough translation- at the apron, in front of the eyes, there lies the beauty

for the eyes, which lead to deep devotion obtained again due to his grace.

Forgetting his omniscient and omnipotent nature and self - fulfillment,

considering his welfare alone as self's welfare started singing praise of Him.

 

- here the emphasis is on forgetting his omnipotence and thinking His welfare

only.

 

3. Why this doubt forgetting etc is all because the manner in which he came.

See how he came

- piraattiyOdE kooda sa parikaranaai eeswaran sannihithanaaga thath parikara

bootharaana brahmaadhi dhEvadhaigaLum aagaasaththilE nerungi nirkira iththai

saakshaathkariththu.

 

- Rough translation - having seen the lord coming with piraatti - his wife and

with all paraphernalia like weapons, decorations etc and surrounded by

assistants and deputy gods like brahma and others, all standing together

clustered.

 

4. See here - a doubt - forgetting - result - fear- bayam - so immediately an

effort to remove that fear by singing pallaaNdu - because just learnt [again by

HIS grace] all vEdhams - kizhi aruththu -still that vEdha maNam vaayil- that

vEdham smells in the mouth - vEdham lingers in the tongue - with that mangala

aasaasanam - singing pallaaNdu

 

- avanukku enna theengu varugiradhO enRu bayappattu antha baya nivruththiyilE

yathnam"

 

rough translation - fearing what sort of evil happenings may occur to him, and

carrying out efforts in removing that fear.

 

[for points 1 to 4 above refer pages 37 and 38 thirup pallaaNdu vyakhyaanam

book of periya vaachchaan pillai - geethaachaaryan publications]

Thus it is clear that removal of the dhrishti is the main focus for the

aazhvaar.

See the words theengu vaaraadhe, marakkaiyaale, baya nivruththi, yathnam etc.

Smt. Rajalakshmi writes further - "But the same Periaazhwar in moondram

tirumozhi "padadi kesa vannam"[actually it should be varNanam] calls everyone

(vandhu kaaNeerE) to come and see His beauty from paadham to kEsam, one one

beautiful pasuram for each avayam [actually it should be avayavam] and ask

everyone to come, see and enjoy Him. Why this contradictory pasurams?".

Reply point is - There is no contradiction at all.

"singing pallaaNdu" is for the lord when he came with all his decorations

paraphernalia etc piraattiyOdE kooda sa parikaranaai.

But in 3rd thirumozhi, a young proud mother yasOdha calls ladies - ladies only -

not all as sted by Smt. Raji -

- surruppaar kuzhali yasOdhai mun sonna thiruppaadha kesaththai- 1-2 -20

The thirup paadha kEsam - from foot to head - what has been said earlier by that

yasOdhaa who has curled hair - the proud mother calls NOT ALL but only ladies

 

- see description - kaarigaiyeer, suri kuzhaleer, vaaL nudhaleer - addressing

only ladies.

 

That proud mother with all exuberance and zeal - hey ladies, come and see my son

- he is so beautiful in every part of his body. In every word there is perumai

is overflowing - tham adhbutham baalaakam ambujEkshaNam - wonderful in every

part of the body - in every aspect of what can be said.

 

So totally in a different mood - no fear, no dhrishti- no baya nivruththi

needed.

 

Further a sincere devotee / a true devotee - a servant - always thinks of

welfare to his lord. Whereas a young mother - that too a proud one for having

such a wonderful child - naturally has a flair for tom- tomming about his

exceptional son.

 

So two different character analysis is presented here - by same aazhvaar.

 

Since length of the post is more, the second point of Smt. Rajalakshmi will be

taken up in next post.

 

Dhasan

 

Vasudevan m.g.