ThiruppAvai- verse 3- Ongi ulagaLandha

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

These English translations were written by Sri CG Balaji Swami of Bangalore on

the discourses by asmadhacharyan His Holiness Srimad Paravakottai Andavan Swami

broadcast in AIR, Trichy. Out of Swamy’s infinite mercy, His Holiness had

assented to give a series of concise and succinct lectures on the topic of the

most delectable Thiruppavai of Andal. These lectures were broadcast on Radio

Trichy. The same was later brought out in a printed edition from the illustrious

house of ‘Sri Kanchi Perarulalan’. This tamizh treatise was released during

the occasion of Swamy’s shathabhishekam during Vikrama- Panguni-Rohini, year

2001. Our profound thanks to Sri CG Balaji Swami for his efforts in translations

for the benefit of all of us.

 

Let us enjoy the third wonderful verse of ThiruppAvai…

 

ONGki ulakaLan^tha uththaman pEr paati *

naaNGkaL nam paavaikkuc caaRRi nIraatinaal *

thINGkinRi naatellaam thiNGkaL mummaari peythu *

ONGku peRuNY cen^n^el Utu kayal ukaLap *

pUNGkuvaLaip pOthil poRi vaNtu kaNpatuppath *

thENGkaathE pukkirun^thu cIrththa mulai paRRi

vaaNGkak * kutam niRaikkum vaLLal perum pacukkaL *

nINGkaatha celvam niRain^thu ElOr empaavaay. 3.

 

In this verse Andal speaks about the results obtained after

observing the act of Sharanagati. The fruits are basically twofold.

The first one being the eternal bliss of moksham. Attaining divine

communion with Kannan is a unique achievement for girls of

Aayarpadi alone. The other fruits experienced by all the folks of

Aayarpadi are a good harvest due to good rains and lots of food,

cattle and wealth. Having sung Srivaikunthanathan in the first

verse, she then moves on in the second verse to sing

Ksheeraabdhinathan in His yoganidra, who has come down a little

from Srivaikuntham to hear to the pleads of His subjects and to

protect them. From there, Andal embarks on to sing the third verse

on Vamanan, who lived on this Earth amongst us during His

incarnation here.

 

Mahabali ruled over all the worlds that belonged to the Devas.

The Devas prayed to the Lord to free their worlds from the hands of

Mahabali. Though Mahabali had occupied the property of others,

He still was a very pious man and lived like a sage. Due to this,

Paraman did not wish to kill him to free the lands of Devas.

Mahabali once performed a yaga and gave lots of gifts in charity to

many pious people who had come there. Paraman having known

this incarnated as the son of Kashyapa Rishi and attended the

yagam of Mahabali as a small boy and asked him to give three feet

land as danam (charity). Though Shukracharya tried to avoid

Mahabali from giving this danam, Mahabali was so pleased

knowing that Paraman Himself is asking for something from him

and said, “You are given the land you asked forâ€. Vamanan then

grew as Trivikraman and measured the whole Earth with one foot

and the entire sky with the second one. Finding no place for the

third foot, Mahabali with folded hands requested the Lord to place

His foot on his head and gave away all the land of the Devas he was

ruling over.

 

“In this way, just like the way He protected the Devas,

Paraman shall unfailingly protect us who, (after bathing in the holy

river) perform Sharanagathi at His lotus feet. So let us sing the

divine glories of Uththaman, the Lord who protects others at His

own expense. Singing the names of Keshavan is capable of giving

more fruits of benefit than by worshipping Him. Just like how the

subjects of Ayodhya attained great benefits in this world and in the

higher worlds by singing Rama Rama Rama, let us do so and attain

the same blissâ€.

 

“One rainfall for the great knowers of Veda, one rainfall for the

virtuous (chaste) character of the womenfolk and one rainfall for

the King who upholds law and justice. Similar to this saying, due to

these three kinds of rainfall in the month, the land is free from the

evils of floods and drought, it is rich and wealthy with crops and

the cattle are healthy and give abundant milk. Along with this we

also get our eternal treasure, Kannan. So let us sing the names of

Kannan and take a dip in the Holy River and go to meet Himâ€. So

saying she called all of her friends and moved along.

Just like how a cow gives milk to its calf, acharyas feed

Brahmajnanam to the pupils who submit at their feet. This is the

gist of this pasuram.

 

Let us enjoy the fourth and fifth verse tomorrow.

Andal ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan