nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi-55

[Guest guest]

Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha

Srimad Vara Vara munayE Namaha

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

Paasuram-46

 

“vaippan maNi vilakkA mAmadhiyai mAlukkendru

eppozhudhum kaineetum yAnaiyai-eppAdum

vEduvaLaikka kuRavar villedukkum vEnkatamE

nAduvaLaith thAdudhumEl nandru”

 

In thirumalai, even animals and less intellectual tribal people,

engage themselves in bhagavat/bhAgavata kainkaryams. Then what to

say about the other folks?

 

(vaippan maNi vilakkA mAmadhiyai mAlukkendru eppozhudhum kaineetum

yAnaiyai) This is the nature of the animals in thirumalai. An

elephant residing in thirumalai sees the full moon in the night.

Since thirumalai is praised as “mangul thOi senni vadavEnkatam” the

moon appears to be very close. The elephant eagerly lifts its trunk

to catch hold of the moon wanting it to be placed as a

non-diminishing light (nandA vilakku) in front of

thiruvenkatamudiyan. The elephant tried once, all in vain but still

it did not lose heart. It keeps on trying why? It is due to its

great thirst for bhagavat kainkaryam the elephant keeps on trying.

Due to the greatness of the divya desam even an animal that lives in

forests shows deep love and devotion towards the lord.

 

(eppAdum vEdu valaikka) The hunters who are not blessed to live in

thirumalai are filled with rajo/tamo gunas. They with the wish to

hunt the elephants in thirumalai reach the divine land. They

surround the elephants to capture them. The elephants are very

sincere trying to catch hold of the moon and hence don’t even notice

the hunters surrounding them.

What will happen to the elephants?

 

(kuRavar villedukkum) The tribal people in thirumalai get hold of

their bows and arrows. They defend the elephants against the

hunters.

 

(eppAdum vEdu-kuRavar) The hunters are referred as “eppAdumulla

vEdargal” along with an adjective by azhvar whereas the tribes are

referred to as “kuRavar” without any adjective. This implies that

the tribes belong to thirumalai. The hunters lack the opportunity to

be in a divya desam and hence are harsh in mind. They continue to do

their family profession of killing, whereas the tribes blessed to be

in thirumalai though born in a lowly clan of harsh minded people

still are filled with sAtvika guna. They show their anger only to

those who cause danger to bhagavatas.

 

(eppAdum vEdu –kuRavar) wherever, in which ever clan one may be born

divya desa vAsam creates a great amount of change in ones character;

 

(vEduvalaikka kuRavar villedukkum)

 

“vEdargal yAnaiyai valaiththuk kola, andha yAnaiyai adippadarkAga

kuRavar villai edukkum padiyAna” ----- Arumpadha vurai

[The hunters surround the elephants and the tribes take their bow and

arrow to kill the elephants.] In this commentary there is no mention

about the dEsa vaibhavam.

 

On the contrary PeriavAchAn pillai’s commentary reads,

“purampuLLa vEdar soozha, thirumalaiyilE varththikkum kuRavar villeduththapadi edhirkkum”

[The hunters living outside thirumalai surround the elephants and the

tribes in thirumalai defend the elephants with their bow and arrow]

 

Appillai Sri manavAla mAmunikal’s shisya in his commentary writes,

“avargalai naligaikkAga”

 

Therefore, it is clear that the above said meaning will be more apt,

well accepted by both azhvar and periavachan pillai.

 

(kuRavar villedukkum vEnkatamE nAduvaLaiththu AdudhumEl nandru)

Thirumalai makes even less intellectual people scholars. So everyone

irrespective of his or her level of knowledge come round thirumalai

and dances with joy.

 

(vEdu vaLaikka kuRavar, villedukkum vEnkatamE ….. nandru) when even

animals are saved from danger in thirumalai what to say about others?

 

(To Be Continued)

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

Sumithra Varadarajan