Thiruppavai - 23rd verse- maarimalai muzhanijil mannikidandhu uRangum...

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

Today’s verse is the 23rd verse.

 

Let us continue to enjoy the wonderful commentary of His Holiness Srimath

Paravakkottai Andavan of Sri Poundarikapuram Swami ashramam, Srirangam –

translated into English by Sri CG Balaji Swami.

 

maari malai muzhaiNYcil mannik kitan^thu uRaNGkum *

cIriya ciNGkam aRivuRRuth thI vizhiththu *

vEri mayir poNGka eppaatum pErn^thu uthaRi *

mUri nimirn^thu muzhaNGkip puRappattup *

pOtharumaa pOlE nI pUvaippU vaNNaa * un

kOyil ninRu iNGNGanE pOn^tharuLi * kOpputaiya

cIriya ciNGkaacanaththu irun^thu * yaam van^tha

kaariyam aaraayn^thu aruL ElOr empaavaay. 23.

 

In this verse, Andal seeks to celebrate and enjoy, the exquisite

beauty of Kannan’s reclining posture, the beauty of His waking up,

the beauty of His stride and the beauty of seeing Him seated

majestically. In the Ramayana, Tara and Mandodari were blessed

with the vision of the standing bearing of Sri Rama. Valmiki showed

the beauty of Sri Rama’s reclining posture at Darbhashayanam.

Sita enjoyed the reclining posture of Rama at Chitakootam so

intensely that she even failed to notice Kakasura having wounded

her. The hermits and recluses of the forest enjoyed the semblance

of Sri Rama being seated majestically.

 

Here the Gopis stand aspiring to enjoy and imbibe the beauty

of Kannan in its entirety. The Azhwars took great delight in

enjoying the beauty of Kannan sleeping as a baby in His cradle, the

beauty of Kannan waking up and the beauty of Kannan trying to

stand holding on to the cradle. They also celebrated and extolled

the reclining, standing and sitting postures of the Lord at various

divya kshetrams.

 

During the ceremonial processions of the Lord of Thiruvarangam, one gets to see

his valorous gait on top of a horse, his bewitching and majestic march on an

elephant, his furtive and fuming stride on top of a tiger and his regal

semblance on top of a lion, that is enough to send shivers down anybody’s

hearts.

 

The Gopis say that similar to this, they have enjoyed the beauty of

Kannan’s sleep and his waking up. They request Him to present

Himself on the throne in the grand hall. Only then would it be

possible for them to enjoy and celebrate the beauty of His stride,

the beauty of His divine form from all sides and the beauty of His

sitting posture. Kannan immediately ushers Himself into the grand

hall.

 

That was a feast for the eye. Andal gives a panoramic

description of this wonderful vision. She says, “A lion resides in the

depths of his mountain cave amidst the pouring showers. It rouses

itself and thinks of moving out of the cave. It sends out a

frightening roar stretching its legs and body. It warms up its body

shuddering its mane and standing high it sees its surroundings

completely. It majestically paces ahead and places itself head high

on top of a short cliff. Kannan strides majestically, similar to such a

lord of the jungle. He is indeed the cub of Yashoda. The Azhwars

have variedly celebrated Kannan as a lion in many of their sayings

like:

 

“Devaki singamE thaalElO!

siRRaayar singamE!

Ayar kula seeriya singam..

devaki singatthai paadi paRaâ€.

 

Kannan empathizes with the Gopis who had come walking in

the dark of the rising Sun under a showering mist, waking up the

damsels of Ayirpadi, the guards on duty at the palace and his

parents. He requests them to ask of their needs and assures that

he shall abide by to bestow it on them.

 

The Gopis say, “Oh Lord, you are dark hued with the colour of

the kaayam flower (Poovai poovaNNA)

 

un kOyil ninRu iNGNGanE pOn^tharuLi * kOpputaiya

seeriya siNGkaacanaththu irun^thu * yaam van^tha

kaariyam aaraayndhu aruL –

 

You have risen from your slumber.

Pray seat yourself on the throne in the grand hall.

We shall tell you all about us. The throne shall then

make sure that we are conferred. The statement at the seashore - “I

shall grant refuge to one and all†and the statement on the chariot

– “If surrendered to me alone, then I shall emancipate one from all

his torments†are definitely true. But we cannot believe your words

when you are still on your couch. Pray take the throne, for then

your words will become trustworthy and decree.

 

Kannan then adorned the throne in a majestic gait. Having

satiated themselves with the beauty of Kannan’s stride and his

majestic seating stance, the Gopis began to extol him with their

songs like garlands. Kannan then requested them to give out their

desires. The Gopis then requested, “Oh Lord, we need your

munificent benedictions. It is possible for one to win over anything

with the Lord’s benedictions on his side. Asking for anything else

would only bestow momentary affluence.

 

The hidden purport is that a jeevan should always pray only

for the Lord’s benedictions without any self-motives. If done so, the

Lord comes out of his cave at Ahobilam and bestows upon the soul

the fruits of all his desires

 

Andal ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan