Guest guest Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 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 # 24 dated 2nd January 2006 ================================================================== IN THIS ISSUE: 1. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 18 UN^THU MATHAKALIRRAN (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) 2. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 18 UN^THU MATHAKALIRRAN ENGLISH VERSE TRANSLATION (MS. SHOBA RAMASWAMY) ================================================================== ISSUES RELEASED So far, 200 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 23 Issues of Vol. 7 =================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =================================================================== 1. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 18 UN^THU MATHAKALIRRAN (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) - TIRUPPAVAI 18 un^thu mathakaLiRRan un^thu mathakaLiRRan Otaatha thOL valiyan * nan^thakOpaalan marumakaLE nappinnaay * kan^tham kamazhum kuzhali katai thiRavaay * van^thu eNGkum kOzhi azhaiththana kaaN * maathavip pan^thal mEl palkaal kuyilinaNGkaL kUvina kaaN * pan^thaar virali un maiththunan pEr paatac * cen^thaamaraik kaiyaal cIraar vaLai olippa * van^thu thiRavaay makizhn^thu ElOr empaavaay. (2) 18. ============================================================ • In the previous Paasuram, they woke up the Achaaryan. • Now, they wake up the “Pradaana Naayaki”. Why? Because, it is she who acts as the mediatrix and does “Purushaakaaram” • What is Purushaakaaram? It is because she is making the Lord “Purusha” or “Rakshaka”- the Protector. • When AanjanEya could not find Sri Sita anywhere in Lanka, he invokes Sri Sita and Lo! And behold! Sri Sita is sighted! “namOstu Raamaaya salakshmaNaaya/ dEvyai cha tasmai janakaatmajaayai // • When LakshmaNa pleaded with Rama to accompany him to the forest, he fell at Sri Rama’s feet but all the time he was looking at and addressing Sri Sita (to recommend him) and Sri Rama (to accept his request) Sa braathrus charaNou gaaDam nipeedya Raghu nandana:/ Seethaam uvaacha athi yasaa Raaghavam cha mahaavratam // • In the Kaakaasura story, we know how the crow ultimately fell at the feet of Sri Sita and in front of Rama and was saved. un^thu (lit) to push. mathakaLiRRan: • One who pushed (and killed) the intoxicated elephant. • KaLiru means elephant. • We have seen animals and birds acting as mounts (vaahanams) for different deities. • Do you know that one dEvata who makes a human being as his Vaahanam? • It is “KubEra” who is considered the Lord of wealth. He was earlier known as “subEra”. A “nara” (human being) plotted to pull him down and suggested that he should make love to Paarvati. When Lord Siva noticed this misdemeanor, he cursed SubEra to become ugly. From then on, he came to be known as “Ku-bEra”- (one with an ugly form)! Otaatha thOL valiyan * • In Svapadesam, Achaaryas never give up and turn their back while dealing with “kudrishTis” and “kuyuktas” • Hers both Nanda and GOpala have this trait of Achaaryas. nan^thakOpaalan marumakaLE • After KrishNa’s birth, all girls in ayppaaDi considered themselves as the “daughters-in-law” of Nanda. So, Nappinnai did not heed. That is why they call her now by her name “Nappinnai” • Nanda was lucky in having KrishNa as son and Nappinnai as daughter-in-law. • What is luck? “A-drishTam” That blessing which arrives unseen. • Fortune favors whom it pleases (adan + IshTam) Examples: KuchEla, Dhruva, Ambareesha Nappinnaay* • Do you know who Nappinnai is? • There is a lot of confusion. Some identify her with Andal herself. Obviously, this is not correct because Andal herself addresses Nappinnai. • Nanada’s brother-in-law was called “Kumban”; Nappinnai is the daughter of this Kumban. • It is said that she told PerumaaL “Nam pinn varak kaDaveer” (follow me) and came down to Earth to protect the world. Hence, Nam (p) pinnai. • Another interpretation is she is Nalla + Pinnai= Good one who came after. • “Pinnai” means “younger” Then who is the “elder” or who came “earlier”? It is “Moo-dEvi”. So, Nappinnai is none other than Sri Mahaalakshmi who came after moo-dEvi during the churning of the milky ocean. • Why praise Nappinnai here? It is because a husband would feel elated if someone praises his wife in his presence and will feel humiliated if someone were to use derogatory words against her. This is an age old trick they are trying to play! • Did not YasOda employ the same psychological weapon when inviting Baby KrishNa to have a bath? All her entreaties fell on deaf ears for KrishNa. Finally, she throws a bombshell saying “I do not mind if you remain dirty. But, if Nappinnai sees you in this condition she is sure to laugh at you!” This works and KrishNa hurries to have his bath! • “pooNi thozhuvinir pukkup puzhudi aLainda pon mEni kaaNap peridum ugappan aagilum kaNDaar pazhippar NaaN ithanaiyum ilaadaai! Nappinnai kaaNir sirikkum maaNikkamE! En maNiyE! Manjanam aaDa nee vaaraai” kan^tham kamazhum kuzhali • The hairs of Napinnai had natural fragrance that would betray her presence even if she were to hide herself out from the view of the gOpis. • So, this “gandam kamazhum kuzhali” is a “perfect match” for the “naatra thuzhaay muDi naaraNan”! katai thiRavaay * • KaDai = Bolt • They seem to say “All others have opened their doors and let us in. Your door is the last one – Open it” van^thu eNGkum kOzhi azhaiththana kaaN * * They say that the roosters all over the place (Engum) have been calling. • Nappinnai does not respond because she thought that the rooster they were mentioning was one of those “Jaama-kOzhis” that call every hour (Like the cuckoo clock!). They tell her that the roosters they were mentioning were different in that they wake up only at day break. Thus, they try to dispel her doubt in this regard. • In Svapadesam, like these roosters, Achaaryas wake up early morning to attend to their Nitya karma anushTaanams. • The mention of the rooster takes us to a story of a Sishya of BhaTtar. BhaTtar asked his Sishya to go and learn from Ananta azhwaan about Bhaagavata LakshaNam. When the Sishya arrived at Anata azhwaan’s place, he was received with royal honors and was made to sit with the master for eating. Next day, he was made to sit a distance away and with every passing day, he was relegated to outer and still outer circles. And, the Sishya took everything in its stride and never felt slighted. Finally, when he approached the master for being instructed on “Bhaagavata LakshaNam”, the master told him: • “A true Bhaagavata will be like a crane, like a rooster, like salt” and concluded “like you” - The crane would patiently wait till it gets its big fish; - the Rooster would reject all trash and until it is able to pick what it needs; - Salt adds flavor to food but remains incognito. - The Sishya was like all these. maathavip pan^thal mEl Maadavipandal = Upanishads palkaal kuyilinaNGkaL • It is a tradition to compare Achaaryas with cuckoos. • Earlier they cited the roosters. Now they say that the "koels" called not once but several times! (Palkaal) • Was not Vaalmiki called as “kOKilam”? koojantam Rama RamEti maduram madura aksharam aaruhya kavitaa saakhaam vandE Vaalmiki kOkilam kUvina kaaN * • This refers to the melodious voice of the cuckoos. • Unfortunately however, the cuckoos sing so melodiously (koovina), but cannot do “aDai kaathal” (nurture the eggs). So, they leave their eggs in the nest of crows that nurture them till the birds emerge out in spring. Then only it will be known which young ones are Crows’ and which ones are Cuckoos’! “vasanta kaalE sampraaptE kaaka: kaaka: pika: pika:” pan^thaar virali • Holding KrishNa in one hand and ball in another • Acharyas rave about this with various comments like: - “barthaavin paDukkaiyaium kuzhandaiyin toTTilaiyum yEka kaalathil kaNN kaaNippar” - KrishNa = Nityavibhooti; Ball = Leelaavibhooti - KrishNa = Bhoga UpakaraNam; Ball + Leela UpakaraNam! - BhOghyam in one hand and BhOga sthaanam in the other! • The gOpis yearn to be like bouquets and balls to enjoy the “sparsam” of the Lord - Cf KulasEkara Azhwaar’s “PaDiyaai kiDantu unn pavazha vaai kaaNbEnO - Andal’s “karpooram naarumO etc un maiththunan pEr paatac * • They seem to induce her opening the door saying: “If you let us in, we will act as umpires and declare you as the winner in the game with KrishNa. • Nappinnai looked as if she was asleep but was having her eyes wide open! • We, however, have experienced similar strange scenario when our school going kids appear to be studying with eyes wide open but in reality were sleeping! cen^thaamaraik kaiyaal • Her hands are naturally red like the lotus. By hitting the ball, they had become redder still. • “Tamaraikkai” also refers to several “mudras” - Jnaana mudra of Bhaashyakaarar - Vyaakhyaa mudra of Hayagreevar and Swami Desikar - Varadaana mudra of Kanchi Varadar - Abhaya mudra of Srirangam Ranganaathar - Paada mudra of Parthasarathi of TiruallikkEni and TiruvEnkaTam uDaiyaan showing the feet - Anjali mudra of Bhaktas showing their supplication - It is said that coming together of thumb and pointer fingers signify the coming together of Paramaatma and Jeevaatma. cIraar vaLai olippa * • VaLai = Bangles • When the husband of a Pativrata wife told her that he was leaving on a long trip away, she became so famished with grief instantly that her bangles dropped from her wrists; And, when he told her that he was taking her with him, she was overwhelmed with joy so much that suddenly her frame assumed more than her normal self with the result whatever bangles still remained got crushed into pieces! • Olippa: The jingling sound of the bangles in the arms matched the sound of the anklets. • We have seen the Lord donning a woman’s garb. Have you ever seen Thaayaar don a man’s garb and if not, do you know why not? • The reason is that if someone at that time were to fall at the feet of Emperumaan, he being “DaNDa dharan” may not forgive that someone and proceed to award punishments for sins committed. So, she always remains in her natural self as a compassionate mother- “Nityam agjnaata nigrahaam”- as one who does not know punishing! van^thu thiRavaay • Come and Open • Don’t use “remote control” as they do for operating TV, Fan etc! makizhn^thu • Bhaashyakaarar was a fan of Andal and her Tiruppaavai was always on his lips. So, he was known as Tiruppaavai Jeeyar” • Once as he was going around the streets of Srirangam for “bikshai”. Suddenly he found himself in front of the house of Periya Nambi, his Achaaryan. At that very moment, as he was reciting this Paasuram and came to the lines “seeraar vaLai olippa vandu Tiravaai” , the doors of the home flung open, and Athuzhaai, daughter of Periya Nambi appeared with her jingling bangles and handful of ‘Bikshai”. For a moment, Bhaashyakaarar imagined as if it was Andal who herself had come in front of him! ElOr empaavaay. (2) The usual refrain. =================================================================== • This is the 18th Paasuram. Number 18 is important. • In Srimad Vaalmiki Ramayanam 18th Sargam in each KhaaNdam is said to be important • 1+ 8= 9 which is an unchanging number ================================ To Continue =================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =================================================================== 2. TIRUPPAVAI PASURAM # 18 UN^THU MATHAKALIRRAN ENGLISH VERSE TRANSLATION (MS. SHOBA RAMASWAMY) - “Daughter-in-law of The Fearless NandagOpa, Strong as the elephant enraged, Oh! Nappinnai! Of the sweet scented hair locks, Open your doors! The fowls all around call And on the flower creeper The Koels many times have cooed, Shapely fingered one! As we sing your husband’s name, With bangles tinkling Around your lotus wrists, Come and open your gates And grant us happiness, Oh! My Maidens!” ------------------- To Continue ==================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ==================================================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.