SRS Vol.7-20 dated 12-29-05

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SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha //

SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha //

SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/

SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya//

KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: /

SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm//

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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.07 / ISSUE # 20 dated 29th December 2005

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IN THIS ISSUE:

1. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 14:

UNGKAL PUZHAIKKATAITH

(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)

2. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 14:

UNGKAL PUZHAIKKATAITH

ENGLISH VERSE TRANSLATION

(MS. SHOBA RAMASWAMY)

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ISSUES RELEASED

So far, 196 Regular issues of SRS have been released apart from Special

Issues:

27 Issues of Vol. 1

15 Issues of Vol. 2

42 Issues of Vol. 3

35 Issues of Vol. 4

28 Issues of Vol. 5

30 Issues of Vol. 6 and

19 Issues of Vol. 7

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1. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 14:

UNGKAL PUZHAIKKATAITH

(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)

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Tiruppavai 14

uNGkaL puzhaikkataith

 

uNGkaL puzhaikkataith thOttaththu vaaviyuL *

ceNGkazhunIr vaay nekizhn^thu aampal vaay kUmpina kaaN *

ceNGkal potikkUrai veNpal thavaththavar *

thaNGkaL thirukkOyil caNGkituvaan pOthan^thaar *

eNGkaLai munnam ezhuppuvaan vaaypEcum *

naNGkaay ezhun^thiraay naaNaathaay naavutaiyaay *

caNGkOtu cakkaram En^thum thatakkaiyan *

paNGkayak kaNNaanaip paatu ElOr empaavaay.

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• This Paasuram is said to be a “wake up call” to a gOpi who is like

TruppaaN Azhwar. When asked to climb and sit on the shoulders of

LOka-saarang-muni, as commanded by Lord Ranganatha, he did not do so out of

ego but obeyed saying “aDiyaarkku ennai aaTpaduthia vimalan”.

• This is said to be addressed to a gOpi who is like “Sirya TiruvaDi” known

for his “Silver tongued oratory” (sollin selvan)

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uNGkaL puzhaikkataith thOttaththu vaaviyuL ceN GkazhunIr vaay nekizhn^thu

aampal vaay kUmpina:

 

In the garden pond of your own backyard the mouth/petals of red lilies have

blossomed and the mouth/petals of water lilies have closed.

• Anticipating her disbelief saying that because your eyes blossomed when

you came, you think that the red lilies have opened up, they proceed to

respond by saying “No. We actually saw this not elsewhere but in your very

own garden pond.

• In SvapadEsam:

Veedu: = Moksham;

puzhakkaDai = Samsaaram;

thOTTam = tree;

Vaavi = Hridayam (heart)

kaaN: See! See for yourself!

 

ceNGkal poti kkUrai veNpal thavaththavar:

• Saffron robed ascetics with white teeth brushed with white ashes

• “Koorai” is robe, ochre robe. The ascetics wearing ochre robes

 

Thavaththavar:

ascetics, those doing Tapas

 

Who is a Tapasvi or Sannyaasi?

• “Kshamaaroopam tapasvinaam” is a great saying meaning that a Sannyaasi is

not supposed to get angry. Patience is the hallmark of a true Sannyaasi.

• Story of even a thief who did not get angry on some occasion:

A thief caught red handed hid behind a bush. The owner pretending to brush

teeth spat the spittle water right on the face of the thief. Out of fear,

the thief did not stir. But, when the owner’s wife chided him for repeatedly

doing this crazy spitting exercise, he spat at her but once. She got upset

and demanded an explanation. He replied “This thief has not uttered a

single word all the while but you are making a big deal about spitting at

you just for once”. The wife went round and called all the neighbors and

they caught hold of the thief!

• But, a Sannyaasi should never ever get angry.

 

thaNGkaL thiru kkOyil caNGkituvaan pOthan^thaar:

are going to their sacred temples to blow their conches:

• “Sangu” means both Conch and Key

• Even those who are known to be of TaamasaguNa have left for commencing

their prayers in their temples says BhaTTar

• Embaar and Tirumalai Nambi say that Andal being a Paramaikanti would not

have mentioned about Taamasa Sannyaasis. She must have meant only

SrivaishNava Sannyaasis who are governed by Sattva guNa.

• “Thiru” is Mahaalakshmi. How can temples of Taamasa people be called

TirukkOvil? The answer is that “IN THEIR VIEW”, it is TirukkOvil in the

sense “Thiru” also means “beautiful”

• When PraNavam contains “a” denoting PerumaaL, “u” denoting ‘PiraaTTi” and

“ma” denoting Jeevan as the sEsha of PerumaaL and Thaayaar, how come others

outside the pale of Sri VaishNavam prefix “PraNavam” to the names of the

demigods whom they worship?

 

Sri Anantanarasimhachar, Srikaryam Swami of His Holiness Srimad Andavan,

Poundarikapuram Swami Asramam, once mentioned jocularly “They have mentioned

PraNavam first. This is a tacit acceptance of their Seshatvam to Bhagavaan.

Why should we bother about whatever names they add after that?” He explained

“IN THEIR VIEW, they feel it appropriate to prefix PraNavam. So, be it”

 

eNGkaLai munnam ezhuppuvaan vaay pEcum:

You boasted through your own mouth that you would wake us up first

• “Vaai pesum”- The sleeping gOpi explains: “Because, I promised to wake you

up, I did not sleep throughout the night and felt sleepy only in the

morning”

• For this the gOpis say “You say one thing but do differently” Uthama

adhikaaris (Noble ones) do not act like this. All your promises are just

empty words and you never seem to have meant them”

 

naNGkaay ezhun^thiraay:

Hey girl Wake up!

• Uthama purushan is ‘Nambi”; Uthama stree is “nangai”

• They seem to tell her that the period for “upaadaanam” was over and the

time for “Ijya” had arrived”.

 

• What is Upaadaanam and what is Ijyai?

A day is divided into 5 periods called “Panchkaala Prakriyai” dividing the

time from Sunrise to the time of Sunset lasting, approximately 2 to 2 ½

hours each from Sunrise.

1. “Abhigamanam”- The first period allotted for praying to the Lord that the

day’s activities should go on smoothly.

2. “Upaadaanam” is the second period of the day reserved for getting ready

the articles for use during Tiruvaradhanam.

3. The third period is “Ijyai”, the time of the actual Tiruvaradhanam.

4. “Svaadhyaaya” is the fourth period reserved for study of scriptures

5. “Yoga” is the last period for mediation and concentration on the Lord.

• Even Sraadham to Pitrus should be done only at noon.

• What we see, however, is that either due to other preoccupations of the

priests and / or the necessities of having to attend the workplace on time

(usually 8.00am or 9.00am), Karta is forced to do well before 8.00am.or

9.00am.

 

Do not Kartas take a day off for visiting amusement parks or some such

social obligations like attending “parties”?

 

Similarly, they should take a day off, if necessary, and insist on the

priest to officiate around noon. After all, the word “Sraddham” itself means

“that which is done with “Shradda” (attention to a dutiful obligation)”. Of

course, there may be practical difficulties in a foreign land where priests

may not be available for observing the ceremony at the “Right” time! But,

there are alternate ways, if only one cares to take recourse to! Every

effort should be made to keep up this schedule unless it is impossible to do

so.

 

NaaNaathaay:

Shameless one!

• “naaN” means “ahamkaaram” and “mamakaaram” (i.e), the feeling of

“I” ness and “Mine-ness”.

• In Svapadesam, a true Achaarya will never have the feeling of this “I”

ness and “Mine ness”

 

Naavutaiyaay:

Talkative girl

• Even when you are harsh, your words are so sweet that we enjoy the same.

• In Svapadesam, everybody has tongue but it is Acharyas who can be said to

have tongue really because they only use the faculty for the purpose for

which tongue has been granted to us (i.e) constantly praising the Lord.

• Since the sleeping gOpi did not refute what they said earlier, they

characterize her as having “double tongued”- saying one thing at a time and

saying another at another time!

• You seem to specialize in empty talk, not in following it up with

appropriate deed.

 

caNGkOtu cakkaram En^thum thata kkaiyan: the

Wide armed Lord who bears the Conch and wheel (disc)

We know that the Lord wields His Conch, disc etc always and is known as

‘Sanga Chakra Gadaathy Aayuda Dhaaraka” and “Sarva PraharaNaayudah”.

1. When He was born to Devaki, He bore them even at birth.

2. When He faced Bheeshma, He took up these weapons even after taking a vow

not to use them.

3. When He converted day into night to beguile Jayadrata, He used His

Chakra.

4. When He showed His Viswaroopa to Arjuna and to Brahma.

5. When He vanquished the imposter PoundravaasudEva.

6. When He protected the fetus of Parikshit, He used His Chakra.

7. When Ambareesha was tested by Durvaasa

 

paNGkayak kaNNaanaip:

who has eyes like Lotus

Whatever role He took in His various Avataaras, He could not conceal the

beauty of His lotus eyes. His eyes are so captivating that they are praised

by His devotees and even by his sworn enemies.

• AnjanEya while describing Sri Rama to Sri Sita in AshOka Vana made special

references to His enchanting eyes

• Surpanaka even while complaining to RavaNa about her humiliation at the

hands of Rama, was so enthralled as to mention the magnetic charm of His

eyes.

• Do you know why Sri Rama cut the ears and nose of Surpanaka?

Even after the humiliation, she came back to Sri Rama and begged Him to

marry her. When asked why she came back, she replied-

“I know why you cut my nose and ears. It is because I am so beautiful that

when you marry me, it is quite likely that someone might wish to attain me.

Since you have already lost one wife, you would not like to lose me also.

You probably thought that by disfiguring me, you could dissuade others from

wanting me. That is why you did this to me. See! Inspite of this, I have not

lost my charm that is now enough to attract you and at the same time enough

to dissuade others. Now, you can freely go about your wish to marry me”

paatu:

(we will) sing about (Him).

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To Continue

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2. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 14:

UNGKAL PUZHAIKKATAITH

ENGLISH VERSE TRANSLATION

(MS. SHOBA RAMASWAMY)

-

“In your backyard pond

The Rose-hued flowers smile open

And the lilies fold close

The austere monks

In their brick=dust-red robes

Move toward their sacred temple

To sound the conches.

You, who promised to wake us up,

Young Maiden, unabashed,

Glib-tongued one!

Get up!

He who bears discus and conch

In His majestic arms,

The Lotus-eyed one,

Sing unto Him.

Oh! My Maidens!”

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To Continue

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