Thondaradippodi AzhwAr's ThirupaLLIyezucchi:Part IV (1st Paasuram)

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear SrI RanganAtha BhakthAs:

 

We will commence the study of the First Paasuram now.

We will split up the sandhis so that one can discern

the meanings readily:

 

Kathiravn GuNa disai vanthu aNainthAn

kanaviruL ahanRathu kaalai amm pozhuthAi

madhu virinthu ozhuhina maamalar yellAm

vaanavar arasarkaL vanthu vanthu EeNDi

yethir disai niRainthanar ivarodum puhuntha

irun-kaLiRu Eettamum pidiyodu murasum

athirthalil alai kadal pOnRu uLathu yengum

ArangatthammA! paLLi yezhuntharuLAyE

 

The references to the Saama Vedam for

the Saama Gaana lOlan , SrI RanganAthan

will be covered in detail from the inclusion of

the word " Kathiravan " (Aadithyan) as the first

word of this Prabhandham.

 

 

Extended Meaning:

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

Oh Lord of SrIrangam! The Sun has risen to the mountain top

of the eastern quarter.The dense darkness of the night

has thinned out and the beautiful daybreak is about

to be ushered in. The beautiful (morning ) flowers

have blossomed and honey (in plenty) is dripping from them.

The celestial beings and the kings have assembled

in front of the gates of Your sannidhi and are crowding

on opposite sides and in all directions . The (bleating of)

male and female elephants and (the beating of)

the war drums of kings and (the blowing of )

the trumpets join to make a loud noise on all sides.

This tumult is similar to the uproar of the billowing

waves of the restless ocean .It is already early morning.

Oh Lord RanganAthA! Please wake up and bless us !

 

Word by Word Meaning:

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

Arangatthu AmmA! = Oh Lord of SrIrangam !

 

Kathiravan = Sooryan

 

GuNa disai sikaram = (has reached)the peak of the Eastern mountain

 

vanthu aNainthAn = and has embraced it with His own body.

 

Ghana iruL ahanrathu = The dense darkness of the night

has been diminished.

 

amm kAlai pozhuthAi maa malar}

yellAm virinthu madhu ozuhina} = Now that it is dawn , the lofty

flowers have blossomed and are

dripping honey abundantly.

 

Vaanavar = the celestials(DevAs, VidhyAdharAs, KinnarAs

GandharvAs et al)

 

arasarkal = the KshathriyA raajAs of the Earth

 

vanthu vanthu eeNDi = arrived slowly, slowly and assembled

 

yethir disai niRainthanar = they are standing in a direction

facing You in a tight group

with no room in between.

 

ivarodum puhauntha = (Those elephants) which served as transport

for them & accompanied the celestials & the kings

 

pidiyodu kaLiRum Eettamum = Those assembly of huge male and female

elephants bleating

 

murasum athirthalil = (added to that noise ) is the sound from

the beating of the big drums

 

alai kadal pOnRu yenguma uLathu = (is)The integrated noise from

the elephants , the war drums

& trumpets has pervaded every

direction.

 

PaLLI yezhuntharuLAi = Oh Lord of SrIrangam! Please awaken from

Your Yoga NidhrA !

Special Notes:

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

1. The tender and affectionate addressing of

the Lord ( ArangatthammA) is most endearing one

and is filled with Bhakthi BhAvam. Lord RanganAtha

can not but respond in the affirmative to

the AzhwAr's appeal.

 

2.It is customary to wake up the kings with descriptions

of the scenes seen at dawn.

 

3. KATHIRAVAN : This is the name for Adityan celebrated in

Saama Vedam. In the UdhgIthOpasana section of ChAndhOgyam ,

UdhgitA is identified as PraNava ( ChAndhOgyam:1.5.1). This

manthram goes on to reveal that this Aditya is UdhgIthA.

Meditation upon Saaman as AdithyA is covered in ChAndhOgyam

(2.9.1-8).

 

ChAndhOgyam 2.9.1 says: " One should meditate upon the SEVEN

FOLD SAAMAN as ADITHYA...He (Adithya Mandala madhya sthithan)

is the same to all since every one thinks "He faces me" .

"He faces me", Thus He is the same to all".

 

The seven fold Saaman consists of (1) Hinkara (2) PrasthAva

(3) OmkAra (4) UdhgeethA (5)PrathihAra (6) Upadrava and

(7) Nidhana.

 

The form of Adithya before His rising is HinkAra( Ch.2.9.2).

 

The form of Aditya , when He first rises up is PrasthAva( Ch.2.9.3).

 

The form of Adithya at the time of spreading his rays is

known as "aadhi " or OmkAra ( Ch.2.9.4)

 

The form of Adithya at midday is UdhgItha Saama ( Ch.2.9.5)

 

The form of Adithya , which is post midday and before

afternoon is PrathihAra Saaman.

 

The form of Adithya between post afternoon and sun set is

the Upadhrava sAman.

 

The final form of Adithya is Nidhana and is associated

with the setting down of the Sun .

 

In this section , the meditation upon the seven fold

parts of Saama with the focus on Adithya and

Adithya-anthargatha SRIMAN NAARAYANAN is expounded:

 

"yEvam khalvamumAdhithyam SAPTHVIDHAM SaamOpAsthE "..Ch.2.9.8

 

The Purushan in our eyes and the Aadhitya Purushan has

been proven to be one and the same in earlier sections of

ChAndhOgyam . This Aadithya Purushan is SrI RanganAthan

as ThoNDaradippodi visualizes Him as a Saama Vedic practioner.

 

By choice of the word , "Kathiravan", all the seven forms of

meditation of Saama with the focus on Adhithya is invoked.

Upto day break ,the HinkAra , PrasthAva and OmkAra(Aadhi)

form of Saama UpAsana is indicated.Animals are associated with

HinkAra form of Saama. During the PrasthAva sAma stage,

men desire to undertake Saadhu activities. The birds are

associated with the Aadhi/OmkAra (Third of the Seven) stage of

Saama.Birds are associated with the avayava of Saama

known as "Aaadhi".

 

One can surmise that the Saptha prAkAra Madhyan ,

SrI RanganAthan is worshipped by the Seven forms of

Saama from Sunrise to Sunset .

 

ChAndhOgyam instructs us that there are 22 letters associated

with the Seven SaamAs (2.10.1). By meditating on the 21 of

the 22 letters of the Saptha Saamans , one attains Adithya

(Ch.2.10.5). By meditation on the 22nd letter , One goes

beyond Adithya, which is the world of bliss devoid of

even an iota of Sorrow.

 

ThoNDaradippodi AzhwAr was saluting Adhiyya Kula Tilakn ,

SrI RanganAthan surrounded by SEVEN PrAkArams and

resting under PraNavAkAra VimAnam at SrIragam ;AzhwAr

seems to have chosen the word pregnant with Saama Vedic

Connotations ( Kathiravan = Adithya).

 

NamO Saama Veda SvaroopAya , SrI RanganAthAya,

BhakthAngri rENu Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan