Guest guest Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 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// ==================================================================== SRI RANGA SRI VOL.07 / ISSUE # 22 dated 31st December 2005 ==================================================================== IN THIS ISSUE: 1. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 16: NAAYAKANAAY NINRA (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) 2. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 16: NAAYAKANAAY NINRA ENGLISH VERSE TRANSLATION (MS. SHOBA RAMASWAMY) ==================================================================== ISSUES RELEASED So far, 198 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 21 Issues of Vol. 7 =================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =================================================================== 1. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 16: NAAYAKANAAY NINRA (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) ---------------------------- TRUPPAVAI 16 naayakanaay ninRa naayakanaay ninRa nan^thakOpan utaiya kOyil kaappaanE! * kotith thOnRum thOraNa vaayil kaappaanE! * maNik kathavam thaaL thiRavaay * aayar ciRumiyarOmukku * aRai paRai maayan maNivaNNan nennalE vaay nErn^thaan * thUyOmaay van^thOm thuyilezhap paatuvaan * vaayaal munnamunnam maaRRaathE ammaa! * nI nEya nilaik kathavam nIkku ElOr empaavaay. (2) 16. • After waking up the gOpis, they reach the mansion of nandagOpa and wake up the guard. • In Svapadesam, it is said that in 10 verses from 6 to 15, they addressed the 10 Indriyas. This is to wake up the 11th Indriya, namely, Mind “manas”. • “mana Eva manushyaNaam kaaraNam bhanda mOkshayOh” • Mind is responsible for binding to Samsaara as well as releasing the soul from its shackles. -- Naayakanaay Who is Naayakan? • naayakan is the Lord. Sriman NarayaNa IS THE Lord. • On some occasions, other dEvatas who are appointed by the Supreme Lord to be the Lord for specific duties and for specific periods – but under his own supervision and control. As stated, these appointments are for specific purposes and specific time-periods, like, Heads of departments in Government! • But, Sriman NarayaNa is FOREVER and FOR ALL – the ONE and ONLY SUPREME LORD. • They call the guards by their occupation – by their “service” to the Supreme Lord. When someone works for a great master, they would deem it an honor to be identified as such. • For example, Someone works in the High Court, That one would like to identify oneself as working in the “High Court of Judicature”, as if that would enhance their personal status! Or one who works for the UN or IBM or Microsoft! • In Svapadesam, “Naayakan” is one who protects PramaaNams from “Kuyuktis” - PramaaNam: Vedas to Brahmasutram - PramEyam: Param, Vyuham, Vibhavam, Antharyaami and Archa - Pramaathaa: Azhwars and Aachaaryas. ninRa • It used to be said that none has suffered for more than 30 years at a stretch and none has enjoyed continuous felicity for 30 years at a stretch. • This does not apply to our “Naayakan”. He is unaffected by joy or sorrow and stays put in that state forever. • Nammaazhwaar gives a thumbnail picture about the transient nature of enjoyment in the world by citing the case of an Emperor who ruled the whole country under his sole umbrella. Having lost his kingdom, he wishes to visit his old kingdom in the dead of night. As he jumps over a wall, he stamps on a black dog. Bitten by it, he trips over a heap of mud pots that break with a bang. This awakens his old subjects, whose attention he wished to avoid precisely! “Oru naayakamaaiODa ulaguDan aaNDavar, Karunaai kavarnda kaalar, Sidagiya paanaiyar perunaaDu kaaNa immayilE pitchai taan koLvaar” nan^thakOpan utaiya kOyil Why “NandagOPanUdaiya”? And, why “KOyil”? • Nanda saved KrishNa from Kamsa. The “Sarva Rakshakan” put the burden of protecting Himself on the shoulders of Nanda. • We know how Nanda protected KrishNa by being “koorvEl koDum thozhilan”. • Also, it is “kOil” where the Lord resides. As KrishNa was residing in Nanda’s house, it became “kOil”. • “jnaana dasaiyilE rakshya bhaavam thun pakkalilE kiDakkum; prEma dasaiyilE taTTUmaarik kiDakkum” When one understands one’s relationship with the Lord, one would realize the Lord as the “protector”. But, when one is overwhelmed by love, this thought would become topsy-turvy. Cf Pariyaazhwaar’s “PallaaNDu, PallaaNDu” that issued forth from his concern for the safety of the Lord (pongum parivu). kaappaanE! * • It is always fruitful to approach the benefactor through someone whom he cannot turn away. • This is how AaLavandaar cited his connection with NaathamunigaL as the reason for accepting his prayer. • SrivaishNavas are not supposed to cite their connections to their place or relations but they take pride in their role as the Sishyas of their respective Achaaryas. • In Tiruvaaraadana also, we first invoke the Dwarapaalakas. • When we go to the temples, we have to take the permission of the “KshEtrapatis” and “”Dwaarapatis”. • We are not supposed to do “SaashTaanga namaskaaras” before PerumaaL or Thaayaar at the Sanctum Sanctorum because we will be stretching our feet to GaruDaazhwaar and AnjanEya, who are all His Bhaagavatas, thus unwittingly committing “Bhaagavata apachaaram” which is considered more heinous than even “Bhagavat apachaaram” (Not that one is permitted to commit this apachaarams knowingly!) • In this connection, it will be worth noting that one should not prostrate before anyone while you are within the Sannidhis. The only one to whom such prostrations can be done is the deity in the Sanctum Sanctorum. Such prostrations can be done at the Dwajasthambam. • In Srirangam, we find Dwarapaalakas as follows: East: ChaNDa and PrachaNDa South: Badhra and Subadhra West: Jaya and Vijaya North: Daataa and Vidaataa • As different guards would change duties, the gOpis do not call them be their given names but by the generic designation as “kaappaanE”. • In SringibERapuram, we see how Guha and LakshmaNa took turns to guard the sleeping Sri Rama and how each of them suspected the other as potential “security threat” to Sri Rama. • In Svapadesam, our heart is the “kOil” for PerumaaL Vide: brahmapurE daharam puNDareekam vESma • Also, it is mind (manas) acts as our guard (ChandOghya Upanishad 3.127) kotith thOnRum • We see flags, festoons and banners (also bill boards!) to indicate the places where important functions are held. • In Mithila, the flags seemed to wave an invitation to Sri Rama saying “Here is Sri Sita”, says Kamba RamayaNam. • On the contrary, the flags atop Sri KrishNa’s mansion seemed to dissuade DuryOdhana from entering, says Srimad Bhaagavatam. • You will notice on Arjuna’s chariot, the image of Hanumaan’s face turning away as if he did not wish to witness what was happening. • Do you know why he turned has face away? • Hanumaan had earlier seen “Dharma Yuddham” during TrEtaayugam. But, during KurukshEtra war, the war was replete with adharmam, right from the beginning and progressively worsened as the war progressed. It was revolting for him to witness this massacre of Dhrama! thOraNa vaayil kaappaanE! * maNik kathavam • The door was beautiful. When even his subjects were having “thoo maNi maaDam”, it is no wonder that the doors of his own mansion were gem-studded – “maNi mayak kadavam” • The temple doors are so beautiful, that enchanted by them, people may forget to go inside to have darshan of the Lord! • In Svapadesam, “maNIkkadavam” refers to “kaivalyam” or “aatma-avalOkhanam”- enjoying one’s own soul – an impediment to reaching “mOKsham”. thaaL thiRavaay * • In Svapadesam, “Please remove the obstacles to our enjoying “pari-poorNa Brahma anubhavam” aayar ciRumiyarOmukku * • When the guards hesitate the gOpis assure them saying, “Don’t worry! We are just small children unlike Pootanai who came to harm KrishNa”. • The guards reply: “Even Vatsa asura was small” • They reply: “We have come with “Svaroopam” See! We have suffixed “Om”- “sirumiyarOm” aRai paRi • “What will you do, if we let you in?” the guards ask. • They reply: “We would seek “parai” • In Svapadesam, Vaadhya gOsham at the time of Tiruvaaradanai is “Parai” maayan maNivaNNan : already explained nennalE vaay nErn^thaan * • The guards say: “You can meet him after he gets up” • The gOpis reply: “”He has already promised us an audience at the time of waking up” because we approached him in the spirit of “tad viddhi pratipaadEna pariprasnEna sEvayaa” and he agreed” • “He is “meyyanukku meyyan; poyyanukku poyyan” He is ‘Aasrita meyyan” • “daaya vibhaagam” is done only once; similarly, “vara daanam” and “vaak daanam” • Once promised, he will not change stance to his devotees. thUyOmaay van^thOm: • The guards ask “Did you come with a pure mind?” • They reply: “Yes. We are blemish-less” • “We are too young and small and our ‘Sthanyams” are too tiny to give milk. No question of breastfeeding like Pootanai!” • “Sugreeva promised to help Sri Rama as quid pro quo for a return favor from Sri Rama in his fight against Vaali. We are not like that. We have not come for any quid pro quo. We came just to wake him up”. • “When Viswaamitra wished to wake up Sri Rama, he did not want to call him Rama- a name given by his arch-rival VasishTa. But, he could not coin a more appropriate name. So, he came back to “Rama”. Witnessing the charm of the face of Rama waking up was available to Viswaamitra only for a short while. So, he invoked his mother Kousalya while waking him up saying “Kousalyaa suprajaa Rama” • But, we have always his name on our lips”. • In Svapadesam, “agjnaanam” (Ignorance) is “Thuyil” (sleep) thuyilezhap paatuvaan * * “We will not even touch him. We will just sing (Paaduvaan)” Vaayaaaal munnamunnam maaRRaathE • Please do not delay! • Think of what happened to Jaya and Vijaya! ammaa! * nI • Why do they call the guard “ammaa nee”? • Even if the master is merciful, the servants may not be. They are trying to cajole him into admitting them to the chambers of KrishNa. • Deivam varam koDuttaalum poosaari varam koDukka vENUmE! Even if the Lord is prepared to grant his grace, it can be got only through the intercession of the priest! • They seem to tell the guards that the guards knew the norms of Saastras and so they will not stand in the way of the gOpis meeting with KrishNa. “You are not “Sustra paaNi” (wielders of weapons); you are “Saastra paaNi” (wielders of knowledge). Bestow mercy on us and let us in” nEya nilaik kathavam nIkku • Doors are insentient. How can they be characterized as “nEsa nilai kadavam” (friendly doors)? How can they have “nesam” (friendliness which is an attribute of sentient beings? • The answer is that everything in “Nitya vibhooti” is a “nityasuri” eternally sentient one. • Did not KulasEkhara Aazhwaar say “PaDiyaaik kiDantun pavaLa vaai kaaNbEnO?” meaning “When will I remain as a stepping stone in front of your Sannidhi so that I can ogle your coral lips incessantly?” It is clear from the above that even inanimate objects in the divine presence of the Lord can have all the faculties that sentient beings have. • Another interpretation is: “These doors are impediments to “nEsam” So, Unbolt” • “nEsam” means friendship, devotion, attachment. • “nilai”: Let our minds not be distracted. • “nilai” is also “doorstep”. During rainy season, wooden doors bulge and cannot be opened easily. So, they ask the guards to open the heavy doors. • For humans, there is attachment (nEsam) to Samsaaram and it is very stable! (nilai). This attachment is created by “karma” which verily is like the doors. If the doors are opened, we can reach Emperumaan. • The Lord has “nEsam” towards us. These doors prevent that “nEsam” from reaching us. • In Svapadesam, Ahamkaaram and Mamakaaram are the two doors that prevent our attaining God. • Achaaryas used to say that in this Paasuram Koil: Moolamantram Vaasal kaappaan: Dvayam Vaay nErndaan: CharamaslOkam ElOr empaavaay. The usual refrain =================================================== To Continue ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ===================================================================== 2. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 16: NAAYAKANAAY NINRA ENGLISH VERSE TRANSLATION (MS. SHOBA RAMASWAMY) --- “Sentinel at the temple-gates Of our Lord NandagOpa Guardian of the garlanded arch Over which the pennant flies! Unlock the bolted doors! To us the cowherd girls The mystic, sapphire hued one Yesterday had given his word, Pure, we have come To sing Him awake. Mouth not words of refusal, now, We beg, But swing open These two doors In friendship embraced, Oh! My Maidens!” --------------------- To Continue =================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =================================================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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